Research Finds Sun Sits in Milky Way Sweet Spot for Life, With Fewer Than 1 in 1,000 Catastrophes
Updated
Updated · The Conversation · Oct 6
Research Finds Sun Sits in Milky Way Sweet Spot for Life, With Fewer Than 1 in 1,000 Catastrophes
2 articles · Updated · The Conversation · Oct 6
Summary
New simulations using the EAGLE universe model found the Sun’s position on the Milky Way’s outskirts is close to the best possible environment for life.
Researchers judged habitability by balancing heavy elements needed for rocky planets against threats including supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, crowded stellar encounters and radiation from central black holes.
The study says Milky Way-like galaxies now offer especially stable conditions because their most violent phases have passed, while smaller galaxies remain denser and more energetic.
In the current Milky Way, fewer than one star in 1,000 would face an extreme life-annihilating event over 1 billion years, though the universe’s overall creation of new habitable sites is slowing.