Exoplanets exist outside the Earth\u2019s Solar System, with the first discovery tracing back to 1917. Current data suggest that there are over 5,000 in existence in 3,804 planetary systems, some of which have more than one planet.<\/p>\n

Scientists estimate that there are around 11bn potentially habitable planets in the entirety of the Milky Way, rising to 40bn if planets orbiting Red Dwarfs are taken into consideration.<\/p>\n

Models produced by the team suggest that the average surface temperature of an exoplanet is similar to Earth\u2019s, with a variation of around five Celsius, but the key difference lies with the land-water distribution.<\/p>\n

An oceanic planet with less than 10% land is likely to be damper and warmer than Earth, reflecting the balance on our planet prior to the asteroid impact that caused the extinction of dinosaurs.<\/p>\n

The land-heavy exoplanets, with less than 30% oceans, would feature colder, drier and harsher climates. The inner parts of land are likely to be occupied by cold deserts, which was reflective of Earth\u2019s climate during the last Ice Age, which saw the development of extensive ice sheets and glaciers.<\/p>\n

The climate of exoplanets was overall found to be much harsher than the balance on present-day Earth. Our planet\u2019s climate is appropriately balanced, with continents that grow through volcanic activity and erode by weathering over time.<\/p>\n

The process of photosynthesis allows life to thrive on Earth, where there is direct access to solar activity and oceans provide a huge reservoir of water. This enhances rainfall and prevents the current climate from becoming too dry.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the engine of Earth\u2019s plate tectonics, internal heat drives geologic activity, such as earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain building, and results in the growth of continents. The land\u2019s erosion is part of a series of cycles that exchange water between the atmosphere and the interior. Our numerical models of how these cycles interact show that present-day Earth may be an exceptional planet, and that the equilibrium of landmass may be unstable over billions of years. While all the planets modelled could be considered habitable, their fauna and flora may be quite different,\u201d concluded Professor Spohn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Studies carried out on terrestrial exoplanets have highlighted that the land-water balance of Earth is unique to our planet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":25581,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[771],"tags":[818,3477],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n