The Planetary Science Journal <\/em>and was initially undertaken to address two notable gaps in planetary science.<\/p>\nWhat did the planetary gaps reveal?<\/h3>\n As well as the revelation detailing the vulnerability of life on Earth, the experiment also highlighted notable gaps in our planetary system. The first is the gap between the size of terrestrial and giant gas planets located in our Solar System. The largest terrestrial planet is Earth, and the smallest gas giant is Neptune, which is four times wider and 17 times more massive than Earth. There is nothing in between.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIn other star systems, many planets have masses in that gap. We call them super-Earths,\u201d explained Stephen Kane, an astrophysicist at UCR who conducted the experiment.<\/p>\n
The other gap is in a location relative to the Sun, between Mars and Jupiter. Kane commented: \u201cPlanetary scientists often wish there was something in between those two planets. It seems like wasted real estate.\u201d<\/p>\n
These gaps could offer important insights into our Solar System\u2019s architecture and Earth\u2019s evolution. To fill them in, Kane ran dynamic computer simulations of a planet between Mars and Jupiter with a range of different masses and then observed the effects on the orbits of all other planets.<\/p>\n
Jupiter\u2019s role in the stability of our Solar System<\/h3>\n However, the results of the simulations offered insight into a much bigger issue \u2013 the vulnerability of life on Earth if this planet existed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis fictional planet gives a nudge to Jupiter that is just enough to destabilise everything else,\u201d Kane said. \u201cDespite many astronomers wishing for this extra planet, it\u2019s a good thing we don\u2019t have it.\u201d<\/p>\n\u00a9 shutterstock\/berni0004<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nJupiter is much larger than all the other planets combined. Its mass is 318 times that of Earth, so the gravitational influence of this gas giant is profound. If a super-Earth in our Solar System, a passing star, or any other celestial object disturbed Jupiter even slightly, all other planets would be profoundly affected, and life on Earth could be different from what we know.<\/p>\n
The future of life on Earth<\/h3>\n Depending on the mass and exact location of a super-Earth, its presence could ultimately eject Mercury and Venus, as well as Earth, from the Solar System. It could also destabilise the orbits of Uranus and Neptune, tossing them into outer space as well.<\/p>\n
The super-Earth would change the shape of our planet\u2019s orbit, making it far less habitable than it is today, if not ending life on Earth entirely.<\/p>\n
However, based on Kane\u2019s simulations, he noticed that if he made the planet\u2019s mass smaller and put it directly between Mars and Jupiter, it could remain stable for a long time. Despite this, small moves in any direction would lead to a disaster and disrupt life on Earth.<\/p>\n
The study has implications for the ability of planets in other solar systems to host life. Though Jupiter-like planets \u2013 gas giants far from their stars \u2013 are only found about 10% of the time, their presence could decide whether neighbouring Earths or super-Earths<\/a> have stable orbits.<\/p>\nThese results gave Kane a renewed respect for the delicate order that holds the planets together around the Sun. \u201cOur Solar System is more finely tuned than I appreciated before. It all works like intricate clock gears. Throw more gears into the mix, and it all breaks,\u201d Kane said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The hypothetical existence of a terrestrial planet located between Mars and Jupiter could eliminate life on Earth as we know it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":30756,"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":[801],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Could a terrestrial planet end life on Earth?<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n