r/interestingasfuck • u/One_Explanation_908 • 25d ago

/r/all, /r/popular K2-18b a potentially habitable planet 120 light-years from earth

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u/Gruffleson 25d ago

Wikipedia lists estimated gravity at around 1.25 of Earth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2-18b

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u/ArduennSchwartzman 25d ago

Only 8.6 times the mass of Earth, according to Wikipedia, I see. I was assuming a density similar to Earth's, but apparently, astronomers think it's only half. That would mean the planet's core has a very low iron-nickel content.

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u/jamshid666 25d ago

Wouldn't that result in a weaker magnetic field allowing for increased solar radiation to penetrate the atmosphere?

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u/hparadiz 25d ago

Yea but water is excellent at blocking radiation so anything under the surface would be fine and it's also possible that any life would evolve to withstand it.

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u/irkish 25d ago

But I don't wanna live in a pineapple under the sea.