An international team of researchers claims that the link between the colour of a planet and its surface features can be used to prioritize which newly found exoplanets, especially rocky planets with clear atmospheres, should be studied in-depth for signs of life. The work provides an important link between Earth-based geomicrobiology and observational astronomy.
A huge number of exoplanets have been discovered in recent times – just over 800 confirmed examples are known today, with more than 2000 candidates waiting to be confirmed. Of the candidate exoplanets, it is difficult to decide which ones are the most likely to harbour life.
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