We Worked Out What It Would Take To Wipe Out All Life On A Planet — And It’s Good News For Alien Hunters

Science Editor
Jul 22, 2017 · 1 min read

The first exoplanet was spotted in 1988. Since then more than 3,000 planets have been found outside our solar system, and it’s thought that around 20% of Sun-like stars have an Earth-like planet in their habitable zones. We don’t yet know if any of these host life — and we don’t know how life begins. But even if life does begin, would it survive?

Earth has undergone at least five mass extinctions in its history. It’s long been thought that an asteroid impact ended the dinosaurs. As a species, we are rightly concerned about events that could lead to our own elimination — climate change, nuclear war or disease could wipe us out. So it’s natural to wonder what it would take to eliminate all life on a planet…

    Science Editor

    Written by

    Breaking science news

    Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
    Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
    Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade