Scientists have always struggled with the thought: “Are we really alone?” From strange extraterrestrial theories to mole beings that have apparently been living beneath the Earth’s surface for centuries, every science enthusiast has toyed with some type of theory. However, it looks like these theories could now be coming to life.
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- Japanese astronomers claim to have discovered an “Earth-like” planet in our solar system
- So what is the Kuiper belt?
Japanese astronomers claim to have discovered an “Earth-like” planet in our solar system
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No, there was no progress in the search for evidence of mole people, but scientists have obtained information about a secret planet that could be hidden in our solar system and even have uncanny similarities to Earth.
Last month, Japanese astronomers revealed their theory of an “Earth-like planet” they dubbed “Planet Nine,” which they propose is discreetly hidden a few billion miles beyond Neptune.
This groundbreaking research was published in the Astronomical Journal and conducted by Patryk Sofia Lykawka of Kindai University in Japan and Takashi Ito of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Scientists delved deeper into the Kuiper Belt in their search to uncover clues pointing to the presence of this mysterious planetary body.
So what is the Kuiper belt?
It is an expansive ring surrounding the sun and consisting of a multitude of interstellar objects.
These objects include dwarf planets, asteroids, bodies rich in carbon and volatile elements such as methane and ammonia. Located immediately beyond the orbit of Neptune, this celestial reservoir orbits the sun much like other components of our solar system.
The discoveries made by Lykawka and Ito indicate the presence of another notable body within the Kuiper Belt that humans should pay attention to. This object exhibits “unusual” characteristics, including the ability to exert gravitational influence on other objects, meaning it could be considered a planetary candidate.
According to Earth.com, the astronomers wrote in their report: “We predict the existence of an Earth-like planet. It is plausible that a primordial planetary body could survive in the distant Kuiper Belt as a Kuiper Belt planet, like many of “Those bodies existed in the early solar system.”
While some astronomers doubt this planet exists, this new study is not the first to suggest that there could be a ninth planet in our cosmic neighborhood.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn