New research suggests red dwarf systems are unlikely to have advanced civilizations
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/new-research-suggests-red-dwarf-systems-are-unlikely-to-have-advanced-civilizations
New research suggests red dwarf systems are unlikely to have advanced civilizations
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/new-research-suggests-red-dwarf-systems-are-unlikely-to-have-advanced-civilizations
7 Comments
Writer of said paper has a really good YouTube channel and discusses this paper in I’m pretty sure https://youtu.be/IrUia9AIaOk that video. He’s an excellent presenter. Well worth the watch.
Fitting that red dwarf systems are stuck in the Bronze Age. Can’t have those fraternizing with dwarves move much beyond the early agricultural stages of civilization.
Flaring intensity is too high. Not exactly a novel observation.
This isnt really new information. The size of a red dwarfs habitable zone is very small and is near the distance that planets might tidally lock to its star, making it even less likely. A yellow dwarf like our sun really has the best mix of factors to produce earth-like life.
It’s difficult to see how photosynthesis would work around a red dwarf. The stellar flares make Earth-like atmospheres less stable. The relative lack of visible light, and the tidal locking would make ecosystems built around photosynthesis more difficult.
Most life on Earth is ultimately dependent on photosynthesis. Plants and algae form the basis of most ecosystems. We may find that life is common around red dwarfs, but it’s mostly simple life reliant on chemosynthesis. That would be consistent with the findings in the study.
It’d be cold outside with no kind of atmosphere.
TLDR: WE are the Elder Gods. The Forerunners. The Progenitors. The Ancient Ones. It’s goddamn time we started acting like it.