Universe Today - 2010 Feb 24
For Goldilocks, the porridge had to be not too hot, and not too cold … the right temperature was all she needed.
For an Earth-like planet to harbor life, or multicellular life, certainly temperature is important, but what else is important? And what makes the temperature of an exo-Earth "just right"?
Some recent studies have concluded that answering these questions can be surprisingly difficult, and that some of the answers are surprisingly curious.
"Just right" is tricky to pin down.
- Consider the tilt of an exo-Earth's axis, its obliquity
- Consider ultra-violet radiation
- Consider the effects of clouds