Episode 90 of Stories from Space is now Live!
This week’s episode asks the question, “ Are Red Dwarf Star Systems Habitable?” Red dwarf stars, also known as M-type stars, are pretty controversial. For starters, they are the most common type of star in the Universe, accounting for 75% of stars in our galaxy alone. In addition, red dwarfs seem particularly good at producing rocky planets that orbit within their habitable zones (HZs). In fact, of the 31 potentially habitable exoplanets located within a 50-light-year radius of our Solar System, 29 are located within red dwarf star systems.
However, there are also downsides. For starters, red dwarf suns are variable and prone to flare-ups. While the most powerful are emitted from the poles and are unlikely to affect orbiting exoplanets, the fact that these exoplanets are tidally locked with their stars (where one side constantly faces toward the star) means they would still be bombarded by radiation. But then again, there’s research suggesting this radiation could be essential for life to develop. Like I said, it’s a controversial issue, and we simply don’t know… yet!
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Originally published at http://storiesbywilliams.com on January 3, 2025.
