Scientists uncover ‘extreme’ planet with Earth-like atmosphere – and hail ‘first step in search for alien life’

SCIENTISTS have found a strange similarity between Earth and another planet located 322 light-years away – though we definitely can’t live on it.

Experts have worked out new details about WASP-189b, a scorching exoplanet with temperatures so high it can vaporises metal.

Bibiana PrinothWASP-189b may have one similarity – but that’s as far as it goes[/caption]

While they are worlds apart in terms of climate, they do have something else in common it seems.

It turns out the atmospheric layers are not that different.

As we know, Earth is multi-layered, with several such as the ozone layer that protects us from the Sun.

According to a study in Nature Astronomy, other planets may follow the same system, albeit with very different characteristics to each.

But aside from that, WASP-189b is incredibly different from Earth.

It is home to surface temperatures of 3,200 degrees Celsius (5,792 degrees Fahrenheit), making it one of the most extreme planets ever.

And unlike our 365 days to orbit the Sun, over there things move much faster, circling its star every 2.7 days.

One side is always ‘day’ and the other is always ‘night’.

The planet is also huge, measuring 1.6 times the size of Jupiter.

“Our results demonstrate that even the atmospheres of intensely irradiated giant gas planets have complex three-dimensional structures,” said Jens Hoeijmakers, an astronomer from Lund University in Sweden.

Scientists were also shocked to find traces of titanium oxide, which has never been definitively detected on another exoplanet before.

It’s a rare compound here on Earth but on WASP-189b it could play an important role in the atmosphere.

WASP-189b is 322 light-years away

In other news, Apple has revealed a bunch of new emoji for iPhone, including a pregnant man and two saucy symbols.

Experts have warned that future space launches could be jeopardised if “stupid” regimes like Russia don’t stop blasting the skies creating debris.

And the most popular phone since the millennium has been unveiled, with many shocked to find out it’s not an iPhone.

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