Wednesday, July 9, 2014

ScienceDaily: Extrasolar Planets News

ScienceDaily: Extrasolar Planets News


Friction from tides could help distant Earth-sized planets survive, and thrive

Posted: 08 Jul 2014 01:32 PM PDT

As anybody who has started a campfire by rubbing sticks knows, friction generates heat. Now, computer modeling by NASA scientists shows that friction could be the key to survival for some distant Earth-sized planets traveling in dangerous orbits. The findings are consistent with observations that Earth-sized planets appear to be very common in other star systems. Although heat can be a destructive force for some planets, the right amount of friction, and therefore heat, can be helpful and perhaps create conditions for habitability.

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