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Very Few Planets Have the Right Chemistry for Life

February 16, 2026
Very Few Planets Have the Right Chemistry for Life
By Evan Gough (https://ift.tt/8oyAKjr)

Research shows that for a planet to be habitable, phosphorous and nitrogen must be present when the planet's core forms. For those elements to eventually be readily available on the surface, the right amount of oxygen must also be present. Without these factors, DNA, RNA, and proteins will be unable to form. Image Credit: M.Weiss/Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

A complex web of interrelated factors make Earth a life-supporting planet, and some of those factors are chemical. New research shows how oxygen abundance regulates the availability of the important chemicals phosphorous and nitrogen on planets, and that few planets get it right. While discouraging, it could help us optimize our search for habitable worlds.



February 17, 2026 at 01:59AM
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