Does anyone know witch is the closest planet to earth that is capable of having life, what is it called?

Question

and how many light years away is it??

Answer 1

For the moment no earthlike, exo-planets have been detected: the current detection methods are only capable to detect Jupitermass planets.

At the end of last december, the French launched the satellite Corot, who should be able to detect those kinds of planets.

Answer 2

MARS*

Some evidence suggests that the planet was once significantly more habitable than it is today, but whether living organisms ever existed there is still an open question. The Viking probes of the mid-1970s carried experiments designed to detect microorganisms in Martian soil at their respective landing sites, and had some positive results, later disputed by many scientists, resulting in a continuing fight. At the Johnson space center lab organic compounds have been found in the meteorite ALH84001, which is supposed to have come from Mars. They concluded that these were deposited by primitive life forms extant on Mars before the meteorite was blasted into space by a meteor strike and sent on a 15 million-year voyage to Earth. Small quantities of methane, and formaldehyde are both claimed to be hints for life, as these particles would quickly break down in the Martian atmosphere.[36][37] It is possible that these compounds may be replenished by volcanic or geological means such as serpentinization.[38]

In general, Mars shows some promise in terms of habitablity but also several handicaps. It is half of an astronomical unit beyond the Sun's habitable zone and water is thus frozen on its surface, though liquid water flows in the past underscore the planet's potential. Its lack of a magnetosphere and extremely thin atmosphere are a greater challenge: the planet has little heat transfer across its surface, poor insulation against bombardment and the solar wind, and insufficient atmospheric pressure to keep water in liquid form (instead it sublimates to a gaseous state). Mars is also nearly, or perhaps totally, geologically dead; the end of volcanic activity has stopped the recycling of chemicals and minerals between the surface and interior of the planet.

Answer 3

This question is going to depend on how you classify life.

Mars is always a potential candidate, Many rock formations on Mars exhibit the signs of free surface water that is often quoted as an essential requirement for life (as we know it). It is extremely inlikely there is life their now, but many scientists hope to find a fossil record of bacterial life, from millions of years ago.

Venus, is currently suffering from the effects of a runaway greenhouse effect, including scorching temperatures and extremem turbulence. It may have been capable of supporting bacterial life in the past, but again it is unlikely to do so now.

Europa is currently expected to have a high chance of life, it is a frozen moon, but is expected to have liquid oceans beneath the ice crust. NASA are currently planning a mission to send a probe beneath the surface of the moon to examine the oceans for life.

Until recently it was thought that the sun was essential for life to evolve and survive. This has ben disproved through the discovery of lifeforms at the bottom of the deepest ocean trenches that survive on the heat and nutrients given out by thermal vents. If life can grow and thrive here, then the chances of discovering biological life on Europa is quite high.

Answer 4

We can't really see extrasolar planets closely enough to determine whether or not they are suitable for life.

IMO none of the planets in this solar system are inhabitable; the presence of water or ice on some planets notwithstanding. Having water is one thing, but the planet needs to have a range of other characteristics (think atmosphere, gravity, temperature) before it is suitable for life.

Answer 5

Mars could support life one time long ago. Now, no ones knows if any planets close to Earth can support life.

Answer 6

Most planets probably do have life, but not our type of organisms. For our needs, the closest is mars.

Answer 7

Mars
not light years away....120 million miles.

Answer 8

All planets close to earth. It is all just theory anyway.

Answer 9

according to my physics teacher, might be planet mars...

Answer 10

none of them