Is TOI-270 d Too Hot for Life? Debate Among Astronomers over Exoplanet’s Habitability

The discovery of chemical compounds in the atmosphere of TOI-270 d has led to a debate among astronomers about the potential habitability of this exoplanet. While some scientists believe that the composition of the planet’s gas atmosphere indicates the presence of an ocean covering the entire surface, others argue that it is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.

A group of astronomers from Cantabrigian university have proposed that the absence of ammonia in the atmosphere suggests the presence of an ocean, and they believe that the ocean’s temperature could reach over a hundred degrees Celsius. This interpretation is based on their analysis of data collected by the James Webb Space Telescope, which detected chemical compounds in the planet’s atmosphere.

However, another team of astronomers from Canada disagrees with this interpretation. They believe that TOI-270 d is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface, with temperatures reaching up to 4,000 degrees Celsius. Instead, they propose that the planet has a very dense atmosphere of hydrogen and water vapor.

TOI-270 d is locked in its orbit, meaning that it always presents the same side to its parent star while the other side remains in darkness. This results in extreme temperature variations on the planet, but some scientists believe that life could still exist in