Is a nearby advanced alien civilization out there waiting to pounce on Earth? Unlikely, says new study

What was found or claimed: A new study suggests that life on potentially habitable exoplanets in our solar neighborhood is likely to be more microbial than Earth-based life, due to lower cumulative photosynthesis. The study, led by Chris Doughty, proposes that the evolutionary stage of exoplanets depends on the amount of plant energy available, not just the age of the planet. The research estimates that TRAPPIST-1e, a nearby exoplanet, has fixed only 21% of Earth's carbon despite being several billion years older.

• The study estimates that TRAPPIST-1e has fixed only 21% of Earth's carbon, despite being several billion years older.
• The researchers calculated that TRAPPIST-1e may only be at the microbial stage of evolution.
• The study finds that the most likely exoplanets in our solar neighborhood that could have life are those with lower plant energy and thus lower evolutionary development.

What it means: The study suggests that while Earth is young compared to some of its stellar neighbors, life on exoplanets with worse conditions for cumulative photosynthesis likely evolved more slowly. The findings imply that most exoplanets in our neighborhood may still be in the microbial stage, and that the likelihood of encountering advanced alien life is low. The research highlights the importance of plant energy in shaping the evolutionary trajectory of life on exoplanets.

• The study concludes that most exoplanets in our neighborhood may still be in the microbial stage, and that the likelihood of encountering advanced alien life is low.
• The research suggests that the ecological characteristics of exoplanets may be more similar to deserts or temperate ecosystems, which would limit the development of advanced life.
• The study indicates that future research with the James Webb Space Telescope could provide additional data to refine these estimates.

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