Life can be born first on a diamond planet

New research by American scientists indicates that diamond planets may contain the first life form in the universe.

According to Astronomy Now, Earth consists of iron core, silicate rock and topsoil containing water and life. But the first habitable planets existed very differently. The process of forming planets in the early universe could create carbon planets that promise graphite, carbide and diamond stones.

"This study shows that it is possible to exist on planets around tiny carbon stars," said Natalie Mashian, a graduate student at Harvard University, the lead author of the study. "We have a good reason to think that extraterrestrial life depends on carbon."

The illustration of a diamond planet revolves around a star like the Sun.(Photo: NASA).

The early universe consisted mainly of hydrogen and helium, and lacked the necessary chemical elements for life such as carbon and oxygen. Only after the first stars explode in supernova explosions and the second planet generation forms, can life exist.

Mashian and her thesis instructor are Avi Loeb masters at the Harvard Astrophysics Center - Smithsonian examining a long-lived star-metal and carbon-rich star group (CEMP) . These stars contain only 0.00001 of the Sun's iron, meaning they form before heavy elements become common in interstellar space.

"This group of stars is fossils from the early universe. Through studying them, we can look at how planets and even life in the universe are born , " Loeb explained.

Although it contains less iron and other elements heavier than the Sun, the CEMP is richer than the team's prediction when considering its age. The abundance of carbon will affect the process of forming planets because carbon dust particles will gather and form into planets.

From a distance, carbon planets are difficult to distinguish from Earth-like planets. Their mass and size have many similarities. Astronomers need to examine their atmosphere to understand the true nature of the carbon planet. Gases like carbon monoxide and methane are more likely to cover this planet.