ALIEN life which was potentially living on Earth’s nearest exoplanet, Proxima b, may have just been obliterated by a huge solar flare that would have destroyed life on our planet had the Sun unleashed the same fury.
Since the planet’s discovery in 2013, scientists had hoped Proxima b would be able to support life due to its favourable conditions.
The planet, which is a staggering 40 trillion kilometres, or 4.25 lightyears away, and orbiting Earth’s closest star Proxima Centauri, is situated in its solar system’s “goldilocks zone” meaning it is not too far, or too close to its host star – making the conditions for life just right.
But a huge solar flare from Proxima Centauri may have just wiped out any life that was living on the planet which scientists have dubbed a second Earth due to its similarities with our planet.
During the massive solar flare, Proxima Centauri was a staggering 1,000 times brighter than usual for a period of 10 seconds.