EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -What makes the Earth habitable? It is the right distance from the Sun, it is protected from harmful solar radiation by its magnetic field, it is kept warm by an insulating atmosphere, and it has the right chemical ingredients for life, including water and carbon.

Detailed explanation-2: -The most important parameter for Earth-like life is the presence of liquid water, which directly depends on pressure and temperature. Temperature is key both because of its influence on liquid water and because it can be directly estimated from orbital and climate models of exoplanetary systems.

Detailed explanation-3: -It is useful to categorize the requirements for life on Earth as four items: energy, carbon, liquid water, and various other elements. These are listed in Table 1 along with the occurrence of these factors in the Solar System (2).

Detailed explanation-4: -Life is possible on Earth because the planet has water on its surface and oxygen gas in its air. Earth also has the perfect range of temperatures for life. It is not too hot, like Venus, and not too cold, like Neptune.