Science

Imagine taking a leisurely stroll along a picturesque coastline, only to stumble upon remnants of a prehistoric meal from 66 million years ago. This extraordinary event occurred recently on the Stevns Klint Coastal Cliffs in Denmark, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its rich fossil record.

Peter Bennicke, an amateur fossil enthusiast, was out for a casual walk when he noticed unusual fragments embedded in the chalky cliffs. Upon closer examination, these fragments turned out to be pieces of sea lily, a type of marine invertebrate. Intrigued by his find, Bennicke took the fragments to the Museum of East Zealand for further investigation, leading to a remarkable revelation.

In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers have identified a fascinating super-Earth exoplanet, HD 20794d, located just 19.7 light-years away from our solar system. This intriguing planet orbits its star in a highly eccentric path, dipping in and out of the habitable zone—a region where conditions may allow for liquid water to exist.

HD 20794d’s orbit is particularly remarkable, as it varies significantly in distance from its star, ranging from as far out as Mars is from the Sun to as close as Venus. This means that during its journey, the planet experiences extreme temperature fluctuations, starting in a frigid zone where liquid water cannot exist, before passing through the habitable zone where conditions may briefly support life.