This infographic features artist’s concept views of our Milky Way galaxy: face-on at the left and edge-on at the right. It highlights different galactic environments that could influence the development of planets and potentially life. The center of the galaxy is rich in the elements that form planets (like silicon, oxygen, and magnesium), which are forged by multiple generations of stars and supernova explosions. Planets there may be more common or larger, but they would also be flooded with radiation from densely packed stars (including massive ones that emit enormous amounts of high-energy ultraviolet light and X-rays). In the outskirts of the galaxy, where stars are much more spread out, radiation is far milder but there are also smaller amounts of planet-building materials...Read More
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