Dwarf Planet Discovery Could Help Show Life's Spread Through Solar System

On March 26, researchers announced the discovery of 2012 VP133, an estimated 280-mile wide (450-kilometer) object that lies just beyond the Kuiper Belt of icy objects that swarm outside of Neptune's orbit.

The new object is nicknamed "Biden" after the vice-president of the United States, because both Joe Biden and 2012 VP133 are "VPs." It is one of only two dwarf planets discovered beyond the Kuiper Belt, with Sedna (a decade ago) being the other one. The paper, "A Sedna-like body with a perihelion of 80 astronomical units," was published in the journal Nature.

Mapping tiny worlds at the Solar System's edge could one day show scientists how life arose on Earth. That's because many of these objects could contain organics, carbon-based material that are ingredients for life.

What else could lie out there that we don't know about? Anyway, saw this and thought I would share.


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reply to post by StayAware


Nevermind, this was an old post. I don't know why they just posted it 2 days ago. Sorry, do what you do mods