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Astronomy

Habitability of Planets Orbiting M-dwarf Stars Under Stellar Flares

Quick fact

Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun, is an M-dwarf that produces flares so powerful that they can increase ultraviolet radiation reaching its planet Proxima b by up to 100 times—enough to challenge any life that might exist there.

Why this is interesting

Think about the most common stars in the universe—would you expect them to be the best places to look for life? The answer is not so simple, because these stars are prone to violent, planet-sterilizing flares.