Could Ocean Worlds Support Life?

An artist's concept of K2-18b, a candidate Hycean world. It's also super-Earth exoplanet that could support life. Image Courtesy STScI

There might be a type of exoplanet without dry land. They’re called “Hycean” worlds, a portmanteau of ‘hydrogen’ and ‘ocean.’ They’re mostly or entirely covered in oceans and have thick hydrogen atmospheres.

They’re intriguing because their atmospheres keep them warm enough to have liquid water outside of the traditional habitable zones. If they do exist, scientists think they’re good candidates to support microbial life.

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