Waterworld – but not as we know it

Scientists believe that they have discovered a planet whose surface is almost entirely composed of water.

Named, GJ 1214b, it is found around 40 light years from Earth.

This planet has been called a ‘super earth’ – larger than the earth but smaller that say, Jupiter.

Chemically, what makes this an interesting planet is that it would have a surface temperature of around 200 ^oC and a pressure greater than that here on earth. This would mean that theoretically, the water may exist as ‘hot ice’ or ‘superfluid water’.

The thing I find amazing of this is that we can actually use the Hubble Space telescope to ‘see’ this planet and its atmosphere.

More information can be read in an article on the BBC website (click here)