Kepler-452b: "Earth 2.0" and the big question about alien civilizations

(Dan Tri) - 1,800 light years from Earth, planet Kepler-452b is known as "Earth 2.0".

In the vast universe, searching for a planet that could be home to life has always been the top goal of science . And Kepler-452b, a planet located in the constellation Cygnus, has become one of the most promising candidates.

Although it is a "super Earth" with a radius 1.5 times that of Earth and a mass 5 times that of Earth, the living conditions around it make it impossible for scientists not to call it "Earth version 2.0".

Comparison between Kepler-452b and Earth (Photo: Sohu).

Amazing Similarities to the Solar System

What makes Kepler-452b special is its host star, Kepler-452. It is a yellow dwarf, a near-sun replica: about 1.037 times more massive, 1.11 times more massive, and with a surface temperature (5757K) only slightly lower than the Sun (5778K).

The most important condition for life is for the planet to be in the habitable zone, where the surface temperature is just warm enough for water to exist in liquid form.

The average distance between Kepler-452b and its host star is about 1.04 astronomical units (about the distance between Earth and the Sun, which is 1 AU). Additionally, its orbital period is 385 Earth days, which is almost one year on our planet.

This striking similarity in distance and orbit suggests that Kepler-452b is almost certainly in the habitable zone. Scientists speculate that the planet could have mountains and even vast oceans of liquid water, which are essential for life.

Comparison of Kepler-452 and the Sun (Photo: Sohu).

The Secret of Longevity and Potential Civilization

What makes Kepler-452b so appealing to the search for alien civilizations is its age. Observational data and stellar evolution models estimate that the star Kepler-452 formed about 6.2 billion years ago. More importantly, Kepler-452b has remained in the habitable zone for most of its life, and continues to do so to this day, for at least 6 billion years.

For comparison, our Sun was born about 4.6 billion years ago. This means Kepler-452b has been in the habitable zone for 1.5 billion years longer than Earth.

Based on this data, scientists deduce that if life did appear on Kepler-452b, it would have had plenty of time to develop and evolve. The possibility of an advanced alien civilization existing on this planet is not impossible.

Comparing the orbit of Kepler-452b with Earth, Venus and Mercury in the Solar System (Photo: Sohu).

Searching for answers: Why haven't we seen them?

Facing the possibility of an ancient civilization, scientists used the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) to conduct a wide radio signal scan on Kepler-452b, covering more than 2 billion bands. However, the result was silence.

The failure to detect any signal leads to two opposing hypotheses:

1. The absence of life: Perhaps Kepler-452b does not have the alien civilization we thought.
2. Technological superiority: It is possible that a civilization does exist, but their technology is far superior to that of humans. They have long since abandoned "outdated" radio technology and are using more advanced methods of communication (such as neutrinos or gravitational waves) that we cannot yet detect.

Whatever the answer, Kepler-452b is a promising planet. Not only is it an important target for future SETI projects, but it is also a reminder that the universe may hold secrets of life and intelligence far beyond our imagination.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/kepler-452b-trai-dat-20-va-cau-hoi-lon-ve-nen-van-minh-ngoai-hanh-tinh-20251018071956218.htm