This time we examine how life on planets in binary star systems can evolve.
Earth-like planets with two or three suns would have multiple sources of light that could be used for photosynthesis.
This means plants on such worlds could be dark, even completely black.
Photosynthesis, converting sunlight into energy is the basis for the majority of life on Earth.
It is the energy source for plants and, hence, animals higher up the food chain. With multiple light sources, life may have adapted to use all suns,
or different forms may develop that choose to use one specific sun. This may be the more likely option for planets on which parts of the surface are
illuminated by only one sun for long periods of time.
“If a planet were found in a system with two or more stars, there would potentially be multiple sources of energy available to drive photosynthesis.
The temperature of a star determines its color and, hence, the color of light used for photosynthesis.
Depending on the colors of their star-light, plants would evolve very differently,”said O’Malley-James of the University of St. Andrews has studied what plants might be like on an Earth-like planet with two or three suns.
O’Malley-James is working on a PhD, supervised by Dr. Jane Greaves at the University of St. Andrews, Prof. John Raven of the University of Dundee and Prof. Charles Cockell of The Open University, to assess the potential for photosynthetic life in multi-star systems with different combinations of Sun-like stars and red dwarfs.
Sun-like stars are known to host exoplanets and red dwarfs are the most common type of star in our Galaxy, often found in multi-star systems,
and old and stable enough for life to have evolved.
In M star radiation habitats, vegetation may have more photosynthetic pigments in order to make use of a fuller range of
wavelengths, giving them a ‘black’ appearance. Pictured are terrestrial examples of a dark plants (and flowers).
Credit: University of St. Andrews
Over 25% of Sun-like stars and 50% of red dwarfs are found in multi-star systems.
In the team’s simulations, the Earth-like planets either orbit two stars close together or orbit one of two widely separated stars.
The team has also looked at combinations of these scenarios, with two close stars and one more distant star.
“Our simulations suggest that planets in multi-star systems may host exotic forms of the more familiar plants we see on Earth.
Researchers have speculated that Earth-like planets with two suns could host black and grey plants.
Credit: University of St. Andrews
Plants with dim red dwarf suns for example, may appear black to our eyes,absorbing across the entire visible wavelength range in order to useas much of
the available light as possible. They may also be able to use infrared or ultraviolet radiation to drive photosynthesis.
For planets orbiting two stars like our own, harmful radiation from intense stellar flares could lead to plants that develop their own UV-blocking
sun-screens, or photosynthesizing microorganisms that can move in response to a sudden flare,” said O’Malley-James.
MessageToEagle.com based on material provided by Royal Astronomical Society
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MessageToEagle.com - We have previously seen what 
A team of astrophysicists from Germany, France and Italy have discovered in the constellation Leo is an old star.
The star's existence raised at once many questions for scientists.
The object is definitely not as its "contemporaries" that appeared immediately after the Big Bang event.
Though the universe is filled with billions upon billions of stars, the discovery of a single variable star in 1923 altered the
course of modern astronomy. And, at least one famous astronomer of the time lamented that the discovery had shattered his world view.
The coldest class of stars have temperatures as cool as the human body.
Astronomers hunted these dark orbs, termed Y dwarfs, for more than a decade without success.
When viewed with a visible-light telescope, they are nearly impossible to see.
It's a very important discovery!
For the first time, an international team of scientists have detected all phases of thermonuclear burning in a
neutron star, located close to the center of the galaxy in the globular cluster Terzan 5.
Twenty five years ago, on 1987 February 23, the brightest supernova of modern times was observed in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
It knocked a giant planet into deep space, swallowed up a smaller rival before it could grow any bigger.
Appearently we still have a lot to learn about the stars in the Milky Way.
Something strange has been noticed about the stars in our galaxy.
Rather than moving in circles around the center of the Milky Way, all the stars in our Galaxy are travelling along different paths,
moving away from the Galactic center.
An object obscured by dust, and buried in a two-star system enshrouded by dense gas, is not easy to find.
There's no lack of ice in our solar system.