They may be life's last refuge in the Universe, a long time from now

Oct 24, 2011 09:49 GMT  ·  By
Dark matter clouds may heat up exoplanets to a sufficient extent to allow for the development of life
   Dark matter clouds may heat up exoplanets to a sufficient extent to allow for the development of life

Astrophysicists believe that extrasolar planets located in regions dense in dark matter could represent the last bastion life can occupy as the Universe grows old. Scientists say that these objects remain warm even if they are not accompanied by a parent star.

Dark matter alone is enough to heat them. Therefore, trillions of years from now, they may represent the only places in the Universe sufficiently warm to allow for the existence of life. By that time, all stars would have faded out of existence, and the entire Cosmos would be black.

Conceivably, dark matter will remain clumped up together, even though its relative position in space will change. Planets trapped in these regions would be dark, as they will have no stellar companions, but they will provide the vast majority of conditions needed to support life.

If humans endure that long, they will have to colonize these worlds in order to survive. In fact, they will have to do so in about 4.5 billion years, when the Sun will enter its red giant phase, Daily Galaxy reports.