The Deadly Influence of Giant Planets on Habitable Worlds

New research suggests that four exoplanets orbiting a Sun-like star, Rho Coronae Borealis, are doomed as the star enters its red giant phase in about one billion years. The star's expansion will likely engulf the innermost planets, causing their destruction. While some planets may escape through tidal interactions or mean motion resonances, the fate of the exoplanets remains uncertain. This study sheds light on the potential consequences for Earth when our own Sun becomes a red giant in the distant future.