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To: <classified>
From: <classified>
Subject: <redacted>
Date sent: 04/10/2033
Dear <classified>,
Please find a summary of the latest report on <redacted>. It is imperative that this matter is not disclosed to ANY outside sources until the President of the United States has been fully briefed on the issue.
Sincerely,
<classified>
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REPORT ON EXOPLANET KEPLER 435-D
Name: Kepler 435-d
Exoplanet type: Super-Earth
System type: Binary system - main sequence M-type star (red dwarf) and main sequence G-type star (Sun-like star). Kepler 435-d orbits the Sun-like star.
Distance from Earth: 45 LY
Distance from star: 1.4 AU (for comparison, 1.5 AU is the distance between Mars and the Sun)
Size: 12,500km (2x Earth)
Number of natural satellites: 3
Note: One satellite, named Kepler 435-d I, is approximately 2x the size of Earth's Moon and positioned closer to the exoplanet in the sky. The two other satellites, named II and III, are approximately the size of the small Martian moons Phobos and Deimos.
Atmospheric composition:
Nitrogen - 59.4%
Oxygen - 33% (for comparison, Earth's is 21%)
Water Vapour- 5%
Carbon Dioxide - 0.06% (Earth's is 0.04%)
Argon - 1%
Others - 1.06%
Note: This atmospheric makeup resembles that of Earth during the Carboniferous period 358.9 million years ago. The high oxygen levels were caused by the proliferation of plants over the planet.
Average temperature: 14° C / 59 F
Note: While seasonal and geographical variations have been observed, the temperature of the planet remains remarkably consistent even in polar or equatorial regions, and has in 7 years of observation never reached below -25 degrees or above +35 degrees.
Atmospheric pressure: 1.5-2x that of Earth.
Gravity: 1.8g (1.8x that of Earth)
Natural resources: Undetermined
Life Detected: Yes
Explanation: The exoplanet is located near the outer edge of its solar system's habitable zone, but its size and atmosphere enable it to maintain average temperatures where liquid water can remain in a steady state.
Despite its distance from its host star, the planet's temperature is only one degree cooler than that of Earth in 1970 (before anthropogenic global warming reached dangerous levels).
This exoplanet has a high concentration of carbon dioxide, methane and oxygen, which in such Earth-like temperatures are produced by biological processes such as photosynthesis and respiration.
With some seasonal variations, chlorophyll was detected in the atmosphere at high concentration, indicating photosynthesis is taking place and that organisms which photosynthesise are able to survive at high altitudes. No non-biological process is currently known to produce this chemical.
On further investigation, an analysis of the atmosphere showed the presence of complicated amino acids, including DNA, which on Earth is only found in living organisms.
Technosignatures detected: Yes
Explanation: Early indications suggest a civilisation more advanced than that of Earth, between 1.5 and 2 on the Kardashev scale.*
Evidence for this hypothesis includes:
1) Clusters of lights on the night side of the planet, unexplained by natural or biological phenomena.
2) Frequent alterations in the star's brightness unexplained by natural phenomena, suggesting the existence of a Dyson sphere or another artificial mechanism to capture the energy of the star and ensure it reaches the planet.
3) A smaller exoplanet-sized object at 39 AU, an equivalent distance from any stellar body to that of Pluto, with the same average temperature and atmospheric composition as 435-d.
4) Similar clusters of lights observed on outer planets of the two closest solar systems to Kepler 435-D. While it is not impossible that sentient life may have evolved separately, the previous findings suggest that the species inhabiting Kepler 435-d may have colonised these planets.
*Developed in 1964 by Nikola Kardashev, this scale measures the advancement of planetary civilisations based on energy usage, with humans currently categorised as Type 0.7.
Threat category: Very High
Explanation: While NASA has made multiple attempts to contact extraterrestrial life forms, none has responded or shown any attempt at friendly communication. This, combined with the clear signs of technological advancement, shows a possibly hostile intent. The threat level is elevated due to the exoplanet's proximity to Earth.
However, the exoplanet has not been allocated the 'Severe' threat category due to its lack of threatening communications or craft sent to the vicinity of Earth.
JE LEEST
Planet Of Frogs
SciencefictionA planet 45 light years from the earth is inhabited by a race of intelligent amphibians.
