A recent study suggests that a pair of dwarf planets situated in the outer realms of the solar system may exhibit geological activity, raising the possibility of supporting alien life.

These findings have the potential to reshape our understanding of dwarf planets.

Within the solar system, five dwarf planets have been confirmed: Ceres, Haumea, Eris, Makemake, and the former planet Pluto.

With the exception of Ceres, all these celestial bodies, often considered planetary candidates, reside in or near the Kuiper Belt—a region beyond Neptune’s orbit containing comets and other small objects.

In 2015, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft passed by Pluto, detecting signs of recent geological activity in the dwarf planet’s diminishing atmosphere.

Subsequent observations revealed that Pluto features substantial icy volcanoes, hinting at ongoing activity, Live Science reported.

Initially, scientists attributed Pluto’s unexpected geological dynamism to interactions with its moon, Charon, leading them to believe that other dwarf planets lacking moons were unlikely to display similar activity.

However, the new study challenges this assumption.

Written by B.C. Begley