Illustration: David Aguilar, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
When it's young, a red dwarf star frequently erupts with strong ultraviolet
flares as shown in this artist's conception. Some have argued that life
would be impossible on any planet orbiting in the star's habitable zone as a result. However, the planet's atmosphere could protect the surface, and in fact such stresses could help life to evolve. And when the star ages and
settles down, its planet would enjoy billions of years of quiet, steady
radiance.
