The Chemistry of Life: Why Phosphorus and Nitrogen Rule the Stars

The researchers introduce the concept of a "Chemical Goldilocks Zone," which is far more restrictive than the traditional thermal habitable zone. It isn’t enough for a planet to have these elements; they must be accessible on the surface or in the crust. In many planetary models, critical nutrients like phosphorus often end up locked away in the planet's core or buried so deep in the mantle that they cannot interact with surface water. Therefore, a planet's suitability for life is determined by its internal chemistry and how elements were distributed during its violent formation period.