ALIEN LIFE? Aliens may be hiding on a ‘freezing, shadowy world’ just six light years from Earth, scientists claim

Known as Barnard b, the planet is extremely cold, with temperatures diving to -170°C – yet scientists believe aliens reside there.

They think the nearby world’s incredibly hot core of molten iron and nickel may provide the energy needed to grow new life forms.

Jupiter’s moon Europa also has an ice-cold crust, and researchers think primitive bacteria exist in an ocean hidden beneath its surface.

A new study from a group of US boffins suggests similar tiny life forms lurk on Barnard b.

“Geothermal heating could support ‘life zones’ under its surface, akin to subsurface lakes found in Antarctica,” said Dr Edward Guinan from Villanova University.

“We note that the surface temperature on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa is similar to Barnard b but, because of tidal heating, Europa probably has liquid oceans under its icy surface.”

Barnard b was discovered in November 2018, and is the second-closest known exoplanet – a planet outside our solar system – to Earth ever found.

Space boffins originally thought it was too cold to host life, with its icy deserts wiping out anything that grew there.