No way. That problem has parallelism between past participle
spawned and present participle
extending.
We cannot extend the same logic here.
The first verb -
is populated is not a participle at all. Instead, it is a conjugated verb form (simple present in passive voice).
I think A fits better in the present sentence as it maintains parallelism in the verb tenses.
In the search for alien life, astronomers have recently begun studying a promising region, a solar system that is populated by a number of potentially life-friendly planets formed by fragments of an exploding star some 7 million years ago and features many of the geological and climatic prerequisites for the evolution of life.
Both the verbs are in present tense.
If we use
featuring here,
In the search for alien life, astronomers have recently begun studying a promising region, a solar system that is populated by a number of potentially life-friendly planets formed by fragments of an exploding star some 7 million years ago and featuring many of the geological and climatic prerequisites for the evolution of life.
I am befuddled how present tense verb form
is populated by and verbal
featuring can be considered parallel.
If however the sentence were something like -
In the search for alien life, astronomers have recently begun studying a promising region, a solar system populated by a number of potentially life-friendly planets formed by fragments of an exploding star some 7 million years ago and featuring many of the geological and climatic prerequisites for the evolution of life.
Here I have removed
that is from the original sentence making the two bold parts participles and thus parallel.
If the OA is indeed D, then I am sure that there has been an oversight on Grockit's part by the introduction of
that is before
populated.
Others may pitch in, or a Grockit instructor may explain.
