Planets and brown dwarfs orbiting evolved binaries

Searches for planets and brown dwarf companions to evolved close binary stars (e.g., detached WD+dM binaries, sdB-type eclipsing binaries, magnetic CVs, and X-ray binaries) can provide insight into the formation and ultimate fate of circumbinary planets and brown dwarfs, as well as shed light on the late evolution of binary stars. The eclipse timing method has most successfully been applied to detect extrasolar planets around binary stars evolved beyond the first red-giant branch. We have monitored different types of evolved eclipsing binaries using this method since 2006. In this paper we review some observational results of circumbinary planets and brown dwarfs orbiting evolved binaries, especially those orbiting sdB-type eclipsing binaries. The fate of the Earth in our solar system is discussed by a comparison of the observational properties of the close-in substellar objects orbiting sdB-type binaries with those of planets in our solar system