It always astonishes us when we come across news like this and find that it hasn't resulted in mass hysteria or the founding of new religions. Or at least more media coverage than is devoted to how many women Tiger Woods has had sex with. A super-earth! Have we not collectively dreamed of finding something like this since the dawning realization that the universe did not, in fact, revolve around our own planet? We have. The details:
Astronomers have discovered a new Earth-like planet that is larger than our own and may be more than half covered with water, according to a study published Wednesday in the science journal Nature.
The so-called "super Earth" is about 42 light years away in another solar system and has a radius nearly 2.7 times larger than that of our planet, according to the study by the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics.
The discovery of the planet, called GJ 1214b, represents a "major step forward" in the search for worlds similar to the Earth, added the University of California's Geoffrey Marcy in a commentary also in Nature.
Jaysus. There are all sorts of reasons why researchers are hesitant to imagine that life may exist on the euphoniously named GJ 1214b, including estimates that the surface temperature ranges upwards of 500 degrees fahrenheit. Yet the density of the planet suggests that it is made up of about 75% water, which is encouraging. The research also points to "tantalising hints that the planet has a gaseous atmosphere." Man. That actually is pretty tantalizing. We certainly aren't alone in believing that nothing represents all the glorious possibilities of our existence more than finding life somewhere outside of earth, and findings like this are encouraging at the least. Now pardon us while we take to the streets to indiscriminately set cars on fire.
VALLEY for all mankind.
via yahoonews
