Hot and steamy atmosphere detected on Earth-like planetGoal of finding alien life a step closer with

Hot and steamy atmosphere detected on Earth-like planet

Goal of finding alien life a step closer with discovery, which marks one of the first times an atmosphere has been spotted around a small, rocky world

ByIan Sample

Astronomers have found evidence for a hot and steamy atmosphere around an Earth-like planet that circles a red dwarf star in the southern sky.

The discovery marks one of the first times that scientists have spotted an atmosphere around a small, rocky world and brings them one step closer to the goal of finding life elsewhere in the universe.

The planet, which lies 39 light years away in the constellation of Vela, is not considered to be habitable itself, but astronomers regard it as a prime candidate for honing the instruments and techniques they will need to detect the existence of alien life on more hospitable worlds.

Continue Reading