NASA released dramatic new findings from the planet-scouting Kepler spacecraft project Thursday. Looks like the universe is way, way more crowded than we had realized.
Featured comment by RyanVarley:
"Theres over 700 confirmed exoplanets... (http://exoplanet.eu/catalog.php)
Kepler has just doubled the number it itself has found since its mission ..." More »
An international team of astronomers have reached the most definitive conclusion, one with profound implications: our galaxy contains a minimum of 100 billion planets. Of those, most are small planets like ours. Statistically, every star would have at least one planet.
Featured comment by Deadbolt:
"We don't, but we'd be most likely to be able to understand life that has at least some baseline similarity to us and even recognise it as life." More »
Have you seen a Gas Giant wandering aimlessly through space? Our solar system might have lost it while dealing with some dynamic instability 600 million years ago. It might be blue, is probably big and is believed to be somewhere deep in the Milky Way Galaxy.
Oh Pluto, not only are you no longer a planet, but were put into second place among your peers by something that's only the same size as you -- maybe even smaller.
...and it's only a few hundred million miles away. Better fuel up your rocket and get started today, however, because we're talking about Saturn's moon Enceladus and the incredibly fine, snowy powder that covers its surface:
Space buffs take note: A science project called MAPPER is seeking citizen researchers to help aide in the search for off-world life on planets like our close neighbor, Mars.
One ticket to Pluto, please! Seems there's an ocean there just waiting to be discovered, surfed or lounged about. Don't worry about my well-being though—I'll be packing a sweater.
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