ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERY

Earth-Like Planet Gets Scientists Buzzing About Alien Life

Researchers say they’ve confirmed the first atmosphere around a rocky planet in a habitable zone beyond our solar system.

Astronomers have identified what they say is the first confirmed atmosphere surrounding a rocky planet inside a habitable zone beyond our solar system. The planet, known as LHS 1140b, sits about 49 light-years from Earth and appears to have the three key ingredients scientists believe are necessary for a potentially habitable environment: a solid, rocky surface, temperatures that can support liquid water, and an atmosphere. Researchers detected helium escaping from the planet while observing it with an infrared instrument on the Magellan Clay telescope in Chile, ultimately ruling out other possible explanations for the signal. While the world differs from Earth in important ways, it is larger, likely contains much more water, and is tidally locked to its star. Scientists say it has quickly become one of the most promising places to investigate whether life could exist beyond our solar system. They found no evidence of an atmosphere around a neighboring rocky planet orbiting the same star.