This week, scientists using instruments at the European Southern Observatory’s La Silla facility in Chile reported finding an Earth-sized planet orbiting Ross 128, a red dwarf star residing a mere 11 light years from our solar system. What makes this discovery so exciting is that, unlike the case for other known Earth-like neighbors, the evidence for the new exoplanet’s surface temperatures and radiation environment suggest that the body could potentially support life.
Image: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com
