More than 50 new alien planets — including one so-called super-Earth that could potentially support life — have been discovered by an exoplanet-hunting telescope from the European Southern Observatory (ESO).
The newfound haul of alien planets includes 16 super-Earths, which are potentially rocky worlds that are more massive than our planet. One in particular - called HD 85512 b - has captured astronomers' attention because it orbits at the edge of its star's habitable zone, suggesting conditions could be ripe to support life.
They are finding more potential life-supporting planets than they had estimated they would, which makes this one of the best "revising of conservative estimates" stories ever. The really exciting part is not so much that the chances we're are not alone are increased (although that is intriguing), but that there might be places to go once we figure out how to get there.
