Milky Way Earth

Scientists have discovered the oldest Earth-sized planet in the Milky Way, which hints at the possibility of ancient life elsewhere in our galaxy. Dr. Tiago Campante’s, an Asteroseismology Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham (UK), research centered around five terrestrial-sized planets observed by the Kepler space telescope transiting the star KOI-3158, approximately 117-light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. Kepler observed the five Earth-sized planets transiting the larger primary star, KOI-3158, which according to Campante, is the closest and brightest multi-planet system detected so far by the telescope. Continue reading for a video and more information.

Campante adds: “That implies that Earth-sized planets may have readily formed at earlier epochs in the universe’s history when metals were more scarce,” he explains. “KOI-3158, a system of terrestrial-sized planets, formed when the universe was less than 20 percent of its current age, so that suggests that Earth-sized planets may have formed throughout most of the universe’s history, leaving open the possibility for the existence of ancient life in the galaxy.”

[Source]

Author

A technology, gadget and video game enthusiast that loves covering the latest industry news. Favorite trade show? Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.