'Most Earth-like planet ever discovered' could house alien life

Kepler 438b is likely to be a rocky world in the 'Goldilocks zone' of its parent star where the temperature is just right for liquid water to flow.

16:42 07 January 2015

A planet, named Kepler 438b, which orbits a distant star in the constellation of Lyra may be the most Earth-like planet found outside the solar system so far. The planet, which is slightly larger than Earth and circles an orange dwarf, has the right temperature for liquid water to flow.

Its small size makes it likely to be a rocky world, while its proximity to its star puts it in the “Goldilocks” or habitable zone.

Lead author on the study Guillermo Torres said that the planet, which is 10per cent larger than Earth, receives a third as much light.

David Kipping, a co-author on the study, said that Kepler 438b and 442b were “as close to Earth analogues as we’re going to find in the Kepler data”.

Currently, the astronomers are keenly waiting on the next generation of telescope that they can use to help them examine the atmosphere of distant planets, such as Kepler 438b, to look for possible signs of life.