But could there be intelligent life in another planetary system, in orbit around one of the 100 billion other stars in our Milky Way galaxy?
The discovery of a true planetary system, as opposed to the solitary planets that are known to orbit a dozen or so other stars, is significant for two reasons.
The habitable zone is the region of a planetary system which is neither too hot nor too cold - such that water on the surface of a planet will neither evaporate nor freeze, but instead can stay liquid.
BBC: NEWS | Science/Nature | Earth-like planets may be common
"We are starting to see a whole new type of planetary system, which is unlike anything in our own solar system, " said astronomer William Welsh at San Diego State University, who presented the Kepler findings Wednesday at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Austin, Texas.
"We are starting to see a whole new type of planetary system, which is unlike anything in our own solar system, " said William Welsh, an astronomer at San Diego State University, who presented the Kepler findings Wednesday at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Austin, Texas.
The Internet will be the planetary telephone system.
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In fact, I'm seeing that this discussion that we're talking about - the international discussion on planetary characteristics - will have wonderful opportunities for the public to, you know, watch and to learn about what we know about our own solar system, what we know about planetary bodies within the solar system.
"This requires fundamental reorientation and restructuring of national and international institutions toward more effective Earth system governance and planetary stewardship, " they write.
Mr. ALAN STERN (Southwest Research Institute): And, you know, whereas we know of four terrestrial planets and four gas giants, we expect that there are hundreds if not thousands of these ice dwarfs, and so this class of planets which we have not yet reconnoitered is in reality the most populous class of planetary body in our solar system.
But first, we haven't heard the last about the ignominious vote last month to strip Pluto of its place in our solar system - kicked out of the planetary lineup by a group of astronomers because it doesn't fit the new definition of what a planet is.
Orbital debris could block all these benefits for centuries and prevent us from developing clean energy sources like space solar power satellites, exploring our Solar System and someday making humanity a multi-planetary civilization capable of surviving true climatic catastrophes.
Planetary Resources plans to take rocks floating aimlessly in the solar system and turn them into valuable commodities.
Abell says these fragments may also provide planetary scientists with new windows onto details about how the solar system formed and how life evolved here on Earth.
The story beginning overleaf assesses the implications for marine biodiversity of transgressing planetary boundaries, due to human-induced changes to the climate system, pollution and ocean acidification, as well as more direct threats like invasive species, overfishing and habitat destruction.
The bad news is that the Upsilon Andromedae system is too strange to be explained by current theories of planetary formation.
The decreased allocation of funds to NASA programs was reported in the press as early as Feb. 13, lowering available funds for planetary science programs that support Mars exploration and missions to outer planets in the Solar System.
FORBES: NASA, Got Space Exploration? Get Goals, Get Funding and Get Uhura.
Just over 50 extrasolar planetary systems have so far been discovered and analysis of them shows just how unusual our local system is with its giant planets (Jupiter and Saturn) positioned well away from the Sun.
Planetary Resources plans to use near-earth asteroids as stepping stones to exploring the rest of the solar system by using their water to both support life and propel rockets.
FORBES: It's Official: Planetary Resources Announces Plans to Mine Asteroids
In addition to the petrol engine and electric motor, the LF-CC hybrid drive system further comprises a generator, a high-performance battery, a power split device which, via planetary reduction gears, combines and re-allocates power from the engine, electric motor and generator according to operational requirements, and a compact power control unit to govern the high speed interaction of the system components.
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