[KevinDavis]

It is a matter of time that we find a true Earth like planet..

[pax_et_bonum]

Cool!

Thanks for the ping!

[Calvin Locke]

FWIW, Shostack is supposed to be on Coast during the first hour, talking about the new discovery.

Also see http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070424_hab_exoplanet.html

[RightWhale]

First. Major discovery, not unexpected although sooner than expected.

[FierceDraka]

Planet sounds more like an uncomfortable, tidally-locked rathole than anywhere I'd want to emigrate to. Seriously - the only way anyone from Earth would be comfortable there would be in the water.

It's still an awesome discovery, though. Perhaps the next one found will be a little nicer.

Me, I'd prefer ~1G, atmo at 14psi made of 70% N, 25% O2, and 5% N2O, 4:1 ocean to land ratio with several small continents and lots and lots of islands, all orbiting a nice G-class star between 90 and 100 million miles while rotating on its axis once every 20 to 30 hours.

Oh yeah - it MUST have a nickel-iron core to generate a magnetic field. Wouldn't want my Eden getting bombarded by cosmic rays and solar flares.

But with my luck, it would have some kind of airborne Ebola-like virus floating around in the air that kills humans in minutes, or super-fast, hyper-oxygenated species of carnivorous Grendel that thinks of us as tasty little hours d'ouvres.

(Hats off to Niven and Pournelle for that last one)