Paul Robertson leads discovery of potentially habitable GJ 3378b
Technology
Astronomers just found GJ 3378b, a planet that might be able to support life, and it's practically next door in space terms, only 25 light-years from Earth.
The team, led by Paul Robertson at University of California, Irvine, says GJ 3378b sits in the Goldilocks zone, meaning it's not too hot or too cold for liquid water.
More telescopes needed for GJ 3378b
GJ 3378b is about twice the size of Earth and could have an atmosphere that protects it from harsh space radiation, key for making life possible.
But to really know if it has air or signs of life, scientists need more powerful telescopes.
As UC Irvine student Gogod James puts it, "more observatories are required," like NASA's upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory to dig deeper into this promising find.