The Kepler mission, a space observatory designed to examine deep space, has only been operational for six weeks but it already is starting to pay dividends. The observatory has located 140 suspected Earth-like planets among 700 suspected new planet discoveries. Previously, telescopes looking outside our solar system have identified only large gas giants.
Scientists need to confirm that the suspected planets are, in fact, planets, but their speculation based on the findings to date is that there may be as many as 100 million habitable planets in the Milky Way galaxy.
Imagine — the possibility of 100 million habitable planets in our galaxy, some of which may have their own life forms. Increasingly, science fiction is becoming reality. When will we begin to boldly go where no man has gone before?
