NASA Discovers Most Earth-Like Planet Yet In the “Goldilocks Zone”

Planet hunters at NASA have found what they’re calling Earth’s “older, bigger cousin,” and believe it’s our strongest lead yet to finding advanced life somewhere else in the universe.

The new planet, Kepler 452b, is about 60% bigger than Earth, and orbits a sun similar to our own every 385 days.

That orbit puts it in what scientists call the “Goldilocks zone” — neither too hot, nor too cold, but just right for life.

And since the planet’s star has been around a billion years longer than ours, there’s been more time for life to take root and evolve.

“It’s awe-inspiring to consider that this planet has spent six billion years in the habitable zone of its star, longer than Earth,” Jon Jenkins of NASA’s Ames Research Center said at the announcement Thursday. “That’s substantial opportunity for life to arise, should all the necessary ingredients and conditions for life exist on this planet.”