What do we know about life in the universe?
The star Gliese 581 (image © European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere)
What is our place in the universe? Is life on Earth special … even unique?
Astronomers will be the first to tell you that no one knows the answer to this question. But we do know that earthly life needs certain conditions to exist. And now astronomers have located a distant planet that seems to have some of the prerequisites for life.
In this special report from across an ocean, Earth & Sky reporter Aitana Vargas speaks to Stéphane Udry of the University of Geneva in Switzerland. He was lead author of an April 2007 paper announcing the discovery of what Udry says is the first Earth-like planet in the habitable zone of a star. The star is Gliese 581, and it’s only 20 light-years away. To hear the 8-minute podcast, press the “listen” button above.
