EVIDENCE OF ‘EARTHLIKE’ PLANET FOUND

Scientists have discovered what they believe to be a new planet, the closest one ever detected outside our solar system. It is a small, rocky planet not unlike our own, orbiting the sun’s closest stellar neighbour.

Astronomers have long suspected that the star Proxima Centauri would be home to a planet, but proof had been elusive.

Dim red dwarf stars such as Proxima have been found to host billions of small, closely orbiting planets throughout the galaxy.

Now a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature provides the best evidence yet for a tantalizingly close target on which to seek alien life.