New Earth-Like Planet

Scientist have discovered a new planet, called Gliese 581 C, outside our solar system in the "Goldilocks", that may support water. The new planet is the right distance from its star to keep water in its liquid form. What does this mean? Where there is water, there can be life.

This new planet is about 150% the size of Earth and is the smallest extrasolar planet known to date. It orbits the Gliese 581, a red dwarf star one third the size of our sun.

The planet is a very important discovery especially because the the planets possibly habitable conditions and its relatively close distance to Earth, making the planet a likely candidate for future missions in search of extraterrestrial life, said Xavier Delfosse of Grenoble University in France.

"On the treasure map of the universe, one would be tempted to mark this planet with an X," Delfosse said.