The first rocky “earth-like” world outside our solar system was confirmed this week. Space.com ran this article about the discovery. While this is a landmark discovery in the pursuit of the ultimate prize - the evidence of life beyond our planet - it should come as no surprise. From Copernicus’ revelation that the earth revolved around the sun and not the other way around, to the discovery that our sun is merely an average star among billions upon billions, to the confirmation that planet formation is a common occurence in the universe, a pattern has emerged: that what we thought to be rare or unique, is in fact, commonplace. Consider our own solar system consists of eight planets, one of which is teeming with life. If the odds within our own solar system are one in eight, imagine what's out there in the countless stars of the cosmos. The evidence of extra-terrestrial life beyond our blue and green orb seems inevitable. The Kepler telescope, designed specifically to identify earth-like worlds, becomes operational in 2012. Let’s hope humanity’s greatest discovery is just around the cosmic corner.
