Found: The Earthiest New Planet Yet

Scientists believe they have finally found a world that contains all the right conditions for life- it is very similar to Earth. The new planet is known as HD 40307g, and, though it is nearly seven times the size of Earth, it contains water and is just the right temperature. Scientists know that HD 40307g orbits around a home star, and that it actually rotates, just as Earth does. This means that the planet is most likely a nice "toasty" temperature on all sides, all the time. Other Earthlike planets have been found in the past, but HD 40307g stands out amongst them because it rotates. If a planet does not rotate, its temperature would be permanently freezing on one side and scorching on the other, making it difficult for a human-like species to inhabit it. The downside to the new world is that it is 44 light years away, whereas other (though less suitable worlds) have been found just 4 light years away. However, 44 light years away is really nearby in comparison to other planets the Keplar space telescope has found. It's interesting to note that within the past three or four years, space discoveries have been on a significant rise. I think it's fascinating to think of the vastness of the universe, how we are just one tiny spec in the grand scheme of things. The idea that other life is probably out there somewhere makes me glad that we have programs like NASA to eventually find them. I have heard that scientists are trying to find a new planet that is suitable for human life, in case someday the human race can no longer survive on this Earth. I guess that's a good idea to try to line up an alternative planet, but if it ever comes to that then it would have been mostly the human race's fault anyway, because we are the ones ruining the forests and water sources and ozone layer, but that's another topic entirely.

http://science.time.com/2012/11/08/found-the-earthiest-new-planet-yet/