Yes, science fiction really is becoming more and more like science fact. We’ve already been to the moon. Mars has been visited several times already (not by humans, though, rather machines). It might not be too long before NASA develops a system of space travel that actually moves faster than any of our previous Apollos of old. Then it would be conceivable to make a trip to Mars in a snap, rather than a whole Millenium’s worth of time! (Hyperbole, of course, but that’s how long it would feel to travel to the planet Mars! It’s that far away.)
But the idea of traveling to new planets is a lot closer now than we think. Sure, it would be fun to walk around Mars. Not so much fun if we were without our space suits. Because our eyes would bulge, and our spines would crack from the pressure due to the lack of an atmosphere. Not fun. But what if you heard that there was a new Earth out there? A planet that we could ACTUALLY visit, walk around the surface, enjoy an abundance of water and possibly vegetation, admire the beginnings of a new life? Can that really exist right now?
Believe it or not, the answer is YES. Astronomers from the University of California have discovered the truth.
Located in the constellation Libra around 20 light years away sits an actual planet that these scientists call “habitable”, because of the orbit around the red dwarf star Gliese 581. Consider our very own Earth and notice that it’s the only “habitable” planet in our solar system. What has been discovered is a similar planet in a somewhat similar solar system. A planet just like Earth.
This opens new ground for space travel. Resources might open up that could help replenish our own Earth. New horizons can now be potentially discovered. And hopefully soon we can even see Star Destroyers someday! Arm your proton torpedoes.