Could there be a LOT of other Earths?

     Just a few days ago on September 12th, 16 new super earths were discovered. These are earths that are a little heavier than our earth, and can possibly support life. There is specifically  one, that is in a great location, a perfect distance away from a star. Could this be a new home for the human race? Or will there be someone/something already inhabiting this environment?

    The E.S.O. (European Southern Observatory) discovered 50 new exoplanets including the 16 super earths. They did this using HARPS telescope. To me it looks like ESO’s pulling ahead of NASA. Uh-oh. Anyway, they are focusing in on one planet in particular called HD 85512 b, (why they didn’t just give it a name like Hector or Felix or something, is beyond me), is estimated to be 3.6 times more massive than earth and 35 light-years away, which sounds like a lot. I can’t even imagine what it would look like!! The only problem is that they have to do more investigating on if it has liquid water on the surface.  And if it does?

Imagine saying, Awww you’re moving? Where are you moving to? And the response you would get is:  I am moving to planet HD85512 b! I’ll send you postcards through a rocket!

     That would be crazy! But then again the earth would be a lot less crowded and it may solve our problems of running out of natural gasses and other natural resources. I think what might happen though is we are eventually going to get there, and there will be another species on the planet already. The theory may be crazy but it’s definitely not impossible. When you think about how there are planets just like ours out there, it gets less and less unbelievable to think there may be other species like us in space.

     So, what do you think? Will we ever get to planet HD 85512 b? I think so. If you had a choice would you go check it out? I would, it would be so cool to see! And do you think we will be the only ones there? I don’t. What is your opinion?

~Emily Inzero