NASA has discovered an Earth-like planet 40 light years away that could be a promising candidate to host human life.
The exoplanet, called Gliese 12 b, is slightly smaller than our planet and has an estimated surface temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit - assuming it doesn't have an atmosphere.
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Gliese 12 b sits just inward of the habitable zone - the distance from a star at which liquid water could exist on orbiting planets' surfaces.
Astronomers now plan to analyze Gliese 12 b to determine if it does have an Earth-like atmosphere which could reveal if the exoplanet can maintain the right temperature for water to form on its surface - an essential compound to supporting life.
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