Imagine discovering a rocky planet just 25 light-years from Earth that could help unlock one of humanity’s biggest mysteries.
Meet GJ 3378 b, a world orbiting a cool red dwarf star. Scientists estimate it’s about 2.3 times the mass of Earth and receives nearly the same amount of starlight that Earth gets from the Sun.
That places it inside its star’s habitable zone, where temperatures could allow liquid water—if the planet has an atmosphere.
But don’t get too excited just yet.
Astronomers have not found oceans, life, or even confirmed that an atmosphere still exists. Powerful radiation from its parent star may have stripped it away long ago.
Even so, GJ 3378 b is one of the closest promising rocky exoplanets we’ve found, making it an ideal target for future telescopes.
It may not be Earth’s twin—but it could help answer one of the greatest questions in science: How common are worlds capable of supporting life?
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