First atmosphere found around Earth-like planet LHS 1140b

Researchers have found the first atmosphere surrounding an Earth-like, rocky planet orbiting within the habitable zone of a distant star. The researchers say that their discovery provides the strongest evidence yet that worlds with conditions similar to Earth could exist beyond our solar system. The gas detected in the atmosphere is helium, which would not be able to support life, but other gases may also be present. The lead author, Dr Collin Cherubim of Harvard University, described the discovery as "a big deal". "This is the first time anyone has found an atmosphere on a rocky planet in the habitable zone of another star." The planet, called LHS 1140 b, is 48 light-years from Earth orbiting a red star much smaller and cooler than our Sun. More than 6,000 worlds have been discovered orbiting distant stars. But the new discovery is significant because it brings us a step closer to one of the biggest prizes in science: the discovery of life on another world. The researchers, writing in the journal Science, are clear – they have not done that, at least not yet. But for a planet to support life it has to have water and for that it has to be the right distance from its star: not too c