Are We Alone?

European astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our solar system, and here's what it might be like to live there:

The "sun" wouldn't burn brightly. It would hang close, large and red in the sky, glowing faintly like a charcoal ember. And it probably would never set if you lived on the sunny side of the planet.

You could have a birthday party every 13 days because that's how fast this new planet circles its sun-like star. But watch the cake -- you'd weigh a whole lot more than you do on Earth.

You might be able to keep your current wardrobe. The temperature in this alien setting will likely be a lot like Earth's -- not too hot, not too cold.

Yikes! This is kind of scary. I hate it when sci-fi movie plots start to come true - things like improvements in AI (Artificial Intelligence) and finding habitable planets. I doubt anything significant will happen in our lifetime, but how strange would it be to hear someone say, "Yeah. I'm moving to Planet 581 next month. You're invited to the housewarming party." The planet is only 20.5 light years away, but scientists say there's no existing way for us to travel there in a human lifetime.

What do you peeps think about this new potentially-habitable planet?