CNN —Two teams of scientists have discovered a theoretically habitable planet, smaller than Earth but bigger than Venus, orbiting a small star about 40 light-years away. Working on the assumption that the exoplanet doesn’t have an atmosphere, scientists calculated its surface temperature to be around 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius). Once temperate Earth-size planets have been identified, scientists can then analyze them to determine which elements are contained in their atmospheres and, crucially, whether water is present to sustain life. This method involves capturing starlight that shines through an exoplanet’s atmosphere and seeing which wavelengths are absorbed by certain molecules, revealing their presence in the atmosphere. As well as shedding light on the exoplanet itself, Palethorpe said scientists are hoping that this work can help us understand our own planet better.

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Persons: “ We’ve, ”, Masayuki Kuzuhara, Akihiko Fukui, “, ” Larissa Palethorpe, —, Palethorpe, James Webb Organizations: CNN, Royal Astronomical Society, Astrobiology, University of Tokyo, University of Edinburgh and University College London, James Webb Space Telescope Locations: Tokyo, ”