Forecasting Earth-like Worlds

Some interesting bits in this interview with a European astrophysicist. More than 200 exosolar or extrasolar planets have been discovered (that is, planets outside of our solar system). However, most of them resemble Jupiter because these planets (dense and large) are easier to find. None of the exosolar planets discovered resemble earth. Several space programs -- The European COROT and the NASA-run KEPLER -- are underway to find exosolar planets that are approximately the same distance from a star as the earth is to the sun. They will detect photons from the planet's atmospheres and attempt to determine something about their atmosphere. These planets would most likely be similar to earth and therefore support life. Interesting to note that the less massive a planet is, the harder it is to find.

http://www.astrobio.net/amee/spring_2007/interviews.htm