Earth 2.0?

Earth 2.0?

The Journal Science today published a report citing evidence of a younger twin of our solar system that sits only 10.5 light-years away.

The Epsilon Eridani system harbors a central star that is just slightly smaller and cooler than the sun and is surrounded by an as-yet-undetermined number of planets. The system also boasts two asteroid belts that are remarkably similar to the one located between Mars and Jupiter and to the Kuiper belt that lies beyond Neptune. But the most remarkable thing about the system is its age: only about 850 million years old. In other words, Epsilon Eridani is just reaching the stage when life is thought to have emerged on Earth. And that, as astronomers report in an article appearing in the 10 January 2009 issue of The Astrophysical Journal, could present the chance to watch the process unfold anew in a neighboring solar system.

Will this lead to the discovery of the process of evolution of life? Will Epsilon Eridani’s planets mirror the evolution of ours? Does this mean WE are the new E.T. to Epsilon Eridani’s earthlings? Tune in next week!