The planet Earth. The popularity of shows such as Star Trek, the X Files and various Alien movies, enthral many and perpetuate the prospect of life on other planets. But only three are within the ‘‘Goldilocks’’ zone — neither too hot nor too cold — where life is considered a possibility. The planets closely circle a dwarf star named Trappist-1, which, at 39 light years away, makes the system a prime candidate to search for signs of life. Is life for them still emerging out of the swamps or is life sophisticated.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 02, 2017 17:15 UTC