Smallest Planet Outside Our Solar System Found

Orbiting a normal star, Astronomers have discovered the what could be the smallest known planet.

The planet is estimated to be about 5.5 times as massive as Earth and thought to be rocky. It orbits a red dwarf star about 28,000 light-years away. Red dwarfs are about one-fifth as massive as the Sun and up to 50 times fainter. But they are among the most common stars in the universe (Space.com).

Why should we care? If there is life on any other world, it will have to be on a planet small enough it is not immediately crushed by gravity. This is a promising sign that at the very least, our methods for detecting planets is becoming more sensitive.

Personally, I believe our future is in space. Inhabitable planets are necessary for that to come true.