NASA Discovers Earth's Bigger, Older Cousin

Another world...

Kepler-452b 1400 light years away

NASA said Thursday that its Kepler spacecraft has spotted "Earth's bigger, older cousin": the first nearly Earth-size planet to be found in the habitable zone of a star similar to our own, Michael Pearson reports on cnn.com.

Though NASA can't say for sure whether the planet is rocky like ours or has water and air, it's the closest match yet found.

"Today, Earth is a little less lonely." Kepler researcher Jon Jenkins said.

"There's a new kid on the block," he said.

For more, including a NASA video about the newly discovered planet: http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/23/us/feat-nasa-kepler-planet-discovery/