Atmosphere Detected on Earth-like Planet

July 20, 2026: For the first time, scientists have detected an atmosphere on an Earth-like planet in the temperate “habitable zone” of a distant star system.

Harvard University scientists revealed the details of the helium-rich atmosphere of the planet LHS 1140 b – about 48 light years from Earth – in a study recently published in Science.

The research article’s headline obscured the importance of the find: “Helium escaping from the atmosphere of a nearby rocky exoplanet orbiting in a habitable zone”

“Connecting astronomy to life is always exciting for the public,” said lead author Collin Cherubim, Ph.D. ’26, who conducted the research during his doctoral studies at the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. “People are generally interested in the big questions: Are we alone? Is there life beyond the Earth or beyond our solar system? To that end, this study reveals the first atmosphere discovered on a rocky, planet in the habitable zone of a star outside of our solar system.”

Atmosphere Detected at Right Distance from Star

The “habitable zone” refers to a circular region around a star where a planet could have liquid water on the surface — a so-called “Goldilocks zone” that is neither too hot nor too cold.

“It’s perfectly reasonable to imagine that there might be life on that planet,” said co-author David Charbonneau, Fred Kavli Professor of Astrophysics and chair of the Department of Astronomy and researcher at the Center for Astrophysics. “We have no evidence of that, but all the pieces that we think are essential for life are present — it’s rocky, the right temperature, and has an atmosphere. I can imagine scientists now really beginning to think about making detailed observations to learn more about this atmosphere. I expect that a lot of attention now will be galvanized on this particular world.”

---

Reset the Algorithm
Share one good story today.

For far too long, the internet has been fueled by outrage. We think it can run on something better. Join us, share a good story from The Bright Side, and help us reset the algorithm that determines what trends on the internet.

To read another story about science and space, read about the largest 3D map of the universe.