new earth found: good news, bad news, or not relevant?

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the scientific world was recently excited by the discovery of what looked like a planet similar to earth in another galaxy some 20 light years away. it is thought that the planet has an atmosphere that could support life as we know it. the planet temperature is estimated to be around 0-40 degrees centigrade making it earth-like. it is also expected that liquid water could be possible.

It's got the same climate as Earth, plus water and gravity. A newly discovered planet is the most stunning evidence that life - just like us - might be out there.

So what do you think? this may not be important in our lifetimes, but is this discovery the start of humankind's colonisation of space? will space colonies be feasible anyway?

This remarkable discovery appears to confirm the suspicions of most astronomers that the universe is swarming with Earth-like worlds.

We don't yet know much about this planet, but scientists believe that it may be the best candidate so far for supporting extraterrestrial life.

The new planet, which orbits a small, red star called Gliese 581, is about one-and-a-half times the diameter of the Earth.

It probably has a substantial atmosphere and may be covered with large amounts of water - necessary for life to evolve - and, most importantly, temperatures are very similar to those on our world.