Discovery of 'Second Earth' May Be Coming Soon

Forget the Apple Tablet. Improvements in technology might have us on the verge of far, far more exciting unveiling: a second Earth.

According to Harvard-Smithsonian astronomer David Latham, "It could happen anytime. We now have the technological capability to identify Earth-like planets around the smallest stars."

Over the summer, a collaboration between a satellite and a high-powered telescope was able to detect a star-orbiting planet with the same density as Earth. While this particular exoplanet is too hot to sustain any lifeforms, its discovery has led Latham and other scientists to suggest we are not far off from finding a planet that could potentially house humans and/or extraterrestrials.

But don't get too excited yet. Any new Earth would probably be at least 500 light years away, meaning you're going to be stuck here with your new Apple Tablet for quite a while.