Billions of Milky Way planets could support life

Billions of stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way, have between one and three planets which could potentially support life, according to scientists.

Astronomers came to the conclusion after calculating the chances of planets orbiting in the ‘habitable zone’ — the region just the right distance from a parent star to allow mild temperatures and watery oceans.

Danish researcher Steffen Kjaer Jacobsen, from the University of Copenhagen, said: “According to the statistics and the indications we have, a good share of the planets in the habitable zone will be solid planets where there might be liquid water and where life could exist.”