Study: Up to 4.5 Billion Planets Like Earth in Milky Way Alone

Feeling lonelier even as it gets more crowded

There are a lot of Earth-like planets wandering around the Milky Way galaxy, according to a study published by a team of Harvard University astronomers.

According to astronomers, Earth-like planets may litter the cosmos, including our own Milky Way galaxy. The report, led by Harvard University graduate student Courtney Dressin, concludes that upwards of 4.5 billion Earth-like planets may reside within our own galaxy, the highest estimate to date. When matched against the number of stars in the galaxy, the number of planets may exceed 17 billion.