'It's absolutely exciting!': Astronomers discover an atmosphere around an Earth-like planet in the habitable zone for first time ever

livescience - Astronomers have detected helium escaping from the super-Earth LHS 1140 b, providing the strongest evidence yet that a rocky planet in another star's habitable zone has retained an atmosphere for billions of years.

AI Summary: Astronomers have for the first time identified an atmosphere around a rocky, Earth‑size planet in the habitable zone some 48 light‑years away, using sensitive spectral observations. The detection opens a new chapter in exoplanet characterization and the search for habitability, offering a rare real‑world target for follow‑up instead of speculative headlines.