Chances of life beyond Earth heat up dramatically

Astronomers estimate that there are 100 billion planets just in our own Milky Way galaxy. Think Earth's the only place where life arose? Think again.

Maybe Earth -- and people -- aren't so special, huh?

Need a new desktop image?

I found this photo today on the Astronomy Pic of the Day web site. You'll find a high resolution version here. It's an image of the Milky Way viewed over a row of abandoned kilns. They often do this at APD: take photos of celestial events above a primitive landscape. I think it's pretty. If your desktop needs a new image, this might be just the thing.