Methane spotted in a planetary atmosphere in a system in Vulpecula. It's not an Earth-like planet but it's a promising development in the search for life outside our own ecosphere.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/science/space/20planetw.html

 

Astronomers reported Wednesday that they had made the first detection of an organic molecule, methane, in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system and had confirmed the presence of water there, clearing the way for a bright future of inspecting the galaxy for livable planets, for the chemical stuff of life, or even for life itself.

*must resist making fart joke*

The JPL press release on this was good.

 

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-046

"The astronomers were surprised to find that the planet has more methane than predicted by conventional models for "hot Jupiters." "

 

To paraphrase a comment I read elsewhere, astronomers must be the most-easily surprised of all the scientists. Almost every press release has them surprised at something-or-other.

 

 

 

"Astronomers were surprised to find that extrapolating from a single data point can yield unusual results"

 

Found that accidentally, thought it could be proper for the thread:)