NASA discovered 7 Earth-like planets ... and Arabs are ready to go

There are seven Earth-sized planets orbiting a single star in a solar system just 39 light years away, NASA announced in a highly anticipated press conference on Wednesday.

Three of these planets are "firmly located in the habitable zone," NASA said, meaning they orbit the parent star in an area where they are most likely to have liquid water, a vital resource for sustaining life.

Astronomers, are excited to say the least. This is the first time that humans have discovered so many Earth-like planets orbiting a single star.

"The star is so small and cold that the seven planets are temperate, which means that they could have some liquid water and maybe life, by extension, on the surface," Michaël Gillon, an astrophysicist at the University of Liège in Belgium, told The Guardian. 

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington said that this could be a significant step in "finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life."

Throughout the Arab world, many were watching the news with enthusiasm and excitement. And some were a bit more eager than others.

Arabs have actually already made ambitious plans to send humans to live on another planet within one hundred years.

Just over a week ago, the United Arab Emirates announced its goal to build the first-ever city on Mars by 2117. 

The project is part of a national program that focuses on spearheading scientific breakthroughs like the renowned Mars Mission. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president and prime minister of the UAE, unveiled the plan at Dubai's World Governance Summit.

"The landing of people on other planets has been a longtime dream for humans. Our aim is that the UAE will spearhead international efforts to make this dream a reality,” Sheikh Mohammed said. 

The UAE also plans to send a spacecraft to explore Mars in 2020. The journey is expected to take seven months.