Planet 'can unlock Earth's secrets'

The discovery of a planet described as a "close cousin" of Earth will help mankind to learn more about the genesis of our world and the creation of life on it, a Chinese astronomer said.

Zheng Yongchun, an expert at the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said scientists have only a limited knowledge of Earth's past and are unable to forecast what will happen to it in the future.

Comparative research into Earthlike planets will enable them to develop a better understanding of these matters, Zheng said.