Vatican Observatory scholar Christopher Graney says Earth may be rarer than once believed

Christopher Graney, an adjunct scholar at the Vatican Observatory, said modern astronomy suggests Earth may be much less common than scientists previously believed. Speaking to EWTN News Nightly on Oct. 2, Graney stated that while other Earth-like planets may exist, the universe is not filled with worlds capable of supporting intelligent life.

In his book, "A Universe of Earths: Our Planet and Other Worlds, Copernicus to NASA," Graney argues against the historical view that Earth is an unremarkable place. He noted that 19th-century astronomers often believed the universe contained many inhabited worlds, citing the work of Father Angelo Secchi, a pioneering Italian Jesuit astronomer who believed stars distributed life to innumerable beings.