Astronomers already knew the red dwarf star Gliese 581 had a planetary system. Now they've found a sixth world orbiting that tiny star, this one only three or four times the mass of Earth and circling the star completely within the "habitable zone"-- where temperatures would allow Earth-like life to flourish. For that reason, some astronomers think chances are good that the planet harbors life.
Red dwarfs are small, but they are also extremely stable for incredibly long periods. Scientists think, therefore, that if life ever did arise on a world like the one found, it would have a good chance to adapt and thrive.
There's also another possibility. Because red dwarfs are also extremely common, it's possible that a civilization intent on establishing interstellar branches would choose to put those branches around red dwarfs.
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