Astronomer : There may be 100 billion Earth - like planets in the Milky Way . If any of them have liquid water , they are likely to have some type of life , he says . Scientist : Such events are called transits . Thousands of intelligent life may have emerged in the Milky Way . NASA 's Kepler continues to search for habitable planets in our corner of the galaxy .
Astronomer : There may be 100 billion Earth - like planets in the Milky Way . If any of them have liquid water , they are likely to have some type of life , he says . Scientist : Thousands of intelligent life may have emerged in the Milky Way . NASA 's Kepler continues to search for habitable planets in our corner of the galaxy .