NASA announced today that it has discovered 715 new planets orbiting 305 stars, providing a look into multi-planetary systems much like our own.

NASA had know about 1,000 planets and scientists had figured that billions more existed around billions of suns. But the new discoveries reveal more about the cosmos in terms of systems. 

Almost all of the planets discovered are smaller than our local Neptune and closer to Earth size. 

"These new planets and solar systems look somewhat like our own," NASA administrator John Grunsfeld said in a press release in anticipation of upcoming technology that can allow planetary explorers to learn about new worlds from the perspective here on Earth.

The team that made the planetary discoveries used probability to randomly locate samples where planets would likely be found. 

Four of the planets orbit at a distance from their sun that provides the right environment for liquid water—a building block for life.