300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Stars and Trillions of Earth-like Planets Astronomers Now Say ...

300 sextillion stars populate the universe, new research suggests -- that's three times as many as scientists previously thought, notes a Yale University press release, adding the possibility of trillions of Earth-like planets among the stars.

If you're having a hard time wrapping your brain around a number like 300 sextillion (or a 3 followed by 23 zeros), imagine multiplying 3 trillion by 100 billion. Or, just go ahead and consider it numerous beyond comprehension.

In a study published online Wednesday in the journal Nature, scientists revealed the findings, based principally on the fact that red dwarf stars, in particular, appear to be even more ubiquitous than previously imagined. More from The New York Times, USA Today, and The Christian Science Monitor.