@yourservice 67 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System to date, a world which could have water running on its surface. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6589157.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudger 0 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 All well and good but we don't have the technology to get there....YET Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 22449 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System to date, a world which could have water running on its surface. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6589157.stm Is life ubiquitous in the Universe, comparitively rare, or unique? There's no way of knowing but my money is on the middle one. I reckon this planet is dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinofbeans 91 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 its worth investigating but how long would it take to get people there using current technology. hundreds of years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catmag 337 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Ah-ha!! Somewhere to send the charvas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 47145 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Ah-ha!! Somewhere to send the charvas! Fuck that, it's got running water. Mars is good enough for the charvas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadil 0 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Interesting. Just because we're not likely to go there anytime soon doesn't mean it's not worth investigating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 4446 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System to date, a world which could have water running on its surface. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6589157.stm Is life ubiquitous in the Universe, comparitively rare, or unique? There's no way of knowing but my money is on the middle one. I reckon this planet is dead. A pretty good match within "only" 20 light years boosts the probabililty numbers I would say. I've just started a book on how crucial water is to the earth in terms of everything including life - planets with water will be the key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 11080 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 how long do they reckon it would take us to get there on current technology? A couple of Billion years? Stick the Charvas in one of those simulator thingies and keep em occupied for a while while saving the world a fortune on a ) Space exploration (Haway, we need faster-than-light-travel and that's surely impossible) b ) doll, benefits, vandalism cleanup, petty crime follow up, etc. c ) disposal of green "gold" d ) wages of such tv "personalities" as Jeremy Kyle, Trisha et al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 14021 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Mint... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 22449 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 (edited) Astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System to date, a world which could have water running on its surface. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6589157.stm Is life ubiquitous in the Universe, comparitively rare, or unique? There's no way of knowing but my money is on the middle one. I reckon this planet is dead. A pretty good match within "only" 20 light years boosts the probabililty numbers I would say. I've just started a book on how crucial water is to the earth in terms of everything including life - planets with water will be the key. I'm sure water is key but I am sure there are many other factors involved. One thing we do know is that life started pretty quickly on Earth so under the right conditions it will probably flourish, but how right those conditions need to be we don't know, as it's never been replicated in a lab. Proper exploration of Mars may yield some clues. In this case there is no proof water is even present, the only positive thing is that the planet is in the "goldilocks" zone as far as temperature is concerned. That's just one of many variables that need to be considered, and don't forget, the star it orbits is very different from our own. Edit: the planet is about the right size too. Edited April 25, 2007 by Renton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 4446 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 (edited) The thing is once it has a hold life is pretty pervasive - we know of a few near extinction events on earth and there are probably a few from the early days we don't know about - I don't think its necessarily a case of everything having to be perfect for millions of years for the seeds to flourish. Of course this is a "life as we know it" view as well. As i've said before 100s of millions of galaxies with billions of stars points at a more "optimistic" view than your rarity stance. Edited April 25, 2007 by NJS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 22449 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 The thing is once it has a hold life is pretty pervasive - we know of a few near extinction events on earth and there are probably a few from the early days we don't know about - I don't think its necessarily a case of everything having to be perfect for millions of years for the seeds to flourish. Of course this is a "life as we know it" view as well. As i've said before 100s of millions of galaxies with billions of stars points at a more "optimistic" view than your rarity stance. Well rare is a relative term, I still think there will be millions of planets that harbour at least some primitive life and a fair few which have intelligent life. At present it's all guess wrok though really, until we can prove extra-terrestrial life has ocurred at least once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 No one has much of a clue tbh. Life being found around the geo-thermal vents on the ocean bed was unforeseen yet it survives there, where no energy is received from the Sun and where pressure, toxicity and heat would make life impossible according to normal logic. I tend to think life is out there but (comparatively) rare. It's could also be the case that 'intelligent life' is so far away and occurring at different times in the history of the universe that meeting up with aliens is virtually impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 22449 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 It could be that it is impossible to travel the vast distances of interstellar space with any technology. We assume there is no technical limit to what we can achieve but is this true? The accumulating negative results from SETI are at least a clue that advanced, intelligent life is at least rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 4446 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 The thing is if you accepted for a moment that we've only been "on the map" since say electricity was discovered/used (or maybe nuclear energy) then thats only a 200 year period out of 14 billion years. Playing the numbers game again a race would have to be extremely advanced to be able to scan the entire cosmos or even to send out a beacon with any chance of success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazarus 0 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Facinating stuff - but i thought they foulnd those microbes on mars thus proving theres was life on other planets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 22449 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Facinating stuff - but i thought they foulnd those microbes on mars thus proving theres was life on other planets. No, you thought wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Facinating stuff - but i thought they foulnd those microbes on mars thus proving theres was life on other planets. They thought it may have been fossilised remains of microbes at first but on closer inspection that wasn't the case iirc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 22449 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Facinating stuff - but i thought they foulnd those microbes on mars thus proving theres was life on other planets. They thought it may have been fossilised remains of microbes at first but on closer inspection that wasn't the case iirc. Aye, NASA announced it as definitive evidence too early, probably for funding motives. Turned out to be nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 47145 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 This thread has shed new light on the extent of Renton's nerdistry. His capacity for geekiness is quite literally stratospheric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 This thread has shed new light on the extent of Renton's nerdistry. His capacity for geekiness is quite literally stratospheric. Astronomical tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 22449 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 This thread has shed new light on the extent of Renton's nerdistry. His capacity for geekiness is quite literally stratospheric. Theres a difference between being educated, a nerd, and an ignoramus. I'm the former and you're the latter btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 47145 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 This thread has shed new light on the extent of Renton's nerdistry. His capacity for geekiness is quite literally stratospheric. Theres a difference between being educated, a nerd, and an ignoramus. I'm the former and you're the latter btw. You're a fucking trekkie more like, dicksplash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 22449 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 This thread has shed new light on the extent of Renton's nerdistry. His capacity for geekiness is quite literally stratospheric. Theres a difference between being educated, a nerd, and an ignoramus. I'm the former and you're the latter btw. You're a fucking trekkie more like, dicksplash! I take an interest in the possibility of extra-terrestial life, and enjoyed watching some Star Trek episodes, that's all, you pea-brained goon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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