First Earthlike Exoplanet Found

[Vladimir]

Does it have a magnetic field? Besides, the telescope that can detect what is claimed to be on this planet isn't going to be launched until 2020.

[rory_20_uk]

Woo hoo. A planet that is 20 light years away. We can't reach it, nor is that likely to change in the future.

The joy is that there is likely to be water on the surface.

Apart from helping Sci-Fi authors, what is the big deal about? Surely that China is polluting the Earth (you know - where we are) more than the USA is greater news.

Since this breakthrough, I suggest all funding for renewable fuels is scrapped, and we spend it all on shuttle launches and telescopes to see if there are any other watery rocks out there we can't reach.

[Gregoshi]

Geez rory, your post is such a downer. I hope you're not suggesting that we stop all research on everything because we already know all there is to know. If anything, finding a planet like Gliese 581c sets another goal for us much like the new world did, or the ocean's depths or the sky or disease or war or any other challenge faced by mankind. Even if we can't go there physically (yet! ), the better we can observe worlds similar to our own, the better we may be able to understand our own planet. Cheer up mate, it ain't all that bad!

[Vladimir]

Rory I really want you as my doctor. You'd be cheaper than Kavorkian.

[Lemur]

Since this breakthrough, I suggest all funding for renewable fuels is scrapped, and we spend it all on shuttle launches and telescopes to see if there are any other watery rocks out there we can't reach.

Very strange reaction. Space exploration usually helps us to refine/discover renewable energy and closed systems (i.e. "recycling"). Where do you think solar panels would be today if we hadn't needed them for satellites?

Also, most of the great liberalizations of civilizations have been made during periods of expansion and exploration. Societies that don't explore are more likely to become closed, calcified and xenophobic.

So I really don't understand why some environmentalists and anti-poverty activists get so dismissive about space exploration. Exploration and conservation are not enemies; they are symbionts.

And for those who say that we should end poverty, war, and All Bad Things before we spend a dime on checking out the Universe, may I point out that in the 6,000 years of our civilization nobody has been able to end All Bad Things, and yet we've achieved greatness anyway.

If you're worried about earth, mankind and suffering, just remember that the way out is forward, not sitting down and navel-gazing.

[drone]

Found a planet several light years away, getting pounded with radiation, with unknown resources and hazards? Why is the answer always "send the drones, send the drones, they'll scope it out for us"? So predictable. It's not like we wear red shirts.

[Zaknafien]

William Hill said it had shortened the odds on proving the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence from 1,000-1 to 100-1.

Wow, that's pretty damn good. SETI better get those radio-telescopes pointed the right way! they also mentioned by 2020 an orbital telescope could reach the planet.

[Gregoshi]

It's not like we wear red shirts.

<Gregoshi changes shirt>

Excellent post Lemur.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Damn, now they know where I came from

[Fragony]

Damn, now they know where I came from

Don't worry, you have grown to big to put you back.

[Mikeus Caesar]

I read in the paper that the fastest ship we've ever launched went at about 24,000mph. At that speed, you'd arrive at Gliese in approximately 4.6 billion years time.

Somehow i don't think a generation ship will do.

[ZombieFriedNuts]

13 day solar orbit thats one fast planet

[Yun Dog]

So we can all relax then, its ok weve found another world, which a few select individuals cans colonize after weve finished turning this one into a radioactive ball of dust


Id suggest we send celebritys and make a game show out of it

Celebrity colonization of the stars

[doc_bean]

I do hope we start some serious space expoloration and exploitation soon, remember :

"United we stand, divided we welcome our alien overlords !"

[HoreTore]

I find it funny how people believe that the life we have here is the only way to make life. The fact is, however, that we do not know of any other ways for life to exist than here. That doesn't mean that life cannot form other places at 500 degrees with acid rain and no oxygen... It's just as likely for life to form at such a place as here, IMO.

[TevashSzat]

Horetore is quite right and some have theorized that life forms on another planet could be based off of silicone instead of carbon creating some very wierd looking creatures

[Agent Miles]

The Drake equation states that:
N=R*x fp x ne x fl x fi x fc x L
where:
N is the number of civilizations in our galaxy with which we might expect to be able to communicate at any given time
and
R* is the rate of star formation in our galaxy
fp is the fraction of those stars that have planets
ne is average number of planets that can potentially support life per star that has planets
fl is the fraction of the above that actually go on to develop life
fi is the fraction of the above that actually go on to develop intelligent life
fc is the fraction of the above that are willing and able to communicate
L is the expected lifetime of such a civilization for the period that it can communicate across interstellar space.

This discovery helps fine tune the third variable. There could be exotic life on lots of planets and moons, even on the surface of cool brown dwarf stars. However, Drake made the conservative argument that we know there is life on Earth, so how many Earth-like planets might there be in the galaxy? Some of the other variables can be estimated to get just about any result you want.

P.S. Rameus-You’re right, except that your ship accelerated past the speed of light! (approximately 300,000,000 m/second) The ramjet design requires a ship that is miles long with a scoop several miles wide. However, you could go anywhere in the universe in your lifetime (the rest of the universe would age billions of years).

[Rameusb5]

P.S. Rameus-You’re right, except that your ship accelerated past the speed of light! (approximately 300,000,000 m/second) The ramjet design requires a ship that is miles long with a scoop several miles wide. However, you could go anywhere in the universe in your lifetime (the rest of the universe would age billions of years).

I've never been able to get my head around FTL travel, but from my (extremely n00bish) understanding, the passengers of the ship would be able to go that fast just fine.

It would just appear (to observers) to take forever to do so to observers.

I've always been rather annoyed that the laws of physics that I have grown so accustomed to totally break down on the extreme ends of reality (the very fast and the very small).

[Vladimir]

Horetore is quite right and some have theorized that life forms on another planet could be based off of silicone instead of carbon creating some very wierd looking creatures

Fat chance.

[Lorenzo_H]

I have been watching DVDs on Aliens and stuff and its very possible that they do exist. I won't bother going into details unless someone asks me.