Earth-like planet found that may support life

[FredDaHead]

We'll probably see a boom in space exploration when China decides to get their butts in gear and kicks "our" asses in that area. After all, space exploration was big until the Russians kinda stopped trying. It's all about pride.

 

[warspite]

Lets not forget the european union. If a competition between two superpowers got us as far as the moon just think what a triad could do 

 

[midget-boyd91]

Lets not forget the european union. If a competition between two superpowers got us as far as the moon just think what a triad could do 

Two's company, Three's a crowd    ;D

 

[sober_ruski]

I wanted to see exotic plant C... the crown jewel of the Milky Way. I wanted to meet interesting and stimulating inhabitants of an ancient culture... and kill them. I wanted to be the first kid on my block to get a confirmed kill!  ;D

 

[big_johnson1]

Too many variables to say anything, other than the basics that were listed in the article like mass, radius, orbital period etc. Venus especially is very similar to Earth in mass and radius, and even has a thick atmosphere.. The Devil's in the details though: it has acidic rain, temperatures hot enough to melt lead, and at equivalent sea level it's atmosphere exerts 300 times the pressure ours does.

I think the most interesting part of this is the fact that a planet this size was able to be observed. Technology is improving in leaps and bounds every year.

 

[medaid]

Lets spin up the drives and strap in boys! We've got a lot of bugs planet to kill explore! Come on! Do you wanna live forever?!  :threat:


;D

 

[deedster]

Perfect! Who else? 

D Suared: your Lady in Waiting aka Waiting to be a Lady ;D

 

[Staff Weenie]

Maybe this is where the Grey Aliens come from!

Don your PPE tinfoil hats and nuke 'em now! No more probing of earthmen.......

Interesting from a scientific viewpoint. But at 20 light years away.....

I like the Botany Bay/Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy idea - we build a giant spaceship, and put all the Taliban, politicians, bleeding hearts, and useless folks upon it, and launch in the general direction......

 

[vonGarvin]

In all seriousness, I think this is a very significant discovery for a bazillion reasons.  Think back 12 years to 1995.  Yours truly was taking his one (and only) science elective (astronomy for idiots, 101).  At around that time they "discovered" what could be planets beyond the solar system.  The planets were gas giants, probably very huge, and they posited that they probably would never be able to find "earth like or sized" planets - ever.  Now they have found one, a relatively "close" 20 light years away.  Just think, they are getting 1987 news right now!  The Cold War is on, Gretzky is at the top of his game and yours truly was still in his 20s! 

 

[Staff Weenie]

Agreed - the implications are actually highly significant. With an actual potential for life to have evolved, and at only 20 light years away, we could conceivable beam a signal directly to them and rec an answer in (astronomically speaking) a realistic timeframe. With billions of stars, randomly beaming messages into space is pointless. But with a known destination, we may be able to address the question of 'are we alone'.

This is also the result (and proof) of a lot of significant work. I remember reading about gravity lensing etc when I took the same sort of Astronomy for Dummies course at McMaster (early 90's). As noted, they were picking up the super-massive planets only back then.

I can't wait to see what come out next.

 

[GAP]

Now that we have found something like this, how hard can it be to build a probe, equip with ion engine and light sails for propulsion, camera, laser comunications, and let it go. 30-40 years from now we have a definitive answer. If we construct faster transportation earlier, it becomes redundant.

 

[big_johnson1]

It doesn't work that way unfortunately.. 20 light years is how far light and radio signals take to travel that distance.. Higher end estimates are that we could get up to 10% of the speed of light, so that trip would take 200 years. I know it's a start (and we do have to start SOMEWHERE), but it's extremely cost prohibitive.

 

[Mike Baker]

D Suared: your Lady in Waiting aka Waiting to be a Lady ;D

You can be the local mood changer 

But on a serious note, I can see us on that planet within the next 100 years or less. Hmm, guess I can't go 

 

[vonGarvin]

It doesn't work that way unfortunately.. 20 light years is how far light and radio signals take to travel that distance.. Higher end estimates are that we could get up to 10% of the speed of light, so that trip would take 200 years. I know it's a start (and we do have to start SOMEWHERE), but it's extremely cost prohibitive.

I agree.  Instead of saying "It will take too long", we should be saying "well, we better start now!"

Faster Than Light speed may be nice in Science Fiction, and even seem plausible to the casual observer, but perhaps Faster Than Time speed is what we should be aiming for.*

*No, I am NOT currently medicated or high.

 

[Mike Baker]

*No, I am NOT currently medicated or high.

You sure about that? 

 

[vonGarvin]

Quote from: Captain Sensible on Today at 08:44:57
"*No, I am NOT currently medicated or high."

You sure about that? 



Nope! 

 

[Mike Baker]

Interesting to know Garvin. Best not drive or operate machinery*


*excludes tanks  >

 

[a_majoor]

WRT our socialist "Friends"; thier take on this will be the same as for any initiative to explore space, colonize the Moon, Mars, Asteroids etc.:

"Why waste money there when there are so many problems here on Earth?"

Translation:

"I want your time, money and resources for the things that interest ME! You can sod off."

As was mentioned, as news of this filters into the public mind, more and more people will start to cast their thoughts outwards and perhaps some will start to do something towards reaching out. News of the "New World" changed European society and may have had a lot to do with the "Enlightenment". That may be the real gift of this "New World".