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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.

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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.

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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

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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 by Renton
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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 by NJS
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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This thread has shed new light on the extent of Renton's nerdistry. His capacity for geekiness is quite literally stratospheric.

Astronomical tbh

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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.

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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.

 

:D You're a fucking trekkie more like, dicksplash!

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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.

 

:D 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.

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