Planet of Promise: Small, Rocky World Could Harbor Life

space.com ^ | 05/17/07 | Seth Shostak

[KevinDavis]

For the first time, astronomers have discovered a planet far, far away that might be similar to Earth. This distant world, which pirouettes around a dim bulb of a star with the unglamorous name Gliese 581, may possibly sport a landscape that would be vaguely familiar to us - a panorama of liquid oceans and drifting continents. If so, there's the chance that it's a home to life - perhaps even advanced life.

It's been a dozen years since the first planet around a star other than the Sun was uncovered. Since then, small teams of astronomers have been flushing out fresh planetary prey at the rate of about one every two weeks. Today, it's easy to have a blase attitude about this continuing drizzle of new worlds. With more than two hundred planets already on the scoreboard, adding yet another sounds redundant.

[KevinDavis]

[Shadowstrike]

“a drizzle of worlds...”

That they will later confirm has no life, even if it does.

[Army Air Corps]

I still say that we need to start naming these planets. Anything has to be better than Gliese 581-C, etc. The question is what rubric do we use. Famous astrophysicists? Noted astronomers? Ex-girlfriends? Famous rock bands?

[Defiant]

This distant world, which pirouettes around a dim bulb of a star

Are they describing a planet or the panelists on The View?

[cripplecreek]

Today, it's easy to have a blase attitude about this continuing drizzle of new worlds.

Not me, this is awesome stuff.

[Army Air Corps]

Ditto.

These discoveries set afire the imagination.

[43north]

Sign me up for the first mission as long as there are no Kennedy’s, Spector’s, or Bush’s aboard...

[sentis1]

Yes they do. What will this world do if we find a new world that people actually could live on. I know I would be willing to pioneer.

[Army Air Corps]

Same here. Think of what interesting challenges would be present in two cultures from two separate worlds attempting to understand one another and teach one another.

[cripplecreek]

I talk to kids about this sort of thing every chance I get. I even encourage them to watch good science fiction because it also inspires imagination the same way everything from Star Trek to Stargate did and still does for me.

[KevinDavis]

Same here.. It is neat stuff and it is only a matter of time that we find a true Earthlike planet..

[KevinDavis]

I like Stargate over Trek for a lot of reasons..
1. The USAF has a couple of spaceships that can travel between galaxies.

[Army Air Corps]

It would be interesting to see if any inhabited worlds have societies and cultures as diverse as those here or if they are homogeneous like on most Sci-Fi programmes.

[SunkenCiv]

related topics:

First habitable Earth like planet outside Solar System discovered
Zeenews.com | April 24, 2007
Posted on 04/24/2007 4:41:01 PM EDT by Sopater
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1822835/posts

Potentially habitable planet found
Yahoo News | April 24, 2007 | By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer
Posted on 04/24/2007 8:50:02 PM EDT by frithguild
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1822980/posts

New ‘super-Earth’ found in space [planet found]
BBC News | Wednesday, 25 April 2007 | BBC News
Posted on 04/25/2007 6:07:03 AM EDT by FostersExport
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1823134/posts

The most Earth-like planet yet
news@nature.com | 25 April 2007 | Katharine Sanderson
Posted on 04/26/2007 2:49:17 AM EDT by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1823740/posts

Quick Take: Mission to Mars? Aim Higher
The Mothley Fool | 04/25/07 | Rich Smith
Posted on 04/26/2007 9:38:08 PM EDT by KevinDavis
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1824325/posts

[SunkenCiv]

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[SunkenCiv]

Since it would probably be a list of names of famous leftists, I think the system now in use will be preferable. :’)