Earth-like planets may be more rare than thought

Nature Magazine ^ | 30 July 2004 | Philip Ball

[jpl]

Planets ten times as massive as Jupiter, those are some big-ass planets.

[Dawgmeister]

HMMPH! Bodes well for the rest of the galaxy, then...

[Dawgmeister]

(sometimes it seems like ONE is too many.)

[Moonman62]

There is only one data point. And that is us. All else is speculation. However, using probability, we can make some predictions. Thusly was born the "Drake Equation".

What about all the other lifeless planets and moons we can observe in our own neighborhood?

[Vineyard]

I think that a more careful analysis suggests why this means that Earth Planets are even more rare than previously thought.

First, most scientists accept that "binary" star systems (or - any arrangement where 2 or more stars rotate around each other) are not likely to have any conditions necessary to support life. The constantly changing gravitational stresses would probably prevent the formation of any planet that could support life, and if a planet existed - the constant upheavals, earthquakets, etc. would be catastrophic. [Oh, By The Way ... 70% of the stars are not "by themselves" ... and are in binary or higher configurations.]

Again, most scientists agree that the center of a galaxy, where 20 - 30% of the stars are in much higher density, the radiation levels are very high, and would not be conducive to life.

And most scientists agree that stars on the very outer reaches of a galaxy probably lack the "super nova" remnants that provide the heavy elements that are found on the Earth (elements with an atomic number greater 56 (Fe - iron). What would happen if a small earth sized planet formed but there was nothing heavier than iron??

So the first 3 suppositions remove possibly 95% of the stars from being considered as possibly supporting life.

The latest analysis considers the way planets form. The analysis suggests that perhaps a more normal way for planets to form is not the way our planets formed around our Sun. Suppose that 80% of the time, the method of planet formation is what we see elsewhere (large gas giants, closer to a star). .. and that method would not be conducive to creating a small planet that would be habitable to life ... This means that once again, we are removing additional stars from consideration where life might form.

Mike

[whattajoke]

Humanistic science, however, has a tendency to declare things dogmatically that directly oppose Scripture

a) I'm not aware of the branch of science called "Humanistic science."
b) Don't anthropomorphicize science. It doesn't "declare" nor does it have "tendencies." It just is.
c) Scientific thought is not concerned with Scripture any more than it is concerned with the Quran, the Upinishads, the Norse mythology, or Navajo campfire stories. It just is.
d) Of course, maybe I'm wrong (something we say in science), so maybe you can point to me where science "directly opposes Scripture."*

*That is, in the sense in which you are speaking. Of course, science DOES indeed oppose scripture since there are no ghosts, no one rises from the dead, no one has changed water to wine, burning bushes have not been shown to speak, people have not been shown to live 900 years, plants have not been shown to live without sunlights, etc. But I know that's not your point, I digress and I apologize in advance.

[null and void]

These factors alone remove several orders of magnitude from the number of possible stars that could sustain higher forms of life.

Still leaving a fairly large number in the end.

Just a thought: If we only find ONE other inhabited planet in the entire galaxy will the Bible Thumpers admit defeat and all become atheists? How about two planets? What's the end-of-Religion threshold?

Hint- The Americas are not mentioned ANYWHERE in the Bible, finding land and 'Injuns' didn't make the Church crumble. So, why do the Bible Thumpers fear life anywhere but here?

hmmm?

[Rock N Jones]

Re the scripture which may indicate that there may be no other earth like planets in the universe. The following is from Genesis, Chapter 1. Note it is said he made the stars also and set them in the firmament to give light upon the earth.
1:14
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
1:15
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
1:16
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: [he made] the stars also.
1:17
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

[HitmanLV]

All I know is that if space is infinite then there has to be at least one.

You just blew my mind! ;-)

[ZULU]

There is also the "moon factor" which impacts the earths tilt and also provides other benefits of which I can't recall.

However, even adding all these all conditions, considering the vast number of stars out there, there has got to be a certain percentage of them which have planets capable of sustaining life. But as you and the article imply, that number may be small on a percentage basis.

And then there are alternate dimensions.

[null and void]

And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth

And, therefore, of course, that's the only reason anything is in space, just and only to give us light, right?

[ASA Vet]

Wow, 6 posts before the hijacking attempts.

[Michael_Michaelangelo]

Is the Cosmos a Work of Poor Engineering or the Gift of an Artistic Designer?

The God's Must be Tidy!

[Rock N Jones]

"that's the only reason anything is in space, just and only to give us light, right?"

Well, what do you think?

[webstersII]

"All I know is that if space is infinite then there has to be at least one."

It's like multiplication by zero, the so-called "trivial solution" which gives an easy answer to a difficult and challenging problem.

So far there is no verification for the measurement of infinity, so no one knows for sure. All we know is that it's real freaking big.

[null and void]

Did someone mention Abortion???

[Bikers4Bush]

A little bit of drinking wisdom that you're free to use ad infinitum.

[Bikers4Bush]

Hence the "if" in my statement.

[The KG9 Kid]

The Torah.