Super-Earths give theorists a super headache

Nature ^ | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 | Eric Hand

[null and void]

Yep.

[momincombatboots]

We know for certain He exists in a different realm, affirming our belief in life outside of our physical constraints. Too frightening or too awesome for us, I suppose.

[jmcenanly]

I wonder if our world is just a wimpy “super-earth’. Our study of planetary systems prior systems before the 1990’s was like studying animals, but being confined to one small area. We might be on the short end of the bell curve as far as planetary mass goes. Considering that the planets that are smaller than earth that we have hard evidence for have very thin or no atmospheres.

[DBrow]

Sounds like a sampling bias, we can only detect the planet that our systems can see.

As for planetary formation models, we have a dearth of real data to test our theories on. No surprise then that an input of real data shows deficiencies in our models.

[Ransomed]

“The gravity on such a large planet could be similar to earths. Gravitational attraction is a function of mass and diameter; if the density of the planet is low, a huge planet could have surface gravity similar to our own.”

That’s the premise to Jack Vance’s 1952 classic “Big Planet” sci-fi novel. Great book. But anything Vance does is great.

Freegards

[af_vet_rr]

If God can create the universe, he can create billions of other planets with life if he pleases and he isn’t required to tell me about it.

Well said.

[terycarl]

If God can create the universe, he can create billions of other planets with life if he pleases and he isn’t required to tell me about it. Well said.

then does He put the Mormons in charge of these other places as they say He does?????????