Earth-Like Planet That Could Sustain Life Found 575
astroengine writes "An exoplanet, 20 to 50 percent the mass of Earth, has been discovered 20 light-years away and it appears to have all the ingredients conducive to sustaining life. It has enough gravitational clout to hold onto an atmosphere and it orbits well within the 'Goldilocks Zone' of its parent star. However, it would be a very different place to Earth; it is tidally locked to its star, creating one perpetual day on the world. Interestingly, this may also boost the life-giving qualities of the exoplanet, creating stable temperatures in its atmosphere."
Annddd.... (Score:4, Funny)
This is where I stopped reading:
"Personally, given the ubiquity and propensity of life to flourish wherever it can, I would say that the chances for life on this planet are 100 percent. I have almost no doubt about it," Steven Vogt, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at University of California Santa Cruz, told Discovery News.
Chances are 100%. Almost no doubt.
Re:How can they tell its tidally locked? (Score:5, Funny)
As an electrical engineer, I feel I have a fairly firm grasp on how people figure out a lot of these seemingly extremely complex things.
Magic.
Re:Only 20 light years??? (Score:1, Funny)
not that you're wrong about anything, but I think I just found the person that is higher than me...
Available Amenities (Score:3, Funny)
Well, since the star's only 20 light years away and the previous post noted that the Aussies are testing "Space Beer", you can sign me up for the trip. Maybe by the time we get back the Toronto Maple Leafs will have won the Stanley Cup.
OK, OK, I'm kidding about the Leafs.
Re:How can they tell its tidally locked? (Score:3, Funny)
Not just any magic, but black magic. RF is the same way, in your field.
So is this where... (Score:2, Funny)
So is this were those Grey bastards come from? The ones who keep abducting me, and sticking probes up my ass!
Re:Alien astronomers (Score:4, Funny)
0%. I logged in there ready to make the same joke Dutchmaan did and couldn't find it.
Success Story (Score:5, Funny)
Well, there's lawyers covered, then.
Cheers,
Re:Summary is wrong. (Score:5, Funny)
Sorry, but your argument is like calculating the seating capacity of a car when the articles in question are discussing the top speed.
Re:How can they tell its tidally locked? (Score:3, Funny)
As an electrical engineer, I feel I have a fairly firm grasp on how people figure out a lot of these seemingly magical things.
A sufficiently advanced technology.
OK, OK, I know...
Re:Annddd.... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Summary is wrong. (Score:3, Funny)
The summary is incorrect. The exoplanet has "a mass three times larger than Earth's", not 20% to 50%
Disappointing. Kinda reminds you of going on a blind date...
Re:Only 20 light years??? (Score:5, Funny)
Nope, it's 20lys. Astronmers rarely measure interstellar distantances in mm due to the astronomical numbers it involves.
Re:I work with 2 of the authors (Score:1, Funny)
Has anyone famous had sexual relations near the new planet?
Re:The chances are pretty much zero (Score:3, Funny)
and there's no life on the sun.
Maybe we should sent an expedition to check for life on the sun
It's been done: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeelee_Sequence_species#Photino_birds [wikipedia.org]
Re:The chances are pretty much zero (Score:5, Funny)
So here I am, reading on Slashdot about two teams of astronomers with probably over 100 years of education between them, more doctorates than you can shake a sick at, who are publishing a paper in the Astrophysical Journal about this new discovery, and I find this post by tomhudson essentially calling them idiots.
Only on Slashdot.
Re:How can they tell its tidally locked? (Score:5, Funny)