Astronomers on Verge of Finding Habitable wor

[behaviour???]

Astronomers say they are on the verge of finding planets like Earth orbiting other stars, a key step in determining if we are alone in the universe.

A top NASA official and other leading scientists say that within four or five years they should discover the first Earth-like planet where life could develop, or may have already.A planet close to the size of Earth could even be found sometime this year if preliminary hints from a new space telescope pan out.

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B???

[Paracelse]

Looking for a new place to trash? Or to build resorts for the poor billionaires in search of non-polluted air?

[Alienated Being]

After they discover a new planet that is capable of inhabiting life then I have a feeling that heavy research will be done to find much faster forms of propulsion (ie. light travel). I think within this century that we will have inhabited a new planet and developed some colonies for research.

[badeskov]

After they discover a new planet that is capable of inhabiting life then I have a feeling that heavy research will be done to find much faster forms of propulsion (ie. light travel). I think within this century that we will have inhabited a new planet and developed some colonies for research.

The problem is that FTL or even just light travel is not something that you can just pay your way around as it is not an engineering task, but fundamental physics you are up against.

Cheers,

Badeskov

Edited January 11, 2010 by badeskov

[louis_last]

They already have a pretty good grasp of physics that would allow us with enough funding to produce ships capable of travelling surprisingly close to the speed of light (potentially as near as 70% light speed), this would make a trip to some exoplanets conceivable within a single human life time. The problem is, it's not worth it, the money would be better spent elsewhere.

I would love nothing more than to see humans colonizing the stars in my lifetime but it's more important to address the fundamental problems on earth first. billions of dollars could be wasted on sending a few hundred people to another world while billions of people starve on earth because they need a few more dollars.

[towelie]

I agree with louis we should try to finds ways to fix this world before moving to another planet

Edited January 12, 2010 by towelie

[Finity]

Earth-like doesn't mean you would actually be able to live on it. It means it's within certain parameters for life as we know it to grow in, it's very likely the air would not be breathable by lifeforms from Earth (and vice-versa). Which would mean some kind of terraforming to change it, if that's even possible.

Edited January 12, 2010 by Finity

[Grandpa Greenman]

Finity, you beat me to it. Look at the planet in the movie Avatar, the humans couldn't breath the air or eat the fruit.

[MID]

What we're talking about here has nothing to do with inhabiting another planet. It's simply stating the hope that we'll be able to locate planets within the habitable zone of a star...someplace, maybe even a planet with liquid water and an atmosphere that might support some form of life as we know it.

We've already catalogued about 400 extra-solar planets to-date. An astounding number. With such a level of planetary discovery, it's simply natural to muse about the possibility of finding something like what we live on out there someplace.

Going there, inhabiting the place, terraforming it into a human-supporting environment, if it doesn't quite meet Earth standards is all daydreaming. We're talking about worlds which, to-date, are certainly far too distant to think about traveling to.

This entire thing is exciting in respect to the fundamental question humans have been asking for eons: are we alone in the universe?

We may be getting fairly close to finding a good piece of the answer.

[Grey Area]

What we're talking about here has nothing to do with inhabiting another planet. It's simply stating the hope that we'll be able to locate planets within the habitable zone of a star...someplace, maybe even a planet with liquid water and an atmosphere that might support some form of life as we know it.

We've already catalogued about 400 extra-solar planets to-date. An astounding number. With such a level of planetary discovery, it's simply natural to muse about the possibility of finding something like what we live on out there someplace.

Going there, inhabiting the place, terraforming it into a human-supporting environment, if it doesn't quite meet Earth standards is all daydreaming. We're talking about worlds which, to-date, are certainly far too distant to think about traveling to.

This entire thing is exciting in respect to the fundamental question humans have been asking for eons: are we alone in the universe?

We may be getting fairly close to finding a good piece of the answer.

Indeed, this is not so much about finding life as such, but highlights a big area of research at moment around the formation of stars and planets. If we can find a world within the habitable zone of a star that is roughly the same size and in the right orbit of its star, then it will certainly be a milestone for human history. It will be the proof that the Earth is not unique.

Further to this, if we do find an earth like world and are lucky enough to be able to determine whether it has liquid water and so on, I am sure we will see some bright spark bombarding that world with all sorts of signals. It may take a few years, but will be the easiest and cheapest way to determine if it has sentient life.

These are very exciting times in that respect, not sure it will happen in my lifetime, but the next generation of scientists have a lot to look forward to.

[MID]

Indeed, this is not so much about finding life as such, but highlights a big area of research at moment around the formation of stars and planets. If we can find a world within the habitable zone of a star that is roughly the same size and in the right orbit of its star, then it will certainly be a milestone for human history. It will be the proof that the Earth is not unique.

I think that's precisely what this is about...

Further to this, if we do find an earth like world and are lucky enough to be able to determine whether it has liquid water and so on, I am sure we will see some bright spark bombarding that world with all sorts of signals. It may take a few years, but will be the easiest and cheapest way to determine if it has sentient life.

I was just musing to an associate of mine yesterday about that.

No doubt, if such a place is found, we'll be bouncing signals off her...it may take generations to await a possible response, but they'll do it.

These are very exciting times in that respect, not sure it will happen in my lifetime, but the next generation of scientists have a lot to look forward to.

I think so. Indeed, I think all generations of scientists have had something to look forward to! This, though, is a pretty cool possibility.

[DONTEATUS]

Thats the Million,Quad-Drillion Dollar question! WHy we need to Fix Our Planet to be Habibital ! Were Killing our own Odd`s! Send a few buck`s to Haiti!