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.But this planet is different.It's different mostly because it's small. Nearly all the earlier discoveries were of massive worlds, lumbering giants comparable to Jupiter or Saturn. Such behemoths are likely to be buried in thick and toxic atmospheres, and seem ill-suited for supporting life.

Mind you, it's not that nature prefers the creation of such brawny planets; it's only that the wobble technique used to find them strongly favors the heavyweights.However, by measuring the motions of bantam stars, such as the red dwarf Gliese 581, it's possible to uncover lighter-weight worlds, since detectability depends on the ratio of stellar to planetary mass. Gliese 581c, as the new find is called, is the smallest yet discovered around a normal star, a mere 50% larger across than Earth. This diminutive size suggests (but does not prove) that it's a rocky world, like Venus, Earth or Mars.

View: Full Article | Source: Space.com

Ok.... so what ever happened to that other planet that we thought could have water? Any updates, or is this the same planet?

So how does this help? We 'might' have found a planet that 'might' support life? Only problem is that we are so far away from it that even if it did support life at this stage we could not even say hello to them....

Do scientists have methods to detect life forms on that world even though it is so far away? I wonder if S.E.T.I. Has sent them any radio waves. They should point there aintenna's in the direction of that world.

thank goodness we cant get there...maybe we could spread our form of hatred all over the galaxy...earth dwellers not wanted...they have a sign out..

...because obviously if there was life on other planets they would never experience conflicts.

LOL, that’s funny... by your own accounts there is war between some ET's races, obviously aggression (if one believes your posts) isn't just a Human pastime...

it's only probability . unless we sent something there to take a picture , we won't know .

anybody else feel like we're being warmed up to the existence of extraterrestrial life slowly??

it'd make more sense than slamming us all at once

right...

Haha, it does certainly sound like a conspiracy theory, but my guess it's just coincidence at this point.

Its as big a conspiracy as the columbus mission to North America. They had maps of north-america already, from the vikings, they knew it was here they just had to find a way to break in the public... Just like most gov'ts know about ET's they just need to find a way to break it to the public without causing panic.

Seems to me, people are finding more planets with chance of life, too bad space travel isn't that advance yet.

Trust me, there is much life in the galaxy, let alone the universe. However, it is NOT like what we think.
Man bases his facts on Earth and terrestrial life. Life differs in the universe. Most is based on the same things we all are familiar with, but it takes a different form. Much different..Remember the dinosaurs, and those huge bugs of the past on earth? If we found intellegent life in those forms, would we not be taken aback?
Man is looking for life in his own context...well, there might be a planet with that kind of life, but, life will take on what the conditions give it...just look at Earth and the different kinds of life..and may I remind you, that man is not the only intellegent life form on Earth....

and I would really like to know what the other intellegent life forms on Earth think of man...apes, whales, dolphins...etc....

One question would be if intelligent life requires a humanoid-type form in order to become advanced? Obviously not, all they would require is some means of altering their environment in a way that benifits them... and then take it from there.

Squid would make a wonderful alien.

Let us not pursue this planet anymore lest they discover our awareness and aim their Death Ray upon us!

I'm waiting on this information to justify more missions to find out what's going on out there.

Actually, it is probably only a matter of time. Do you think that now that we know it is there, we will just leave it alone? Even if it takes tens of thousands of years, humans will get there. We can't help it, we just need to spread out.

I take it you're the type that believes the universe is centered around us and we're the only things happening huh?

whoa planet with life, planet with hot water, mars has water
seems to me we getting more information now then in the last 10 years

We've been getting more information on tons of subjects now than we have in the last 10 years. It's getting strange.... We'll soon be flying in anti-gravity saucers and speaking telepathically =O.

maybe that their so advanced that they took their warfares to the next level. maybe using a computer to determine who's gonna win.

i would have to agree with you. life has a strange way to adapt in any environments, in any way. just like here on planet earth life adjust on the planet's setting. maybe just maybe life had also adapted and adjust on a simingly impossible life could strive on. we human think that we are superior . superior that to support life on other planet they must have the same settings which we have on planet earth to support life.

Like I said in an earlier post on this thread, Man looks for life as he knows it.

There are many ways intellegent life can evolve. Earth has many different species that are intellegent and can reason out problems...chimps, whales, dolphins, just to name a few....and even lower forms like dogs and cats....ever watch a pet open a cupboard door, knowing there is food behind it?

If man can broaden his search, he will find simple life that just might be more intellegent than himself. A species that doesn't need radio, computers or the like...but something that man will wish he had...and I believe that is a true fact.

Man is about greed, war, and personal possesions...what are the other intellegent lifeforms about? Could it be harmony, and living together and surviving what nature throws at them...that is what their intellegent minds tell them...?????

In all reality, man will self destruct if he does not realize his faults...

I'd just like to know what the chimps, whales and dolphins think about man...I bet you'd be shocked!