Exoplanet hunters may find ET

[Still Waters]

Little green men on alien planets may be discovered even once they have died out, especially if their demise was sudden. So suggests a model of our world after the sun becomes a red giant.

http://www.newscient...ml#.UnLn6ieg4dU

[Brian Topp]

I hope those aliens are glutton free.

[zoser]

All these claims about planets being found. They are claiming that one system has at least 7. Maybe true but difficult to get excited at this stage. Where are the images? Every week another claim of a planet found hits the national press.

Just by looking at the wobble or stars may well be ingenious as a principle, but to try and deduce much else about the planets based on low level of information is just plain silly.

I wouldn't rule out an ulterior motive here; justifying their budgets under times of difficult economic conditions.

I wouldn't recruit astronauts for surveillance missions just yet.

[DBunker]

All these claims about planets being found. They are claiming that one system has at least 7. Maybe true but difficult to get excited at this stage. Where are the images? Every week another claim of a planet found hits the national press.

Just by looking at the wobble or stars may well be ingenious as a principle, but to try and deduce much else about the planets based on low level of information is just plain silly.

I wouldn't rule out an ulterior motive here; justifying their budgets under times of difficult economic conditions.

Wow, what is it with you and science, bad time in school or what?.... Here is a real scientific effort in trying to find alien worlds and you smell a conspiracy??!!

Im guessing that SETI is filled with MIB, right?

[zoser]

Wow, what is it with you and science, bad time in school or what?.... Here is a real scientific effort in trying to find alien worlds and you smell a conspiracy??!!

Im guessing that SETI is filled with MIB, right?

No conspiracy DB.

Scientific effort?

Some might say there are better priorities closer to home that money could be spent on.

As I said on the other thread if you had better perception regarding what has occurred here over the last 70 years, these rather dubious claims of planets scores of light years away would actually be of little significance.

Edited November 1, 2013 by zoser

[TSS]

Just by looking at the wobble or stars may well be ingenious as a principle, but to try and deduce much else about the planets based on low level of information is just plain silly.

You never heard of Spectroscopy? Obviously not.

[TSS]

As I said on the other thread if you had better perception regarding what has occurred here over the last 70 years, these rather dubious claims of planets scores of light years away would actually be of little significance.

It's of massive significance, if only in plotting the vast space around us and where we might fit into. Concentrating on one aspect (as you suggest) is short sighted (pun not intended).

[zoser]

You never heard of Spectroscopy? Obviously not.

This so called planet hunting; it's the Higgs Bosun all over again in a different guise.

No use whatsoever to man or beast, yet it keeps PHD's in jobs.

That's about it as far as I can see.

[zoser]

It's of massive significance, if only in plotting the vast space around us and where we might fit into. Concentrating on one aspect (as you suggest) is short sighted (pun not intended).

I honestly would have thought in 2013 that scientists would have more pressing concerns.

Nero played his fiddle while Rome burned. It's a good analogy.

[TSS]

This so called planet hunting; it's the Higgs Bosun all over again in a different guise.

No use whatsoever to man or beast, yet it keeps PHD's in jobs.

That's about it as far as I can see.

Well thankfully your limited sight has no impact on what is pursued in the name of understanding.

[TSS]

I honestly would have thought in 2013 that scientists would have more pressing concerns.

Nero played his fiddle while Rome burned. It's a good analogy.

You do know that science is not a one lane road don't you? You do realise that not all scientists study the same disciplines don't you? Science doesn't operate in a straight line, you just follow where the next lead takes you. I do feel sorry that you don't understand what science is, because you are missing the greatest ride of all - discovery.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Sky Scanner

[zoser]

Well thankfully your limited sight has no impact on what is pursued in the name of understanding.

The human race has a notorious history of looking outside when it should be looking inside.

The salvation of the human race will never be in the study of theoretical particles or planets at impossible distances away.

For goodness sake we all knew they were there anyway; do you really need an astronomer to tell you that?

Here it is:

The human race knew all of this decades and decades ago.

Why keep looking in forever decreasing circles in what we already know?

Come on there are far more important matters.

The scientists will soon disappear up their own ......................

[zoser]

You do know that science is not a one lane road don't you? You do realise that not all scientists study the same disciplines don't you? Science doesn't operate in a straight line, you just follow where the next lead takes you. I do feel sorry that you don't understand what science is, because you are missing the greatest ride of all - discovery.

Like Monsanto you mean? Take a look at that outfit sometime.

Sorry SS I know I accuse you lot of intense cynicism, but when it comes to so called science boy do I have a few things to say.

Edited November 1, 2013 by zoser

[TSS]

Sorry SS I know I accuse you lot of intense cynicism, but when it comes to so called science boy do I have a few things to say.

Yes I know you have a lot to say about science, unfortunately most of what you say comes from either ignorance, or just pushing your agenda. Who do you mean by 'you lot', I speak for myself, no one else.

[seeder]

The scientists will soon disappear up their own ......................

somebody - hit him on the head with a mallet, please.

On second thoughts....maybe someone already did and thats why he is bonkers

[zoser]

Yes I know you have a lot to say about science, unfortunately most of what you say comes from either ignorance, or just pushing your agenda.

Just a point of curiosity. How come people who are not fans of science have to be labelled ignorant?

Who do you mean by 'you lot', I speak for myself, no one else.

I was referring to the skeptic faction.

[seaturtlehorsesnake]

what, precisely, are these things that scientists should be focusing on for the betterment of mankind? how does one one decide whether scientific research is beneficial or not?

do you actually have answers for these questions?

[zoser]

what, precisely, are these things that scientists should be focusing on for the betterment of mankind? how does one one decide whether scientific research is beneficial or not?

do you actually have answers for these questions?

You bet.

Alternative affordable energy.

Stable economy.

Eradication of the third world.

Safe transportation

Safe food and water

Clean air.

Solving Cot deaths

Solving Dementia

Solving extinction of specie

............................want more?

Then ask yourself why far more cash is spent on distant planet hunting and meaningless sub atomic particles.

Over to you.

Edited November 1, 2013 by zoser

[Sweetpumper]

You bet.

Alternative affordable energy.

Stable economy.

Eradication of the third world.

Safe transportation

Safe food and water

Clean air.

Solving Cot deaths

Solving Dementia

Solving extinction of specie

............................want more?

Then ask yourself why far more cash is spent on distant planet hunting and meaningless sub atomic particles.

Over to you.

Finding out what's invading our own air space...

[seaturtlehorsesnake]

and those are worthwhile goals, i agree. they are also very "big" ideas, that are being worked on from multiple smaller angles. does the time being spent on searching for distant planets actually hinder research into, say, sustainable crops, or research into brain chemistry?

do you think that all research that doesn't "directly benefit" people (whatever that might mean) is worthless?

.

[DBunker]

what, precisely, are these things that scientists should be focusing on for the betterment of mankind? how does one one decide whether scientific research is beneficial or not?

do you actually have answers for these questions?

Science is worthless until they agree with his preconceived notion.... that ET is here.

[zoser]

and those are worthwhile goals, i agree. they are also very "big" ideas, that are being worked on from multiple smaller angles. does the time being spent on searching for distant planets actually hinder research into, say, sustainable crops, or research into brain chemistry?

.

Of course it does. By taking away funds. The human race should be prioritising at this time and making big changes using technology that we have now, not moving in ever decreasing circles by studying the totally abstract and unreachable.

[khol]

take a look what the price of a single B-2 bomber could do

corecommunique.com/cost-war-single-b-2-stealth-bomber-can-feed/

yet humans very nature also directs us to searching our origins and place in the universe

we need to continue this quest for knowledge and understanding

without science and pushing forward we become stagnant and lose chances of discovery that could help mankind

directing money away from corrupt financial institutions and over the top military budgets would be better suited then comprimising our science initiatives

[Frank Merton]

Without science I would have spent my life in the paddy fields planting and transplanting and harvesting rice, and probably have died about twenty years ago. I approve of the enterprise and tend to follow what the scientists (the experts) conclude as far more often to be correct than most of us.

[badeskov]

Just a point of curiosity. How come people who are not fans of science have to be labelled ignorant?

...

Because of this

This so called planet hunting; it's the Higgs Bosun all over again in a different guise.

No use whatsoever to man or beast, yet it keeps PHD's in jobs.

That's about it as far as I can see.

That is ignorance in it's absolute purest form. Should we also have taken away funding from the scientists 100-150 years ago that discovered the neutron, the electron, the proton, made a model for the atom, special and general relativity, quantum mechanics and so on? That is why posters like you are labeled ignorant, because such statements can only come from ignorance. But it really explains a lot about your behavior here at UM.

With the confirmation (still to be absolutely confirmed) of the Higgs Boson we think we know why particles have mass and more about how the various forces act as they do. This could lead to much better models that in turn could lead to new discoveries and technologies breakthroughs, which in turn could help alleviate some of the problems you mention that this world suffers under.

Cheers,

Badeskov