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'Super Earth' aliens may be trapped by gravity


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  • The title was changed to 'Super Earth' aliens may be trapped by gravity
 

It's not quite as simple as "bigger equals more gravity".  The relationship is not linear.  For example, Jupiter has over 300 times the mass of Earth but its surface gravity is only 2.5 times as great.  

Of course Jupiter has a gaseous surface so you can't land on it, but it's easy to visualise massive planets with solid surfaces but low overall densities that have surface gravities comparable with Earth's.

The article would be more informative if it suggested what fraction of planets might fall within this "Super Earth" category.

Edited by Tom the Photon
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6 minutes ago, Tom the Photon said:

The article would be more informative if it suggested what fraction of planets might fall within this "Super Earth" category.

We have only been able to detect exoplanets for a couple of decades and only know of a few thousand out of, potentially billions. On top of which current detection methods favour massive and large planets over small, less massive ones.

If the article gave the fraction you wanted it wouldn't be more informative, it would be making wild guesses.

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Another thing I've been thinking about is civilizations developing under water. I guess a first challenge for them would be to survive on the surface, they would have to have "space suites" filled with water so they can breath. Getting into space would probably be a greater challenge for them than for us since they would have the for them alien surface world between them and the even more alien space world.

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42 minutes ago, fred_mc said:

Another thing I've been thinking about is civilizations developing under water. I guess a first challenge for them would be to survive on the surface, they would have to have "space suites" filled with water so they can breath. Getting into space would probably be a greater challenge for them than for us since they would have the for them alien surface world between them and the even more alien space world.

 How do you suppose they would develop ore smelting?

 

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17 hours ago, Tom the Photon said:

It's not quite as simple as "bigger equals more gravity".  The relationship is not linear.  For example, Jupiter has over 300 times the mass of Earth but its surface gravity is only 2.5 times as great.  

Of course Jupiter has a gaseous surface so you can't land on it, but it's easy to visualise massive planets with solid surfaces but low overall densities that have surface gravities comparable with Earth's.

The article would be more informative if it suggested what fraction of planets might fall within this "Super Earth" category.

According to preliminary measurements Jupiter probably has a rocky core, current planet formation theory also points to Jupiter having a rocky core

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16 hours ago, seanjo said:

I don't believe a civilization could evolve underwater, maybe a race that developed on land then returned to the water, but not a solely water-based species.

 

15 hours ago, Gaden said:

 How do you suppose they would develop ore smelting?

 

They could maybe still develop to a neolithic level, perhaps. But yeah, I have problems picturing them becoming space-faring as well, at least without outside help.

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36 minutes ago, Orphalesion said:

 

They could maybe still develop to a neolithic level, perhaps. But yeah, I have problems picturing them becoming space-faring as well, at least without outside help.

I guess mother of pearl really won't cut re-entry heat LOL

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2 hours ago, Not A Rockstar said:

I guess mother of pearl really won't cut re-entry heat LOL

But at least it would be a very pretty spaceship.....until it burns up in the atmosphere.

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what if they understand that they are in a huge gravity well and instead of chemical rockets they use nuclear explosion to launch in space 

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On 23/04/2018 at 5:44 PM, Waspie_Dwarf said:

We have only been able to detect exoplanets for a couple of decades and only know of a few thousand out of, potentially billions. On top of which current detection methods favour massive and large planets over small, less massive ones.

If the article gave the fraction you wanted it wouldn't be more informative, it would be making wild guesses.

I acknowledge your point, Waspie, and it strongly supports my view that the number of "intelligent alien species trapped on supermassive planets by their enormous gravity" is likely to be a very, very small fraction of the total. 

Articles like this are interesting but add little more than idle speculation to the important science carried out by SETI and others.  The importance of contacting advanced intelligences cannot be overstated.  Assuming alien species are benign (and I believe there is little reason for them to be otherwise) and they share advanced knowledge and technology with us, the human race will evolve thousands of years in an instant.  The possibilities are endless, starting will the atomic manipulation tools to reverse all cellular damage and prevent death.  

 

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I'm just musing about the fact that they are making assumptions based on our current technology that has only (effectively) advanced to the point of using fire as a means of propulsion. 

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30 minutes ago, goodgodno said:

Imagine what we’ll accomplish in 1000 years time

yep exactly-- i find it fascinating how many just don't look at it in this way;)

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