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Watery Earth-like planet discovered

spazzx625 · 2009-12-17 07:55:17

LinkEDIT: A better linkAstronomers announced this week they found a water-rich and relatively nearby planet that's similar in size to Earth.While the planet probably has too thick of an atmosphere and is too hot to support life similar to that found on Earth, the discovery is being heralded as a major breakthrough in humanity's search for life on other planets. 'The big excitement is that we have found a watery world orbiting a very nearby and very small star,' said David Charbonneau, a Harvard professor of astronomy and lead author of an article on the discovery, which appeared this week in the journal Nature. The planet, named GJ 1214b, is 2.7 times as large as Earth and orbits a star much smaller and less luminous than our sun. That's significant, Charbonneau said, because for many years, astronomers assumed that planets only would be found orbiting stars that are similar in size to the sun....Charbonneau said it's unlikely that any life on the newly discovered planet would be similar to life on Earth, but he didn't discount the idea entirely.The ArticleI don't really understand how a planet with water on it could be too hot to sustain life...But whatever. That's pretty exciting news, even if no life is found.

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Gaming-Planet

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#102 Gaming-Planet

Member since 2008 • 21107 Posts

I doubt they'll ever find a planet with life on it. I want to see some Aliens got dammit! :P

15 years ago

dutzeandkarny

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#103 dutzeandkarny

Member since 2009 • 25 Posts

[QUOTE="spazzx625"][QUOTE="slinkysi"] That is speculation only. Time dialation is a fact. And if they travelled sufficiently fast, there exposure time would be minimal.

Of course it's speculation...It's a theory. Like all theories, until tested, are neither true nor false.

Christ. I don't remember you being such a bad poster. :/

15 years ago

legend26

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#104 legend26

Member since 2007 • 16010 Posts

so avatar isnt just a story!? :o

15 years ago

quiglythegreat

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#105 quiglythegreat

Member since 2006 • 16886 Posts

life flourishes at thermal vents, away from the sun, under ridiculous pressure from the ocean. sounds similar to conditions described in that article.

15 years ago