OT: My mind is blown . . .

[BumbleBeeDave]

I just read THIS (http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00002900/) today. Incredible!

What does it mean? It means our galaxy is lousy with planets and a good percentage of them are probably earth-sized and within their star's "habitable zones" where life as we know it is possible.

Keep in mind that Kepler searched only a small part of the sky and that it could only find planets in systems that had their orbital plane close enough to edge on to our view that we could measure occultation. So Kepler's results most likely underestimate the true number of systems in just that small slice of the sky that really do have planets.

Kepler is only the first of several such devices, of increasing sophistication, that will be used in the next 20 years to search for extrasolar planets and spectrally analyze the light coming from them for signs of atmospheric gases that can only be produced by organic life as we know it. This means that within my lifetime--certainly within my daughter's--if life really is common in the universe we will have it within our grasp to obtain the evidence to prove it.

We won't have to guess any more. We will be able to know.

I hope that will blow your mind as much as it does mine.

After my grandfather died in 1985, my mom pointed out that in his 86 years he was born before man could even fly, and he lived to see men on the moon. To think that I may have been born when man had barely ventured off the planet and now could possibly live to see the day when we will know for certain we are not alone in the universe just blows me away.

Makes everything that may go wrong in my life on a day-to-day basis seem kind of insignificant . . .

BBD

[Fixed]

we are not alone
imho cheers

[avalonracing]

Yup, it's going to be just like 50's ScFi where every planet that we check out will have humanoids! And they'll all speak English but just have different words for things... Like dollars will be kretors and hours will narons.

[Dekonick]

AND there are somewhere like 400 BILLION stars in our galaxy, and we estimate 100 BILLION galaxies... Hmmm... Alone? Not according to the Drake equation!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlikCebQSlY

[54ny77]

I wonder if they ride bikes?

New Serotta model: The Interplanet

[FlashUNC]

There's some pretty interesting evidence that maybe Mars itself once supported life.

[54ny77]

As did New Jersey.

There's some pretty interesting evidence that maybe Mars itself once supported life.

[Louis]

They're out there, they're green and they're HOT, HOT, HOT:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sdi7fuNaN5U/TKEhqpbFdTI/AAAAAAAAAz4/fRJZdTBSy8M/s1600/shes-green-star-trek-orion-slave-girls.jpg

[johnnymossville]

I'd be more surprised if there isn't life out there than if there is. Either way I doubt we'll be meeting them anytime soon.

[dd74]

About a month ago, while I was in Orlando, Fl. with my family, our hotel was teeming with what basically were "rocket scientists" present for a conference. People with NASA on their name tags among other high-tech, space oriented companies, wandered about. Nerds, you say. Not in the least. These guys were super cool, polite, down to earth guys (pun intended) who just happened to talk deep, heavy science, but in layman terms.

One guy I spoke with told me a main goal for NASA is to build a pit stop on the moon en route to what he called "the holy grail," which is Mars. In the meantime, major worldwide corporations are chomping at the bit to go up to the moon to "farm" the minerals from beneath its surface. It seems the moon might be teeming with hydrogen that can be brought back to earth as a power source. Mars, on the other hand, has even more potential, such as iron and possibly water.

I think off-world beings is something we all have a fascination with, including these guys at NASA, but more realistic expectations seem to take precedence toward sustaining ourselves before we go out looking for "others." At least it does for NASA.

[R2D2]

I just read THIS (http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00002900/)

....
if life really is common in the universe we will have it within our grasp to obtain the evidence to prove it.
We won't have to guess any more. We will be able to [I]know.
...........
BBD
After a few abdutions you'll come to believe too.

[ericspin]

Is Capt. Kirk pregnant in that photo above? There were some strange things that happened in outer space, no?

[CNY rider]

As did New Jersey.

But I think we're hoping to find intelligent life, no?

[Ralph]

How will this affect the teachings and core beliefs of organized religions? Especially in more advanced countries. If it took about 300 years for Europe's main churches to accept the idea the earth is round, will the idea of other "creations" be accepted? Will this new info finally put an end to some backward parts of our country attempting to teach Genesis in the school system? Or in church schools?

I sure would like to see organized religion accept modern science. I think it's almost criminal what some parents teach their children. Or allow them to be taught.

This new science info can have far reaching effects. Beyond academia.

[rwsaunders]

Dave...they are with us now...

[maximus]

Makes everything that may go wrong in my life on a day-to-day basis seem kind of insignificant . . . BBD

Perspective is wonderful and humbling. When I try to fathom the immensity of the whole thing, I can't help but to be jealous that our generation will never get to experience more than than this beautiful earth.

But at the same time, can anyone ask for anything better. I know it sounds cheesy, but it is our mother and we are of it. We are all blessed :beer:

[drewski]

About a month ago, while I was in Orlando, Fl. with my family, our hotel was teeming with what basically were "rocket scientists" present for a conference. People with NASA on their name tags among other high-tech, space oriented companies, wandered about. Nerds, you say. Not in the least. These guys were super cool, polite, down to earth guys (pun intended) who just happened to talk deep, heavy science, but in layman terms.

One guy I spoke with told me a main goal for NASA is to build a pit stop on the moon en route to what he called "the holy grail," which is Mars. In the meantime, major worldwide corporations are chomping at the bit to go up to the moon to "farm" the minerals from beneath its surface. It seems the moon might be teeming with hydrogen that can be brought back to earth as a power source. Mars, on the other hand, has even more potential, such as iron and possibly water.

I think off-world beings is something we all have a fascination with, including these guys at NASA, but more realistic expectations seem to take precedence toward sustaining ourselves before we go out looking for "others." At least it does for NASA.


When is the Nostromo leaving with its first group of space surveyors?

[Bob Ross]

I'd be more surprised if there isn't life out there than if there is. Either way I doubt we'll be meeting them anytime soon.

Right, most of the astronomy and/or astrophysics books I've read all at least agree on two points:

1) the universe is so vast that even if life is an extremely rare occurence, it's almost mathematically impossible for that rarity to equal a single occurence; and

2) because of that vastness it's almost mathematically impossible for lifeforms from disparate planets to encounter one another.

[Hardlyrob]

I heard it put this way once.

If you assume we are an "advanced" life form, then it can happen in this universe. So, that leaves three possibilities: We're the first planet with life, we're the last planet with life, or we're somewhere in the middle.

Cheers!

Rob

[flickwet]

Life and water are ubiquitous. Ubiquitous, I just love that word.

[avalonracing]

Will this new info finally put an end to some backward parts of our country attempting to teach Genesis in the school system? Or in church schools?

Considering that our current body of scientific knowledge hasn't swayed them, why would this?

[woolly]

Is Capt. Kirk pregnant in that photo above? There were some strange things that happened in outer space, no?

No, he's just practicing his belly-breathing.

[drewski]

I just read THIS (http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00002900/) today. Incredible!

What does it mean? It means our galaxy is lousy with planets and a good percentage of them are probably earth-sized and within their star's "habitable zones" where life as we know it is possible.

Keep in mind that Kepler searched only a small part of the sky and that it could only find planets in systems that had their orbital plane close enough to edge on to our view that we could measure occultation. So Kepler's results most likely underestimate the true number of systems in just that small slice of the sky that really do have planets.

Kepler is only the first of several such devices, of increasing sophistication, that will be used in the next 20 years to search for extrasolar planets and spectrally analyze the light coming from them for signs of atmospheric gases that can only be produced by organic life as we know it. This means that within my lifetime--certainly within my daughter's--if life really is common in the universe we will have it within our grasp to obtain the evidence to prove it.

We won't have to guess any more. We will be able to know.

I hope that will blow your mind as much as it does mine.

After my grandfather died in 1985, my mom pointed out that in his 86 years he was born before man could even fly, and he lived to see men on the moon. To think that I may have been born when man had barely ventured off the planet and now could possibly live to see the day when we will know for certain we are not alone in the universe just blows me away.

Makes everything that may go wrong in my life on a day-to-day basis seem kind of insignificant . . .

BBD

Very cool BBD. This is why I love this forum.
There is a really nice bunch of fun loving skeptics here:

If we teach school children the habit of being skeptical perhaps they will not restrict their skepticism to aspirin commercials and 35,000 year old channelers. Maybe they will start asking awkward questions about economic or social or political or religious institutions, and then where will we be? Skepticism is dangerous. In fact, it is the business of skepticism to be dangerous. That is exactly its function.

-Carl Sagan

[troymac]

If there is other life on other planets .. is the wait for a Sachs frame still 7 to 8 years?

[Dekonick]

It is all relative:)

The wait for a RS frame, if traveling at or near the speed of light, and RS is not with you, would be extremely short. Either way, I am glad I have a Bedford instead!