Scientists discover Earth-like planet

[Bell]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/984735/scientists-discover-earth-like-planet-study

Pretty cool stuff.

[winter]

That's pretty cool - gutted about the temperature though

[liquidpain]

Too far.

[Speakman]

if there are inhabitants. would they be called GJ 1214b-lings?

[nzkiwiwhiteboy]

nice stroll distance
The only problem is indeed the tempture

[Bobyoby]

nice stroll distance
The only problem is indeed the tempture

Waterplanet?
Between 280 and 120 degrees?

No problem for this guy

[AfroDizzzy]

It doesnt say anything about the water temp. I presume they are refering to the atmospheric temperature. So the water could be alot cooler(hopefully).
I believe their are organisms that live around volcanic 'smokers'. I forgot the proper term but yea. Those things are HOT. but life still goes on.

[Zarkov]

"Its temperature is estimated at between 280 and 120 degrees Celsius with its host star about one-fifth the size of the Sun, according to the scientists."


It was probably once inhabited by people like us.

Unlike us they couldn't agree on a plan to halt global warming emissions.


We do have a plan don't we?

[Speakman]

yeah, the plan is mars isnt it?

[RevGD Fr33ze]

We'll just gate off the planet to GJ 1214b renamed P3X-1214 and live there the rest of our.....oh no stargate .....k

[nick247]

did god create that planet too? if so will those organisms be in heaven with us?

[Apostrophe Spacemonkey]

It doesnt say anything about the water temp. I presume they are refering to the atmospheric temperature. So the water could be alot cooler(hopefully).
I believe their are organisms that live around volcanic 'smokers'. I forgot the proper term but yea. Those things are HOT. but life still goes on.

The boiling temp depends on the pressure, according to the article, so the water probably is indeed that temperature.

Berta said some of the water would likely be in crystalline form that exists at pressures greater than 20,000 times Earth's sea-level atmosphere.

Not sure what they mean by 'crystalline', doesn't sound very liquid to me.

And you are right, we have organisms on Earth which live around volcanic 'smokers' where the temp is 100's of degrees, and also organisms which live in the deepest parts of the ocean where there is immense pressure.

Judging by examples on Earth, the temp and pressure doesn't seams to matter to life, only that the water is liquid, in that case, this super-Earth planet does seam hospitable, just not for humans.

Still not sure what they mean by 'crystalline', sounds solid to me.

[Apostrophe Spacemonkey]

yeah, the plan is mars isnt it?

Yes, Mars is too cold, so we need to Global Warming it first before we can live there, Ironic in a way.

[TuataraDude]

We are likely to get more sightings of these as Kepler starts doing it's job over the next three years.   http://www.kepler.nasa.gov

[Ngati_Grim]

Not sure what they mean by 'crystalline', doesn't sound very liquid to me.

Still not sure what they mean by 'crystalline', sounds solid to me.

Ice is crystalline.
It is the solid form of water.

[Apostrophe Spacemonkey]

Thanks

So it's a 280 degree frozen planet?

Awesome.

But the frozen part would be in the middle, there maybe some part where the pressure is low enough for liquid water to exist.


Here's a fancy chart, as the pressure increases, the water can stay in it's liquid form at a higher temperature, it will also stay in it's solid form at a higher temperature.

[Equity]

this one was found awhile ago

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18293978/

[Zarkov]

I'm not going unless it looks like this.


.

[Raped_ByA_Spoon]

Just cause you want fish for dinner Zarkov!

[Bounty Hunter]

Just cause you want fish for dinner Zarkov!

"That will make it the first super Earth with a confirmed atmosphere -- even though that atmosphere probably won't be hospitable to life as we know it," said David Charbonneau who heads the research team.

I love this bit.

I've been reading about super-earths a fair bit recently, they're saying that some of the ones discovered so far might have 2x earths gravity, but in trials this is considered ok for humans to exist on (at least untill our off spring in a few generations grow abnormally large muscles then come back to earth and fly!)

these super earths might also be the reason we haven't heard or seen anything from the rest of the galaxy as the power required to exit the planet is exponential due to the energy source requirements and mass required to feed the engines.

shame the life wont be observed in our lifetime.

[Equity]

shame the life wont be observed in our lifetime.

who knows, technological improvements are expotential (i cant spell that word)

[Apostrophe Spacemonkey]

who knows, technological improvements are exponential (i cant spell that word)

You mean firefox doesn't spell for you?

[Apostrophe Spacemonkey]

who knows, technological improvements are expotential (i cant spell that word)

Indeed, who knows.

However I think we'll more likely pick up a radio single due to luck, however technological improvement will help, being able to detect very faint signals.

[Bounty Hunter]

who knows, technological improvements are expotential (i cant spell that word)

exponential, yes I know.

[Zarkov]

Indeed, who knows.

However I think we'll more likely pick up a radio single due to luck, however technological improvement will help, being able to detect very faint signals.

Probably one sent by something horrible that wants to eat us.