New Information of Life in Outer Space

[Holkeye]

In THIS ARTICLE, European scientists have stated that they have located a Red Dwarf star (Gliese 581). In this star's solar system, there is an Earth sized planet that is in the ideal temperate zone for liquid water to exist. Unfortunately, the star is over 120 trillion miles away. This is actually pretty close. Read the article, then post your feelings.

I would say this is a very exciting thing. Even though the planet has not been visually encountered, the possibility of liquid water is remarkable. So many factors come in to play about communication, such as if there is actually intelligent life there, if they have the ability to detect and transmit radio waves, and so on. The 6 light-year distance is daunting, but since all radio waves travel at the speed of light in empty space, it would mean a 12 year turnaround in the slim chance that some kind of communication could occur.

[Elegy]

I don't know where you got the "Earth-sized" from, it's 50% larger than earth.

Also, emphasis on European.

[Djangonator]

It is exciting, but it won't really mean anything until we have the technology to see/contact it.

[Deliciously_Saucy]

Oh my, I find this quite exciting, a 20 light year difference is nothing compared to what the percentages where given for an earth like planet being near. In fact, the length from us seems quite minimal really.

If the planet does indeed still contain water, then I think it will become a great jumping stone in our understanding of the creation of life itself. Bravo to the discoverers~

[Djangonator]

Personally, I'm more excited about the prospect  of colonization

Still, all of this is years off. But it gives all govts a reason to fund space research.

[Elegy]

You'd think so wouldn't you?

[biohazard]

Yes, yes I would.  Got something to say about it?

[Ruhani777]

amigos, i am for colonization, this could give us a new oppurtunity to seek new resources. I mean, earth itself has like around 7 or 5% (if im wrong, only a small fraction) of fresh water. who knows, that planet could have more water on it! But still, we're nowhere unless we build the technology for it. And this could spark gov't funding for space. But still, the possibilities are endless, and if we all act now, we may discover new, and even better beneficial things.

[Deliciously_Saucy]

Lol, resources? It would be a twenty year journey if you where traveling at the speed of light, and we won't be traveling close to those speeds for a looooooong time, I also wouldn't count of some sort of shortcut technology being found either... We might know  what's on the planet in a few hundred years, but I doubt a visit would be anytime soon.

Colonisation is an exiting thing too, but just because the planet is at the right temperature, doesn't mean it's suitable for human life. I think the planet is in short distance to us in the grand scheme of things, and someday (if things along the line of manipulating wormholes and other 'short cuts' turn out to be a pipedream) this will give us a real planet, that is close enough to observe and if needed, utilise. 

Depending on how easily life is formed, if the planet had some type of viral life, we would have no built in natural defense to it, meaning we would need something to protect us from it, something good. Also the reverse may happen, if we brought something external that damages the natural life, if any, we could really do some harm. Colonisation of a live planet may be more taboo then that of a dead.

If we have such heavy debate on the morality of terraforming of Mars,  would we really come to a conclusion on colonisation of a planet that has a real chance of harboring life naturally?

[Arrow]

Actually, since the speed of light is kind of relative to your speed...>__>

You know...

...Theory of relativity and all...

[Deliciously_Saucy]

Yesh, I know nothing can travel at, or past the speed of light without being turned into energy, but I'm sure you can get close to it~

[Ruhani777]

well it may be possible....

[biohazard]

nothing can travel at, or past the speed of light without being turned into energy

In theory.

[Roph]

They estimate at our current technology (even though we couldn't make a ship that would be able to go that far) it'd take on the order of a quarter of a millennia =o

[Holkeye]

Well I wasn't really thinking about traveling there. More just sending signals.

[biohazard]

Well what about instantaneous teleportation?  if we could harness that, who knows.

[Roph]

I dunno, after spending a couple of hours reading all about light, relativity, wormholes, black holes and everything in between on wikipedia, maybe it's possible. It certainly sounds plausible, though of course the technology required would be uh, well, =o

[ataraxy2]

It would be a twenty year journey if you were traveling at the speed of light.

Not to mention that if you travel at that speed you turn into energy you said...

This makes the whole thing boring and seemingly futile. Unless a group of us decide to waste twenty or so years traveling to a planet that could possibly not be what it seems. All they know is liquid water right? That doesn't mean it's the same as Earth does it?

[Deliciously_Saucy]

This makes the whole thing boring and seemingly futile. Unless a group of us decide to waste twenty or so years traveling to a planet that could possibly not be what it seems.

It wouldn't be wasting 2o years, it could be wasting 5o, or 2oo. If the atmosphere was suitable for humans, I assure you that people would want to go, and in the time it would require us to build a stable stasis/cryogenic system, space travel will have more corporate investment, meaning the government would have less to no say on whether it's "worth" sending people there. If it's livable, I assure you Virgin would offer flight plans to the public~

The reason why this is quite exciting is because one, the estimated distance for earth-like planets (being the right distance from the sun and having a defender planet like Jupiter) are one every 100 light years (which isn't that much really). So a 2o LY distance is quite a fine compromise, no? IF the planet has water on it, we will receive a huge jump in the information of life's creation, even if there is no life what so ever.

I truly don't see reasons to send targeted signals like Holk suggested as while life may be present, the fact that we haven't received any signals (radio, irregular noise) shows that they would not be intelligent enough to make it, therefore receive it.

Two, I highly and utterly doubt that IF life is there in any form, it would be self aware-intelligent life, as I assure you we humans are an utmost freak of nature. High intelligences is not needed, at all, for nature to continue and thrive, therefore natural evolution wont automatically stray to that path.

Three, we are sending them signals, that planet has received millions of them. Tv, radio and of course the infamous W.O.T~ SETI.

I would be surprised and empathically happy if we found a basic mildew there quite frankly =o

To clear it up ataraxy~ No we don't know if water's there, it may have evaporated in the early stages of the planets life. It's still very exciting though =)

[Ravenshade]

Theory of relativity...hmmm...Theory...*hasn't been proven*....and with us like we are I'm sure we can break that rule if we try hard enough.

It does sound exciting that a planet might be there that we can survive on, but it's not going to be open to us for another 500 years.

(delves into research for immortality)

[Lackluster]

We're going to the moon for natural resources. Fact. We don't need this new, gay ass planet.

[Ruhani777]

ooooooooooooooppppzzzzzzzzzz, what exactly is yer purpose on this here forum? to spam us to death?


By the way, they're planning to colonize on the moon and mars.

[Lackluster]

Colonize? No. Go there for natural resources? Yes.

[Ruhani777]

Mars? Yes... Moon, maybe not, but Russia is planning to extract iron from it.

Heres the plans of terraforming mars.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/terraforming.htm

[Lackluster]

I lol'd you're fucking rediculous kid. Stop coming up with these lame ass articles. We will never colonize Mars. Gtfo. Going to the Moon for natural resourcess, however, is a reality.