Galaxy has 'billions of Earths

BBC ^ | 15 February 2009 | NS

[Bringbackthedraft]

There could be one hundred billion Earth-like planets in our galaxy, a US conference has heard.

[Richard Kimball]

If we find one we need to name it 0bama.

[JRios1968]

Yes, but will these aliens be tall, beautiful blonds with three breasts?

[max americana]

Even an asteroid will be insulted if you name it Obama.

[GOPJ]

The original thought behind SETI was we’d point our “ears” in any direction and hear millions of civilizations speaking to each other... We put on our ears and ... nothing. In every direction. Nada. No one. Zip.

[GOPJ]

I think the scientists who still think there billions and billions of civilizations out there are the same people who try to sell global warming.

[NavyCanDo]

Certainly at least one planet out of the one hundred billion Earth-like planets must be populated by beautiful Amazonian women. Spend more on NASA now!

[ModelBreaker]

“BTW—I think humans will either take the b) or c) route.”

Tend to agree. It’ll be a close call whether the Humanists force c) or us or whether the Muslims get to b) first.

[dragnet2]

Where do you get that? No one ever claimed that.

If you feel we are so special, and we are the only planet out of tens of hundreds of billions to harbor life, fine...But don't just make crap up like you have here.

[dfwgator]

Okay. That means that our whole solar system could be, like one tiny atom in the fingernail of some other giant being... This is too much! That means one tiny atom in my fingernail could be—

Could be one little tiny universe.

Could I buy some pot from you?

[dragnet2]

In addition, no reputable scientist made that statement. You're just making this crap up as you go along.

What they are saying in the article, if you bother to read the article, is that the potential for earth like planets, ie: similar atmosphere's, distance from other similar stars as our own, water, etc etc is likely, which would suggest the chances for life to exist outside of earth would dramatically increase.

[greyfoxx39]

PING!

[colorcountry]

LOL

[metmom]

Based on how well we get along on this planet we probably would not want to come into contact with other civilizations. We could be exterminated.

What with the way things are going these days, the likelihood is that we'll do ourselves in long before we're capable of contacting life on other planets ala science fiction style.

[Starfleet Command]

[Tennessee Nana]

Quakers with feathers ????

Oh, make that quackers with feathers...

Channeling Rosanna Rosanna-Dana...

“Never mind...”

[SkyPilot]

Bovine Scatology.

Billions of Earths? Carbon based, with moon at the precise distance to keep the tides, at this temperature to sustain life, with planets in the solar system to keep it stable, with a core to create a magnetic field to deflect solar wind and radiation, and about 200,000 other factors? God created the Earth, and we should be grateful for every breath. Apparently, that is too much to ask from some. There is one Earth, and the odds of it being what it is speaks to a Devine Creator.

The Privileged Planet

[GOPJ]

I don't believe them. Scientists lost my respect when Al Gore talked them in to thinking "science" is based on how many people agree on reality. I'm just saying this sounds like the global warming idiots.

[GOPJ]

In addition, no reputable scientist made that statement. You're just making this crap up as you go along.

It was Carl Sagan. In fact he said it so often it became a joke with people saying "billions and billions" the way he did. Pull up some of the stuff he said in the 60's and 70's - you'll see it.

[GOPJ]

In addition, no reputable scientist made that statement. You're just making this crap up as you go along.

It was Carl Sagan. In fact he said it so often it became a joke with people saying "billions and billions" the way he did. Pull up some of the stuff he said in the 60's and 70's - you'll see it.

[dragnet2]

Scientists lost my respect when Al Gore talked them in to thinking "science" is based on

All the petty arguments and beliefs going on down here on this tiny planet, have nothing to do with the real possibility that life exists in one form or another elsewhere in this universe.

All this article and others are saying is that recent discoveries of planets orbiting other stars, seem to indicate that there could possibly be tens of hundreds of billions of rocky, earth like planets, orbiting other star systems, similar to our own.