Study: Billions of Earth-size planets in Milky Way (In search of a 'Goldilocks' zone planet)

Yahoo ^ | 1/7/13 | Associated Press

[NormsRevenge]

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Astronomers hunting for Earth-like planets now have many places to look. A new estimate released Monday suggested the Milky Way galaxy is home to at least 17 billion planets similar in size to our planet.

It doesn't mean all are potentially habitable, but the sheer number of Earth-size planets is a welcome starting point in the search for worlds like our own.

Scientists have yet to find a twin Earth — one that's not only the right size but also located in the so-called Goldilocks zone, a place that's not too hot and not too cold where water might exist in liquid form.

[Dead Corpse]

It’s all science fiction until someone figures out how to do it the first time...

[central_va]

Nobody will ever figure out how to defy the laws of physics.

[Dead Corpse]

Who says we have to?

http://gizmodo.com/5942634/nasa-starts-development-of-real-life-star-trek-warp-drive

[Windflier]

Due to the limitations of travel greater than the speed of light and the short relative life span of humans inter galactic travel is the stuff of science fiction and fantasy.

My grandfather was born in 1906, and died in 1992. He had a lifelong interest in all things technological, and would often sit and describe to us grandkids how the America of the late 20th century was like something out of Buck Rogers, compared to the world he was born into.

Try not to be short-sighted. More technological wonders are to come, than we can easily imagine.

[Windflier]

Nobody will ever figure out how to defy the laws of physics.

Until someone does, and then they will re-write the physics text books.

[central_va]

Fermi Paradox

[GraceG]

Colonization will be like the Western Hemisphere, a great deal will be people escaping religious and idealogical persecution from the earth sphere....

[GraceG]

Nobody will ever figure out how to defy the laws of physics.

Until someone does, and then they will re-write the physics text books.

We need to figure out how to marry electromagnetism and gravity, then stardrives theoretically become possible...

[Windflier]

We need to figure out how to marry electromagnetism and gravity, then stardrives theoretically become possible...

And you know that thousands of smart people around the planet are working on doing that very thing. I also don't doubt that every major government has deep black programs that are hard at work on solving this, as well.

Someone's going to get there first. I just hope it's the good guys.

[GreenHornet]

Nobody will ever figure out how to defy the laws of physics.

The Democrats will. They've figured out a way to defy all of the other laws.

[mikrofon]

[Sawdring]

Billions? I’ll guess that there’s two or three, if any at all.

We know there is at least one!

[adorno]

Nobody will ever figure out how to defy the laws of physics.

Once we figure out how the laws of physics came into being, we'll be well on the way to intergalactic travel.

It's just a matter of reverse-engineering those laws. Then we can play God.

[WhiskeyX]

“Unless there is a revolution on our understanding of fundamental physics we will never get out of our solar system.”

That is complete and utter nonsense. It is quite possible for humans to colonize the Milky Way Galaxy across its 100,000 light year diameter with the physics known today, and it will become easier as the knowledge of physics improves.

[WhiskeyX]

Advanced civilizations equal to and grater than our present civilization have the technological capability to colonize thee Milky Way Galaxy in time periods comparable to humans colonizing the Earth's continents.

[WhiskeyX]

"Indeed. God Himself couldn’t have invented a better system for permanently separating any advanced civilizations." Advanced civilizations equal to and greater than our present civilization have the technological capability to colonize thee Milky Way Galaxy in time periods comparable to humans colonizing the Earth's continents.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Pinging...

[WhiskeyX]

“Nobody will ever figure out how to defy the laws of physics.”

We don't need to defy the laws of physics. We can use the laws of physics as they exist. Even with sub-light propulsion systems, humans can colonize the interstellar space of the galaxy.

[WhiskeyX]

“Due to the limitations of travel greater than the speed of light and the short relative life span of humans inter galactic travel is the stuff of science fiction and fantasy.”

Sub-light speed intra-galactic colonization is possible.

[P.O.E.]

There’s also the time-delay factor. Maybe these far-off civilizations are just now electing their first black presidents and defunding their space programs.