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.

[Sherman Logan]

they are all millions of light years away

Well, no. In the sun's immediate neighborhood, there's about 1 star for every 280 cubic light years. So there should be about... 1875 stars within 50 light years, 15000 stars within 100 light years, 1875000 stars within 500 light years.

The whole Milky Way galaxy is only about 100,000 light years across.

Saying everything we might be interested in is "millions of light years away" is similar to Al Gore claiming the center of the Earth is "millions of degrees."

Actual temperature is 5000 to 9000 Celsius.

Now if you'd said (many) millions of miles, you'd have been quite right. Although a little on the short side.:)

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Only 500 light years?

We can be there tomorrow!

:)

[Sherman Logan]

Maybe we can. The most presently popular versions of physics indicate that there are 9 or 11 dimensions (if I remember correctly), of which we are only able to sense 3, or 4 if you count time.

It doesn’t seem wildly implausible to me that a more complete understanding of the actual, as opposed to perceived, universe might allow us to take a shortcut through some of these other dimensions that would take less or perhaps no time.

Insofar as a propulsion mechanism, of the four “forces” in the universe, we have good deal of control over the electromagnetic force. Even a little control over the gravitational force obviously creates the potential for far more efficient propulsion mechanisms.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

What we need is a good, old-fashioned stargate.

:P

[Sherman Logan]

Yup.

I quite agree that colonization via travel across the space between the stars is unrealistic given our present understanding of physics.

I just find it highly amusing that some of us think we have a full and complete understanding of physics, especially since with our present knowledge quantum mechanics and relativity contradict each other. Since we know (believe) that both accurately describe reality, it seems pretty obvious there is some deeper level of reality we haven’t yet understood in which they are not in conflict.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I find it amusing that none of our science even acknowledges that consciousness exists (other than quantum physics, but only obliquely), much less even begins to explain, yet we think we are so smart and have it all figured out.

Pretty colors on an MRI screen showing the part of the brain that lights up when you think of a cat is just pretty colors on an MRI screen.

The reason science is afraid to address consciousness is because it might lead to ideas like... a Creator, for instance.

[WhiskeyX]

“I quite agree that colonization via travel across the space between the stars is unrealistic given our present understanding of physics.”

There was nothing unrealistic about human interstellar space travel when a willfully ignorant professor declared it to be unrealistic at a university seminar in 1966, and is far less unrealistic with what we know and can do in 2013. Multi-generation interstellar travel is possible with current technology. Ion propulsion is quite capable as a method of sub-light propulsion. For the inhabitants of the interstellar habitat, the trip would be little different in their lives than staying home in the Solar System.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks NormsRevenge.

· join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic · subscribe ·

Google news searches: exoplanet · exosolar · extrasolar ·

[Sherman Logan]

I’m sorry, but I don’t think multi-generation travel is possible, simply because I don’t think enough people would sign up.

I wouldn’t condemn my children and theirs to such a life without choice otherwise, and I would sign up in a minute for myself.

These plans are all based on the notion that multiple generations would be happy to exist in a very constrained environment so some future generation would reach some predetermined goal. I don’t buy it, people just don’t work that way. I will sacrifice for myself and my children and grandchildren. My descendants to the 5th generation are on their own.

Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think so.

[WhiskeyX]

“These plans are all based on the notion that multiple generations would be happy to exist in a very constrained environment so some future generation would reach some predetermined goal.”

No, the they would not necessarily be living in “a very constrained environment” at all. You are repeating all of the common misconceptions about such habitats. Nothing could be further from the truth. Also, you fail to understand how they would not necessarily eveen be all that interested in making the trip to find a planet, habitable or not. Until such time as propulsions come into existence which can providee the thrust needed to escape a planetary gravitational field witout exorbitant costs, human habitation of planets will be limited to special purposes. The principal habitats of humans would be off-planets. Consequently, human interest in habitable exo-planets will be limited for spacefaring humans. The inhabitants of the interstellar habitat will be more interested in living aboard their habitat than leaving it to become planetbound.