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Odds of Life on Nearby Planet '100 Percent,' Astronomer Says
Fox News ^ | 9/30/2010 | Fox News

Posted on 09/30/2010 4:04:03 PM PDT by Dallas59



An Earth-size planet has been spotted orbiting a nearby star at a distance that would makes it not too hot and not too cold -- comfortable enough for life to exist, researchers announced Wednesday.

If confirmed, the exoplanet, named Gliese 581g, would be the first Earth-like world found residing in a star's habitable zone -- a region where a planet's temperature could sustain liquid water on its surface.[Illustration of planet Gliese 581g.]

And the planet's discoverers are optimistic about the prospects for finding life there.

"Personally, given the ubiquity and propensity of life to flourish wherever it can, I would say, my own personal feeling is that the chances of life on this planet are 100 percent," said Steven Vogt, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, during a press briefing today.

"I have almost no doubt about it."

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: exoplanet; planet; xplanets
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To: twister881
Brunnen G

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41 posted on 09/30/2010 4:25:49 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
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To: RobRoy

LOL! Thanks, I needed that laugh.


42 posted on 09/30/2010 4:29:23 PM PDT by kitkat (OBAMA hates us. Well, maybe a LOT of Kenyans do.)
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To: Dallas59

Assume life can exist on other planets. Considering the age of the universe and the time it would take for life to ‘develop’. What would the chances be this life would find us in the vastness of the universe right now.


43 posted on 09/30/2010 4:32:54 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: Dallas59
this new planet is probably called “Earth”, as right now, we are living on Bizzaro World.
44 posted on 09/30/2010 4:33:08 PM PDT by stylin19a (Never buy a putter until you first get a chance to throw it)
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To: Dallas59

45 posted on 09/30/2010 4:33:45 PM PDT by Clock King (Ellisworth Toohey was right: My head's gonna explode.)
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To: fwdude

Does the book of Genesis make any specific references as to whether life does, or does not, exist on other planets?


46 posted on 09/30/2010 4:34:41 PM PDT by Signalman
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To: kitkat

No sex and I’m not here!!!
That does it, I AM leaving, now!


47 posted on 09/30/2010 4:34:46 PM PDT by irishtenor (Tag lines, they are not what they used to be...)
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To: fwdude

I just thought your statement was odd, if God put the planet there, why can’t he put life there?


48 posted on 09/30/2010 4:35:34 PM PDT by Jolla
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To: Jolla
Do I qualify for an answer?

Ok, I just didn't want to waste my typing on someone who's already pre-determined to dismiss my answer.

The creation account in the Book of Genesis occurs completely in the context of earth, as far as the creation of life is concerned. No mention is made of other life isolated from this system. Now, the argument might be made that I'm using a negative (lack of mention) to prove something affirmatively. But you'd have to ask what purpose "life" on other planets would serve in the grand scheme.

If you are a Christian, I believe that you have to believe Scripture is the very inspired word of God. If you don't, our discourse breaks down for lack of a agreement on a critical proposition. If you believe in literalism, which I believe is reasonable and ascertainable where the Bible makes this clear (not parables or symbolism), then you can't believe in evolution, at least not macro-evolution, which is exactly what this scientist is drooling over.

For this scientist, the prospect of "life" on other planets is not about primitive one-celled, non-sentient organisms or bacteria, or primordial "soup," but about the prospect of intelligent life, if not now, then inevitably. This, I believe, flies in the face of Scripture. Does the new system of intelligent life need their own "Savior" or "dispositions" independent of the revealed plan of God on earth? Not if the God of Christianity and the Scriptures is really God.

49 posted on 09/30/2010 4:42:19 PM PDT by fwdude (Anita Bryant was right.)
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To: Signalman

See my reply in #49.


50 posted on 09/30/2010 4:44:35 PM PDT by fwdude (Anita Bryant was right.)
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To: irishtenor

***No sex and I’m not here!!!
That does it, I AM leaving, now!***

No, no. Don’t leave even if you’re not here. You’re the only Gustonian who is not here. So we NEED you. Does that make sense? Oh what the heck—it doesn’t matter. Just stay (or pretend you’re staying) because you make us laugh.


51 posted on 09/30/2010 4:46:24 PM PDT by kitkat (OBAMA hates us. Well, maybe a LOT of Kenyans do.)
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To: Question Liberal Authority

I always wondered if the population couldn’t be defined as infinite. If the number of uninhabited worlds is finite, then the same mathematical trick would tell you the percent uninhabited is zero. Therefore, since infinity minus zero is infinity, then there are an infinite number of inhabited worlds. Some number of beings on each of those times an infinite number of worlds would yield an infinite population.


52 posted on 09/30/2010 4:47:53 PM PDT by gitmo ( The democRats drew first blood. It's our turn now.)
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To: Dallas59

On matters like this, some scientists—so skeptical about religious faith—are shamelessly quick to throw away all skepticism and embrace uncertainty with a faith more perfect.


53 posted on 09/30/2010 4:48:47 PM PDT by behzinlea
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To: Dallas59

Any global warming taking place on the planet?


54 posted on 09/30/2010 4:48:53 PM PDT by 353FMG (ISLAM - America's inevitable road to destruction.)
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To: behzinlea
On matters like this, some scientists—so skeptical about religious faith—are shamelessly quick to throw away all skepticism and embrace uncertainty with a faith more perfect.

Excellent point!

55 posted on 09/30/2010 4:53:37 PM PDT by GreenHornet
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To: gitmo
I always wondered if the population couldn’t be defined as infinite. If the number of uninhabited worlds is finite, then the same mathematical trick would tell you the percent uninhabited is zero. Therefore, since infinity minus zero is infinity, then there are an infinite number of inhabited worlds.

Only if there is an infinite number of worlds to begin with.
56 posted on 09/30/2010 4:55:28 PM PDT by aruanan
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To: 353FMG
Any global warming taking place on the planet?

I'm 100% sure there is. Enough hot air has come out of earth's scientific community to fill all time and space.

57 posted on 09/30/2010 4:55:40 PM PDT by EternalVigilance (Congress: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.)
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To: Dallas59

It would a wild idea that WE are the aliens that make conact!


58 posted on 09/30/2010 4:57:29 PM PDT by CodeToad (Islam needs to be banned in the US and treated as a criminal enterprise.)
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To: fwdude

Thank you for the reply; I like your writing style.
In my opinion God can and may do a lot of things we are not aware of. I am lucky to live where I can see lots of stars and it is hard for me to believe we are the only ones here. He came down from Heaven, He went back to Heaven, there has to be something up there.


59 posted on 09/30/2010 4:59:20 PM PDT by Jolla
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To: ken21

“wonder what hugh ross would say?”

Is he that curly headed artist from Alaska?


60 posted on 09/30/2010 4:59:27 PM PDT by dirtymac (Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. Calling all Son's of Liberty)
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