[RightWhale]

There is an obvious question that needs to be asked. If another earthlike planet is found, what will happen here on earth? Will some social groups become disfunctional? Will the people of earth unite in a common cause of some kind? Will there be mass panic and looting? What is the range of liklihoods?

[Physicist]

What is the range of liklihoods?

Probability that it is used to bolster evolution: 100%

Probability that it is used to bolster creationism: 100%

Probability that astronomers use it as a pretext to call for more funding: 100%

Probability that a chorus of Freepers belittle the discovery and decry the expenditure, no matter how modest: 100%

Probability that democrats use the discovery to support their position on at least four unrelated issues: 100%

Probability that Jesse Jackson exploits the media buzz for face time: 100%

[Grando Calrissian]

The United Nations will create a treaty making it effectively off-limits to anyone from earth, other than pre-determined United Nations NGOs. The United States will refuse to ratify or sign the treaty and the rest of the world will once again call us "reckless uni-lateralists". Woman and children will be the hardest affected. The contracts to build a vehicle to propel people to said planet will go to some organization with ties to the Presidential Administration, and massive-partisan investigations will be launched....