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Are We Searching for Aliens in the Wrong Place?
Discovery News ^ | February 3, 2014 | Ian O'Neill

Posted on 02/03/2014 11:06:03 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Earth may be a nice and cozy place for life as we know it to evolve, but is it really the best place for life to thrive? Probably not, say two researchers. In fact, Earth may be one of the more extreme examples of a “habitable” world where life was lucky to survive.

The search for extraterrestrial life is fraught with uncertainly. Faced with a seemingly infinite Universe and an assumption that life beyond our planet is an inevitability, we focus on nooks and crannies that have similar habitable environments to Earth and exoplanets that resemble our world orbiting stars that resemble our sun. But finding these special places feels like we’re looking for a very specific needle in a very big haystack. What if our definition of “habitable” is just not all that, well, habitable?

“The Earth just scrapes the inner edge of the solar system’s habitable zone — the area in which temperatures allow Earth-like planets to have liquid surface water,” said René Heller of McMaster University, Ontario, Canada. “So from this perspective, Earth is only marginally habitable. That led us to ask: could there be more hospitable environments for life on terrestrial planets?”

Looking at the history of our planet, it may seem amazing that life was ever able to gain a foothold. Between the asteroid and comet bombardments, intense volcanic activity, frigid ice ages and often poisonous atmospheres, how were the conditions ever ripe for single celled lifeforms to form? Perhaps life was just really lucky to have found its way in such an inhospitable place....

(Excerpt) Read more at news.discovery.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; astronomy; seti
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1 posted on 02/03/2014 11:06:04 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yup. Check out Congress and the White House. You’ll find aliens there....not necessarily intelligent, though.


2 posted on 02/03/2014 11:07:37 PM PST by Politicalkiddo (Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crused it. -M. Twain)
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To: Politicalkiddo

I was just going to say — we keep on asking ourselves about aliens, but who knows that they are perhaps already here but unrecognizable from the rest of us.


3 posted on 02/03/2014 11:10:39 PM PST by 353FMG
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Is this ‘Speculation News’ ?


4 posted on 02/03/2014 11:10:50 PM PST by sickoflibs (Obama : 'Any path to US citizenship for illegals HERE is a special path to it ')
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

5 posted on 02/03/2014 11:13:15 PM PST by Bobalu (Happiness is a fast ISR)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Ummm..

Check California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Florida, well heck, just about anywhere..

Hint: Most aliens speak Spanish...

6 posted on 02/03/2014 11:20:02 PM PST by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

” life was ever able to gain a foothold”

What does this mean? How did the RNA and the DNA “get a foothold” without cells to encase them?

The cells alone have 300 proteins. A single strand of DNA for simple life forms has more information that all the books in the library of Congress.

Yep, kookie there — Life got a foothold. Isn’t it wonderful. HOW?


7 posted on 02/03/2014 11:22:27 PM PST by garjog (Obama: making the world safe for Sharia.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Here’s where to look:

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTA1f8FEJj_ksdp3f5srUm2nkwcBK-5nCV3sY2REIKPzGvG4-Gc


8 posted on 02/03/2014 11:23:05 PM PST by Kevmo ("A person's a person, no matter how small" ~Horton Hears a Who)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Check the parking lot of the nearest Home Depot.


9 posted on 02/03/2014 11:24:57 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: Kevmo

‘I find your lack of faith disturbing’


10 posted on 02/03/2014 11:25:09 PM PST by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yes. Alpha Centuri B. His birth certificate’s probably up there.


11 posted on 02/03/2014 11:26:31 PM PST by faithhopecharity (C?)
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To: MHGinTN

So says a fictional character, Darth Vader. But every time I try to debate the facts with you, you go into super-irrationality mode. So, go ahead and quote fictional sources to bolster your fictional point of view.


12 posted on 02/03/2014 11:27:15 PM PST by Kevmo ("A person's a person, no matter how small" ~Horton Hears a Who)
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To: garjog
Yep, kookie there — Life got a foothold. Isn’t it wonderful. HOW?


13 posted on 02/03/2014 11:28:25 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: OneWingedShark
Probably one of my all time favorite cartoons.
Sooner or later, you always get to that point.
14 posted on 02/04/2014 12:10:54 AM PST by The Cajun (Sarah Palin, Mark Levin, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Louie Gohmert......Nuff said.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Evolution Vs. God

Stephen Hawking: 'There are no black holes'

15 posted on 02/04/2014 12:11:37 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
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To: OneWingedShark

Step two is also causing Man Made Globull Warming.


16 posted on 02/04/2014 12:21:16 AM PST by MaxMax (Pay Attention and you'll be pissed off too! FIRE BOEHNER, NOW!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

You can find a whole bunch of aliens at Home Depot every day.


17 posted on 02/04/2014 12:34:55 AM PST by DaxtonBrown (http://www.futurnamics.com/reid.php)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I’ve heard that the best place to search for aliens is the parking lot at Home Depot or Lowes.


18 posted on 02/04/2014 12:36:24 AM PST by Conspiracy Guy (Did the ancients know they were ancients? Or did they see themselves as presents?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Asteroid Challenges Naturalism, Supports Walt Brown
19 posted on 02/04/2014 12:36:56 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Politicalkiddo

20 posted on 02/04/2014 12:37:05 AM PST by diverteach (If I find liberals in heaven after my death.....I WILL BE PISSED!!!)
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