Astronomers have discovered 60 new planets orbiting stars near the Earth’s solar system.When I took an astronomy course, ages ago, whether or not other stars had planets was pure speculation. Some theorists supposed that planetary formation was very rare. Everyone was working from one sample set.
The team of international scientists, which include Dr Mikko Tuomi of the University of Hertfordshire, also found evidence of a further 54 planets – bringing the total number of potential new worlds to 114.
Now it seems that it is not.
We don't know if life is also common on other worlds, but then again, we're working from one sample set. I've no doubt that there are astronomers, right now, working on the problem of how would life be detected on planets many light-years away.
Cosmologically speaking, this is a fascinating time to be alive. A lot of wonders wait to be discovered, if we don't manage to destroy ourselves in the meantime.
All good fodder for the Drake Equation... but it's still kind of depressing. There will be no Federation of Planets, even if we invent superluminal travel.
ReplyDeleteRead anything by Neil Tyson. He explains all of this stuff in a way many people can grasp, yet it's not dumbed down.
ReplyDeleteHe's a worthy successor to (and protégé of) Carl Sagan.
LRod
ZJX, ORD, ZAU retired