Study: Earthlike planets may be common (Reuters/CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Earthlike planets covered with deep oceans that could harbor life may be found in as many as a third of solar systems discovered
outside of our own, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

These solar systems feature gas giants known as "Hot Jupiters," which orbit extremely close to their parent stars -- even closer than Mercury to our sun,
University of Colorado researcher Sean Raymond said.

The close-orbiting gassy planets may help encourage the formations of smaller, rocky, Earthlike planets, they reported in the journal Science.

"We now think there is a new class of ocean-covered, and possibly habitable, planets in solar systems unlike our own," Raymond said in a statement.
***
The gas giants may help rocky planets form close to the suns, and may help pull in icy bodies that deliver water to the young planets, they found.
***
more: http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/09/08/earthlike.planets.reut/index.html

So ... maybe there are still some places left that haven't been thoroughly despoiled by corporatist greed?

[gully]

1. Yippee, when we destroy earth we can take a spaceship outta here.

eom

[greenman3610]

5. Republicans have actually suggested that to me

[SteppingRazor]

2. "maybe there are still some places left that haven't been thoroughly..."

despoiled by corporatist greed?"

All in good time.

[Captain Hilts]

3. There seemed to be a lot with oxygen-based atmospheres on Trek...nt

[Warpy]

4. Yes, but the presence of English speaking bipeds is a long shot

Likely, if there are intelligent species on other planets, we wouldn't recognize them if we got there and fell over them. We can't even communicate well with the spieces of great apes that are closest to us on our own planet. We can't even communicate with each other half the time.

I have no doubt there is life across the universe. I just doubt it's anything we can relate to.

[RonHack]

6. At best, an interesting piece of trivia......

....nothing more.

Remember, these are theories based on observations, known facts, and comparisions with our own universe (note the reference to Jupiter). They haven't YET found a planet that is like our little homeworld (Class M, I believe it's called in Trek-speak).

Of course, that is how science works: before the proof, there are the theories, checked by math, physics, associations, and other measures. Then other scientists re-check the facts and theories for flaws.

When we find these Earth-like planets, in our "neighboring" Solar Systems, THEN I'll celebrate.

Until then, keep posted for further developments.

[Odin2005]

7. "Class M, I believe it's called in Trek-speak"

The term used nowdays by extrasolar planet junkies is "EuGaian" :-)

http://arcbuilder.home.bresnan.net/PCL01.html

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. Define "earthlike"

As an aspiring science fiction writer, the number of earthlike planets that might be out there is of great interest to me. :hi:

The article seems to mean planets that are structurally like Earth. I would be very surprised if many of them were suitable for human colonization, though (which is what I think of when I see "earthlike.")

Oxygen is very reactive, and won't stay in an atmosphere very long unless there is some process to replentish it, say, through plant-animal respiration like on earth. And what if a protein very much like cone snail venom is integral to that planet's living creatures? Or if the oxygen cycle is based on sulphur dioxide rather than carbon dioxide? Or if the soil of the planet has very high concentrations of toxic metals?

Just thinking out loud here, but... what are the chances of finding a planet sufficiently earthlike that humans could just land on the surface, unpack a tent, and take up residence, as seems to happen in most sci-fi universes?