[penpizdes]

If this information proves accurate, well, then...I'm pretty amazed.

Above a calm, dark ocean, a huge, bloated red sun rises in the sky - a full ten times the size of our Sun as seen from Earth. Small waves lap at a sandy shore and on the beach, something stirs...

This is the scene - or may be the scene - on what is possibly the most extraordinary world to have been discovered by astronomers: the first truly Earth-like planet to have been found outside our Solar System.

The discovery was announced today by a team of European astronomers, using a telescope in La Silla in the Chilean Andes.

The Earth-like planet that could be covered in oceans and may support life is 20.5 light years away, and has the right temperature to allow liquid water on its surface.

This remarkable discovery appears to confirm the suspicions of most astronomers that the universe is swarming with Earth-like worlds.

We don't yet know much about this planet, but scientists believe that it may be the best candidate so far for supporting extraterrestrial life.

The new planet, which orbits a small, red star called Gliese 581, is about one-and-a-half times the diameter of the Earth.

It probably has a substantial atmosphere and may be covered with large amounts of water - necessary for life to evolve - and, most importantly, temperatures are very similar to those on our world.

It is the first exoplanet (a planet orbiting a star other than our own Sun) that is anything like our Earth. Here's the link to the full article:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1965

This is a pretty incredible discovery, huh? I certainly don't think its importance to science (and humanity potentially) can be understated!

[M_Marked]

That's very interesting Too bad it's too far for any of us to ever see, but nevertheless [thumbup]

[clubcughSheet]

"water - necessary for life to evolve -"

That is a very unimaginative assumption.

[Vegeinvalge]

"water - necessary for life to evolve -"

That is a very unimaginative assumption.

"water - necessary for life as we know it to evolve"

fixt?

[IvJlNwum]

think about it.. all life evolving from the sea?? hmmm ok

Lets do a thermal scan and see if we got monkeys ruling the planet.

ooh and the news is kinda interesting, but I doubt we'll ever see the light of day when we can actually use a planet like that..

[orbidewa]

Above a calm, dark ocean, a huge, bloated red sun rises in the sky - . . . How about that part?

Wouldn't the proximity of a stellar object produce tidal waves never to be seen by man? A HUGE Permanent Tsunami, there would be no business like the beach resort business! [rofl] [thumbup]

[Hoglaunccoolf]

How about that part?

Wouldn't the proximity of a stellar object produce tidal waves never to be seen by man? A HUGE Permanent Tsunami, there would be no business like the beach resort business! [rofl] [thumbup]

It's not THAT close

[orbidewa]

It's not THAT close

Well with a year of the length of less than two weeks the planet is pretty darn close to the sun of the system, but probably the tides aren't a problem anyway as the rotation of the planet is most likely locked. Bad for the probability of life as we know it, though. [no]

[intisgunkas]

It's worth baring in mind that Gliese 581 C has a mass 5 times that of the Earth and with a radius only 50% bigger, that would give a surface value of g roughly 2.22 times greater than ours. In other words, your weight would double.

It may well be in the habitation zone but you wouldn't want to live there.

[Quiniacab]

It's worth baring in mind that Gliese 581 C has a mass 5 times that of the Earth and with a radius only 50% bigger, that would give a surface value of g roughly 2.22 times greater than ours. In other words, your weight would double.

It may well be in the habitation zone but you wouldn't want to live there.

you'd get super strong just like in DBZ

[hLabXZlK]

It's worth baring in mind that Gliese 581 C has a mass 5 times that of the Earth and with a radius only 50% bigger, that would give a surface value of g roughly 2.22 times greater than ours. In other words, your weight would double.

It may well be in the habitation zone but you wouldn't want to live there.

So Kiera Knightley might weight something?

[hechicxxrr]

I wonder if that's where the greys come from then. Considering that they aren't particularly strong creatures, it could mean that they spent a few generations living in space on their way to Earth.

[werkeeque]

Just saw it on the news , nice guessing i guess

[loyalgagora]

All they actually do know is it's approximate mass, distance to its sun, and temperature. Everything else is either informed guesses or pure BS.

[hechicxxrr]

All they actually do know is it's approximate mass, distance to its sun, and temperature. Everything else is either informed guesses or pure BS.

Of course. But that won't stop some news station from saying we have found life on another planet.

[Quiniacab]

Imagine finding a planet just like ours, with the human race and animals etc. Exactly the same, except for some details.. they don't use cars but something else.
Would be cool to meet them[rofl]

[werkeeque]

Imagine finding a planet just like ours, with the human race and animals etc. Exactly the same, except for some details.. they don't use cars but something else.
Would be cool to meet them[rofl]

Motorcycles?

[Quiniacab]

Motorcycles?

yes but they run on biocornflakes

[appleiphoneees]

Motorcycles?

I'd move there!

[Hoglaunccoolf]

I would also expect them to know the metallicity of the host star, so that ought to constrain the composition of the planet.