Comments on: New Earth, or New scheme for government funding? http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f A Blog of Atheist Thought Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:45:17 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: evilatheistconquerer http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58020 evilatheistconquerer Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58020 The article said they didn't know if there was life on it or not. I guess I'm just a huge sci-fi geek, but when I read it all I could think was "ISAAC!"<br /> I always had a thing for astronomy, so I actually think this is pretty cool. <br /> After reading the article though, I do think this is just some scientists getting a little too excited, not necessarily trying to get more funding. They are making some premature claims about it in my opinion, but like I said, they're probably just a little excited.<br /> <br /> Here's another article on it:<br /> http://www.world-science.net/othernews/070425-habitable-planet.htm The article said they didn’t know if there was life on it or not. I guess I’m just a huge sci-fi geek, but when I read it all I could think was “ISAAC!”
I always had a thing for astronomy, so I actually think this is pretty cool.
After reading the article though, I do think this is just some scientists getting a little too excited, not necessarily trying to get more funding. They are making some premature claims about it in my opinion, but like I said, they’re probably just a little excited.

Here’s another article on it:
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/070425-habitable-planet.htm

]]> By: reason http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58024 reason Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58024 would investment in more hubble type equipment be sound or are unmanned probes the way to go. would investment in more hubble type equipment be sound or are unmanned probes the way to go.

]]> By: Apple_Christmas http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58025 Apple_Christmas Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58025 Sure they don't say there's any evidence at all about life on that planet, but with most of these press releases, if you read between the lines, there's a lot of, "Hint hint! Nudge, nudge! You know what we're talking about, don'tcha??" They can't outright say it, but this of course is the reason people find items like this interesting. (I almost called it "news".)<br /> <br /> Alex, you mentioned in another thread about the statistical certainty of life on other planets given the gazillions of stars in the known universe. That's really just speculation though. In my opinion, there's absolutely no good reason not to be very skeptical about that kind of reasoning.<br /> <br /> Why would anyone choose to believe that there is other life out there in the absence of actual evidence? Some people are very fervent in that belief though. Why is that? Where does this fervor come from? Sure they don’t say there’s any evidence at all about life on that planet, but with most of these press releases, if you read between the lines, there’s a lot of, “Hint hint! Nudge, nudge! You know what we’re talking about, don’tcha??” They can’t outright say it, but this of course is the reason people find items like this interesting. (I almost called it “news”.)

Alex, you mentioned in another thread about the statistical certainty of life on other planets given the gazillions of stars in the known universe. That’s really just speculation though. In my opinion, there’s absolutely no good reason not to be very skeptical about that kind of reasoning.

Why would anyone choose to believe that there is other life out there in the absence of actual evidence? Some people are very fervent in that belief though. Why is that? Where does this fervor come from?

]]> By: evilatheistconquerer http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58027 evilatheistconquerer Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58027 apple,<br /> I think that it might be the same reason why we invented the god idea. We don't want to be alone in this huge place. We want to feel that there is more out there, that we are a part of it. But hey, it's healthier than making up an imaginary friend that punishes you for offending him. apple,
I think that it might be the same reason why we invented the god idea. We don’t want to be alone in this huge place. We want to feel that there is more out there, that we are a part of it. But hey, it’s healthier than making up an imaginary friend that punishes you for offending him.

]]> By: rainbows4dinosaurs http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58032 rainbows4dinosaurs Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58032 It's 'Earth like' because it's small enough to be rocky, large enough to hold a thick atmosphere, and is situated within the star's "Goldilocks Zone" so that there is a possibility for liquid water on the surface. And yes, they can determine all of this just from watching a star wobble back and forth. It's actually a pretty fantastic discovery, IMO. If we can ever figure out a way to block the light from the star and take a spectrogram of the planet itself then we will find out even more. It’s ‘Earth like’ because it’s small enough to be rocky, large enough to hold a thick atmosphere, and is situated within the star’s “Goldilocks Zone” so that there is a possibility for liquid water on the surface. And yes, they can determine all of this just from watching a star wobble back and forth. It’s actually a pretty fantastic discovery, IMO. If we can ever figure out a way to block the light from the star and take a spectrogram of the planet itself then we will find out even more.

]]> By: what http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58033 what Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58033 The wobble of the nearby star indicates a likely position and mass of the planet relative to the star. The stars luminosity and spectrum of electromagnetic energy can be obtained from more direct measurements of the stars radiation. From these pieces of info one could estimate the temperature of the planet provided there isn't too much debris orbiting it and blocking the stars radiation from getting to the planet. The wobble of the nearby star indicates a likely position and mass of the planet relative to the star. The stars luminosity and spectrum of electromagnetic energy can be obtained from more direct measurements of the stars radiation. From these pieces of info one could estimate the temperature of the planet provided there isn’t too much debris orbiting it and blocking the stars radiation from getting to the planet.

]]> By: what http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58034 what Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58034 Oh and that was about all the article reported ... that the temp was expected to be similar to earth's. Of course in astrophysics if one is off by an order of magnitude or two in one's predictions one is very happy. Oh and that was about all the article reported … that the temp was expected to be similar to earth’s. Of course in astrophysics if one is off by an order of magnitude or two in one’s predictions one is very happy.

]]> By: what http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58035 what Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58035 I don't buy the probability based arguments for earthlike life on other planets. Probability is a measure of our ignorance about a prediction only and a lot of ignorance does not make something more likely. It leaves endless possibilities open ... none of which are known to be fact. I don’t buy the probability based arguments for earthlike life on other planets. Probability is a measure of our ignorance about a prediction only and a lot of ignorance does not make something more likely. It leaves endless possibilities open … none of which are known to be fact.

]]> By: evilatheistconquerer http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58036 evilatheistconquerer Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58036 David,<br /> "New Earth, or New scheme for government funding?"<br /> <br /> Come on David, not everything is a scheme. Though the one about the CIA hiring gypsies to capture fairies so the CIA can use them as agents into people's dreams to find out terrorists is true. That's why you have to put carrots in your ears at night. Fairies are terrified of carrots. David,
“New Earth, or New scheme for government funding?”

Come on David, not everything is a scheme. Though the one about the CIA hiring gypsies to capture fairies so the CIA can use them as agents into people’s dreams to find out terrorists is true. That’s why you have to put carrots in your ears at night. Fairies are terrified of carrots.

]]> By: what http://atheists.org/blog/2007/04/24/new_earth_or_new_scheme_for_government_f/comment-page-1#comment-58037 what Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-58037 Ah, the ages old question. How many fairies can one fit on the tip of a carrot? Ah, the ages old question. How many fairies can one fit on the tip of a carrot?

]]>