Reuters: Scientists find Earth-like planet circling sun's nearest neighbor

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-planet-idUSKCN10Z28P?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social

Quote

Scientists find Earth-like planet circling sun's nearest neighbor

Scientists have discovered a planet that appears to be similar to Earth circling the star closest to the sun, potentially a major step in the quest to find out if life exists elsewhere in the universe, research published on Wednesday showed.

The relative proximity of the planet, known as Proxima b, gives scientists a better chance to eventually capture an image of it, to help them establish whether it has an atmosphere and water, which is believed to be necessary for life.

Future studies may reveal if any atmosphere contains tell-tale chemicals of biological life, such as methane, according to a paper published in this week's issue of the journal Nature.

"The key question of our initiative was whether there were potentially life-bearing planets orbiting these stars. We know now there is at least one planet with some characteristics similar to the Earth," said Pete Worden, a former top NASA manager, who was speaking at a European Southern Observatory webcast news conference to announce the find.

The planet, located about 4.2 light-years from Earth, or 25 trillion miles (40 trillion km), is the closest of some 3,500 planets that have been discovered beyond the solar system since 1995, according to the paper.

"This planetary system is much closer than any other that we know so detailed investigation is easier," astronomer Ansgar Reiners, with the University of Gottingen in Germany, told reporters on a conference call.

[Springfield]

Now, to approach the speed of light in travel...

[The 12th Commandment]

Hope I get to see it.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/08/could-breakthrough-starshots-ships-survive-the-trip/

Quote

Breakthrough Starshot is one of the more exciting scientific ideas that has popped up in the past decade, with its promise to deliver hardware to the nearest star in time for many people currently alive to see it. While the idea would work on paper as an extrapolation of existing technology, there are a lot of details that need to be thoroughly checked out, because it's possible that one of them could present a show-stopper.

 

[pjfootballer]

I know I always look for Methane, when trying to find life.  You can hear and smell life.

[FanboyOf91]

Yesterday...

[Destino]

1 hour ago, Springfield said:

Now, to approach the speed of light in travel...

Too slow.  We need wormhole technology.  These lazy scientists need to stop dragging their feet!

[RemoveSnyder]

Two suns, Luke Skywalker. 

[ExoDus84]

With current technology, it'd take like 50,000 years to get there. 50k years, just to get to our closest celestial neighborhood. Insane.

We must be in a barren section of the MW, since there's like 100+ billion stars in this galaxy, and the closest one is pretty far off.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Crazy.  This Universe is teaming with life.  Book it.

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

12 hours ago, ExoDus84 said:

We must be in a barren section of the MW, since there's like 100+ billion starts in this galaxy, and the closest on is pretty far off.

Yes. Comparatively.

The areas closer to the galactic bulge (which coincidentally was also my nickname in college) are more densely populated by stars.

[mistertim]

That's why nobody has visited us. We're basically the backwoods hillbillies of the Milky Way.

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

16 minutes ago, mistertim said:

That's why nobody has visited us. We're basically the backwoods hillbillies of the Milky Way.

Not a shock.

[pjfootballer]

I think I hear Intergalactic banjoes in the distance.

[skinsmarydu]

5 minutes ago, pjfootballer said:

I think I hear Intergalactic banjoes in the distance.

Thanks, pj...you win the "coffee splatter" award for this morning.

[Riggo-toni]

28 minutes ago, mistertim said:

That's why nobody has visited us. We're basically the backwoods hillbillies of the Milky Way.

I heard they were reconsidering their position...until they picked up transmissions of Trump's campaign.

[pjfootballer]

23 minutes ago, Riggo-toni said:

I heard they were reconsidering their position...until they picked up transmissions of Trump's campaign.

Aliens- "Well, I don't know what I just heard, but doesn't sound like any intelligent life on this planet."

[justice98]

1 hour ago, mistertim said:

That's why nobody has visited us. We're basically the backwoods hillbillies of the Milky Way.

Well, I don't know about that, but that's a thread in and of itself. 

[Mr. Sinister]

4 hours ago, d0ublestr0ker0ll said:

Crazy.  This Universe is teaming with life.  Book it.

Im certainly willing to

[Renegade7]

8 hours ago, Sacks 'n' Stuff said:

Yes. Comparatively.

 

The areas closer to the galactic bulge (which coincidentally was also my nickname in college) are more densely populated by stars.

 

I still wouldn't want to live there.  Way too much radiation and other space things that could wipe us out without trying just for being close (even light years).  We're basically in a Goldilocks zone.

 

And I totally agree that there are aliens, but they don't want to deal with us because we aren't ready yet.  Even if an invasive species saw us as food, you really want to deal with one that already has nuclear weapons?  Go feed/enslave on some cavemen aliens, way easier.

[Mr. Sinister]

I doubt any spacefaring species wouldnt see us and our nukes as anything more than an ape that got its hands on a musket

[Renegade7]

Depends.  We're very, very smart and artistic when we want to be, but still have a propensity for violent and still getting used to each others differences.  I'm almost 99% certain that first contact conversation is going to go like "Ya, we saw you're potential, but we're weren't always optimistic, not even close".

[The 12th Commandment]

The assumption that they would be altruistic is an interesting one. If we get smart enough for interstellar travel before one of our neighbors what are the chances we're altruistic or even benign?  

A propensity for violence and looking after your own may be a hallmark of intelligence.  

 

[skinsfan4128]

It's all up for debate. The theory that there is intelligent life in the universe is definitely an idea that is an argument that has bewildered mankind for eons.

Personally, I subscribe to the notion that there must certainly be microscopic organisms teeming out in the universe (as to believe otherwise would be a practice in arrogance I prefer not to engage in).

It is interesting to see scientists discover a potential life bearing planet that could possibly be explored and extraterrestrial life be confirmed. Let's just hope we're not a huge disappointment to said life when/if find it.

[Mr. Sinister]

15 hours ago, KAOSkins said:

The assumption that they would be altruistic is an interesting one. If we get smart enough for interstellar travel before one of our neighbors what are the chances we're altruistic or even benign?  

A propensity for violence and looking after your own may be a hallmark of intelligence.  

 

Well I look at us and our own history... The Cold War for example. Warring nations that could destroy each other with a press of a button. I mean thats a step up from caveman alphas grunting and beating an opponent to death to declare superiority.

 

I figure every speciestarts out that way in some form  or another, and as they evolve and their tech as well, they either learn the value of peace/enlightenment, or they destroy themselves.

There could be "rogue state" types out there, and pirates, but in terms of one civilization, I doubt any highly developed one would be overly hostile... Not that they couldnt evaporate us in a split second if they wanted to.

[Zguy28]

If you watch History Channel on Friday's you will find out that Aliens have been here all along and shaping every interesting thing in human history.