NASA tallies over 5,000 planets beyond our solar system

[left-of-center2012]

“It’s not just a number. Each one of them is a new world, a brand-new planet. I get excited about every one because we don’t know anything about them,” said Jessie Christiansen, a research scientist with the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute.

Exoplanets are any planet beyond our solar system; some orbit other stars and some are free-floating. NASA announced it has added 65 new exoplanets, adding up to more than 5,000 documented to date. NASA says there are likely billions more exoplanets, with the first discovery dating back to 1992.

The 5,000-plus planets found so far include small, rocky surfaces like Earth, gas giants like Jupiter and some called “hot Jupiters” that have temperatures “scorchingly close to orbits around their stars,” according to NASA. There are also exoplanets that are considered “super-Earths” that are possible rocky worlds bigger than the Earth humans reside on. There are even some exoplanets orbiting two stars at once and planets NASA considers, “stubbornly orbiting the collapsed remnants of dead stars.”

“To my thinking, it is inevitable that we’ll find some kind of life somewhere – most likely of some primitive kind,” said Alexander Wolszczan, astronomy and astrophysics professor at Pennsylvania State University.

https://thehill.com/changing-america/enrichment/education/600045-nasa-tallies-over-5000-planets-beyond-our-solar-system

[Auggie]

1. "We'll find some kind of life somewhere"

This boggles the mind as to the possibilities.

"Some kind" of life.

Just what kind?

[left-of-center2012]

2. It could be bacteria

I read sometime ago where some scientist said even if we found 'intelligent life' it's doubtful they'd look like us.
They would develop according to the requirements of their environment.

[Chainfire]

4. Certainly they would be different from us.

We are the product of the chaos of random mutations as well as environment. Even in a very large heavily populated universe, the odds would still be against something that resembled us. Of course we could never get along with any other advanced species, we can't get along within our own.

I would speculate that a successful, long established intelligent species would figure out, over the years, how to shrink their physical size, through science and breeding, so as to make their natural resources go further. Of course, somewhere out there will be a species of Pure bred Republicans that are all dick and no brain. They would just spend their lifetimes wagging at each other in a threatening manner.

[Auggie]

5. LOL

Threatening phallic wagging



Great response. Thanks.

[SCantiGOP]

8. Chainfire might have

just seen the future evolution of Earth if the Trumpers regain power.

[Chainfire]

3. I wonder if any of the planets would issue a visa for permanent residence?

I need a break from this one.

[3Hotdogs]

6. Ya want primitive life? Sorry, too late.

The Covid Convoy is heading back to California.

[exboyfil]

7. If I was a betting man I would say we won't in the next 20 years

with the possible exception of finding an example of panspermia (common origin) life in our solar system.

I would love to proved wrong though. Keep looking.

I think one possibility that might be within the 20 years would be a Kardashev Type III in another galaxy. These are relatively easy to look for and allows a search to cover billions of years of universe existence. 400 billion galaxies times 200 billion stars roughly - that is a lot of chances to find one intelligence that spanned a galaxy.

The problem with primitive life on a exoplanet is that it will be exceedingly difficult to distinguish it from some sort of exotic chemisty. I mean we still fight about Venus and Mars and the possibilities that we missed something and the tantalizing chemical indications of something. Make that discovery 1,000 light years away, and you can see the addition problems.

One of the gas giant ice moons seems off the table for detailed exploration in the next 20 years (punching through the ice). Perhaps we will get lucky with a scoop mission on Enceladus or Ganymede, but I have my doubts about those even launching in the next 20 years.

Type II structures around one of the exoplanets - a possibility but it seems less probable than a full sky survey of Type III in another galaxy.