What does it mean if Earths are everywhere? - SmartPlanet: "European scientists, working at a facility in Chile, have announced the discovery of 32 new planets outside the Solar System, including several within the size range of Earth.
Reporters hailed the discovery of “super-Earths” especially the estimate that as many as 40% of all stars may have low-mass planets orbiting around them.
Scientists have now found about 400 “exo-planets” using telescopes, most in the size range of Jupiter.
It’s awfully exciting, but what does it mean?"
Comment -- Well, one thing it means is that back when I was a kid, just getting started in astronomy, I never would have imagined that I'd someday read that scientists have discovered 400 planets. Pretty astounding...
These new planet discoveries again raise the question: where is everybody? If planets are common, you would think that in the billions of years the Universe has been here that there would be a few other intelligent species arising. Yet, there appears to be "The Great Silence." Maybe something is going on that we haven't puzzled out yet. Perhaps Earth is quarantined, kind of like a remote Amazonian tribe?
My favorite explanation is that all civilizations, once they reach the technological singularity, upload themselves into virtual space and vanish from reality.
Reporters hailed the discovery of “super-Earths” especially the estimate that as many as 40% of all stars may have low-mass planets orbiting around them.
Scientists have now found about 400 “exo-planets” using telescopes, most in the size range of Jupiter.
It’s awfully exciting, but what does it mean?"
Comment -- Well, one thing it means is that back when I was a kid, just getting started in astronomy, I never would have imagined that I'd someday read that scientists have discovered 400 planets. Pretty astounding...
These new planet discoveries again raise the question: where is everybody? If planets are common, you would think that in the billions of years the Universe has been here that there would be a few other intelligent species arising. Yet, there appears to be "The Great Silence." Maybe something is going on that we haven't puzzled out yet. Perhaps Earth is quarantined, kind of like a remote Amazonian tribe?
My favorite explanation is that all civilizations, once they reach the technological singularity, upload themselves into virtual space and vanish from reality.
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