From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Jan 29 2003 - 21:08:22 MST
--- Ramez Naam <mez@apexnano.com> wrote:
> From: Robert J. Bradbury [mailto:bradbury@aeiveos.com]
> > Odds against Earth-like planets
> >
> > Seems to be a reasonably balanced perspective from the BBC.
> >
> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2701977.stm
> >
> > There are however still "selection effects" at work
>
> Indeed, this work is dominated by selection effects. Our planet
> detection technology is best at detecting systems that have
> supermassive planets orbiting extremely close to their stars. Those
> types of systems are inherently incompatible with earth like planets.
> This study is based on a tautology.
Not neccessarily inherently incompatible. We are entirely unable to
detect any terrestrial sized moons orbiting supermassive planets, a
number of which orbit at distances within the green zone for their
stars. Given the possibility of life under the Europan ice, it would
also be entirely possible for earth-like life to evolve on an
earth-like moon orbiting a jovian planet that orbits within or through
the green zone.
Once the planned space based interferometer is built, it should be
relatively easy to spot earth-like worlds directly rather than by
doppler inferences.
=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
- Gen. John Stark
"Pacifists are Objectively Pro-Fascist." - George Orwell
"Treason doth never Prosper. What is the Reason?
For if it Prosper, none Dare call it Treason..." - Ovid
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