Monday, October 04, 2010

Odds of Life on Earthlike Exoplanet...100%

An Earth-size planet has been spotted orbiting a nearby star at a distance that would makes it not too hot and not too cold - comfortable enough for life to exist. If confirmed, the exoplanet, named Gliese 581g, would be the first Earth-like world found residing in a star's habitable zone - a region where a planet's temperature could sustain liquid water on its surface. And the planet's discoverers are optimistic about the prospects for finding life there.
"Personally, given the ubiquity and propensity of life to flourish wherever it can, I would say, my own personal feeling is that the chances of life on this planet are 100 percent," said Steven Vogt, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, during a press briefing today. "I have almost no doubt about it."
"It's both an incremental and monumental discovery," Sara Seager, an astrophysicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told SPACE.com. Incremental because the method used to find Gliese 581g already has found several planets. It really is monumental if you accept this as the first Earth-like planet ever found in the star's habitable zone," said Seager, who was not directly involved in the discovery".

The newfound planet joins more than 400 other alien worlds known to date. Most are huge gas giants, though several are just a few times the mass of Earth.
Gliese 581g is one of two new worlds the team discovered orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581, bumping that nearby star's family of planets to six. The other newfound planet, Gliese 581f, is outside the habitable zone, researchers said. The star is located 20 light-years from Earth in the constellation Libra. One light-year is about 6 trillion miles (10 trillion km ).  Red dwarf stars are about 50 times dimmer than our sun. Since these stars are so much cooler, their planets can orbit much closer to them and still remain in the habitable zone.
Estimates suggest Gliese 581g is 0.15 astronomical units from its star, close enough to its star to be able to complete an orbit in just under 37 days. One astronomical unit is the average distance between the Earth and sun, which is approximately 93 million miles (150 million km). The Gliese 581 planet system now vaguely resembles our own, with six worlds orbiting their star in nearly circular paths.


With support from the National Science Foundation and NASA, the scientists - members of the Lick-Carnegie Exoplanet Survey - collected 11 years of radial velocity data on the star. This method looks at a star's tiny movements due to the gravitational tug from orbiting bodies. The subtle tugs let researchers estimate the planet's mass and orbital period, how long it takes to circle its star.  Gliese 581g has a mass three to four times Earth's, the researchers estimated. From the mass and estimated size, they said the world is probably a rocky planet with enough gravity to hold onto an atmosphere.


Just as Mercury is locked facing the sun, the planet is tidally locked to its star, so that one side basks in perpetual daylight, while the other side remains in darkness. This locked configuration helps to stabilize the planet's surface climate, Vogt said.  "Any emerging life forms would have a wide range of stable climates to choose from and to evolve around, depending on their longitude," Vogt said, suggesting that life forms that like it hot would just scoot toward the light side of that line while forms with polar-bear-like preferences would move toward the dark side.  Between blazing heat on the star-facing side and freezing cold on the dark side, the average surface temperature may range from 24 degrees below zero to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 31 to minus 12 degrees Celsius), the researchers said.

Supposedly habitable worlds have been found and later discredited, so what makes this one such a breakthrough? There's still a chance that further observations will dismiss this planet, also. But over the years, the radial velocity method has become more precise, the researchers point out in their journal article.
"We're looking at this one as basically the tip of the iceberg, and we're expecting more to be found," Seager said.
Beyond the roughly 100 nearest stars to Earth, there are billions upon billions of stars in the Milky Way, and with that in mind, the researchers suggest tens of billions of potentially habitable planets may exist, waiting to be found.  Planets like Gliese 581g that are tidally locked and orbit the habitable zone of red dwarfs have a high probability of harboring life, the researchers suggest.
Earth once supported harsh conditions, the researchers point out. And since red dwarfs are relatively "immortal" living hundreds of billions of years (many times the current age of the universe), combined with the fact that conditions stay so stable on a tidally locked planet, there's a good chance that if life were to get a toe-hold it would be able to adapt to those conditions and possibly take off, Butler said.

57 comments:

  1. HElloooooo.Anybody home???

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  2. How is the sale going? Did you sell your Picasso???

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  3. Anonymous10:01:00 PM

    Hi Cutie...How's is everything going ??
    How did Jakey do Saturday ??
    Did Dale/Barb celebrate with you and the Rock ?? If they did I know you had a great time...
    Please don't think I'm crazy...I kown I asked them yesterday evening. [giggles]

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  4. Anonymous10:03:00 PM

    Hiya doing...
    The sale is going good ,I left you a note yeaterday.
    Word is really getting around.

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  5. Anonymous10:10:00 PM

    Do Jer work far from you ??

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  6. Jer brought his friend Adam . They have been friends all their lives. Adam's father, who was a wonderful man and like a father to Jer just died of cancer and Jer is broken hearted and Adam is so very sad.
    Adam is a great kid. We have known him for years. He has had to deal with his dad's death,take care of his mom and brothers and sisters and has had no time to look for work. He and Jer graduated together. So Brian has given him a job and brought both boys home tonight. I filled their tummies with stew and gave Jer some cash and they bounced out the door. They both seem to need something from us.

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  7. Anonymous10:13:00 PM

    I know Jakey could do it, and the Sensei is not the only one proud. Jakey will do good , he only has to settle down. I think he know that now.

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  8. Jer will be working near to Jaye. They have always been quite close. I hope she finds some time to help him get established if he moves to her town.

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  9. Anonymous10:18:00 PM

    What a wonderful thing that Brian did and Adam will never forget what he did for him and you fill their bellies with some good stew, put a little pocket change in Jer's pocket...How wonderful you must feel to see the smiles on their face.
    Brian reminds me a lot of Dad, wanting to share with his family.

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  10. I got your note, thankyou. It was nice to hear from you.
    I hope Dad got my note. It's on the Harry Potter post.

    It sounds like he is loving being a salesman for the cause.

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  11. Anonymous10:27:00 PM

    He got it yesterday and he's loving ever minute of it...Shit , he's giving stuff away.
    He told one lady he had a cute little lady in Canada and he will talk with her before he come to the barn tomorrow .

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  12. You'll never get your travelling money if he gives the stuff away.
    He just likes the attention.He likes the ladies flirting with him and stroking his hair.
    I had fun yesterday. My grandaughter Samantha is having a baby and we went out to buy her everything a baby could need. I asked Brian how much I could spend and he said whatever you want. So that baby got spoiled. I love shopping for baby stuff.

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  13. Anonymous10:34:00 PM

    Things are quite on the C****O front...Henry went to the office to see Gil and Anita told him he was at home and wouldn't be in til Wednesday , but Leon was in his office. Anita says he looks worried.He asked her what was going on and they haven't heard from Dad/Gil....Anita asked him how the hell would she know, she only work there...HA !

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  14. Anonymous10:38:00 PM

    Dad has some things put on the side , stuff we would sell for a $1
    or so , he's paid for everything he's giving away...he got the idea from the casinos giving away stuff.

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  15. Those C****os are scared shitless. Dad loves yanking their chain.He can't wait to see the looks on their faces.

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  16. Anonymous10:48:00 PM

    I asked Gil when was he going to talk to them and he said there was nothing to say, he gave them plenty of time and he now realize he should have listen to me because they had their spies out, and Shirley tore her ass with him but good pretending she wanted to help him.

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  17. Anonymous10:51:00 PM

    Thankyou for getting the Leo strut for me,I left you a note on the video post.
    I like the message the McCasland note on the Mel post about the baby.

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  18. Anonymous10:56:00 PM

    If the two break up you are her mother will get the baby..
    I bet he's much older than her and the other girl may have a handicap too.

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  19. Anonymous11:02:00 PM

    We both have our black sheep , but all Dads' family is black sheep black sheep.
    I'm just waiting on Leon to turn.
    I ask Anita did she know what was in the letter that Gil told Leon about they had to talk and she says it's in his briefcase ...well sweetie I will find out tomorrow, I'm going to look in that sucker. Anita says she know it's about something Leon did.

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  20. The guy is older. How did you know??

    Her mom will end up with the baby.Although, I will say,that Sam is looking forward to the baby.I think she will take care of it, as long as she can stay focused and keep her attention on it.

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  21. Anonymous11:04:00 PM

    Did you see the Beth Ditto post ?

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  22. Shit, you're going to lose Leon too. As soon as there is a dispute in a family, folks choose up sides.Leon is a fool if he jeopardizes his career to back people like Henry up.

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  23. Anonymous11:09:00 PM

    It just came to me when you said he had another son.
    He is a man that wants young girls because they are less likely to make a fuss and the other one's family got her to see him for what he is...he's not the marrying kind , just a user.

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  24. You won't rest until you read that letter.I won't rest until you tell me what's in it. I am so involved in the C****o Saga now. Damn if I write about all this some day. It has expanded into a miniseries.

    About Beth Ditto; is she a real human being? or did she drop off an alien spaceship?

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  25. Anonymous11:12:00 PM

    I'm going to find out what's in that letter that Gil got marked private/personal and told Leon they would have to talk as soon as he get Jonny squared away.

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  26. Speaking of aliens, the new planet they have discovered has a one hundred percent chance of having life on it. I wonder what they look like.

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  27. Anonymous11:17:00 PM

    I just looked in his briefcase and it's in there and when he go to the barn tomorrow, I'm going to see what it says, and if it has anything to do with Leon.
    I would look now but it's thick and he may come in .

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  28. Is it possible that Gil is keeping everything quiet and low profile just until Jonny is legally adopted and signed and sealed?
    Then the shit will hit the fan??

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  29. And you called me nosy...HA!

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  30. Anonymous11:23:00 PM

    I really enjoyed this post and I read it twice and I shall read it again , I always find I miss something the first time.
    Beth Ditto is from aother space, can't you tell.
    Write all you want to, you will have to spice it up some.

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  31. Anonymous11:24:00 PM

    You know I'm going to tell you what's in it .
    Anita says Henry didn't go to Leon office and called him a pussy.

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  32. Anonymous11:27:00 PM

    Well if those got-damn C****O's want a war, my brothers will give them one and we don't have to get the 'MOB' hell we are a "MOB' and will bring hell with us.

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  33. IS Leon a pussy? What do you think?

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  34. Anonymous11:35:00 PM

    Yes, he's ho;ding his peace until Jonny's adoption is over and that will be this month we hope.The judge says it should be over quickly because no one was contesting it....
    Dad says he hope they don't make him angry because he was an old man and he would have to shoot up a bunch of them and Chris/Jon told him not to worried, they had Gil's back and it's been so hot this year they know the gators are hungry.

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  35. Anonymous11:40:00 PM

    He had Betts and she almost run the table games into the ground, he needed the fire dept. to flush out his house and worst off all she put a wedge between him and his mama. Yes I think he is a pussy.

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  36. I think Gil is at his most dangerous when he is quiet.
    That's when he is planning and scheming and drawing up papers that can destroy his enmis.

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  37. That last word was intended to be ENEMIES. I'm having a problem with dying brain cells.

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  38. Anonymous11:44:00 PM

    They are going to shit a bitch when I sit in the CEO's chair with CC. Those CC people ,the ones I met are nice people , but they are all business and I like that.

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  39. Anonymous11:47:00 PM

    AWwwww shit , your brain cells are not dying...it's me just rubbing off on you. Hahaha

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  40. Geez, I would like to have my eye to the keyhole when you sit down in the CEO's chair and see the looks on their faces. It is the final irony.

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  41. Craig has a cold. He said he's eaten so much chicken soup, his ass is clucking.

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  42. Anonymous11:52:00 PM

    I have a post in drafts about the mosque in New York...will you edit it and post for me please...

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  43. Anonymous12:00:00 AM

    I heard him too and I almost fell out the chair.
    I didn't ask for the CEO chair and when Gil asked did I want to sit there I said hell yes just tell me what to do/say. He laughed and said just pretend you're mad and no one will know a damn thing I say.

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  44. Anonymous12:03:00 AM

    It's a weird looking building it has 2 pictures .

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  45. I have a couple of posts in drafts too. I must work on them tonight

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  46. Nana said I was wrong about the Hitler post. She said the ban on Hitler in Germany should be left alone for two more generations until they were more distanced from it. Then they should put him in the history books and museums. She said while there were any veterans of WW II left alive, the events of that time were still too fresh.

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  47. I see her point but I still think they should allow people there to write about him and illusrate him and he should be in all their history books, now, not later.

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  48. Anonymous12:21:00 AM

    Craig is so crazy but I like to hear him talk.
    I like to hear you talk too and we will have to do it again , don't asked me when but this time I will sneak up on you.[giggles]

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  49. Anonymous12:27:00 AM

    I agree with you about Hitler, it needs to be put down on paper while it's fresh because so much would get lost if we wait , Hitler needs to be remembered for the devil he were.
    I understands how Nana feels about bio ans she's not along, he is some hunk of shit.
    I hope everything went well Saturday.

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  50. IS that Johnny Cash's daughter on Craig right now??

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  51. She is pretty good.

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  52. Anonymous12:29:00 AM

    I cry each time I hear that song about a motherless child.
    I sing it when I'm feeling low.

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  53. You can call me any time Sweetie. If Brian answers, tell him you know about the time we drove behind the old gas station to make love and he drove the car into that big pit.

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  54. Anonymous12:38:00 AM

    Yes and she looks like him.
    I have been on insulin for years, I watch my diet and do my workouts and keep it under control.
    It's the damn pressure but it's under control now since I stopped worrying with those damn C****O's.

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  55. Anonymous12:42:00 AM

    Sweetie I will say goodnight and I will be a nosey heifer tomorrow. And you will know what I find out because I will e-mail it to you.

    Yes , you are so right,he's mighty quiet.

    Goodnite sweetie and pleasent dreams and may they all come true.

    Goodnite...HUGS & KISSES...PIC
    Kiss the ROCK.

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  56. So drift away my dear into a deep and peaceful sleep. It is going to be a great day tomorrow.I will see you when the moon rises over that pond in the woods. Take care....Luv and Hugs...PIC

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  57. Anonymous12:45:00 AM

    PS:...Good for P and he told the fart-ass right.
    I think P is tried of the fool..
    If he don't take Sammy to the games ...sweetie Sammy is going to tell to fuck himself.

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