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NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday[W:19]

Top Cat said:
Beam me up Scotty... I wonder how many centuries will pass before or if we can ever develop the technology to go there and find out?
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Current lasers could send a probe at 1/4 the speed of light, so whenever it's sent + 160 years? The actual steps will probably be to use newer satellites such as JWST next year to detect the atmospheres for methane and other greenhouse gases, which will reveal "very high probability" that life exists or used to or will. Then send targeted radio signals which will reach the planet in 40 years. If we're really lucky, there will be intelligent life to send their own signals back, which take another 40 years. Or if we're astonishingly lucky they they will come and visit in 40-50 years beyond that, bringing the technology to end all disease and solve every problem. Or if unlucky they'll decide to just go 'Mars attacks!' on our asses

But probably long before then the Kepler replacement will find even more "high probability" life on closer stars
 
I just had a terrible thought. If, somehow, there is actually intelligent life on one of these planets, and if they are able to receive signals, they are now watching Welcome Back Kotter and shaking their heads. LOL.
 
Re: NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday

DA60 said:
If it's SOOOOO amazing, than let the private sector research it using private sector funds.
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Markets under-allocate funds to positive externalities. Which includes much general scientific research. Usually such research has little to no immediate practical benefits. Applications only become apparent later on as the human knowledge base expands, revealing possibilities we had never been able to consider before.
 
Re: NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday

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chromium said:
Current lasers could send a probe at 1/4 the speed of light, so whenever it's sent + 160 years? The actual steps will probably be to use newer satellites such as JWST next year to detect the atmospheres for methane and other greenhouse gases, which will reveal "very high probability" that life exists or used to or will. Then send targeted radio signals which will reach the planet in 40 years. If we're really lucky, there will be intelligent life to send their own signals back, which take another 40 years. Or if we're astonishingly lucky they they will come and visit in 40-50 years beyond that, bringing the technology to end all disease and solve every problem. Or if unlucky they'll decide to just go 'Mars attacks!' on our asses

But probably long before then the Kepler replacement will find even more "high probability" life on closer stars
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People were excited about the detection of hydrocarbons in Titan's atmosphere until we got there and found it to be a wasteland with a bunch of liquid methane lakes sloshing around on the surface so I'm skeptical of the value of knowing atmospheric composition. So we find greenhouse gases and hydrocarbons in the atmosphere? Could be a candidate or could be a dud. We still won't know until we send a probe and maybe a rover. We'll still be dead before that's even remotely possible.
 
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Re: NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday

the_recruit said:
Markets under-allocate funds to positive externalities. Which includes much general scientific research. Usually such research has little to no immediate practical benefits. Applications only become apparent later on as the human knowledge base expands, revealing possibilities we had never been able to consider before.
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Right, the private sector leeches off our tax $ in so many ways. A great example on earth is private militaries like "Blackwater" swooping in after the real military clears a path
 
danarhea said:
Scientists from all over the world are arriving at NASA today, in preparation for this major announcement, which at this time is still being kept secret. The rumors, which are flying around the upcoming announcement, include finding more than 60 planets in nearby systems which could harbor life, and actually finding life on a nearby planet. However, we will not know until tomorrow's announcement.

The announcement will be live on NASA TV at Noon, central time.

NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday | IFLScience
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I think it would actually be cool to find out there is other life out there. I hope they aren't like the people in the "To Serve Man" episode of The Twilight Zone :shock: but other than that, I would love this news if that's what it is.
 
Napoleon said:
People were excited about the detection of hydrocarbons in Titan's atmosphere until we got there and found it to be a wasteland with a bunch of liquid methane lakes sloshing around on the surface so I'm skeptical of the value of knowing atmospheric composition. So we find greenhouse gases and hydrocarbons in the atmosphere? Could be a candidate or could be a dud. We still won't know until we send a probe and maybe a rover. We'll still be dead before that's even remotely possible.
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As said in the conference, if JWST or whatever detects an unnatural amount of certain elements, it would indicate human (alien) interference, similar to our global warming. In addition JWST may be able to measure the temperature on the surface, which is really critical to life
 
Why don't they just astral project themselves to those planets to find out more.
 
Napoleon said:
People were excited about the detection of hydrocarbons in Titan's atmosphere until we got there and found it to be a wasteland with a bunch of liquid methane lakes sloshing around on the surface so I'm skeptical of the value of knowing atmospheric composition. So we find greenhouse gases and hydrocarbons in the atmosphere? Could be a candidate or could be a dud. We still won't know until we send a probe and maybe a rover. We'll still be dead before that's even remotely possible.
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If the spectrum that is obtained shows both CO2 and oxygen, you can bet it supports life. Then the question will be "Is there life"?
 
danarhea said:
If the spectrum that is obtained shows both CO2 and oxygen, you can bet it supports life. Then the question will be "Is there life"?
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I guess I'm just a skeptic. Abiogenesis is still such a poorly understood science that I don't think we can make any reliable predictions about the likelihood of life. It existed on our planet long before atmospheric composition was anything we'd regard today as life sustaining and there is no consensus on the mechanism of its origins. It could be anywhere or nowhere at all.
 
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Re: NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday

Cardinal said:
That's oddly specific.
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I took it from the book titled Footfall. ;)

Back on topic: these planets are 40 light years away, so its pretty much impossible to even send a probe there, with our current technology levels anyway.
 
Re: NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday

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Re: NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday

American said:
Bull****, man! It's Planet X!
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Planet X, also known as Nibiru, is one of the biggest internet hoaxes in history, and people are actually buying that crap. LOL.
 
Re: NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday

jonny5 said:
On topic, I saw a story yesterday that NASA found we have a second moon. Its actually just a 150ft long rock, but its technically in orbit.
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that rock was discovered about 5 years ago. Technically, it's a moon. LOL.
 
danarhea said:
If the spectrum that is obtained shows both CO2 and oxygen, you can bet it supports life. Then the question will be "Is there life"?
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The bigger question is... if you open a bag of pork skins there, will it still smell like somebody farted?
 
Re: NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday

danarhea said:
Planet X, also known as Nibiru, is one of the biggest internet hoaxes in history, and people are actually buying that crap. LOL.
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No it isn't, NASA just found it. ;)
 
Re: NASA To Announce A Huge Discovery Outside The Solar System This Wednesday

Seriously, please educate yourself on this. Here is a good article, explaining the Nibiru hoax, and it includes an interview of a senior NASA scientist.

Planet Nibiru is not real | Space | EarthSky
 
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