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A new paper in Astrobiology suggests there could be a way to simplify the equation, based on the observations of exoplanets that we have made since the first one was discovered in the 1990s. While the result is depressing — life was plentiful, but is likely extinct — it does have applications to help us extend our own civilization, the researchers said. The research was led by Adam Frank, a physics and astronomer professor at the University of Rochester.
“We’ve known for a long time approximately how many stars exist,” Frank added. “We didn’t know how many of those stars had planets that could potentially harbor life, how often life might evolve and lead to intelligent beings, and how long any civilizations might last before becoming extinct.” Here are the elements that Frank and co-author Woodruff Sullivan (of the astronomy department and astrobiology program at the University of Washington) propose could be changed:
How many stars have habitable planets? 1/5 of stars have planets in habitable zones. This is known due to the Kepler space telescope’s search of exoplanets as well as other planetary research.
How long can civilizations survive? That question is very hard to answer, so the researchers instead asked “Are we the only technological species that has ever arisen?” More on that subject later in this article.
How likely is it for advanced life to arise on a planet? The researchers instead tried to imagine a universe where humanity is the only one. By applying this probability question to the number of known stars the researchers found a probability of one in 10 billion trillion. In our own Milky Way, the number rises to just one chance in 60 billion.
After reading this I wonder what if we were the last intelligent species in the Universe and all the other ones are long dead.
Because IT IS EARTH!
originally posted by: Phage
After reading this I wonder what if we were the last intelligent species in the Universe and all the other ones are long dead.
No need to be the last. The first would have had the same problem.
originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: TinfoilTP
I like being able to suggest this for people's light reading list:
www.amazon.com...
originally posted by: IamSandSHEisB
The "Universe" is exactly the same as Earth.
They are all phased 'versions' of Earth. Just as every planet in the solar system is the SAME planet.
We are the sun. Venus is the 'second eye' to Earth. Pluto is the moon.
Get it?
Why is Pluto the moon? Because Neptune is a phasing of our own ocean layers.
It is .. the .. same ... planet!!!
They are all the same thing. In different phase 'states'.
Venus and Earth are like two eyes bringing focus. Look at pictures of Venus. ACTUAL pictures. Not artistic renderings.
The actual pictures? It looks EXACTLY LIKE EARTH? I wonder why it looks like Earth?
GEE I WONDER!
Because IT IS EARTH!
originally posted by: starwarsisreal
After reading this I wonder what if we were the last intelligent species in the Universe and all the other ones are long dead.
I don't believe that. The universe is so immense. There has to be intelligent life somewhere. We don't fully understand our own planet, let alone the entire universe. Intelligent life could live in zones that are inhospitable to humans. We don't know. Hell, they could breathe water and exhale air. We just don't know.edit on 1-5-2016 by LaWnOrDeR92 because: (no reason given)edit on 1-5-2016 by LaWnOrDeR92 because: (no reason given)