Billions of habitable planets in Milky Way, page
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Topic started on 11-1-2012 @ 02:47 PM by AgentSmith
By scouring millions of stars in the night sky over six years, researchers found that the majority of the 100 billion stars in the Milky Way have planets similar to Earth or Mercury, Venus or Mars, the other similar planets in our solar system.
They estimated that in our galaxy there are about 10 billion stars with planets in the "habitable zone" – the distance from the star where solid planets can be found – many of which could in theory be capable of supporting life.
Dr Martin Dominik, a German research fellow at St Andrews University, said: "Even if life existed on only one planet in each galaxy there would still be 100 billion in the universe.

www.telegraph.co.uk...

Exciting news, while 'obvious' to some it has finally been confirmed using the scientific method and is backed up by data.
edit on 11-1-2012 by AgentSmith because: (no reason given)


Dr Martin Dominik, a German research fellow at St Andrews University, said: "Even if life existed on only one planet in each galaxy there would still be 100 billion in the universe.
"We still don't have the evidence of life on another planet, and we could be unique, but confronted with these numbers it seems highly unlikely.
"There are a small number of planets which we think could harbour life, a small number of candidates with what we believe might be the right conditions."


While many already suspect this anyway, even if for the wrong reasons, it's always been a dream of mine since childhood to see scientific evidence come to light that we are not alone in the universe. While there is still no direct confirmation of extra-terrestrial life, at least now we're a number of steps closer than when I was a child.
edit on 11-1-2012 by AgentSmith because: (no reason given)



reply posted on 11-1-2012 @ 04:22 PM by ArMaP
reply to post by AgentSmith


So they looked at millions of stars and concluded that 100 billion stars have planets in the habitable zone.

It looks just like statistics, useless in cases like this (and I do love statistics ).


reply posted on 11-1-2012 @ 04:29 PM by Illustronic
reply to post by ArMaP


Stats spelled backwards is stats.

Meaningless in proving reality because they can be read more ways than one to support anything. Cherry picking comes to mind. Incomplete statistical translations also. Single source or single purpose stats applications is another. Omission of unwanted stats is yet the most obvious culprit to learning. Apparently one never learned anything the second time the mule kicked them in the head.


reply posted on 11-1-2012 @ 06:04 PM by wmd_2008
reply to post by AgentSmith


From the telegraph site you linked to they have found around a thousand planets with so far, 2 that might be suitable for life not a good hit rate!
edit on 11-1-2012 by wmd_2008 because: (no reason given)

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