Earthlike planets may not be as uncommon as we always thought, according to Sentient Developments. I didn't know that one had already been found only 20 light years away. It's still too far to go for a visit but as interstellar distances go I suppose that counts as next door.
I'm not sure if this is good news for science fiction writers or not. Given that we're writing fiction maybe the state of the real universe isn't too important. I like to think that it's based on science though. Now all we need is to perfect that faster than light travel and we'll be sorted.
14 COMMENTS:
That's really cool, thanks for sharing.
that blog was so cool that I added the blog to my blog list.
Where do youfind this stuff? Pharyngula, Save the Words, Sentient Developments? Great stuff I would never have found otherwise. Thanks.
Natalie - glad you like it!
Sophie - I think I just spend way too much time online!
I had heard of this, but without any details. Thanks for the post.
If only Zefram Cochrane wasn't fictional.
There was more information about searching for other planets in yesterdays Financial Times Don't be put off by the paper's name: it's a really interesting article.
I had to google Zephram Cochrane. Ah yes! We so need a warp drive. I can't tell whether the physicists are right and it is intrinsically impossible or not. I so hope not!
neat-o!
i won a book by hywela lyn [starquest] wherein she mentions speeds faster than light for her ships, but then, it's mostly a fantasy tale and i'm quite enjoying it
due to eye surgery, not reading much of anything, since surgeon told me it'll take 3 months or so for both eyes to fully heal
Three months without being able to read much is grim, laughingwolf. I do hope it heals up quicker than your doctor expects.
Maybe this is where our alter egos live?
Many of the laws of physics have been debunked and new "laws" of physics have come to replace them. Long gone are the days when we thought the earth was the center of our solar system and the sun revolved around us (except conceptually, we still think this way). I'm assuming the time will come when someone will discover something that debunks the belief that we cannot travel FTL.
My kiddo is so into space right now (just got a telescope!), that this is great. Thanks for the link
Robin - nice idea!
Sarah - I hope so.
Marta - glad you liked it.
Well, you could always go retro. "Captain Future and the Elephants of Tomorrow" stuff. I read one sf book which postulated an inhabitable planet between Mars and Jupiter, even though he knew there wasn't one!
What a wonderful title! Something in me resists going against known science, even though by that I mean "science known to me"!
Post a Comment
The comments are the best part of this blog, so please do join in.