Chris
2009-08-07 10:56:03 UTC
Not to worry, I'll soon be going home to my light in the sky.
--
Chris.
Remove ns_ to reply
However to perhaps set things a bit straighter, here goes-
So far we have only detected anomalous and unusual planetary systems.
This is mainly due to the methods that we are using to detect extra Solar
planets. These select for short orbits and large planets, hence the "hot
Jupiter" syndrome.
IMO the galaxy is probably full of life. However on Earth it was not just
life that mattered but multi cellular life.
This didn't appear until about 700 million years ago in the Burgess Shale
era.
We have found single cell life almost everywhere on Earth even in very
extreme environments.
So to sum up. I would expect to see quite a few planets with a
water/oxygen
environment suitable for life. However few of these would ever reach the
multi cellular level.
For an example in Science Fiction read some of the Pournelle/Niven "Co-
Dominium" novels. They are set in a galaxy with just the characteristics I
would expect.
Certainly it's still a wild galaxy out there. We have found no signs of
tinkering by advanced races, let alone heard radio signals.
But this might just be due to our primitive technology. If there is any
way
of FTL signalling I bet they have found it long since!
Cliff Wright.
--
Chris.
Remove ns_ to reply
Despite all that gaff, life is very common in the universe as you and
I are living proof.
Perhaps a bit off topic!I are living proof.
However to perhaps set things a bit straighter, here goes-
So far we have only detected anomalous and unusual planetary systems.
This is mainly due to the methods that we are using to detect extra Solar
planets. These select for short orbits and large planets, hence the "hot
Jupiter" syndrome.
IMO the galaxy is probably full of life. However on Earth it was not just
life that mattered but multi cellular life.
This didn't appear until about 700 million years ago in the Burgess Shale
era.
We have found single cell life almost everywhere on Earth even in very
extreme environments.
So to sum up. I would expect to see quite a few planets with a
water/oxygen
environment suitable for life. However few of these would ever reach the
multi cellular level.
For an example in Science Fiction read some of the Pournelle/Niven "Co-
Dominium" novels. They are set in a galaxy with just the characteristics I
would expect.
Certainly it's still a wild galaxy out there. We have found no signs of
tinkering by advanced races, let alone heard radio signals.
But this might just be due to our primitive technology. If there is any
way
of FTL signalling I bet they have found it long since!
Cliff Wright.