It has been announced at the 217th annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society, in Seattle, by the NASA Kepler team, that the smallest exo-planet outside our solar system so far has been discovered. It is described as ''the most profound discovery in human history.''
The planet that has been discovered, designated Kepler 10b, is 560 light years distant, has a diameter 1.4 times that of the Earth and a mass some 4.6 times greater. Because it orbits its star very closely, it could not sustain carbon based life.
Apart from being very hot, this planet will have (because of its mass) stupendous gravity and probably a hydrogen rich atmosphere. Nothing really profound there.
So what is this ''most profound discovery in human history?'' Another piece of inflated journalistic hyperbole, by scientists trying to hype up something that is not really that significant? A bit like the global warming pantomime methimks....
The 'most profound discovery in human history?''
The 'most profound discovery in human history?''
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
Re: The 'most profound discovery in human history?''
''most profound discovery in human history"
I agree RF.
A cure for HIV or Cancer would be worthy of that title but not some inhospitable planet that would take Han Solo's Millenuim Falcon 560 years to reach
I agree RF.
A cure for HIV or Cancer would be worthy of that title but not some inhospitable planet that would take Han Solo's Millenuim Falcon 560 years to reach
God created the world in 6 days.........and on the 7th day he built the Scharnhorst
Re: The 'most profound discovery in human history?''
Profound yes. Most profound only to a planetary astronomer and maybe not then.
10 years ago detecting earth sized planets orbitting other stars was considered more or less impossible. Since then a number have been detected the frequency of such detections along with the detection of larger planets has considerable implications with regards to life on other plantes as well as more mundate astronomical matters. So yes it's "profound" but even in astronomy there have been other discoveries that are as if not more important. Indeed the discovery and proof that the Earth revolves around the sun would rate well above this on my scale.
10 years ago detecting earth sized planets orbitting other stars was considered more or less impossible. Since then a number have been detected the frequency of such detections along with the detection of larger planets has considerable implications with regards to life on other plantes as well as more mundate astronomical matters. So yes it's "profound" but even in astronomy there have been other discoveries that are as if not more important. Indeed the discovery and proof that the Earth revolves around the sun would rate well above this on my scale.
Re: The 'most profound discovery in human history?''
The most profound discovery in human history - the tastiness of that apple in the Garden of Eden without which not much else that followed would have taken place
Re: The 'most profound discovery in human history?''
....it assumes of course that the Garden of Eden existed - and wasn't a fable....
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.