Big Featured Discussions | September 12, 2011 | 39 comments

Scientists have discovered a 'super Earth'; would you be willing to look outside our galaxy for a place to live?

Scientists have discovered a potentially habitable planet being described as a "super Earth." While the idea of inhabiting such a planet has some issues -- it's 36 light-years away, for one -- such a planet could be potentially habitable for humans.

If it were possible, would you consider living on another planet? Should we be exploring such an option as a way to start over?

  1. groups:
    Community,   Tech,   Culture,   Technology,   9 more
  2. tags:
    Space,  Space Travel,  Colonization
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39 comments // Scientists have discovered a 'super Earth'; would you be willing to look outside our galaxy for a place to live?

  • JLaughbon
    • 0
      JLaughbon  

    • Of course we should explore those possibilities. Our sun will not last forever and if we wish to preserve our species, we better start pursuing technology to travel in deep space. Otherwise, all "this" will have been for nothing.

    • 8 months ago
  • Johnny_Los_Angeles
    • +4
      Johnny_Los_Angeles  

    • Since FTL travel is not likely in the near future its a futile idea. People need to get beyond the concept of finding a new earth, they can live in space colonies and explore the over 100 planets and large moons we have right here in our own solar system with todays technology and insure the human race's survival, it just takes the will power to do it.

    • 8 months ago
  • Argon18
    • +4
      Argon18  
    • Johnny_Los_Angeles:

      On the one hand I'd agree with you that colonies on the planets and moons of the solar system would be necessary steps before considering other solar systems especially that far away.

      If a method for FTL travel is to be found it is most likely to be found researching the high points of the gravity well like nearest the sun and the lowest points like out beyond Puto and comparing them, so people need to be stationed at both of them to carry out those experiments.

      OTOH building generational ships, selecting the "best and the brightest with the right stuff" for a crew then educating the following people to replace them with the foundation of what civilization has achieved to learn from the mistakes does seem to be very effective way to give evolution the most effective boost for natural selection. It would certainly the best thing to assure the survival of the human race to be able to grow and prosper.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgrdAUFFMrA

      But the gripping hand is that the last 40 years has proved that we do lack the necessary will power to do it, as shown by comments like "I didn't have kids so who cares what happens to our planet." and even if we did put a priority of "takng care of this planet first" we haven't had the will to do that either.

      If we had followed through with the NASA plans in that video from the 70's it is most likely we wouldn't be in the dire straits we are in now from the misplaced priorities.

    • 8 months ago
  • theoutcrop
    • -1
      theoutcrop  

    • The human race has raveged the earth like locusts with no regard for the future. Untill we grow up we would treat any other planet the same. Thankfully this planet is 36 light years beyond our reach.

    • 8 months ago
  • gypsysailor
    • +1
      gypsysailor  

    • As long as I did not have to put up with conservatives, neo-cons, super Christians, tea-baggers or any other right wing sacks of shit, put me on the next flight.

    • 8 months ago
  • kingkong54
    • -3
      kingkong54  

    • Well people of this country supposedly Americans,did you see the Republican debate that took place in Tampa,Florida.
      These are the jackasses that are running for President of the United States,and did you see the audience when they clapped for 234 people that have been put to death in Texas,under Perry,and the comment Ron Paul,about a person if he should live or die if he has no insurance he should die,and this mother fucker Ron Paul,is a OB/GYN doctor I mean are you for real here!!
      These are the scums that want to stop social security,well guess what I worked for that social security,I served in the United States Army & Navy and no red neck bastard in the GOP/Tea Party is going to take that away from me.
      Ans as for you black people that were in that audience clapping for these assholes your a bunch of kiss asses,and you need to turn in your N.A.A.C.P.membership cards if you have one because you are not black anymore I am black but you are not you bunch of assholes.
      this is really pathetic that we have scum like this running for the highest office in the land,and everyone black and white want to knock Obama,huh! imagine if one of these cunts gets into the white house we will be in some serious trouble,think about that you so called American people think about that long and hard enough is enough or have the American people turn into a bunch of pussies!! I'm not I have my balls and still know how to use them what about you pricks out there think on that you ass wipes!!

    • 8 months ago
  • hombre76
  • alexandrek
  • hombre76
  • Pearlyquenuknuk
    • 0
      Pearlyquenuknuk  

    • I am a mere human without almost any degree of knowledge on important subjects. However I do hold a Great passion 4 the earth Im living on. I would more wish my future generations ;children, GrandBaby's, all relatives and friends 2 benefit from a new earth. As much as our earth should be fixed, if all and I do mean ALL, don't jump on the bandwagon our earth is doomed

    • 8 months ago
  • dugdog47
  • Aedwards
  • Schnookums
    • +5
      Schnookums  

    • If it were possible, I would definitely raise my hand. Even if they said that your job was never to make it to the planet yourself, but to just propagate a generation in the spaceship on the way so they could settle the planet. Yes.

    • 8 months ago
  • Argon18
    • +5
      Argon18  
    • Schnookums:

      Bingo! There is the solution to Jan's problem. In a generational ship it wouldn't be the same species that arrived at the planet that left this one.

      They would have time to learn new ways of taking care of enviroments since if they didn't then the ship would never make it there. It would be a lot easier to design without a theoretical breakthrough of FTL travel also.

      I'd be willing to work toward that myself.

    • 8 months ago
  • hombre76
    • +1
      hombre76  

    • If they offered the opportunity tomarow to travel to anouther planet I would do everything in my power to qualify and go. in a hot millisecond.

    • 8 months ago
  • JanforGore
    • +5
      JanforGore  

    • Another place to trash? How can you start over with the same people? It isn't the planet's fault. We don't need a new planet, we need a new species.

    • 8 months ago
  • hombre76
  • rogerludin
  • jeanmarat
    • 0
      jeanmarat  

    • I really don't want to start a controversy here, but I might anyway, so apologies to all.
      If we had to pack up and move to another planet, would we not leave behind some controversies, such as the Israel/Palestinian issue? Seeing how no one could possibly have an inherent claim to any parts of an unknown planet. This is one problem that gets left here. (Assuming said planet is large enough to accommodate us all.) Ideas anyone? Anything else that might be tied to Earth that we get to leave behind?

    • 8 months ago
  • iowawashington
  • lazloman
    • 0
      lazloman  

    • Are you kidding me? With the s**t world the rethuglicans want to create, I'd be out of here in a minute! Of course, we'd have to leave the rethuglicans here.

    • 8 months ago
  • hombre76
  • remanns
  • remanns
  • KB723
  • bailey78
    • +1
      bailey78  

    • NO! An neither should anyone else. We have a planet to live on all that would happen if we moved is we would destroy another planet. So lets work to repair what we have.

    • 8 months ago
  • hombre76
  • bailey78
  • Vic_Romano
  • resident10
  • totally_dilapidated
  • resident10
  • totally_dilapidated
    • 0
      totally_dilapidated  
    • resident10:

      YES!
      my dentist left this existence
      he was one of the best of all time
      technically supreme
      and a great guy to go along with it all
      we were food and political argument pals
      a real loss
      not only for me, but a lot of people

    • 8 months ago
  • resident10
    • 0
      resident10  
    • totally_dilapidated:

      Ah ... where have all the good dentists gone? How can a new one at all compete with such a seemingly warm, giving and social being? Today's dentists tend to think they have to only go to dental school - they miss the appreciation of good food and politics. Ah ... so sorry about your loss ... I hope you do not find this rude, but perhaps your dentist lingers somewhere on the new planet?

    • 8 months ago
  • mahfuz199010
  • rogerludin
  • Argon18
  • rogerludin
    • 0
      rogerludin  
    • Argon18:

      I also think that if we are not able to take care of this womb, as we demonstrate every day is much better to start learning. We hawe just to remember that we don't have a lot of time. The general situation is getting everyday worst.

    • 8 months ago
  • Argon18
    • +4
      Argon18  
    • rogerludin:

      That's the trouble when the fetus stays too long in the womb isn't it? It takes a great toll on the mother. It might be much longer than 9 months for planets but there is definite signs of it

    • 8 months ago
sgwhites
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