Is the habitable zone planet Kepler-22b our best chance at finding intelligent life?

A little about Kepler-22b for those unaware;

Kepler-22b's radius is roughly 2.4 times the radius of Earth. Its mass and surface composition remain unknown,[8][7] with only some very rough estimates established: It has less than 124 Earth masses at the 3 sigma confidence limit, and less than 36 Earth masses at 1 sigma confidence.[6] It is thought that the object has a mass similar to that of Neptune[10] (~35 Earth masses[11]). Another possibility is that Kepler-22b is an "ocean-like" world with a mass between 10 and 20 times that of Earth.[11] It might also be comparable to the water-rich planet GJ 1214 b although Kepler-22b, unlike GJ 1214b, is in the habitable zone. If it has an Earth-like composition, the compression of material in the interior of the planet would give an overall mass greater than 40 Earth masses [12]. Such a planet would also produce surface gravity greater than 70 times that on Earth. This is ruled out to at least 1-sigma uncertainty by radial velocity measurements of the system [6], suggesting Kepler-22b does not have Earth-like composition. It is likely to have a more volatile-rich composition with a liquid or gaseous outer shell[8]; this would make it similar to Kepler-11f, the smallest known gas planet. "If it is mostly ocean with a small rocky core," Natalie Batalha, one of the scientists on the project, speculated "it's not beyond the realm of possibility that life could exist in such an ocean."[13] This possibility of life has spurred SETI to perform research on top candidates for extraterrestrial intelligence.[14] However, if the planet's carbon cycle has ceased due to lack of oceans and plate tectonics, Kepler-22b may turn out to be a searing, sterile super-Venus.[15][note 2]

This is the first planet outside our solar system we have found to be in a goldilocks, or habitable zone of a system. In other words it is the ideal distance from the star it orbits to have the ability to sustain life. Mars is another of these planets, and recent discoveries are starting to point out that there was once water on Mars and there may still be sources scattered around the planet.

Some more useful information;

Scientists can estimate the possible surface conditions as follows: In the absence of an atmosphere, the equilibrium temperature would be approximately -11°C. If the atmosphere provides a greenhouse effect similar in magnitude to the one on Earth, the planet would have an average surface temperature of 22 °C (72°F).[8][7] If the atmosphere has a greenhouse effect similar in magnitude to the one on Venus, the planet would have an average surface temperature of 460 °C (860°F).

Now I couldn't comment on this planet without adding a bit of conspiracy theory too it, so here goes. When I was looking at information about Kepler-22b I noticed that it was in the Cygnus constellation which is often noted at the Swan constellation. In Greek mythology Zues transformed into a Swan to seduce Leda, but Kepler-22b is also associated with the northern cross symbol, one of the most prominent religions on the planet at the moment is Christianity, and the universal symbol of Christianity is indeed the cross. So here we have two main "Gods" of two completed different ages associated with the same area in the sky, that same area that just so happens to have a possible habitable planet with intelligent life forms.

Those of you who have watched Ancient Aliens may understand where I am coming from, and that maybe all the UFO sightings are not a modern era thing and that they have been coming and tampering/meddling with our species for thousands of years, even tampering with religion.

reply to post by TheGreatest


Kepler 22b is good candidate, but, the search isn't over yet. The Kepler satellite is just one step in scanning the sky and Kepler is only scanning a very tiny portion of it.

There's another satellite going up soon, as I understand it that will expand on the search as well as add some new capabilities.

On the other hand, I've a bet that there's going to be someone that pops in this thread making a statement along the lines of "they're already here"

One thing bothers me when they talk about habitable zones... It is a little known fact that the earth can no longer be considered to inhabit the so called 'goldilocks zone'. According to solar physicists, the sun emitted a third less energy about 4 billion years ago and has been steadily brightening ever since. so our planet should be more like venus with a run away greenhouse effect, searing temperatures and a poisonous atmosphere. Why is it not like venus? life is the answer, our biosphere regulates the climate to make it more favorable for life to flourish.

See Gaia theory: en.wikipedia.org...

I think scientists should take this into consideration when they are observing these new exoplanets.

reply to post by TheGreatest


I recently joined seti.org where they are scanning the radio waves coming from the kepplar system.

I have spent a lot of time on there lately as it would be a huge thing to be the first to discover intelligent life outside of our system.

But alas so far the kepplar system is quiet so i dont believe that intelligent life has arisen in that system although it can not be ruled out just yet.

I think if there is a habitable planet in the system life has not yet taken hold or is just to young to have grown to our type of civilisation.


I leave you in the love and light of the creator...

With all the planets out there, being a human life form, x are habitable to us but think of the other lifeforms out there which obviously are not human and so have a different biological structure to which a planet like earth may seem uninhabitable so really in a sense planets which could be perceived with conditions that could not support life or alien life in fact possibly can and do.

Just a though, Im not trying to get all technical and what not

reply to post by AG123


You can also throw into the mix that some scientists claim life can be silicon based rather than carbon based which opens up a whole load of new planets we previously thought of as not being able to support life.

Not sure if thats been proven yet or was just theory though.


I leave you in the love and light of the creator....

reply to post by coldlikecustard


Cyanide based life is also another possibility.
That' wouldn't be too pleasant for us to meet anyone based on cyanide methinks, unless it's bonded in such a way as to be effectively inert.
Getting invited over to dinner, it would likely be safe to say, their food would all also be cyanide based and thus poison to us, so, it'd have to be a dutch deal.

I wonder if silicon based life, if it exists, over-clocks when they get in colder environments?
Over clock to alien!

I still say, don't count mars out underground wise. With all the underground methane, Gary Wilcox testimony, Lonnie Zamora, Donald Shrum ( all seeing white suited beings) about 5 ft tall. The ribbed tubes. The TONS of JPL mars blurred photos. All in the year 1964 when mars is closest to earth.

Again I say ! DON'T COUNT "LIFE OUT ON PLANET MARS OUT FROM AN UNDERGROUND STAND POINT)
Just the other night coast to coast radio show had on a military guard that stated something of importance The military shut down a whole air force base put the regular workers in a wearhouse, dimmed the lights so black ops can do it's thing and let a noiseless craft enter into the base, he stated the craft had no tires. There are so many things we as american citizens (or of the world) are not being told and sneaked as for as life on other planets.

reply to post by Druscilla


I had not heard of cyanide based life before do you have any links? not accusing you of lying or anything just intrigued and want to know more!


I leave you in the love and light of the creator...

reply to post by TheGreatest


Define 'intelligent'. More than found on ATS?

reply to post by oghamxx


Looks like you drew a blank there pal guess the ats'ers dont like being called stooopid although i do get where your coming from some of the posts lately have been bizarre even for this place.



I leave you in the love and light of the creator....

Originally posted by oghamxx
reply to post by TheGreatest

 

Define 'intelligent'. More than found on ATS?

in·tel·li·gence/inˈtelijəns/
Noun:
The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.
The collection of information of military or political value: "military intelligence".

Number 1 being my view on it.

Our best bet at the moment for finding some kind of life is to discover a far-off planet with an atmosphere that suggests it's being influenced or maintained by living things, like Earth. Anybody looking at a spectrograph of Earth can be pretty sure there are living things here without even having to visit.

Our best bet for finding "intelligent" alien life is still for us to locate a radio signal. Yeah, it's limited. It's only going to allow us to find intelligent aliens that are roughly the same kind and degree of intelligent we are, but that's what we have at the moment. We don't have anything that can pick up subspace signals or signals broadcast through non-spatial dimensions. If there are any out there in the first place.

The only other possible chance for us to find intelligent alien life is for us to look a little closer to home but change the way we perceive and define reality. There are all kinds of weird things interacting with our reality that we're clueless about. Even though they may originate on Earth, or partially from our own minds, they're still pretty alien to us.

No matter how we do it, we could be in for a long, long wait. Hundreds of years. Thousands of years. The universe is pretty big and it ain't getting any smaller.