2013 just might be the year scientists find first 'alien Earth'

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/files/img/uh50e0bc52.jpg[/atsimg]20 13 just might be the year scientists find first 'alien Earth'

The first truly Earthlike alien planet is likely to be spotted next year, an epic discovery that would cause humanity to reassess its place in the universe.

While astronomers have found a number of exoplanets over the last few years that share one or two key traits with our own world — such as size or inferred surface temperature — they have yet to bag a bona fide "alien Earth." But that should change in 2013, scientists say.

"I'm very positive that the first Earth twin will be discovered next year," said Abel Mendez, who runs the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo.

OK

This is an interesting little article. Is it just me or has anybody else been noticing that stories of Earth like planets and habitable planets are on the increase over say the last year or so? Why just last week I posted a semi pessimistic reply in a thread about this possibility. I wont retract it just that I thought the odds were pretty high against a impending find and still think so but to a lesser extent.

Puts on foil hat.
Now that we've all survived doomsday does anybody think that maybe the increasing stories are for a reason like possible impending disclosure?

Or just simply good old fashion science and this possibility was inevitable?

In recent years it does seem like a lot of "possible earths" have popped up, but i think it will still be a few more years before we find any conclusive proof that an alien earth exists. But i do hope we find one in my lifetime, i would hate to miss that.

and if we find another planet with life on it, what then????? why would that make any difference, as we still wouldn't be able to go and visit them. Even communicating with them will be next to impossible.

reply to post by SLAYER69

Puts on foil hat.
Now that we've all survived doomsday does anybody think that maybe the increasing stories are for a reason like possible impending disclosure?

Or just simply good old fashion science and this possibility was inevitable?

Probably has to do with the new telescopes that have been commissioned that let researchers find these planets. But wishful thinking never hurt anyone... I think.

reply to post by Hellhound604


Finding another Earth like planet doesn't necessarily mean there would be intelligent life with a civilization on it. Could be an Earth in the middle of a Jurassic period for all we know

I think its been found.

Link

english.pravda.ru...

reply to post by Snoopie


It is just that we have the technology now, and the know-how to find more and more planets around stars. We will continue to find more and smaller planets around other stars, much as what we are finding more and more NEA's. I fail to see why discovering another "earth" would make any difference to us as a human race.

I have noticed the same thing Slayer. I believe the eventual plan is to evacuate the Earth.
In 2300ad the Earth will be unable to sustain life as we have already past the point of no return as far as the
environment goes. Governments seem to be doing very little to address the Earths environment problems and we are currently living in the Holocene Extinction Level Event. Projects such as the 100 year starship project and the scramble to find a new terran planet lead me to believe this. It wont happen in our life time but in 200 years we may have to tech to do the job and find a new home.

reply to post by SLAYER69


I wonder when these planets are discovered, they'll soon "discover" how to get there.

It's sure nice to hope...

Originally posted by Hellhound604
and if we find another planet with life on it, what then????? why would that make any difference, as we still wouldn't be able to go and visit them. Even communicating with them will be next to impossible.

It's just another step in our knowledge.. which can only be a good.thing..

reply to post by SLAYER69

Now that we've all survived doomsday does anybody think that maybe the increasing stories are for a reason like possible impending disclosure?

I think the word disclosure is the wrong word - somehow makes it sound like information is being withheld

:-) and yes - I know where I am and how lame that sounds

edit to add - that I'm pretty sure the search for life is something we would pursue no matter what. But even so - it's fun to wonder what's up

So, just for grins...if someone were going to try and clue the world in to the fact (pretending that it is fact) that there is something to know, and that something is possibly going to be unsettling in a big way - what better way to ease us in than to spend a few years flooding the internet with real news from legitimate sources about the very real search for evidence of life off-planet

When they find it (or it finds us) - it won't be as much of a shock

Because they only release information that they want to release, sort of a drip feed . No doubt they have already found said planet, or they wouldn't be certain to the find in 2013.
Probably still trying to figure out how to strip it of its resources.

It would be silly to think there would be no other Earth-like planets. I think eventually we will 'go where no one has gone before', firmly believing if we can dream it , we can do it. So while I will not be seeing it in my lifetime, I was part of the dreaming, and that is pretty cool. Maybe 2013 will see many exciting discoveries in space, including more earth-like planets.

reply to post by SLAYER69


It's a matter of time and technology. The galaxy and the universe itself are too big for us not to find something resembling earth soon. Yes, it will be a major breakthrough, but ask yourself...so what? We can't get there, unlikely we can actually work out what is there, etc.

Still, it's good stuff and certainly spices up the field somewhat!

reply to post by SLAYER69


I think this has to do with our ever increasing capability to study these celestial bodies.

My Tin Foil hat will come on when the Vatican rolls out the mother ship they have hidden, in one of their vaults.......



S&F

I thought some here would find this interesting.


I just hope if they do find one we would redouble our efforts to get our human act together here on this Earth first before we attempt any sort of colonization in the future.

Originally posted by SLAYER69


I just hope if they do find one we would redouble our efforts to get our human act together here on this Earth first before we attempt any sort of colonization in the future.

True.

If the future holds out anything for us, it would be one of mankind's biggest achievements.

what is the point of looking out to space and finding Earth type planets if they have cancelled the space exploration programs?
All we can do is `window shop`.

I cant help but wonder what would happen if we did discover a perfect alien Earth. An alien Earth inhabited by a small alien civilization that considered that planet to belong to them, and wanted nothing more than to just be left alone?

Originally posted by Hellhound604
and if we find another planet with life on it, what then????? why would that make any difference, as we still wouldn't be able to go and visit them. Even communicating with them will be next to impossible.

The answer might just be that maybe they would have the means communicate and/or visit us. My thoughts are that the universe is teeming with life. Some much more advanced than us, some much less. Question is "Which will we find first?"
With all the alleged accounts that have been reported since biblical times, it would seem that they have already "found" us.