Environmental Outlook: Exoplanets and Dark Matter
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-12-07/environmental-outlook-exoplanets-and-dark-matter
Last week scientists announced they had created a type of bacteria that could live on arsenic. For astronomers looking for life on other planets, it’s a reminder that life elsewhere may be remarkably different from the forms we know on earth. Astronomers have, so far, identified hundreds of planets beyond our solar system. The hunt is on to determine if any of those spotted so far could sustain some form of life. Join us to talk about the study of exoplanets, the mystery of dark matter, and what some current research efforts can tell us about both the past and future of our universe
Guests
David Aguilar
Director of Public Affairs and Science Information,
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Lori Feaga
Assistant Research Scientist
Department of Astronomy
University of Maryland
Alan Boss
Department of Terrestrial Magnetism,
Carnegie Institution for Science
Comments
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As for the use of organisms to eat our waste on Earth, that's fine for organic compounds which can be broken down to simpler carbon compounds which are non-toxic. But for Plutonium or Arsenic, organisms may use these, but they cannot make them cease being Plutonium or Arsenic atoms. The best that can be accomplished is to sequester these atoms in a way that they can be more easily removed from the environment by some mechanical process.
And here's a link to some of the criticism of NASA's claims regarding the Arsenic-grown organism. It looks unlikely to me that there's any significant amount of Arsenic incorporated into the DNA. http://rrresearch.blogspot.com/2010/12/arsenic-associated-bacteria-nasas...
Diane asked about how many astrophysicists are looking for planets in our universe. Since there were at least 3 astrophysicists in the radio station who are actively looking for planets I feel it is fair to assume that most radio stations have, on average, 3 astrophysicists looking for planets. Assuming that there is, on average 1 radio station per square kilometer and there is 148,940,000 square kilometers on planet Earth that equates to 447,000,000 astrophysicists on our planet that are currently looking for other planets in the universe. No need to thank me, I'm just glad I could be of help.
Why aren't we sending out more disposable probes like we did with the two Mars rovers? And why have we only dispatched four extrasolar space probes from earth thus far? How are we supposed to learn more about anything outside earth if we don't?
I understand the difficulty with G-force over time precluding light travel at our current level of understanding. I do not think it precludes developments in the future that will allow light travel. At one time travel at speed of sound was thought to be impossible.
Add to the recently discovered arsenic-ingesting bacteria, the sulfur bacteria that thrive without light and oxygen in scalding temperatures near deep-sea vents and the possibilities for life under conditions different from those that we are able to entertain seem much larger than we ever thought possible.
Moreover, the identification of exoplanets that may provide a home for life as we know it only enhances the prospect that other lifeforms exist in the not so distant universe.
But what would it take to be of superior intelligence?
Read more here:
http://brainmindinst.blogspot.com/2007/12/about-superior-intelligence.html
How do you factor in the varying amounts of radiation from stars into determining the live zone of those stars. you haven't suggested that it is different for each star. thank you
I'm a big fan of Venter, but attributing the genesis of the concept of humans as an environment for vast communities of microbes (the microbiome) to him, is a bit of a stretch and a disservice to all of the other scientists developing that field.
I'm disappointed in your guest's easy dismissal of the possibility that we could be visited by life from elsewhere. He makes the same mistake many other scientists make. To say with any certainty that interstellar travel is impossible, he would have to have a complete understanding of the universe and its laws. At my last check, that's not our current state. An example of this is the fact that we have no idea what makes up 95% of our universe. And then there's the possibility of other universes.
History is replete with examples of this kind of arrogance being made to look foolish with time and discovery. 20 years ago, the idea of other life in our solar system would've garnered a derisive chuckle from most scientists. Today, it's the hottest and most exciting field of study.
Great panel guys and gals. You really know your stuff and you all had me laughing! Like the comments on Hawking's warnings a la "air raid sirens". :)
iophalanx and Jim S:
I'm pleased with the guests' knowledge of the theory/proof of Special Relativity (regarding no faster-than-light travel). It's anything but easy to dismiss - it has huge implications, has never been refuted to my knowledge and it's reconfirmed by thousands of experiments every day.
In a popular sense, we could or would have been visited by now with earth-shattering consequences.. Like an invasion of hot aliens! ;) But we haven't, even if you think like me that the universe IS a garden of life. I guess a scientist keeps an open mind though eh?
Better prospects for communication.. as civilizations come and go.. allowing for time zone differences.. :) If we were hit by the andromedawikipedia, that would be interesting to say the least, and I'm sure the scientific community will be all over it if/when it happens.
Noting selengut's info
Wes: Just a guess, disposable probes might lack funding and data relative to what orbitals like Hubble has produced, and the new tools will..
Here's a solution to the whole "is Pluto a planet" controvesy:
Yes. Why? Because we say so!
now there's Eris stirring up trouble!
Listening to the show yesterday, I was thrilled to hear a call from a member of the Noetic Sciences. Now, I thought, this discussion may get very interesting.
What a disappointment to hear this gentleman treated as quack & his comments cut off at the knees. This prestigious group has put it's money where it's mouth is in the study of the great unknown that is our Universe.
Such a shame that NPR is so opposed to anything that might be new information that they won't even hear out the comment.
No open minds here!
Near the end of the show a caller asks where the materials came from to create the Big Bang. This is a question I have often wondered as well. The only answer I can come up with is a seed. The Big Bang came from a seed. I suppose this answer is obvious as well as the next question. Where did that seed come from and so on. However this miror effect cannot continue past the seed or even exist, without time because time does not exist without space. Unless, of course, it is suggested that there was a space and time before the Big Bang. That being the case the mirror effect can thrive.
@ the end of the show a caller asked where the matter came from before the big bang.....the Scientist said he don"t know....pretty much I read a little...and one book one very famous author said that life start in cycles...
Be, do, have.
or Start, create, Have.
another way is.
Space, energy, time. (matter)
Before anything is conceived we Think of it....
so my humble opinion is that before the Big Bang, it was a Tought!!!
Who thought it?
Who claims to have eternal soul?
well pretty much if we claim to be eternal our home should be eternal as well. don't you think? so before the physical universe and after the physical universe we are there and we have always being.
the answer is our memories that we forgot, we know the truth, we just forgot...that's my humble opinion...thanks. Many things we do worked based on agreements.
@ some point we agreed that for things to be real needed to be touched or be able to see.
That is why we looking for answers in this Physical universe, 'cause we want to see...but as long as we are looking for answers here in the physical universe we will be like cats chaising their own tails...we Know as a think (in very humble way) . We just know, we need to learn how to recuperate our memories and then we will be certain.
O. Blanco