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Looking For Intelligence

Posted by Hemos on from the pinpointining-possibilites dept.

Calgacus writes "We've all read stories about extra-solar planets being found by gravitational wobbles. The Scotsman has a story here about a planet in the Fomalhaut system being discovered because of its wake through a dust cloud. It's further out than other recently discovered planets and astronomers are saying it means there's an odds-on chance of intelligent life being out there. If only there was more on Earth..."

10 of 260 comments (clear)

  1. Intelligent Life by RPoet · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think Hobbes said it best: "The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us."

    --
    "Oppression and harassment is a small price to pay to live in the land of the free." -- Montgomery Burns.
  2. Only Here.... by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 5, Funny

    "We've all read stories about extra-solar planets being found by gravitational wobbles...

    I think that's why I keep coming back to SlashDot; only here does a story begin like that and nobody blinks an eye...

    God luv yuz...

  3. Too much Intelligence by Anonymous+Custard · · Score: 5, Funny
    If only there was more on Earth...
    Intelligent human says: "I believe you mean, 'If only there WERE more on Earth....' You see, the use of the future subjunctive ---"

    Bigger, dumber human says: "And now, for the severe beating of an intelligent human..."

    --
    $8.95/mo web hosting
  4. I'm confused by wunderhorn1 · · Score: 4, Funny
    ASTRONOMERS said there was an "odds-on" chance of intelligent life in space after new observations produced the best evidence yet of planets circling stars outside our solar system.
    ...
    However, he said there was little chance of finding life on the planet because it was under constant bombardment from a surrounding belt of comets.

    So in other words, don't believe the hype?
    Let me get this straight -- now that we've found conclusive (?) evidence of another planet that most likely wouldn't support life, this increases the chance of finding intelligent life in outer space. Makes sense.

    --
    Karma: Bored. (Thinking about resurrecting the "Anyone else is an imposter" joke.)
  5. Intelligent Life by DeadSea · · Score: 4, Funny
    If only there was more on Earth...
    As long as they don't visit the US or browse slashdot with a -1 threshold they should be fine.
  6. Search for Terrestrial Intelligence (STI project) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You might want to visit the STI website then ?

    They're planning to use the 90% unused brain power in every person out there, with the STI@Home project, but their Antartica station is still under construction...

  7. We like the stars and all, but... by Gruneun · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dr Mark Wyatt, another team member, said the dust showed evidence of comet activity.

    Something tells me my wife won't be excited by this and I'll still get yelled at for not doing a better job of cleaning up the living room.

  8. Re:Poor Write-Up (Sensationalism) by scott1853 · · Score: 5, Funny

    From what I hear, there may be a new SETI@Home client that will also scan slashdot stories for traces of intelligent life. Early beta testing has not found anything yet. It is being assumed that several petahertz of computational power will be required to detect such anomalies.

  9. The MP boys said it best by iworm · · Score: 5, Funny

    So remember, when you're feeling very small and insecure,
    How amazingly unlikely is your birth,
    And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
    'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth.

    -- The last lines from The Galaxy Song - Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

  10. Re:One part I don't get... by Space+cowboy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man, if you ever get *any* negative 'K' readings, you're either in for a nobel prize or a Nelson-like 'Haa-Ha!'....

    Simon

    --
    Physicists get Hadrons!