Terrestrial (Rocky) Planet Discovered

KilgoryTrout writes "A 'super-Earth' planet was identified in orbit around mu Arae, a star 50 light years away. It orbits at 2 AUs and surface gravity is 14gs. Two gas giants have been detected in orbit about the star. Space.com's article suggests that it is a failed gas giant's rocky core."

Comments

Re:Interesting for different reasons:

[Shadow Wrought]

It would be monumental to find evidence that life on Earth isn't a singleton freak accident, even if we found it on worlds that could never harbor life again.

I agree that a remenant of life would be just as powerful as full fledged life. I wonder though, if we were to ever find say a fossiled skelaton on Mars, if all the conspiracy nuts would claim it was planted. I have a feeling that the portion of the population that feels that life can only be on Earth will find ways to keep from having to change their beliefs.

Re:Interesting for different reasons:

[PapaBoojum]

No matter what happens, we can assume there will be people whose preachings deviate from the obvious. It's best just to ignore them.

And suddenly Slashdot disappeared in a puff of logic.