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Microlensing Uncovers Earth-Like Planet
smooth wombat writes "Using a new technique called gravitational microlensing, a team of astronomers have discovered the smallest Earth-like planet circling a star 20,000 light years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Unfortunately the planet takes ten years to circle the red dwarf and has a surface temperature estimated at -220 C which means it's just a larger version of Pluto so the chance of finding life on this planet is essentially zero."
"at -220 C .......so the chance of finding life on this planet is essentially zero."
I get fed up with people saying this. Our data set for planets that can support life is 1. We have no idea what "other" lifeforms can survive. Pretty much everywhere we look on earth we find life.
We find it at +120C at several thousand atmospheres of pressure next to thermal vents.
We find it at -40 C under meters of ice.
We find it living in our stomachs at a pH of less than 2.0.
We find it making a living from cleaning the insides of a sharks mouth.
I am sure that if you go into the charred remains of Reactor core number 4 chernobyl you will find plenty of life.
All you need for life is some form of energy that can be harnessed and some raw materials to use. There is no justification for saying that we should look for life at 300 kelvin and 1 atmoshphere pressure and 20% oxygen. For the report on a "scientific" article it is just lame speculation dressed as informed fact.