Slashdot Mirror


New Study Shows Solar System Is Uncommon

Iddo Genuth writes "Research conducted by a team of North American scientists shows our solar system is special, contrary to the accepted theory that it is an average planetary system. Using computer simulations to follow the development of planets, it was shown that very specific conditions are needed for a proto-stellar disk to evolve into a solar system-like planetary system. The simulations show that in most cases either no planets are created, or planets are formed and then migrate towards the disk center and acquire highly elliptical orbits." The research was published in Science magazine; here's the paper on ArXiv (PDF).

5 of 290 comments (clear)

  1. Doh! by PrayingWolf · · Score: 0, Troll
    Doh! Ofcourse its "special" - Its created that way!

    Ever wonder why all the planets have such different composition? The moon could not have come from the same lump as Earth, nor could the other planets. This is a divine hint: "I'm here, are you listening?"

  2. Re:Climate Science by Vidar+Leathershod · · Score: 0, Troll

    That's funny. Measuring ice core Oxygen isotope proxies is so effective, soon we will be using it to monitor daily temperatures.

    Or not. I'm sure you came to your conclusions reading literature written by someone who has spent a lot of time trying to measure temperature by looking at ice cores. I prefer to look at the thermometer.

    Tell me, how do you measure an "ice core" from this year. Please be specific as to the steps involved, and how you blindly test this hypothesis (i.e. without knowing the actual measurements, perform the test and see how the results match).

    --
    The brains of a chicken, coupled with the claws of two eagles, may well hatch the eggs of our destruction.
  3. Models schmodels by Stinky69 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Scientists cannot even predict if it is going to rain much less universal occurances. Why don't these people put their brain and computer power to use curing cancer or Aids or something useful? We waste so much time with BS that really makes not difference. Who really cares if we are unique in the universe? Not I. Do something to help man kind and stop playing with models.

  4. no, it doesn't by speedtux · · Score: 0, Troll

    The bar for "showing" something is pretty high in science, and this study doesn't meet it.

    This study at best "provides indications" that solar systems like ours may be rare. The next level up would be that it "suggests" something, but I don't think it meets even that.

  5. Re:Climate Science by Vidar+Leathershod · · Score: 0, Troll

    Speaking of stupid, stupid is chasing someone from article to article with ad hominem in mind.

    Obviously, you don't like when someone provides sources you have to pay for, and you don't like when someone upsets your insular worldview. Try looking at the "data" yourself, without preconditions, and come up with your own projections.

    When you do, you will have already failed, since the data provided is not enough to make an accurate projection. This has been proven again and again as projections and simulations falter and fail (As was pointed out by someone above, who I am too lazy to quote).

    It reminds me of my environmentalist Earth Science teacher way back in the 80's. He was an Earth First type, self-professed. Interesting individual, who at least had the intellectual honesty to show what a crock Paul Erlich's projections were. But do go on, everyone is very impressed by your following of this doomsday cult.

    Of course, you may say that you only want me to prove my point using references (not ones you might have to pay to access, of course, since you are actually not interested). There's only one problem with that, which is that I am not required to prove the negative. When you have a trend of successful projections year after year, feel free to come back and make your point.

    --
    The brains of a chicken, coupled with the claws of two eagles, may well hatch the eggs of our destruction.