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A Third of Sun-Like Stars May Have Warm Earth Analogs
The Bad Astronomer writes "An astronomer studying data from the first 136 days of the Kepler observatory missions has calculated that as many as 34% of all Sun-like stars (abstract) may have Earth-sized planets orbiting in their habitable zones, where conditions are right for life as we know it. I have some reservations with his numbers, but they do match other studies. There may be 15 billion warm, Earth-sized worlds in our galaxy alone."
Natalie Portman might be out of reach too, but I still like to know whether she exists.
Liquid water is the foundation of a lot of interesting chemistry, and also a good temperature regulator. Life getting by without it would likely have to endure much more significant temperature swings.
"Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
Unfortunately, all of the democratic and republican presidents have publicly admitted to holding some irrational, religious belief or another. Is there a single, serious, declared atheist candidate? No? Then if we're going to elect another idiot who believes an imaginary friend is telling him to invade other countries, we might as well skip the mainstream irrational and go for the full-on, batshit crazy stuff.
Nothing can save America anymore. May Cthulhu eat us first.