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NASA, Google Spot Eighth Planet in Solar System Rivaling Ours (cnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the AI-for-good dept.

An anonymous reader shares a report: Google isn't just good for finding cat videos on the internet. The search giant's machine learning technology is also helping search the universe for planets outside our solar system. NASA on Thursday revealed the discovery of blazing-hot exoplanet Kepler-90i thanks to the use of a Google neural network trained to identify planets from the NASA Kepler space telescope's data. It's the eighth planet discovered in the Kepler-90 system, which ties it with our own solar system for the most known planets around a single star. Kepler-90 is a sun-like star located around 2,545 light-years from us.

9 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. In Solar System?! Oh no... by sanosuke001 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So, the title makes it sound they found more plants rivaling our planet in our solar system. At least say "NASA, Google Spot Eighth Exoplanet in a Solar System Rivaling Our Own"

    --
    -SaNo
    1. Re:In Solar System?! Oh no... by pots · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Star System, yes? The Solar System is the star system surrounding Sol, right?

      Had the same confusion.

    2. Re:In Solar System?! Oh no... by Hognoxious · · Score: 2

      Does it?

      When they came for Pluto, I did not speak out ...

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  2. Would someone tell me how this happened? by Digital+Mage · · Score: 5, Funny

    We were the fucking vanguard of the galaxy. The Solar System was the place to be. Then some other system comes out with 8 planets. Were we scared? Hell, no. Because we hit back with a little thing called Pluto. That was a honey of a planet with a sweet ass name. But you know what happened next? Shut up, I'm telling you what happened—the bastards downgraded it to a dwarf planet. Now we're standing around with our cocks in our hands, selling 8 planets and a gimp. Gimp or not, suddenly we're the chumps. Well, fuck it. We're going to 12 planets...and a moisture strip.

    1. Re:Would someone tell me how this happened? by iggymanz · · Score: 3, Informative

      that's based on the Onion parady of the multi-blade razor offerings

      https://www.theonion.com/fuck-...

  3. Why, NASA? by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I wish NASA changed their approach to these things. This is a nice finding all right, but it hardly warrants a TV release, much less the mystery associated with "next Thursday we are going to make an announcement". A simple press release, without any drama, would have been more than enough. By proceeding the way the are, NASA are stirring up false expectations in the public. When the announcement is made, the public may be forgiven for thinking "And this is the big announcement?". NASA has been crying wolf for years. They will be able to cry wolf not so many more times, before the general public becomes apathetic and indifferent to NASA's announcements. And, when that happens, NASA's annual budget will go down. Please, NASA, stop it.

    1. Re:Why, NASA? by Kjella · · Score: 2

      A simple press release, without any drama, would have been more than enough. By proceeding the way the are, NASA are stirring up false expectations in the public.

      If you don't want the public to be aware that NASA is doing anything at all, sure. It's a bit sad that they have to resort to such a clickbait tactic, but at least by creating a bit of fuss and mystery the press feels compelled to run the main story because of all those who'll click to get the answer. Otherwise it's just another yawner from NASA who only a few space nerds will click on that might not even be worth running. People are already apathetic and indifferent, unless it's alien life or a warp drive it probably won't affect them one bit. True, Musk got some momentum going for Mars but in NASA's plans it's in the 2030s and you can't keep the excitement that long. The analogy doesn't work anyway, the day NASA really got breaking news they'll all be running the story no matter what.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  4. There is only one "Solar System" by MikeDataLink · · Score: 4, Informative

    There are many "star systems". Our is called the Solar System because our sun's name is Sol.

    --
    Mike @ The Geek Pub. Let's Make Stuff!
    1. Re:There is only one "Solar System" by Andreas+Mayer · · Score: 2

      There are many "star systems". Our is called the Solar System because our sun's name is Sol.

      Actually, sol is just latin for sun. Not sure that counts as a proper name.