Discovery of Earth-like planet "thrilling"

(CBS News) 

Scientists looking for life on other planets like to talk about the "Goldilocks Zone" -- not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

Now, researchers at the NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., have found a planet -- Kepler-22b -- that's right in that zone.

NASA finding feeds talk of a new Earth

But don't pack your bags just yet. If you traveled at the speed of light, it would take 600 years to get there.

However the news is still exciting stuff for experts such as astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson of the American Museum of Natural History.

The discovery, Tyson said on "The Early Show," is thrilling because of the potential for life on the planet. He explained, "In the catalogs of planets that we now have, this is the first time we've had an Earth-like planet in the habitable zone with a star. ... We're kind of biased: We're looking for life as we know it. You can imagine, I suppose, that there is life on something other than water, but that's kind of -- we don't know how to get a handle on that. We do have a handle on life -- every place there's water on Earth, there's life -- even the Dead Sea. They called it the Dead Sea because they didn't see fish. But you pull out your microscope and there's microbes everywhere on Earth."

However, it isn't likely humans are going to be guests on Kepler-22b anytime soon, particularly because our current technology has its limitations. "It's not close," Tyson said. "(With) our fastest spacecraft today, it would take something like 300,000 years to get there. ... Probably even longer."

What's the next realistic step for researchers, now that the planet's been found?

"You build the catalog of these planets that could have life," Tyson said. "Now you have a second round of observations to try to see the atmosphere, to see if the atmosphere has bio-markers for thriving life on its surface. Then you say, 'Well, if you ever have the chance to go somewhere or to target telescopes to listen for intelligent life, those will be at the top of the list."'

[Noval53]

Future generations will marvel at our global self centered ignorance and arrogance. It's likely that the galaxy is filled with life and civilizations far beyond our own; we are a backwards little fly by of little interest. The scientific "proof" is not there simply because we are too "limited" and primitive. Our current space program can't even get back to the moon, much less anywhere beyond the pathetic ISS flying trailer park. We can't physically even get beyond our own moon and yet we presume to know the universe. If we don't gain the technology to reach beyond earth, absolutely everything here will one day be erased by the Sun and we will not even be a memory.

[thisismisslys]

DFTBA!

[PosterBoi]

Have we nothing better to do than explore planets that never in the lifetime of mankind could we ever visit? How many hungry people could eat a meal with the money spent on this irrelevant information? We will never inhabit other planets no matter how much money we waste in space.

[Zann-Zel]

I wonder if people used to say: Have we nothing better to do than explore desolate oceans? We will never find anything out there, the earth is flat! Its a waste of money!

; )

[MattieWinchester]

Do you have a smart phone, cable tv, *Internet access*, go to movies, go out to eat at restaurants, drink Starbucks coffee? If you do any of the above, why are you wasting your money on frivolous entertainment for yourself when you could be feeding the hungry? Why are you wasting your time trolling articles when you could be out volunteering? Scientists like this do much more for mankind than someone sitting behind their computer making judgements on them.

[BigMykul]

by Zann-Zel December 6, 2011 1:34 PM EST
Its only seconds away if we can figure out how to "go between" like the Dragonriders of Pern! : )

----------------------------------------------------------------
Excellent, another PERN fan. Unfortunately, the dragons are not able to travel that far. They would be limited by oxygen deprivation.

[Zann-Zel]

Darn! I was all ready to ride a golden one! : )

[Sloughfoot]

"Thrilling", not. This is like awakening from a dream where you met the most vivacious girl of your life on the highest mountain in Tibet. You better go right back to sleep because dreaming about it is as close as you will ever get.

[AnnieDanny]

Good comparison! And, all we are likely to know about that planet is what we can Dream about, anyway.

Except the price tag for a dream is a whole lot less.

[ghostfighter-2009]

I look at it this way: If interstellar travel is possible, then some race somewhere has done it. It's faster and cheaper to learn the technology from them than figure it out ourselves.

So if we really want to learn to travel between stars, the best bang for the buck is to keep trying to contact potential off-planet civilizations.

A radio telescope costs a fraction of a rocket.

[charlieorange]

we are not alone in the universe
www.feralspecies.com

[AnnieDanny]

Thrilling? Do I detect an effort to ramp up the excitement? Are we excited yet? ... yet?? .... ??

[Exayevie]

NERDFIGHTERS HA!

[LynleyKerr]

I am so excited about this discovery that I have to name the planet, "AQUARIA", after the Age of Aquarius. Too cool! NDGT is so great! So is Discovery Channel, PBS, Netflix, and my Roku which allow me to watch NDGT!