New solar system near by with 7 planets, three habitable.

[Sparko]

You've got to BELIEVE, Sparko. Life is OUT there!

There well could be. But my beef was with the pop news when these planets were discovered. The articles kept saying "Earth-like planets" and "habitable planets" were found, as if anyone could tell by just telescope (at least with current technology). I argued that they were spouting nonsense to make unsubstantiated claims, and Shuny and Tassman et al kept telling me I was just complaining because I was a Christian and blah blah blah.

Well, thar ya go guys. I was right. The original stories were just made-up BS. There is no way to know what the conditions are like on those planets. Just because they are rocky earth sized planets doesn't mean they are "earth-like and habitable" - Mercury, Venus and Mars are rocky planets too and they are not habitable or earth-like. The new information seems to bear out that they are not habitable after all.

[One Bad Pig]

There well could be. But my beef was with the pop news when these planets were discovered. The articles kept saying "Earth-like planets" and "habitable planets" were found, as if anyone could tell by just telescope (at least with current technology). I argued that they were spouting nonsense to make unsubstantiated claims, and Shuny and Tassman et al kept telling me I was just complaining because I was a Christian and blah blah blah.

Well, thar ya go guys. I was right. The original stories were just made-up BS. There is no way to know what the conditions are like on those planets. Just because they are rocky earth sized planets doesn't mean they are "earth-like and habitable" - Mercury, Venus and Mars are rocky planets too and they are not habitable or earth-like. The new information seems to bear out that they are not habitable after all.

Sure, life could be out there. I just don't share the materialists' need to believe that humans are not unique.

[Sparko]

Sure, life could be out there. I just don't share the materialists' need to believe that humans are not unique.

me either. I am agnostic on life elsewhere in the universe. If it is there and we find it, then but it could be that Earth has the only life in the universe.

[oxmixmudd]

me either. I am agnostic on life elsewhere in the universe. If it is there and we find it, then but it could be that Earth has the only life in the universe.

I wouldn't get too excited. If there is life elsewhere, there is no guarantee it is harmless to us. Even if it is 'intelligent' life. We aren't particularly friendly as a species to that which we don't undestand or respect (just look at how most conversations go in this forum). Why should we expect it would be either? Though I tend to wonder if the develpment of fission and fusion weapons doesn't tend to at least soften the destructive tendencies of a species - in that those that develop such weapons that do not 'evolve' some sort of capacity to control the instincts that tend towards war and destruction also tend to wipe themselves out.

Jim

[Sparko]

I wouldn't get too excited. If there is life elsewhere, there is no guarantee it is harmless to us. Even if it is 'intelligent' life. We aren't particularly friendly as a species to that which we don't undestand or respect (just look at how most conversations go in this forum). Why should we expect it would be either? Though I tend to wonder if the develpment of fission and fusion weapons doesn't tend to at least soften the destructive tendencies of a species - in that those that develop such weapons that do not 'evolve' some sort of capacity to control the instincts that tend towards war and destruction also tend to wipe themselves out.

Jim

They will be almost like us, speak English, but will have bumpy foreheads. duh.