Impossible Planet Discovered

[Hum]

Based on what we know about how solar systems form, researchers thought that a giant rocky planet could not exist. But they just found one that's 17 times Earth's mass. They're calling it the Mega-Earth.

Scientists say the new planet may have "profound implications for the possibility of life" on extra-solar planets, according to a press release from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. They announced the finding in a talk at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Boston.

Researchers have always thought Mega-Earths were impossible since any planets that big would attract hydrogen gas, forming a gas planet like Jupiter.

Mega-Earth, also known as Kepler-10c, is 18,000 miles in diameter and 2.3 times as large as Earth. It appears to be as solid as the planet beneath our feet.

Kepler-10c was previously known to astronomers, but they had not yet measured its mass. Due to its size ? 2.3 times that of Earth ? it was assumed to be a "mini-Neptune," a planet encased in thick gas. But the new observations have confirmed that it is rocky, not gassy.

It orbits an 11 billion-year-old star named Kepler-10 located 560 light years away from Earth. Its year lasts only 45 days.

Interestingly, this solar system is more than twice as old as our own ? it was born less than 3 billion years after the Big Bang.

Researchers had previously thought that this kind of planet impossible.

more

[Phouchg]

What alien kind of implications for the possibility of life can be discussed about if this rock's surface gravity is about ~3.3 times more? Not that I contest life forms cannot ever exist in other conditions, but all in all Earth is really rather convenient.

[Top Qat]

First thing I thought was this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Impossible_Planet

[McKay]

What alien kind of implications for the possibility of life can be discussed about if this rock's surface gravity is about ~3.3 times more? Not that I contest life forms cannot ever exist in other conditions, but all in all Earth is really rather convenient.

 

If life can survive at crushing depths in our ocean, I'd imagine it would do fine, just maybe smaller and lower down to the ground. Shorter stouter creatures. 

[+Warwagon MVC]

What alien kind of implications for the possibility of life can be discussed about if this rock's surface gravity is about ~3.3 times more?

 

Their women probably have 6 really saggy boobs.

[DocM]

Multipedal critters, 6-8 straight & thick limbs, with cathedral arch spines and connected mesenteric ligaments to support their organs.

[Hum]

Love it when Science finds the Impossible. :p

[T3X4S]

Then why bring it up

I'll check with you next time I post - to see if it passes your requirements

[T3X4S]

What alien kind of implications for the possibility of life can be discussed about if this rock's surface gravity is about ~3.3 times more? Not that I contest life forms cannot ever exist in other conditions, but all in all Earth is really rather convenient.

Either English isn't your first language or you are trying to sound like Yoda.

Nice is relevant - Earth is nice for us, and what we consider hospitable - you're assuming other life forms would be constrained to the same physical limitations of us.... You're assuming life is in a physical form that is susceptible to things like gravity - could be something totally different than little grey beings.

[The Evil Overlord]

Quick send an exo corporation to rape the planet's resources for our benefit and enjoyment :p

 

 

Oh wait, I was thinking of Avatar, nevermind

[Phouchg]

Either English isn't your first language or you are trying to sound like Yoda.

 

Common courtesy of not being a square (a) isn't your first language or you are trying to sound like one.

 

 

Nice is relevant - Earth is nice for us, and what we consider hospitable - you're assuming other life forms would be constrained to the same physical limitations of us.... You're assuming life is in a physical form that is susceptible to things like gravity - could be something totally different than little grey beings.

 

I do not for one second advocate that Earth and we are somehow favored in the whole universe (although the universe as a whole does seem paradoxically convenient). As pointed out above already, there are organisms that live in conditions right here that we consider inhospitable (for us) - high pressure, high temperature, lack of oxygen, ionizing radiation. What I intend to ask, and with curiosity rather than certainty, is why haven't these life forms evolved into complex organisms, and, additionally, the more inhospitable for us the conditions are, the more primitive these organisms are? It appears that CHZ is important.

[Hum]

What alien kind of implications for the possibility of life can be discussed about if this rock's surface gravity is about ~3.3 times more? Not that I contest life forms cannot ever exist in other conditions, but all in all Earth is really rather convenient.

Maybe the intelligent lifeforms are elf-sized. ;)

[Kriz]

Pretty astounding find if it goes against what we thought..

 

We're clearly not know-it-alls so this isnt suprising to me, we havnt figured out the universe so it could throw anything and everything at us

[rwx]

Post deleted by poster.