Comments on: Earth-like planet found. Whoop-de-doo http://www.blogomatique.com/2007/04/25/earth-like-planet-found-whoop-de-doo/ My own personal soapbox Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:12:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: brandie http://www.blogomatique.com/2007/04/25/earth-like-planet-found-whoop-de-doo/#comment-45 brandie Mon, 30 Apr 2007 14:47:12 +0000 http://www.blogomatique.com/2007/04/25/earth-like-planet-found-whoop-de-doo/#comment-45 I'm surprised that you have enough faith in humanity that you think we really will be able to evolve. I can't help but absolutely and fundamentally disagree with you about that. All you have to look at who's breeding and who's not to see where I'm getting my POV. Lots of studies have shown that there is a marked inverse relationship between educational attainment and number of children. Not to mention in a more global level which countries have the highest birth rates and which are below maintenance level reproduction. And then we get into the genetics aspect of keeping people alive who shouldn't be and allowing them to pass on their disfunctional genes. And people "falling in love" and thus overlooking serious flaws in their mate that, in a real Darwinian situation, would've excluded them from the gene pool. Based on humanity's performance so far, though, I'm definitely not complaining. Not only have I given up on us, I'm rooting against us. I agree that the distance of the planet really isn't all that big of a deal. I guess all they're saying is that with the distance, the temperatures would support liquid water if it does in fact exist. Apparently, all of our other discoveries were not in that proximity. As far as whether water is enough to make a stink about at all, I suppose that my issue is more at the idea of "life as we know it" rather than the fact that we're looking for water. Yes, if water is there, it's a great sign. However, I highly doubt that "life as we know it" is very representative of life as a whole. So, I don't think that the ability to have water is any special indication of anything. I’m surprised that you have enough faith in humanity that you think we really will be able to evolve. I can’t help but absolutely and fundamentally disagree with you about that. All you have to look at who’s breeding and who’s not to see where I’m getting my POV. Lots of studies have shown that there is a marked inverse relationship between educational attainment and number of children. Not to mention in a more global level which countries have the highest birth rates and which are below maintenance level reproduction. And then we get into the genetics aspect of keeping people alive who shouldn’t be and allowing them to pass on their disfunctional genes. And people “falling in love” and thus overlooking serious flaws in their mate that, in a real Darwinian situation, would’ve excluded them from the gene pool.

Based on humanity’s performance so far, though, I’m definitely not complaining. Not only have I given up on us, I’m rooting against us.

I agree that the distance of the planet really isn’t all that big of a deal. I guess all they’re saying is that with the distance, the temperatures would support liquid water if it does in fact exist. Apparently, all of our other discoveries were not in that proximity.

As far as whether water is enough to make a stink about at all, I suppose that my issue is more at the idea of “life as we know it” rather than the fact that we’re looking for water. Yes, if water is there, it’s a great sign. However, I highly doubt that “life as we know it” is very representative of life as a whole. So, I don’t think that the ability to have water is any special indication of anything.

]]> By: Termy http://www.blogomatique.com/2007/04/25/earth-like-planet-found-whoop-de-doo/#comment-44 Termy Sat, 28 Apr 2007 19:18:17 +0000 http://www.blogomatique.com/2007/04/25/earth-like-planet-found-whoop-de-doo/#comment-44 I prefer to think that we'll evolve into something better. Perhaps this evolution will be more cultural than genetic, and sooner rather than later. Your cynicism is warranted but I hope you haven't given up on us completely. Re: the planet. I'm a little more annoyed by the fact that the only thing special about the planet is it's proximity to the star, we don't actually have any idea whether it has water on it or not. I don't think anyone doubted that planets could be a certain distance from a star. It's just not as big of a deal as the media is making out. I agree that we shouldn't hedge our bets too far into the water category, but all life as we know it has arisen from water so that's a good place to start. I prefer to think that we’ll evolve into something better. Perhaps this evolution will be more cultural than genetic, and sooner rather than later. Your cynicism is warranted but I hope you haven’t given up on us completely.

Re: the planet. I’m a little more annoyed by the fact that the only thing special about the planet is it’s proximity to the star, we don’t actually have any idea whether it has water on it or not. I don’t think anyone doubted that planets could be a certain distance from a star. It’s just not as big of a deal as the media is making out.

I agree that we shouldn’t hedge our bets too far into the water category, but all life as we know it has arisen from water so that’s a good place to start.

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