by News broke last week that we have discovered another earth called “Gliese 581.” Should we be thrilled with that news, or should we be terrified that there’s a whole “‘nother us” roaming the universe waiting to start a fight with any perceived threat to nation and globular home?
Astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable planet of similar size to Earth in orbit around a nearby star. A team of planet hunters spotted the alien world circling a red dwarf star called Gliese 581, 20 light years away.
The planet is in the “Goldilocks zone” of space around a star where surface temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water to form.
“Our findings offer a very compelling case for a potentially habitable planet,” said Steven Vogt, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “The fact that we were able to detect this planet so quickly and so nearby tells us that planets like this must be really common.”
If confirmed, the planet would be the most Earth-like that has ever been discovered in another solar system and the first strong contender for a habitable one.
I wonder if the inhabitants of Gliese 581 have discovered us in return? How long have they been watching us? Have they sent any reconnaissance missions to earth to find out if we are friend or foe?
Or are we truly alone in the universe without any other sentient beings?
How soon will we construct an expedition to Gliese 581, and will we take weapons with us on the journey? One thing we know for sure is that James Cameron is already there waiting for us.
One of my favorite lines from the television show Doctor Who is — “I never carry weapons. If people see you mean them no harm, they never hurt you. Nine times out of ten. ” I think that generally works.
I love that quote, Gordon! Most excellent! Plus, we have no idea if their weapons are bigger and better than ours! Why risk a “mine is better than yours” comparison if you don’t have to?