Is there another Earth out there ?

[Nick R]

Some where else ! with out a doubt,

Has any one visited us from else where ?No !!! They would not survive the rain:)

[JamesK]

A very interesting (and amusing) part fiction, part fact, book on (amongst other facinating things) the development of life is Terry Pratchett's the Science of Discworld (part 1). It goes into the scope of life on earth, the chances of life on a planet etc. . However, probably best for Discworld fans or you won't enjoy the many tradition Discworld in-jokes, and might stuggle to understand what is going on during the (relativly short) non-fictional parts. I would reccommend it though.

[Brinders]

Is there anothr Earth out there?

No!

And we had better start taking better care of the one we have. There can only be one Earth unless there is an identical twin on the same orbit around our sun I don't know about.

As to whether there is life elsewhere within our solar system or galaxy, no one knows at the present time. It's great to speculate, but there is currently no evidence to support any such theory.

I read Patrick Moores piece in the November Sky at Night magazine and am inclined to agree that the evidence suggests we are the highest life form in our stellar neighbourhood and being are aware of the middle age of our sun and the age of our galaxy it is unlikely that any other life has evolved to be able to communicate with us. But I may be proven to be wrong, but not so far!

Brinders

[Cygnus]

There's gotta be!!!

[Steve922]

We seem to be on the verge of answering the question of other Earth-like planets (which is what, I think the OP was asking) and their frequency. The quetsion of life elsewhere than Earth is a completely different ball-game and maybe way too complicated to even guess at without first defining what life is. In fact, I think I'll start a new thread on that very subject. :-)

Steve

[ronin]

Depends on what is meant by Earth like.

I presume that it means planets capable of developing and supporting life. Believe there will probably be quite a few with the number of stars and probably systems out there.

Then comes what level of life, single cell, multi cell or higher. I understand that earth was stuck in a rut for millions of years where life was simple single cell organisms.

If you mean planets on which we could step out of a space ship, take off the suits and breathe happily and live then I would say none:eek:. The planet to do that will have some life on it already and it would probably be hostile. Bacteria and virus equivalents etc not dragons and monsters. So earth like but hostile. We have developed on Earth and have evolved defences to the germs bacteria and viruses here. We have none against whatever may have developed elsewhere.

Don't think that there will be an exact match to earth. Almost certainly cannot be. Just one virus to develop a bit differently sometime over 4.5 billion years stops an exact match.

Trees are big but fungus breaks them down very quickly here, something on another "Earth" could likely see us as a host to grow in.

[Aldebaran5]

What percentage is life on earth out of the whole universe. If it takes many many years to travel past the Oort cloud then how can we find another earth-like planet.

How do we know there's not one on the opposite side of the Milky way. At the end of the day we all end up in the singularity anyway.

Keith.

[Steve922]

If it takes many many years to travel past the Oort cloud then how can we find another earth-like planet.

Sources such as these will help with the answer to that question.

Exoplanets.org

PlanetQuest: Exoplanet Exploration

HTH

Steve

[Jase71]

Another Earth?-Probably not..

Another life supporting planet?-Probably.

Thing is..Earth may well be suitable for higher life forms at present-But "present" is a drip in the ocean of Earths lifespan.

Have heard a lot about how we are so lucky to be here thanks to Earths "just right" balance of temperature range,atmospheric composition,stabillised by the moon etc...

I dont really think we ARE that lucky...I simply think life adapts to conditions around it...Even here on earth life exists in some crazy conditions that until recently would have been declared impossible to support life.

Im not expecting little green men and "take me to your leader" anytime soon,but i do firmly believe there are other planets that harbor life-In whatever forms its capable of sustaining them in.

[Lowstar]

Direct quote from Wiki:

Alderaan was destroyed by order of Tarkin and the Emperor Palpatine. Tarkin felt the Rebels were growing bolder, and only a very public demonstration of the Death Star's power against a Rebel target would succeed in frightening the Alliance into submission. Palpatine approved in advance of the destruction of the planet, but publicly adopted a benevolent persona, announcing that he was saddened by the loss of such a noble world. He added that, had Alderaan entrusted itself to Imperial protection, it would still be thriving. In other words, the destruction of Alderaan might not have been necessary had Bail Organa simply bowed before the emperor. He then made an apparently magnanimous offer to resettle the sixty thousand surviving Alderaanians who were away when their homeworld was destroyed, on his "private resort world."

There`s no flies on you Rusty!!