Recent content by Jando

Hello! (and what an old thread revived) The fact that Earth has life is certainly relevant because it tells us that life is possible. But then we already knew that. :) However that alone doesn't tell us anything about life happening elsewhere. It only tells us that it is possible. Whether it...

Classical conflict of interests: some people want to earn money, others want to do science. The money people usually win.

You can never know the complete economics of nuclear reactors until you have found a way to get rid of the nuclear waste. What might seem reasonable now ("Just drop the waste into some desert") may not be reasonable in 20 years, not to speak about the next 200.000 years.

Can't have that. :) You're asking for challenges that are very hard and are in the spirit of what's usually done. Problem is of course that the challenges that are hard are the ones that are not usually done (exactly because they are hard). Instead we do the things that are not very hard...

Awfully sorry, but all of them. :) The article only talks about this solar system, this Earth and this moon. Whether that has any relevance for other systems, other planets and other moons is completely unknown.

Even if it turns out that the moon was vital to start life on this planet - that would tell you nothing about the value you're looking for. Because it doesn't tell you anything about whether it's vital for other planets too.

From the article: Down in the lower right of the graph are the white dwarfs Reference https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/representative-night-sky/ Shouldn't that be the lower left? :)

European Virgo collaboration inviting journalists to their site for the same date and time as in the Ligo announcement: http://public.virgo-gw.eu/february-11th-scientists-to-provide-an-update-on-the-search-for-gravitational-waves/

I just want to chime into say thanks the contributors (especially A. Neumaier) here. It's a very interesting read. I'm not qualified to contribute to the debate but can understand it. It's good to see a discussion about a concept again. Thanks.

Works in Stellarium as well, here's a view of the 4 inner planets from a point 300 meters above the surface of Saturn. Catched Venus in almost full phase from there. :)