The Black Vault

[at1with0]

http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-telescope-co ... 05358.html

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft has confirmed the discovery of its first alien world in its host star's habitable zone — that just-right range of distances that could allow liquid water to exist — and found more than 1,000 new explanet candidates, researchers announced today (Dec. 5).

The new finds bring the Kepler space telescope's total haul to 2,326 potential planets in its first 16 months of operation.These discoveries, if confirmed, would quadruple the current tally of worlds known to exist beyond our solar system, which recently topped 700.

The potentially habitable alien world, a first for Kepler, orbits a star very much like our own sun. The discovery brings scientists one step closer to finding a planet like our own — one which could conceivably harbor life, scientists said.

[greeney2]

Amazing this is not the news story of the century when you think about it. Imagine what could be living on that planet right now? When you think about the age of the planets, and the known history of Man on earth, civilized man only traced back a hiccup or 2, from the age of the Universe.

This planet could have nothing, or it could have a living civilization. Maybe they burned themselves out millions of years ago and are extinct, or maybe they are just evolving and still cavemen? Pretty neat to think of, what life forms look like, how they may have evolved. Is there war, is there a world of many countries and problems, or a world of complete harmony.

Did they start like we did in a Garden of Eden, but they did not eat the forbidden fruit, a world that never saw sin or know what sin is. Was there an Adam and Eve who listened to God, and took care of the world God gave them? A world without conflict, war, strife. A world who does not know what crime is. A world without worry, no disease, complety pure and balanced ecosystem, where man lives to be 800 years old like Methusala. Can man live forever in a perfect unspoiled ecosystem, free of any sickness, virus, or disease?

[bionic]

Amazing this is not the news story of the century when you think about it

I know!!
I saw that story and thought..
"So cool!!"

[Guest]

Very exciting news! I'm hoping the teams find more but they seem to have a huge backlog of data to sift through. In time though, I have no doubt they'll discover more.

[capricorn]

After they find one, they will find hundreds more, especially as the technology to find these planets improves. Remember when the first planet was found outside our solar system back in the 90's? It was an incredible discovery... now they are a dime a dozen!

Still is incredible though, I agree.

[greeney2]

And poor ol Pluto got demoted from planet to hunk of ice! I say reinstore Pluto to full planet status, and stop hurting his feelings.

[bionic]

I agree..isn't Pluto a "planetoid" now? And there are two others?
I forget their names

poor Pluto

[frrostedman]

If we were to seed another planet with our species I'm sure we would want to establish some rules for them to live by.

"Commandments" if you will.

Sound familiar? hmmm....

[bionic]

the more things change..the More thEY stay the same, huh?

[adamwarlock2099]

Hope it doesn't harbor a potential Kepler Attacks! mentality of aliens.

But like greeny said, it is awesome to think of all the potentials of that planet and what it could or could have held. If anything, and we advance our space travel better, there is another planet that my great great great great grandchildren can live on once we burn out this one.

It also reminds me of an excellent graphic novel penciled by my good friend Joe Eisma called Sepro about a supposed government alien exchange program. It's very well done. I'd be right up some of the poster's here alley.

http://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=15154911