Shortlist of Possible ET Addresses 136
An anonymous reader writes "Yahoo News is reporting that Astronomer Margaret Turnbull of the Carnegie Institution has released a 'top 10' list of potential inhabitable star systems. NASA is planning on using this top 10 list as the targets for their Terrestrial Planet Finder a 'system of two orbiting observatories scheduled for launch by 2020.'"
Keeping it secret (Score:4, Insightful)
Locating Greener Pastures (Score:5, Insightful)
This would be a lot more motivating and captivating than scanning the heavens for shapes of creatures from mythology, which is no better than looking for pictures of Jesus or the Virgin Mary in a cheese sandwich.
Once we find something out there worth travelling to, then it would automatically spur thoughts of developing means to get there. Even if such dreams aren't possible due to the limits of known physics, it's still a noble and instinctive goal, like our grazing ancestors had in seeking greener pastures. Who knows where such thoughts might ultimatley lead?
Propaganda ? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Finding life == Online Dating (Score:3, Insightful)
I hate to break it to you, but the world will go on after you die. There will be people just as bright and interested in things like this as you are (or aren't).
Astroscience is about advancing the species, not the nation, not the corporation, not the individual, but humanity itself. In space are the answers to all of our questions (origins of life, divinity or lack thereof, the nature of sentience, possible existence of other dimensions, the relative success of our species and planet compared to other species and planets). We are as ignorant about such things as we were about electricity not too long ago. Because there are those who would prefer we stay that way, for sake of the belief we are somehow the center and culmination of all universal existence (how absurd!), it's necessary for those who know better to push these projects forward even though the results won't be present until long after we're dead.
Microsoft cornering the ET OS market? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Finding life == Online Dating (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course, we need to improve some more on artificial intelligence. We don't need something that can converse, but we do need something that can make decisions about proper behavior for unexpected events.