The Student Room Group
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>

Several "Goldilocks Zone" planets found. The end of "Fine Tuning"?

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/feb/22/thrilling-discovery-of-seven-earth-sized-planets-discovered-orbiting-trappist-1-star

How does this discovery affect the claim that it is so unlikely that our earth occupies the Goldilocks Zone, that it must have been god wotdiddit?

Scroll to see replies

Well, seven strong possibilities in the Goldilocks Zone of a single planet only forty light years away shows us that these planets are likely to be plentiful, as if we didn't think that already.
Doesn't the fine tuning argument refer to the fundamental laws of physics rather than Earth's climatic conditions?
Reply 3
Avatar for Rakas21
Rakas21
21
As i have noted in these space threads before we are living in a world where the masses are not aware of just how plentiful planets are. Kepler has found 3000 and TESS in March 2018 will find ever more.
Reply 4
Avatar for toby314
toby314
4
The theory of intelligent design can still be argued up until we find life on other planets as a believer could always say that earth was designed perfectly for life, unlike anywhere else.
However, with the impossibly huge size of the universe, I believe that it is almost certain that countless planets are in countless goldilocks zones. This must mean that there must be countless form of life in the universe.
Because of this, I believe that life on Earth happened completely randomly but it could still be argued that the universe could still have been designed :P
Reply 5
Avatar for Jjj90
Jjj90
19
Do we have to degrade this story by bringing God into it?
Reply 6
Avatar for IFLICHBA
IFLICHBA
2
Life will be found to be abundant in the universe imo, but mainly primitive. The biggest questions we have now are nothing to do with God, they're about how we're going to spread to these habitable zones. Space flight will require very large ships where several generations will exist before the destination is reached. We need to evolve past rocket technology (if it's possible) and embrace new methods of travel.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 7
Avatar for Jjj90
Jjj90
19
Original post by IFLICHBA
Life will be found to be abundant in the universe imo, but mainly primitive. The biggest questions we have now are nothing to do with God, they're about how we're going to spread to these habitable zones. Space flight will require very large ships where several generations will exist before the destination is reached. We need to evolve past rocket technology (if it's possible) and embrace new methods of travel.


From Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything: "Under Drake’s equation you divide the number of stars in a selected portion of the universe by the number of stars that are likely to have planetary systems; divide that by the number of planetary systems that could theoretically support life; divide that by the number on which life, having arisen, advances to a state of intelligence; and so on. At each such division, the number shrinks colossally—yet even with the most conservative inputs the number of advanced civilizations just in the Milky Way always works out to be somewhere in the millions."
Its close to disproving the Rare Earth Hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_Earth_hypothesis however the fine tuning is to do with the existence of the universal constants such as G, λ etc. The value of these if changed by a fraction of a percentage would result in the universe not existing.
Original post by Rakas21
As i have noted in these space threads before we are living in a world where the masses are not aware of just how plentiful planets are. Kepler has found 3000 and TESS in March 2018 will find ever more.


I'm sure I heard on Horizon or as similar TV program that there's as many planets out there as there are grains of sand on Earth's beaches. It really does show that the chances of our planet being the only one with life on in the entire universe is practically zero.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 10
Avatar for Jjj90
Jjj90
19
Original post by Tempest II
I'm sure I heard on Horizon or as similar TV program that there's as many planets out there as there are grains of sand on Earth's beaches. It really does show that the chances of our planet being the only one with life on in the entire universe is practical zero.


I'd be surprised if there wasn't life other than ours within our solar system.
Original post by Tempest II
I'm sure I heard on Horizon or as similar TV program that there's as many planets out there as there are grains of sand on Earth's beaches. It really does show that the chances of our planet being the only one with life on in the entire universe is practical zero.


Yes.

Back in the 60's the number of rocky planets was estimated at 10,000 in our galaxy.. the estimated number now is in the billions. Back in the 60's it was thought that our solar system was unique in terms of having everything in the right places.. it now seems that wherever nature can put a planet, it does.

Our world, is very small.
Original post by Captain Haddock
Doesn't the fine tuning argument refer to the fundamental laws of physics rather than Earth's climatic conditions?


Yes. Mostly at least. Pointless thread.
Original post by IFLICHBA
Life will be found to be abundant in the universe imo, but mainly primitive. The biggest questions we have now are nothing to do with God, they're about how we're going to spread to these habitable zones. Space flight will require very large ships where several generations will exist before the destination is reached. We need to evolve past rocket technology (if it's possible) and embrace new methods of travel.


I honestly think the idea of generation ships will be come obsolete quite soon. It's likely we will have developed advanced A.I way before we have the will or the technology to travel between solar systems, and that A.I will very quickly absorb or replace us.

So in other words, when it finally comes to a time when humanity must leave our solar system, you would be able to fit it's entirety on a ship the size of a USB drive.

Spoiler

Original post by Farm_Ecology
you would be able to fit it's entirety on a ship the size of a USB drive.

hyperbole of course, but you get my meaning.


That must be what is known as a hyperbolic drive.

:getmecoat:
Original post by Farm_Ecology
I honestly think the idea of generation ships will be come obsolete quite soon. It's likely we will have developed advanced A.I way before we have the will or the technology to travel between solar systems, and that A.I will very quickly absorb or replace us.

So in other words, when it finally comes to a time when humanity must leave our solar system, you would be able to fit it's entirety on a ship the size of a USB drive.

Spoiler




You are assuming that AI can even develop the ability to think.That ability could be unique to biological life.Sure computers can do calculations that humans can't but that is not the same as thinking.
Original post by Robby2312
You are assuming that AI can even develop the ability to think.That ability could be unique to biological life.Sure computers can do calculations that humans can't but that is not the same as thinking.


There is no reason to assume it can't, the mechanisms are functionally the same, and the idea that thought it unique to biology is nothing but pseudoscience.
Original post by Farm_Ecology
I honestly think the idea of generation ships will be come obsolete quite soon. It's likely we will have developed advanced A.I way before we have the will or the technology to travel between solar systems, and that A.I will very quickly absorb or replace us.

So in other words, when it finally comes to a time when humanity must leave our solar system, you would be able to fit it's entirety on a ship the size of a USB drive.
hyperbole of course, but you get my meaning.

I do quite like the idea of travelling to these far-away star systems using robotics alone, but I am guessing that when we find somewhere hospitable humans will desperately want to go there to start a new civilisation.
Reply 18
Avatar for Kyx
Kyx
6
Actually only three are in the Goldilocks zone (the same number as in our solar system), although all seven are likely to be habitable


Posted from TSR Mobile
If you're going to use a great astronomical discovery as an opportunity to attack religion, at least get the science bit right.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you