Major new exoplanet findings to be announced next Monday

[scotthm]

Maybe we don't have direct or indirect evidence for the existence of another concrete instance of life, but I don't think that's the only kind of evidence you can have on the matter.

I would suggest that if your evidence is neither direct nor indirect that it is imaginary.

the E.T. believers have considerably more evidence supporting the possibility of aliens than believers do for the possibility of God.

Of the "neither direct nor indirect" kind?

I think it's pretty clear that we have no evidence that would preclude the existence of God or E.T.

Now thats news.

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/sep/HQ_M11-192_Kepler_Briefing.html

This is, of course, the most interesting part:

"A representative from Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a division of Lucasfilm Ltd., will join a panel of scientists to discuss the discovery."

---------------

 

[Wanderlust]

Not that anyone cares..

Hey, you're overplaying it here. Some of us do care. It's certainly wonderful news to hear, even if it only confirms what was already expected, in this case it's great to hear that our expectations were true.

but 23 new Exoplanets were released today from the folks at the SuperWASP survey.

Where?

http://www.superwasp.org/

SuperWASP is the UK's leading extra-solar planet detection program comprising of a consortium of eight academic institutions which include Cambridge University, the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, the Isaac Newton Group of telescopes, Keele University, Leicester University, the Open University, Queen's University Belfast and St. Andrew's University.

SuperWASP consists of two robotic observatories that operate continuously all year around, allowing us to cover both hemispheres of the sky. The first, SuperWASP-North is located on the island of La Palma amongst the Isaac Newton Group of telescopes (ING). The second, SuperWASP-South is located at the site of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), just outside Sutherland, South Africa (Click on the map for more information). The observatories each consist of eight wide-angle cameras that simultaneously monitor the sky for planetary transit events. A transit occurs when a planet passes in front of its parent star temporarily blocking some of the light from it (see the How it works section). The eight wide-angle cameras allow us to monitor millions of stars simultaneously enabling us to detect the rare transit events.

 

[CaptainDonovin]

Guess NASA doesn't want to be outdone, they have their own anouncement coming Thursday.

http://www.space.com/12938-nasa-kepler-planet-discovery-scifi-ilm-thursday.html

 

[Wanderlust]

"A representative from Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a division of Lucasfilm Ltd., will join a panel of scientists to discuss the discovery."

---------------

Just noticed this

wtf

O.O

 

[Fang66]

But why must you bash his beliefs? I don't see him taking shots at yours.

It's a discussion forum, people post their thoughts and others comment on them, Sector 7 is free to post his reaction to my post but so far he seems above the fray probably says something positive about his character.

Sector 7 exposed his religious beliefs on a discussion board in a thread related to scientific endeavors ergo they are up for discussion, it's not like I went onto a Christian discussion board and started criticizing peoples beliefs . Also I didn't bash his beliefs I state a fact, the fact is his beliefs are ludicrous and not supported by objective reality,

No, you stated your opinion of his beliefs. And you did it in a douchey manner. Atheists who want to be critical of religion and have a chance of a civil conversation with the faithful would do themselves a favor to discern the distinction.

Ah your main objection is that I'm a jerk. Guess I can't deny that but at least I'm not delusional (or wrong).

 

[MANT!]

In your opinion...

 

[Fang66]

In your opinion...

Well it is my opinion that a thread about science on a science fiction board is an inappropriate place to spout religious nonsense and I am justified in calling the guy out on it. It is also my opinion that a thread about gods on a religious board would be an inappropriate place too do so. You can agree or disagree with that opinion.

That religious belief is not supported by objective reality is not an opinion it is a fact.

 

[sojourner]

^Only Sith deal in absolutes.

 

[Fang66]

^Only Sith deal in absolutes.

Only the mentally challenged quote Star ars.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

all deities have exactly the same amount of evidence for existence.

Interestingly, you have the same amount of evidence for E.T.

---------------

That is an inaccurate comparison. More accurate would be to compare the people who not only believe ET might be out there but to compare the people who believe ET is out there and they are the Grays and those Lizard people (don't remember their names) and a host of others. There are elobrate descriptions of what these aliens are like, how they have directly influenced earth, that they were responsible for seeding life on earth etc.

I think most of us, religious or not, would agree that the small set of people who believe such things have an irrational belief. Such a specific and detailed belief system without even thin shards of evidence to support it is a bit on the crazy side even though many claim to have had a personal experience such as an abduction.

Now on the other hand you have a bunch of people that generally accept scientific view points who advocate that there is a good chance life exists out there. They have no proof. They have compelling reasons to turn on the spot lights and look for it. They almost never believe in the elaborate descriptions of the Grays and other popular aliens. They do not claim to know for certain aliens are out there (or at least the few in this group who do are the exception).

So yes, if you are talking about the first group I agree, they can be compared to religion in the way you did. As for the second type, rather than being a specific belief set in aliens without evidence, it is a mind set about the best way to proceed in our search for evidence. And if we never find it, look at how much we are learning about the Universe in the process anyway.

 

[Amaris]

^Only Sith deal in absolutes.

Only the mentally challenged quote Star ars.

Regardless, it would probably be a good idea to tone it back some. This is a SciTech thread, not TNZ. Tossing around insults and berating people doesn't fly too well around here.

 

[stonester1]

all deities have exactly the same amount of evidence for existence.

Interestingly, you have the same amount of evidence for E.T.

---------------

That is an inaccurate comparison. More accurate would be to compare the people who not only believe ET might be out there but to compare the people who believe ET is out there and they are the Grays and those Lizard people (don't remember their names) and a host of others. There are elobrate descriptions of what these aliens are like, how they have directly influenced earth, that they were responsible for seeding life on earth etc.

I think most of us, religious or not, would agree that the small set of people who believe such things have an irrational belief. Such a specific and detailed belief system without even thin shards of evidence to support it is a bit on the crazy side even though many claim to have had a personal experience such as an abduction.

Now on the other hand you have a bunch of people that generally accept scientific view points who advocate that there is a good chance life exists out there. They have no proof. They have compelling reasons to turn on the spot lights and look for it. They almost never believe in the elaborate descriptions of the Grays and other popular aliens. They do not claim to know for certain aliens are out there (or at least the few in this group who do are the exception).

So yes, if you are talking about the first group I agree, they can be compared to religion in the way you did. As for the second type, rather than being a specific belief set in aliens without evidence, it is a mind set about the best way to proceed in our search for evidence. And if we never find it, look at how much we are learning about the Universe in the process anyway.

I'm not so willing to dismiss every single person, no matter who they are, who claim to have had an extraordinary experience, as "crazy".

 

[Fang66]

^Only Sith deal in absolutes.

Only the mentally challenged quote Star ars.

Regardless, it would probably be a good idea to tone it back some. This is a SciTech thread, not TNZ. Tossing around insults and berating people doesn't fly too well around here.

I have not insulted anyone, and the above is obviously tounge in cheek and is a go at Star Wars not sojourner. I have pointed out that Sector 7 believes in fantasy, that is not an insult it is an accurate characterisation. I didn't say something like Sector 7 is a fool, in fact I congratulated Sector 7 on being above the fray. I'm hating the game not the player. Other people have responded by putting words in my mouth strawman style.

 

[stonester1]

I have not insulted anyone, and the above is obviously tounge in cheek and is a go at Star Wars not sojourner. I have pointed out that Sector 7 believes in fantasy, that is not an insult it is an accurate characterisation.

No, they have called you out on your insulting, unprovoked characterization of his beliefs. He looks out at the wonder of the universe and sees evidence of his spiritual beliefs. And you don't have the wisdom and the omniscience to tell him he's wrong. You just have the temerity and the lack of class to insult him, yes, HIM, because of his beliefs.

Double the problem with you refusing to back down on it.

 

[Deckerd]

This is like the Zone. All we need is Dennis and I'll be completely fuddled.

 

[JarodRussell]

I find it unfair that you can say "The spaghetti monster created the entire universe and the moon is made from cheese", but you're not allowed to say "That's utter bullshit."

We live in secularized countries. It's our right to say "that's bullshit". We fought very hard to get that right.

 

[Fang66]

I find it unfair that you can say "The spaghetti monster created the entire universe and the moon is made from cheese", but you're not allowed to say "That's utter bullshit."

We live in secularized countries. It's our right to say "that's bullshit". We fought very hard to get that right.

+ elevenyleven

 

[scotthm]

I have pointed out that Sector 7 believes in fantasy, that is not an insult it is an accurate characterisation.

And how would you know that it is fantasy? You shouldn't assume that just because you haven't run across evidence of something that it can't be real. (Or have you decided to stop learning?)

---------------

 

[JarodRussell]

I have pointed out that Sector 7 believes in fantasy, that is not an insult it is an accurate characterisation.

And how would you know that it is fantasy? You shouldn't assume that just because you haven't run across evidence of something that it can't be real. (Or have you decided to stop learning?)

---------------

"Atheists! Prove to me that God doesn't exist!"

 

[Wanderlust]

I don't want this religious stuff in my thread about exoplanets anymore, if you want to continue this so called 'debate' make another thread.

I think ill make another thread for general news from the exoplanet field. We seem to be receiving alot of stuff that should be mentioned but does not warrant its own thread. Plus we could talk about super earths and other cool features.