Earth-like planet found

[Dark Jaguar]

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badast...arby-star/

This is pretty cool, and bigger, it's relatively close by. However, before you get too excited, this planet is in the right size and location range, and stable, but no one knows what sort of environment it has yet.

[alien space marine]

Ahhhhhh Terra Nova

[Dark Jaguar]

You confuse me every time you type.

[etoven]

Ahhhhhh Terra Nova

It was the first planet to be colonized by humans in the Star Trek universe.

[Weltall]

I'm getting tired of the media misinterpretation of this event, such as the headline New Earth-like planet discovered.

We have absolutely no idea if it's anything at all like Earth beyond existing in the Goldilocks zone. It's very irresponsible.

[Great Rumbler]

"New planet completely devoid of life with an atmosphere of lethal methane discovered," just doesn't have the same ring to it.

[Weltall]

That would be an equally-irresponsible headline because we have no more clue if that's true than whether it's Earth-like or habitable. ;D

[etoven]

Breaking News....
Scientists have discovered a planet made entirely of Jello ruled by a family of Bill Cosby's....
NASA Confirms.

[Dark Jaguar]

Agreed Weltall, that's why I linked to an astronomer's site there. He makes a strong point on that.

For that matter, another really annoying habit is any time any astronomer team discovers a possible earth-crossing object, the headlines all say "Earth destroyer discovered! Will hit earth in 20XX scientists say!" or some such thing, instead of actually reporting that it's simply POSSIBLE and as it gets closer they'll be able to determine with greater accuracy what it is likely to do. As a result, the public at large just laughs off ALL such stories getting the impression that scientists don't know what they're talking about, when one day such a deadly object might actually show up and people will need to be aware of it if they're going to pressure the government to put money into saving our arses from the thing (it's become clear that world-ending catastrophe isn't even enough to get politicians to agree on something unless they decide it's politically expedient, today's world is a very short-sighted one).

[Weltall]

That's pretty much my reasoning, though I was thinking in terms other than imminent destruction.

I was thinking along the lines of the general idea that scientific and technological advancement are slowing and/or failing because we have not made manifest a lot of the classic WORLD OF THE FUTURE scenarios which have been talked about since our grandfathers were our ages. We don't have flying cars, they say. We don't have domed cities, they say. We don't have robot butlers, they say. And, people blame the scientists and technologists for failing to invent these things. They should blame the sensationalist media for making it seem as if these things were right around the corner when clearly they were not, and speaking of these things with only implied authority.

That same sensationalism is telling people that we found an earth clone orbiting Gliese. So, when we finally discover that it is not (as is most likely true), people will blame the astronomers for not keeping promises they never made.

[Dark Jaguar]

Yeah, it's a big problem. It's all the worse today, as nothing scientists say can get reported even somewhat resembling what the original scientist was even saying. As you say, it's not just astronomers. Engineers are also affected, and notably lately, biologists are affected.

Look at the whole "mouse ear" thing. When that first got announced, just about every news outlet reported it as a "cloning" thing, with articles like "could human clones be right around the corner?" which completely missed the point of that development. Further, every single time a new transitional fossil is found, every single news outlet has the same headline "Evolution vindicated at last! Missing link found!", as though evolution doesn't already have reams of existing evidence for it, each new transitional fossil just being another small part. Besides, creationists tend to not be phased in the least, to them every single new transitional form is really just introducing TWO new missing links where there was just one before :D. That's not to mention that the "straight path" is actually more like us finding different branches from earlier along, with whatever form was between them, in all likelihood, still being hidden.

Then there's the massive confusion over the LHC where all the news outlets were reporting, for a false sense of "balance", the fear mongering that the LHC could destroy the world. That was just insane...

[alien space marine]

You confuse me every time you type.

Terra =Latin for Earth

Nova = New

Terra Nova = New earth

"Terran" is a much cooler way of saying "earthling" in sci-fi...

Starcraft,Startrek, Have used "Terran" as a alternate name for human. "Earth" has also been called "Terra Prime" in some sci-fiction novels and television series , To distinguish it from planetary colonies that bare the name "Terra".

[Dark Jaguar]

Check your datums. Novus means new, nova means a star went boom, and since we're talking about astronomy, that's the definition we're using. Neo might work, though it's greek.

Everyone everywhere knows what terra means. It doesn't excuse tossing out random words.

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/20...thing.html

[alien space marine]

Check your datums. Novus means new, nova means a star went boom, and since we're talking about astronomy, that's the definition we're using. Neo might work, though it's greek.

Everyone everywhere knows what terra means. It doesn't excuse tossing out random words.

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/20...thing.html

Novus= New human invention

Neo= New innovated forms of existing ideologies Philosophies as well as "software and hardware".

Nova= "New" prefix for Any Terrestrial and extra-terrestrial body that was formed from the natural world.

"Nova" did not become a popular astronomical term for the explosion of stars or the birth of new ones the 16th century, even at that it was not until the 1930's that "Nova" has become predominately used as scientific term in the field of astronomy and psychics, Either way I am not in error for my old school usage of nova. "Terra Nova" is frequently used as name for human colonies in sci-fi literature and television programs like Startrek.

The reason DJ, that You have the need for creating drama constantly is that you have low self esteem,Possibly at a sub-conscious level, You feel threatened by my sudden rise in insight into the fields of knowledge you have traditionally for the longest time been the undisputed master over, You just cant stand the thought of having me as a rival since for the longest time you have viewed me as inferior to you in intellect, The fact you have a constant need to nitpick and disparage almost every comment I make is a tell tale sign of a bruised ego.

DJ I dislike you but I do respect your opinions just not the cheap-shots you continually throw at me...

[Dark Jaguar]

Oh for the love of... Cut out the amateur pop psychology nonsense. I really don't even care about what sci-fi books use those words for. To your credit, that last post of yours was actually understandable at least. The only reason I poke fun is that, well, a lot of what you say really is impossible for me to parse. You often don't take the time to express yourself clearly, and clearly you have the capability. Now stop projecting.

[Weltall]

So, DJ, how's your French?

[A Black Falcon]

Terra Nova, New Earth. It's a pretty basic term DJ... Terra for Earth and Terra Nova for a new Earthlike world are extremely common sci-fi terms, you'd have to completely ignore the whole genre to not know it...

[Sacred Jellybean]

I didn't know that. I've read 2001: A Space Oddysey so I think that disqualifies me from ignoring the whole genre. :D Maybe ignoring the pulp books... I had a pulp Sci-Fi book called Clarion that a friend gave to me that was pretty decent.

Other than those two books, and classic "sci-fi" like 1984 or some other dystopian novels, I suppose I have ignored most of the genre, at least as far as reading.

[EdenMaster]

Can anyone tell me why sci-fi terminology and actual scientific terminology are being treated as one in the same?

[etoven]

Can anyone tell me why sci-fi terminology and actual scientific terminology are being treated as one in the same?

Because Clinton touches himself at night..

[alien space marine]

[A Black Falcon]

Great game, I have it. It's a Looking Glass Studios game, the same people behind System Shock and Thief, except a 'powered suit' game this time. It's kind of like something in between an FPS and a mech game... a little strange, and the default controls are a pain, but still, it's good. Fun game, decent plot with live-action video cutscenes. :)

Can anyone tell me why sci-fi terminology and actual scientific terminology are being treated as one in the same?

Why not? I'm sure a lot of people in the actual space program have an interest of some kind in sci-fi... and hard sci-fi at least often makes an effort at some kind of realism...