Earth is about to die? Relax, we've got spares.

[Ojike]

Astronomers on verge of finding Earth's twin - Space.com - MSNBC.com

Planet hunters say it's just a matter of time before they lasso Earth's twin, which almost surely is hiding somewhere in our star-studded galaxy.

Momentum is building: Just last week, astronomers announced they had discovered three super-Earths — worlds more massive than ours but small enough to most likely be rocky — orbiting a single star. And dozens of other worlds suspected of having masses in that same range were found around other stars.

"Being able to find three Earth-mass planets around a single star really makes the point that not only may many stars have one Earth, but they may very well have a couple of Earths," said Alan Boss, a planet formation theorist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington in Washington, D.C.

I just can't help but wonder if there's life on these Earths. If so, what stage of life is it at? If we moved to that planet because we screwed ours up so bad, would we disturb their ecosystem? Should we care?

Let's hear some thoughts on this. ;0

[Phoenix]

It's the massive gravity of those super-planets that's a problem now. I don't think we have the technology yet to detect little planets like ours.

[Zook]

While we might have the potential for "extra" planets we can't live with the mind set that if we ruin one we can just move onto the next.

[Vice-Versa]

I cant see that we as Humans will ever be able to freely send all of Humanity to another Planet. Something like this would seem very unlikely and would take so many YEars to Take a small % to vast distances. Its not like a Car Ride to Mexico you know.

[Axel Owns]

lol.

to sad that there like millions of light-years away.

meaning that the human population would all have to travel at light speed for millions of years to get there.

but really, ojike's joking. you guys shouldn't take his title seriously xP

that's interesting though

[Time]

Even if it was possible to get there, do you realize the gravity of those planets would destroy our bodies so fast? Our joints and bones are not built for that kind of force on us 24/7.

[Relentless Blitz]

We can move to other Earth like Terrestrial planets and be able to live there,but those are planets with three times the mass of the Earth meaning the gravity being very strong,too strong for us humans.

And some of those Earth like planet's life stages probably have just begun or so.

[Simba]

Just a theory...something you'd probably see out of an episode of The Twilight Zone. If we did ever manage to make it to another earth-like planet and it had life on it. They'd be at a stage where they're starting to believe that life exists out there. Then we'd show up and would be seen as invaders from space!

But seriously.....yeah I think it'd be cool if we did that but I don't think it'll be possible or maybe I just don't want it to happen especially if we're going to end up doing the same thing to another planet that we've done to this one >_< but then again...our technology would be far advanced by that time.....I guess I think too much is all x)

Of course there's no way we'd be able to set foot on those super earths because well it's already been stated. The gravity....

[Ken]

Originally Posted by M.o.N

We can move to other Earth like Terrestrial planets and be able to live there,but those are planets with three times the mass of the Earth meaning the gravity being very strong,too strong for us humans

Even if the mass is triple that of Earth's, if the mean radius is roughly 1.733 times that of Earth's, then we'd have no problem living there since the force of gravity would be nearly the exact same as ours.

[Ojike]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

It's the massive gravity of those super-planets that's a problem now. I don't think we have the technology yet to detect little planets like ours.

We're getting there. It says in that article that we've gotten to where we can detect planets the size of Neptune or Venus. So if Earth does have a twin it's only a matter of time before we find it.

And yeah the title's pretty much a joke. An attention grabber, if you will. :0

[Roxas9001]

How will we get there thats what I wanna know..

[Time]

Originally Posted by Domon Kasshu

Even if the mass is triple that of Earth's, if the mean radius is roughly 1.733 times that of Earth's, then we'd have no problem living there since the force of gravity would be nearly the exact same as ours.

Are you sure about that ?

[Ken]

Originally Posted by Time

Are you sure about that ?

Yes. Gravity on Earth is 9.81 m/s^2 [downwards] or towards the centre of the Earth. This is calculated via the equation:

g = GM/r^2

Where G = 6.67x10^-11, M = mass of Earth and r = radius of Earth.

Now if the mass of the new planets is triple that of Earth, then the would in turn triple, however, by increasing the mean radius a certain number, then the value of gravity would stay at 9.81 m/s^2. To find the coefficient of the mean radius, you change the equation to:

g = 3GM/(xr)^2

Where x^2 = 3GM/g(r^2)

After some vigorous calculations, you'd get x = 1.733 (rounded).

[Home bound]

we can finally leave christians back for good

[ikkuh2]

The equation is incomplete, but it's damn close. F=(G*M1*M2)/r^2
The mass of both the planet and a person must be taken into account. Also, the gravitational acceleration doesn't have to be the same as on earth, so the radius can be very different.