Thursday
The late Arthur C. Clarke would have been impressed by this discovery, I reckon:
The Hubble Space Telescope has discovered the first organic molecule on a planet that's not in our solar system. According to NASA, this breakthrough could be a major step toward discovering life on other planets. Scientists believe that the organic compound detected, methane, can be an integral part in the chemical reactions considered necessary to form life as we know it.
Methane is present on several planets and moons in our solar system which are likely devoid of life.
I'll get excited when free oxygen is detected on some remote world.
Posted by DJMoore at March 20, 2008 08:39 PM
Very interesting stuff, at least as a proof of the principle that such gases can be detected from this distance. Hopefully more discoveries will follow shortly, particularly the discovery of both oxygen and methane in the same atmosphere...
Posted by knirirr at March 20, 2008 09:16 PM
I agree with Knirirr. We've progressed in a few short years from merely being able to determine that an extra-solar system planet exists (a remarkable feat in itself) to identifying components in its atmosphere. My hat's off to these scientists.
Posted by Laird at March 20, 2008 11:23 PM
The methane comes from alien cow farts. Admit it, you were all thinking it.
Posted by George Weinberg at March 21, 2008 04:05 PM
I agree that the fact they were able to identify a particular compound in an extra-solar planet's atmosphere is pretty impressive. However, I wish it were something a bit more exciting than methane - even though it's technically an organic compound, it's the simplest one, with no carbon/nitrogen chains, no multiple bonds - a yawner. Simple ammonia would be more exciting, as it can act as the "water" of a colder world - a universal solvent of sorts.
Posted by Plamus at March 21, 2008 07:54 PM
Consider what the Scotsman asked Scott:
"What are the possibilities of trade with this place? Could there be coal?"
Posted by comatus at March 22, 2008 02:27 AM
Keep looking and searching
Life comes and goes
That is the fundememental
Of it
Posted by RAB at March 23, 2008 05:21 AM
Did they sign the Kyoto protocol? No.
So global warming must have wiped out the inhabitants of the planets with methane atmospheres.
I blame George Bush.
Posted by Antoine Clarke at March 25, 2008 01:37 PM
Keep looking and searching Life comes and goes That is the fundememental Of it
What have we here, laddie? Poems, no less! RAB reckons himself a poet!
Posted by Sunfish at March 26, 2008 05:32 AM
Chair Bard of Cathays High (disqualified for having an obscene nom de plume)
Seriously Sunfish, I was a published poet in my yooth,
But on that occasion, I was just pissed.
Jesus look at the time on it, 5am!
I dont even remember writing it!
Posted by RAB at March 26, 2008 04:20 PM
