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At Mind Matters News: Among 5000 known exoplanets, there are some really strange ones

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Planets so strange that they prompt a rethink of the “planetary rulebook.”:

PBS tells us that Hoth, the frozen planet in Star Wars, is not just imagination. It has a real-life counterpart among the exoplanets. Granted, astronomers call it OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb but even they think of it as “Hoth.” …

Astronomers had expected to see solar systems like our own but instead they demonstrated that there are other types of solar systems out there. Whether these exoplanets could host what we think of as life is another question.

News, “Among 5000 known exoplanets, there are some really strange ones” at Mind Matters News (May 14, 2022)

Various lists of strange planets are linked and discussed.

Takehome: To sum up, whatever we see or read about planets in science fiction, something out there is likely stranger still.

It will be most interesting to see how many of the more conventional exoplanets have life and if there is in fact a reliable formula for predicting it. Those who claim that Earth is just an ordinary planet are certainly wrong — but is Earth unique? The universe is fine-tuned, as is Earth, and that would be an argument for life on exoplanets.

You may also wish to read: Steve Meyer on why a supposed multiverse is no answer to the extreme fine-tuning of our universe. Meyer on multiverse cosmologists: “The speculative cosmologies (such as inflationary cosmology and string theory) they propose for generating alternative universes invariably invoke mechanisms that themselves require fine-tuning, thus begging the question as to the origin of that prior fine-tuning.”

Comments
Lightning strikes in an atmosphere dominated by nitrogen and O2 produce fertilizing nitrates that rain down to nourish the plants. The book, "the Privileged Planet" is more detailed than the video. "Rare Earth" is written by scientists who aren't pro-ID, as far as I know. But they collaborated with Gonzalez on at least one paper about galactic habitable zones.ET
May 15, 2022
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the factors required for microbial life to those required for metazoans and finally those required for technologically capable beings
I have watched the Privileged Planet several years ago a couple times but never read Rare Earth. I believe others have listed some other characteristics of a planet to host complex life. Denton's book is essentially about this so it would be interesting to see what is in these other sources and compare them to what Denton covers. My guess is that there will be hundreds in Denton's book before he is through. However, some even at the beginning seem new to me. Maybe not to others. That the atmosphere must be mostly nitrogen seemed new so was that a large amount of oxygen would inhibit life. But as I said, I am not sure of all the details in these other sources.jerry
May 15, 2022
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Yes, Jerry, the books "Rare earth" and "the Privileged Planet" go over the factors required for microbial life to those required for metazoans and finally those required for technologically capable beings, like us.ET
May 15, 2022
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Denton discusses the criteria for planets supporting life. They would have to be similar to Earth in just about every way including the type of sun. Complex life requires oxygen and an atmosphere of the right amount of oxygen requires right size and other gases in relatively fixed amounts. One is nitrogen which besides being a source of necessary nutrients is a fire inhibitor. And of course there must be water in large amounts.jerry
May 15, 2022
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