2 ms·
My understanding is it’s a combination of both - red dwarfs are the most numerous and super earths are the most easiest to detect with them (smaller star, large
by ramraj07 4y ago
My understanding is it’s a combination of both - red dwarfs are the most numerous and super earths are the most easiest to detect with them (smaller star, larger the effect of the planet on its characteristics and luminosity).
I am also convinced we will find planets better suited for us than earth eventually. But I doubt any of them would be in any meaningful close distance.
Even if you can imagine a 100 year or 500 year ship (like in Expanse) that can get to a planet 10 LYs away, imagine if it’s 100 or more. We might be SOL.
- bagels 4y agoBetter suited in what way? Humans are pretty well adapted to Earth specifically.
- midoridensha 4y agoHumans are well adapted to the Earth of thousands of years ago, up until the 1800s or so. The Earth of the future, not so much.
- Thiez 4y agoSure, depending on how far you want to go into the future, eventually the sun will grow so bright that all our water will boil away... but barring a catastrophe that destroys (almost) all life (nearby supernova, collision with a large space rock, ...) I'm pretty sure that earth will remain more hospitable to human life for tens of thousands of years than any planet we will find.
- SamPatt 4y agoThe rapid expansion of human population since 1800 challenges this claim. We don't need an ideal climate to flourish. That's part of our species' strength: our remarkable ability to adapt.
- midoridensha 4y agoHumans aren't going to be able to adapt to an irradiated wasteland.
- ramraj07 4y agoMore space? Less extreme weather? Lots of accessible mining? Etc