[meteorite-list] Scientists find most Earth-like planet yet

[valparint at aol.com]

Hi Sterling.

Thank you for the eponymous explanation. I was aware of about half of it 
and you filled in a bunch of holes. Interesting stuff.

I have difficulty with the Copernican Principle and the idea of an 
"average" planet. We have details on 8 planets, one planetoid, and a 
bunch of moons. Given the variability in our solar system, I fail to see 
how we arrive at an average that means anything.

Another unknowable is the rotation rate of a planet we can't see. If it's 
anywhere near tidal lockup it's going to be pretty ugly on the surface.

Philosophically, it's ok with me if Gliese 581c has nice beaches and local 
surfers but the article hit my bad-science nerve with its majestic leaps 
from "Earth-like planet" (OK) to "balmy" (questionable) to supporting life 
(flooby dust).

Thanks again.

Paul

sterling_k_webb at sbcglobal.net writes:
Hi, Paul, List,

> What necromancy
> produced that result?

    Some pieces of magic called the inverse square law,
Mr. Kepler's laws, and the mass-luminosity rule for stars,
a little data, and small human stepwise reasoning.