Galactic Habitable Zones

[Nyrath]

Remember the description of the Galactic Habitable Zones from Star Hero? Well, apparently astronomers have actually observed this:

 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/spitzer/news/spitzer-20080721.html

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

But why is it the rim that is so highly radioactive? Usually it's the core zone that is uninhabitable due to high rents and property crime

...er, I mean, radiation.

[Midas]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

But why is it the rim that is so highly radioactive? Usually it's the core zone that is uninhabitable due to high rents and property crime

...er, I mean, radiation.

 

That's the Roddenberry Barrier. Organic life forms exposed suffer The Banner Effect and immediately destroy each other.

 

"Aromatic Hydrocarbons"?? How do they know what they smell like?

 

Midas

[Nolgroth]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

It carries?

[Nyrath]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

"Aromatic Hydrocarbons"?? How do they know what they smell like?

 

Heh. Well, one of the conditions defining a "physical law" is that such laws appear to apply anywhere you are in the universe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_law#Description

 

They can detect what type of chemical hydrocarbon exists in the galaxy by the spectrum. So the assumption is that if Benzene has aromaticity here on Earth, presumably it will also have aromaticity in Messier 101.

 

More simply: if you are looking through a telescope at your friend who is a couple of city blocks away, and you see them blasted by a skunk, you do not have to smell them in order to know that they now smell pretty bad.

[Midas]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

Heh. Well, one of the conditions defining a "physical law" is that such laws appear to apply anywhere you are in the universe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_law#Description

 

They can detect what type of chemical hydrocarbon exists in the galaxy by the spectrum. So the assumption is that if Benzene has aromaticity here on Earth, presumably it will also have aromaticity in Messier 101.

 

More simply: if you are looking through a telescope at your friend who is a couple of city blocks away, and you see them blasted by a skunk, you do not have to smell them in order to know that they now smell pretty bad.

 

Smart alec question, honest answer.

 

Much grass, much rep: Hey, I can rep you again.

 

I visualized the following scene:

 

"Stenchnine cloud detected dead ahead, Cap'n!"

"Yellow alert! All power to life support!"

 

It was the implication of unknown chemicals that got me. "We don't know what they are, but we've labelled them aromatic because of their spectrum."

 

Midas

(I know, I know. If the Enterprise isn't airtight, "aromatic hydrocarbons" are the least of their worries).

edit: Would explain the "whoosh" effect, though.

[Silverhawk]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

Heh. Well, one of the conditions defining a "physical law" is that such laws appear to apply anywhere you are in the universe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_law#Description

 

They can detect what type of chemical hydrocarbon exists in the galaxy by the spectrum. So the assumption is that if Benzene has aromaticity here on Earth, presumably it will also have aromaticity in Messier 101.

 

More simply: if you are looking through a telescope at your friend who is a couple of city blocks away, and you see them blasted by a skunk, you do not have to smell them in order to know that they now smell pretty bad.

 

Time for Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth's Smelloscope

[Kristopher]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatic_hydrocarbon

[Nyrath]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

Smart alec question, honest answer.

 

Much grass, much rep: Hey, I can rep you again.

Thanks! Sometimes (especially without emoticons) it is difficult to determine whether somebody is being humorous or serious. I tend to err on the safe side, assuming seriousity.

 

Of course, people around me soon learn that if they pull my leg, it tends to come off in their hands.

[Comic]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

Aromatic hydrocarbons don't always smell so bad.

 

Asphalt's loaded with 'em, and once it's cool it emits their volatilates at such a low rate that they're below the threshold of attention of humans. (You could discern the scent, if you cared, but it's not so noticeable as to force you to care.)

 

Granted, arenes are almost all carcinogens, mutagens and teratagens.. but I try to spend as little of my time breathing while near asphalt as possible.

 

Wonder if the habitable-zone precept were applied to modern civil engineering, we'd be any better off?

[Nagus Pantojan]

Re: Galactic Habitable Zones

 

Hell, some aromatic hydrocarbon compounds actually have sweat odors. Worked doing drug research making new drug compounds for animal testing in college. Some reek, some smell sweet, some are pungent, and some you can't even smell. Most of you sweet charecter aromatics contain nitrogen within the aromatic system(Pyperizine), these are used in the manufacture of may drugs today.