Cometary News

[ameerat42]

I heard bits of this on the BBC overnight...
First, some terms:

Comet's name: 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (hereafter known as "the comet")

Spacecraft/mission name: Rosetta (mission was to find and follow comet and then land a probe on it.... and more)

Name of probe: Philae

The mission has been roundly successful.

Here are some links with actual images of the comet - which is just AMAZING!!!

http://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2014/nov/12/rosetta-mission-lands-philae-probe-on-67p-comet-in-pictures
http://www.space.com/24266-rosetta-comet-mission-photos-esa.html
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/comet-landing-live-coverage-all-systems-go-for-lander-1657715708

And from ESA (European Space Agency) itself:
http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Missions/Rosetta

[Steve Axford]

I'll be very interested to hear what the chemical composition of this comet is. It could answer a lot of questions about the origins of life, but then, it will probably pose more questions than it answers.

[Mark L]

So for discussions sake.

And that's all very interesting and we still can't figure how to make everyone's life on Earth liveable. Some things we can do are impressive.
Wonder what percentage of the worlds population cares about the origin of life.
;)

[jev]

Check the press conference being held right now => http://rosetta.esa.int/

[Steve Axford]

So for discussions sake.

And that's all very interesting and we still can't figure how to make everyone's life on Earth liveable. Some things we can do are impressive.
Wonder what percentage of the worlds population cares about the origin of life.
;)

If we never inquired into things that don't have immediate value, then perhaps we would still be living in caves. Perhaps if we found that the seeds of life came from the stars and were not some unique earth bound thing, then we would realise that, since we are not unique, that the universe won't care if we destroy ourselves (does the universe care about anything?). We are just one amongst a billion and it is up to us (as a race) if we live or die.

Who knows what benefits it may bring, but its fascinating and people like to be fascinated.