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VOA慢速英语--美国宇航局发现了将近1300颗新行星

时间:2016-05-15 13:47:27

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AS IT IS 2016-05-12 NASA Discovers Nearly 1,300 New Planets 美国宇航局发现了将近1300颗新行星

NASA — the U.S. space agency — said it found nearly 1,300 planets outside our solar system.

Nine of the planets are orbiting stars at the distance that can support life.

NASA said that the Kepler space telescope confirmed the existence of 1,284 planets. This result came from studying more than 4,000 possible planets identified by a statistical1 analysis.

Scientists said the research is important to help them find out whether there is life on other planets.

Paul Hertz is NASA’s director of astrophysics. He said, "this gives us hope that somewhere out there, around a star much like ours, we can eventually discover another Earth."

He said before the Kepler space telescope launched, scientists did not know whether exoplanets—those outside our solar system—were rare or common in the galaxy2.

"We now know there could be more planets than stars," Hertz said.

He said the information brings humans a little closer to finding out whether they are alone in the universe.

To reach this number of planets, scientists looked at thousands of pieces of data. The researchers used a new statistical analysis method to study thousands of candidates in Kepler's database for traits that would establish them as planets.

Princeton University's Timothy Morton led the analysis. It involved watching a planet's brightness for changes that would mean it was orbiting its star, the way that Earth circles the sun.

The data gave scientists a "planethood probability percentage" to help the experts focus on candidates most likely to turn out to be actual planets.

But, with so many objects in space, what makes a planet, a planet?

The International Astronomical3 Union (IAU), approved the first scientific definition of a planet in August 2006. It says the object must have three things to be called a planet.

It must orbit its star. Second, it must be big enough that gravity shapes it into a ball. And third, the pull of that gravity must be strong enough to clear small objects out of the way of its orbit.

NASA said nearly 550 of the planets were “rocky planets,” somewhat like Earth, based on their size. Nine of those planets were orbiting their suns at the distance that would allow liquid water to pool.

That means, they have conditions that would make life possible.  At least, the kind of life that exists here on Earth.

Natalie Batalha is Kepler mission scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in California. She thinks there is life on other planets.

"Absolutely, no question," she said. "Why would we be the only ones?"

She used a line from the movie "Contact," that astronomer4 Carl Sagan was supposed to have said. If humans were the only life in the universe, it would be "an awful waste of space."

Recently, popular movies like "The Martian" and "Interstellar" have focused on finding new homes for humans in case we destroy Earth.

Batalha said she is focused on searching for life, not on finding new homes for humans.

"We have so many questions," she said. "Is DNA5 the only code that sustains life? How does life begin? Questions about the origin of life, why we're here."

That new number, 1,284 new planets, makes the idea that we are “alone in the universe” seem more and more unlikely.

Words in This Story

statistical analysis – n.  a mathematical process used to summarize data

trait – n. a quality that makes one person or thing different from another

sustain – v. to provide what is needed to exist

origin – n. the point or place where something begins or is created


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1 statistical bu3wa     
adj.统计的,统计学的
参考例句:
  • He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
  • They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。
2 galaxy OhoxB     
n.星系;银河系;一群(杰出或著名的人物)
参考例句:
  • The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
  • The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。
3 astronomical keTyO     
adj.天文学的,(数字)极大的
参考例句:
  • He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
  • Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。
4 astronomer DOEyh     
n.天文学家
参考例句:
  • A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
  • He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。
5 DNA 4u3z1l     
(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸
参考例句:
  • DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
  • Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

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