研究發現:銀河系中或存在很多地球
The analysis of the first 136 days of results from NASA's Kepler telescope - launched with the aim to 'search for habitable planets' - has ignited furious debate over the idea of intelligent life in space.
之前關於美國宇航局開普勒號太空望遠鏡的前136天的分析引發了關於太空是否有高智商生命存在的討論。這架望遠鏡設立的目的即是尋找適合居住的另一個星球。
Kepler's scans have found 1,235 extrasolar planets in the Cygnus constellation of our own galaxy, the Milky Way.
開普勒號發現了1235個在天鵝座，太陽系以外的星座，但是他們都屬於銀河系。
A new study concludes that 1.2 per cent of stars in our galaxy could have a planet that could support life - more than a billion worlds - and that the 'core' of our galaxy might be richest in these planets. Earth lies further out, nearer the galactic 'rim'.
新的研究總結出說銀河系中1.2%的恆星都是有一個行星能夠居住的，在銀河系中心位置的可能是各方面條件都最好的。其實地球遠離這個中心，甚至都到了銀河的邊緣了。
The rapid formation of planets at the galaxy's core would 'outweigh' the negative effects of repeated supernova explosions - providing a haven for life, say researchers.
據研究者說，在銀河系中心，迅速的行星的形成也許帶來的好處更多。例如重複的超新星爆炸將會爲我們帶來另外的居住空間。
The study, a Model of Habitability Within the Milky Way Galaxy, led by the University of Hawaii's Michael Gowanlock, used computer models to 'find' habitable planets - and to weigh up the effects of supernova explosions that would have 'sterilised' the surface.
在一個由夏威夷大學邁克爾·郭萬洛克研究模型銀河系中，採用了電腦模型去發現新的適合的星球居住，並且研究超新星爆炸的可能帶來的後果。
'Studies of habitability on the galactic scale are gaining attention,' says the team, 'As planetary searches improve our understanding of life.'
研究組的人員說，“在銀河系的範圍內尋找可居住的星球實在很困難，但是這樣的尋找確實可以幫我們提高對生命的理解。”
The team 'judged' the likelihood of planet formation by 'metallicity' - and concluded that vigorous planet formation near the centre of our galaxy would outweigh the increased risk of supernova.
研究人員通過研究行星的屬性總結出來說位於銀河系附近中心的行星可能會比超新星更容易抱着。
Advanced life - or at least planets that might support it - could be much more common than we realise.
高級生命，或者是這個行星所支持的生命，可能比我們所想象的更常見。
'We do not find the inner Galaxy is entirely inhospitable to life,' says the study. 'The greatest number of habitable planets are found in this region.
研究人員還說，“我們並沒有發現銀河系最內部的行星是完全不適合居住的。相反，大量適合居住的星球都在這個區域。”
Argument rages over what, precisely, constitutes a 'habitable' planet. Early statistical analysis of the Kepler results provoked furious debate when one researcher concluded that one-third of planets round sun-like stars (stars with the classifcation F, G or K) could have 'earth-like' planets.
大量的爭論撲面而來。早前的時候，根據開普勒號觀察出的的結果，一位研究人員總結說，三分之一在太陽周圍像太陽一樣的恆星，都會有像地球一樣的恆星，這引起了激烈的爭論。
Others claimed that many of the so-called 'habitable' worlds would be shrouded in clouds of freezing gas.
另外一些人說那些所謂的適合居住的世界其實是隱藏在雲中結冰的氣體中的。
