From: EvMick@aol.com
Date: Mon Aug 25 1997 - 10:26:27 MDT
In a message dated 97-08-25 11:28:26 EDT, you write:
<<
> Interestingly, I was watching a documentary about Jupiter recently where
> Gene Shoemaker (I think) was claiming that without a large gas giant in
> the system to 'hoover up' comets events like the dinosaur extinction would
> be so common that sentient life could not have evolved on Earth. If true,
> this could be another reason why life seems so rare in the universe.
And Anders replys
I don't think that explanation holds; gas giants seem to be very
common. Most solar system models seems to predict them in the outer
solar system, and the few planets we have discovered outside the
solar system are (almost by definition due to our measurement
methods) gas giants.
>>
To which I add my nickle's worth:
It might even be completey wrong...in fact if the idea's behind the
"Kirkwood" zones are correct then the presence of a gas giant such as jupiter
puts earth more at risk..not less.
EvMick
Florecne SC
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