General / Off-Topic So Pluto may be a planet after all?

[Northpin]

Oh, and you do know there are only two elements in the universe that aren't metals, according to astronomy? I bet you don't use that word properly either...

Well, astronomy doesnt get to decide what chemical element is a metal or not

 

[Frankymole]

Well, astronomy doesnt get to decide what chemical element is a metal or not

It does for that science

 

[Northpin]

Using the Pluto definition also means Earth is not a planet. We haven't cleared our orbit.

Nope, indeed... we got to polute not the orbits around our planet, but some of the Lagrange points too...

 

[Fizzatron]

An arbitrary division between minor, dwarf and major planets - based on a system of just 8 (or 9) of the latter, which keeps changing anyway... well, its arbitrary and doesn't affect and decisions. Some words are more important than others. "Planet" actually means "wanderer", so any body except stars is a planet.

Oh, and you do know there are only two elements in the universe that aren't metals, according to astronomy? I bet you don't use that word properly either...

Look at a dictionary and see that many words have multiple definitions depending on context. Take this one for example.. or this.

 

[Frankymole]

Look at a dictionary and see that many words have multiple definitions depending on context. Take this one for example.. or this.

That's not how the science of astronomy works though

But yes... words are just words. The nature of the things they are attached to doesn't change as a result.

 

[Fizzatron]

That's not how the science of astronomy works though

But yes... words are just words. The nature of the things they are attached to doesn't change as a result.

As long as communication requires words, it is how it works. To suggest otherwise is a recipe for confusion, which is the antithesis of what science is meant to be about. Though I admit that for political reasons it is profitable for words to have no meaning.

 

[powellaxe]

I love this concept in that it really does seem to make our universe more diverse and vast. When i was in primary school, we learned that Pluto was a planet...if you say that Pluto is not a planet, but I will not agree with you because I was taught differently at school. lol

 

[Frankymole]

I love this concept in that it really does seem to make our universe more diverse and vast. When i was in primary school, we learned that Pluto was a planet...if you say that Pluto is not a planet, but I will not agree with you because I was taught differently at school. lol

We were taught at school in the late 70s/early 80s that the world was cooling and a new Ice Age was inevitable. We have to learn to adapt to changing consensus!

 

[Morbad]

We were taught at school in the late 70s/early 80s that the world was cooling and a new Ice Age was inevitable. We have to learn to adapt to changing consensus!

While scientific consensus can certainly evolve, global cooling conjecture was never remotely close to consensus.

 

[Fizzatron]

I love this concept in that it really does seem to make our universe more diverse and vast. When i was in primary school, we learned that Pluto was a planet...if you say that Pluto is not a planet, but I will not agree with you because I was taught differently at school. lol

if only they changed the definition to confuse those who were taught that Pluto was a planet in primary school or that was the reason why people objected, now that would be simply too funny. Top quality scientific reasoning to boot.

 

[Darth Ender]

Nope, indeed... we got to polute not the orbits around our planet, but some of the Lagrange points too...

Pluto's had a few billion years to do their job.

Earth has had 60 years or so. The definition requires cosmic timescales to be at play.

 

[RooksBailey]

I'm still waiting for a Pluto dashboard bobble for Elite. I would buy that in a second. I've always been fascinated by this planet.

 

[Northpin]

I'm still waiting for a Pluto dashboard bobble for Elite. I would buy that in a second. I've always been fascinated by this planet.

I would buy it in an instant, but only it they make it available as a binaty Pluto - Charon