The Goldilocks Zone - But is it Really 'Home?

Since globalization, man has become aware of the imminent growing population of the human race on Earth. Although it is important for us to keep in mind the importance of ‘upcycling’ like those ideas brought up by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, it is undeniably difficult to overlook the fast depleting resources misused by the human race. Essential articles such as oxygen, water, and uncorrupted land has become prized resources not seemingly in high demand in the previous decades. Therefore, despite the efforts to keep sustainability, it would also be wise to look beyond our planet for means of dispersing potential population for future stability. This is where the planet Kepler 442b comes into the picture.

Kepler 442b has been studied under much scrutiny, and was founded to have a habitability 0.863, while Earth is assigned 0.829 (Orphanides, 2015). Amongst the various planets being studied this planet falls under the “Goldilocks zone” (Orphanides, 2015). This means that the planet is the perfect distance away from a sun, keeping it warm, but also far enough away so that the water sources are not evaporated. This creates a fundamental, acceptable premise for the expansion of mankind.   

According to scientist speculation (although the information is nowhere near conclusive), there is a 97 percent chance that Kepler 442b is habitable for humans. This is mainly because the rotation of Kepler 442b is similar to that of earth, with 112 days for every orbit, and receiving two-thirds the amount of sunlight Earth receives from the Sun. "We don't know for sure whether any of the planets in our sample are truly habitable," says David Kipping, a researcher from Harvard; however, it brings promising information and further inspiration for additional research on potential planets, if not Kepler 442b (Noyes, 2015).  

However, what are the means it takes to move to a planet so far away. According to scientists, Kepler 442b is at least 110,000 light years away (Noyes, 2015). On top of that, we would have to transport huge demographics of people across the galaxy. It would take a tremendous spacecraft, something unimaginable in current science technology. Furthermore, would the people be able to live comfortably on this new planet? Who would volunteer to go? Would anyone want to go, leaving the comforts of their home? Would there be enough people to keep a population going? Is it even a choice by the time this project is created or would it be a random drafting that tears apart family? These are all important factors to think about in the finding a new suitable planet so physically distant from home.

I think that the idea of this planet is a great thing; however, it would take a lot more research about the potential of this planet before any steps about population immigration can take place. We must keep in mind all the different factors such as water sources, oxygen sources, and viable atmosphere of the planet. Like the scientists say, all research so far is just a speculation of the potential of the new planets. Until we find concrete evidence, there is no way people will move.

Work Cited

Clavin, Whitney. "NASA's Kepler Marks 1,000th Exoplanet Discovery, Uncovers More Small
            Worlds in Habitable Zones." NASA/JPL. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 6 Jan. 2015. Web. 29   3Mar. 2016.

Noyes, Katherine. "Kepler-438b and 442b: Are These the Planets We're
            Looking For?" Kepler-438b and 442b: Are These the Planets We're Looking For? Tech
            News World, 8 Jan. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.

Orphanides, K. G. "Kepler-442b More Habitable than Earth." Wired UK. N.p., 07 Oct. 2015.        
            Web. 29 Mar. 2016.