Possible goldilocks planet (The limitations of science)

by romansh , Saturday, April 19, 2014, 00:38 (3870 days ago) @ xeno6696

Planet postion in a solar system seems to be up to chance. Is Earth lucky or made special?
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> > "Horner emphasized that the numerous simulations his team ran on Jupiter's influence in the solar system shows that where planets end up is often a result of chance as much as physics. 
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> > "Every object you add to [a planetary] system adds complexity, and the end result is a result of random chances," said Horner. "So if you change something very small when the solar system is forming, it's kind of chaotic.'"
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> Not kind of chaotic, its pretty much a textbook definition of mathematical chaos. Early fluctuations can have long-term consequences for the stability of a system. However, given an end condition and a start condition, we have the tools to be able to reconstruct (most) of the earlier states.-I agree with you Matt
the sentence ... shows that where planets end up is often a result of chance as much as physics.-Completely flummoxed me, I can't help wondering what chance means to Horner and if he is using it in any scientific sense; how is chance somehow independent of physics?-Also to ask whether Earth's orbit is somehow lucky, I am betting on rabbit's feet myself. ... Being Easter 'n all.