研究发现:银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.

之前关于美国宇航局开普勒号太空望远镜的前136天的分析引发了关于太空是否有高智商生命存在的讨论。这架望远镜设立的目的即是寻找适合居住的另一个星球。

Kepler's scans have found 1,235 extrasolar planets in the Cygnus constellation of our own galaxy, the Milky Way.

开普勒号发现了1235个在天鹅座，太阳系以外的星座，但是他们都属于银河系。

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'.

新的研究总结出说银河系中1.2%的恒星都是有一个行星能够居住的，在银河系中心位置的可能是各方面条件都最好的。其实地球远离这个中心，甚至都到了银河的边缘了。

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.

据研究者说，在银河系中心，迅速的行星的形成也许带来的好处更多。例如重复的超新星爆炸将会为我们带来另外的居住空间。

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.

在一个由夏威夷大学迈克尔·郭万洛克研究模型银河系中，采用了电脑模型去发现新的适合的星球居住，并且研究超新星爆炸的可能带来的后果。

'Studies of habitability on the galactic scale are gaining attention,' says the team, 'As planetary searches improve our understanding of life.'

研究组的人员说，“在银河系的范围内寻找可居住的星球实在很困难，但是这样的寻找确实可以帮我们提高对生命的理解。”

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.

研究人员通过研究行星的属性总结出来说位于银河系附近中心的行星可能会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.

高级生命，或者是这个行星所支持的生命，可能比我们所想象的更常见。

'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.

研究人员还说，“我们并没有发现银河系最内部的行星是完全不适合居住的。相反，大量适合居住的星球都在这个区域。”

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.

大量的争论扑面而来。早前的时候，根据开普勒号观察出的的结果，一位研究人员总结说，三分之一在太阳周围像太阳一样的恒星，都会有像地球一样的恒星，这引起了激烈的争论。

Others claimed that many of the so-called 'habitable' worlds would be shrouded in clouds of freezing gas.

另外一些人说那些所谓的适合居住的世界其实是隐藏在云中结冰的气体中的。