University of Washington Works on Finding Earth like Planets - BP Hoping to be First to Pollute Them

SEATTLE WA (Nutbar Alley) - “Glint,” – the effect of reflected light shining off the surface of a planet’s ocean may be the key to finding Earth-like planets in our galaxy according to Tyler Robinson at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Scientists hope that this glint will be picked up by a US space telescope set for launch in 2014. If it does it could help locate the Holy Grail for exoplanet astronomers – an earth like planet capable of sustaining human life.

Terry Wigham, Vice President of British Petroleum’s Long Term Planning Division is monitoring the work closely.

“If found, this could create a race to exploit the planet’s resources. There is a distinct possibility that there will be a drive to colonize the new world. Colonists will need gasoline, oil and oil based products such as those little plastic rings to hold beer cans together. BP wants to be the first provider of these products.”

He points to private space flight companies as being key to BPs efforts to reach the stars.

“These companies are currently focused on orbital flights, but in the event of a discovery of this magnitude could quickly be retooled to deliver oil derricks and oil processing equipment to a newly discovered planet. Weight would have to be kept to a minimum of course, but with no government on a new world we would not have to deal with government regulations and environmental laws. That will help reduce the weight of our equipment greatly.”

Wigham also admitted that BP is closely monitoring developments from the CERN Large Hadron Collider in case they discovered new dimensions that might contain exploitable oil.