[extropy-chat] SPACE: new planet?

[Robert J. Bradbury]

Scientists at CalTech seem to have discovered a new planetoid.

Designated 2004 DW, it is 1,800 miles in diameter compared with
Pluto which is 2,300 miles in diameter (astronomers/geologists are
going to have to start drawing very fine lines on is it or isn't
it a "planet").

Article:
http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/feb/20pluto.htm

The interesting point in the article from my perspective was
the comment that the Kuiper Belt objects contain 100x the amount
of material in the Asteroid Belt.  While the asteroid belt is
fine, most of the materials are silicates, iron and other heavy
metals.  In contrast the Kuiper Belt objects are likely to contain
significant amounts of carbon (as frozen CO and CO2).

So much carbon (for nanotech) -- so little time (as the solar
system ages...).

Robert