First it is a planet. Then it isn’t. Then it is again. Now I read that they’re changing the name to 134340 (I have no clue why they came up with this number). My question is: who cares??? Why should this be of any concern to the average person?
It shouldn’t. I don’t think any average person cares. Do you? I certainly don’t.
The only reason is that within one culture, arbitrary meaningless lists are taught to children represented as if they were a set of important scientific facts. These lists are in no way consistent accross cultures, but when within one culture the list has to be changed - people who came up with mnemonic devices to memorize that list feel something groundbreaking is going on.
Continents, colors, planets, etc. It’s all meaningless.
Ah. so the “average person” should be scientifically ignorant?
:rolleyes:
Much of the recent stuff about Pluto isn’t really science; it’s semantics, politics, media hype, etc.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.”
Pluto is still the same size and in the same orbit and made of the same materials it always has been. However, due to new findings of other bodies of similar size and shape astronomers have had to revise the definition of ‘planet’.
Quite the opposite. They should read up and stop correcting me when I say there are 6 (or 7) continents. It doesn’t matter. We’re all right. Stop arguing. 
What’s this about Pluto’s name being changed? I searched for “Pluto name”, and all I could find was an article saying that Pluto’s name would not be changed.
The name hasn’t been changed. The number 134340 is a minor-planet designation (all asteroids have numbers). Since Pluto has been downgraded from full planet status it had to be assigned a number. It doesn’t replace the name Pluto.
134340 is Pluto in leet-speak.
I take heart in the fact that, despite its planetary downgrade, Pluto will always have its name associated with that most fun of radioactive elements, plutonium.
Us regular folk spell it Lefefo.
Whene Ceres was discovered, it was deemed a planet. But then a bunch of other objects were found in the same area (the asteroids), so it was decided that Ceres was NOT a planet. Evereyone lived with the demotion. (with the latest definition, Ceres did get a mini-promotion to “dwarf planet”)
This is very similar to what happened with Pluto. When it was discovered people thought it was much bigger, and more alone. With recent discoveries (Pluto is smaller, lots of other objects in the same area) People will survive the demotion if it sticks (there is some disagreement amoung planetary scientists).
Brian
(no large stake either way)
Not to mention Mickey Mouse’s dog.