Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Hydrogen molecules may act as a kind of energy sink that strengthens the magnetic grip that causes sunspots, according to scientists from Hawaii and New Mexico using a new infrared instrument on an old telescope. See article.
g Abodes - New research reveals how the arrival of the first plants 470 million years ago triggered a series of ice ages. Led by the Universities of Exeter and Oxford, the study is published in Nature Geoscience. See article.
g Life - A University of Missouri researcher has identified a new species of prehistoric crocodile. The extinct creature, nicknamed "Shieldcroc" due to a thick-skinned shield on its head, is an ancestor of today's crocodiles. Its discovery provides scientists with additional information about the evolution of crocodiles and how scientists can gain insight into ways to protect the species' environment and help prevent extinction. See article.
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Thursday, February 09, 2012
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Close-up of ancient galaxy forming stars and cause of Little Ice Age
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Thanks to the presence of a natural "zoom lens" in space, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope got a uniquely close-up look at the brightest "magnified" galaxy yet discovered. This observation provides a unique opportunity to study the physical properties of a galaxy vigorously forming stars when the universe was only one-third its present age. See article.
g Abodes - A new study may help scientists understand the events that brought about Earth's "Little Ice Age." See article.
g Life - A University of Rhode Island biologist who released lizards on tiny uninhabited islands in the Bahamas has shed light on the interaction between evolutionary processes that are seldom observed. See article.
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g Stars - Thanks to the presence of a natural "zoom lens" in space, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope got a uniquely close-up look at the brightest "magnified" galaxy yet discovered. This observation provides a unique opportunity to study the physical properties of a galaxy vigorously forming stars when the universe was only one-third its present age. See article.
g Abodes - A new study may help scientists understand the events that brought about Earth's "Little Ice Age." See article.
g Life - A University of Rhode Island biologist who released lizards on tiny uninhabited islands in the Bahamas has shed light on the interaction between evolutionary processes that are seldom observed. See article.
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Tuesday, February 07, 2012
New super-Earth discovered around nearby star and the secret of spider silk’s strength
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable super-Earth orbiting a nearby star. See article.
g Life - While researchers have long known of the incredible strength of spider silk, the robust nature of the tiny filaments cannot alone explain how webs survive multiple tears and winds that exceed hurricane strength. See article.
g Cosmicus - To improve the next generation of insect-size flying machines, Johns Hopkins engineers have been aiming high-speed video cameras at some of the prettiest bugs on the planet. By figuring out how butterflies flutter among flowers with amazing grace and agility, the researchers hope to help small airborne robots mimic these maneuvers. See article.
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g Abodes - Astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable super-Earth orbiting a nearby star. See article.
g Life - While researchers have long known of the incredible strength of spider silk, the robust nature of the tiny filaments cannot alone explain how webs survive multiple tears and winds that exceed hurricane strength. See article.
g Cosmicus - To improve the next generation of insect-size flying machines, Johns Hopkins engineers have been aiming high-speed video cameras at some of the prettiest bugs on the planet. By figuring out how butterflies flutter among flowers with amazing grace and agility, the researchers hope to help small airborne robots mimic these maneuvers. See article.
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Monday, February 06, 2012
How elements in stars may affect habitable zones and inside the Arecibo Observatory
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - A potent follow-up solar flare, which occurred on Jan. 17, just days after the Sun launched the biggest coronal mass ejection (CME) seen in nearly a decade, delivered a powerful radiation punch to Earth's magnetic field despite the fact that it was aimed away from our planet. See article.
g Abodes - By looking at the wavelengths of light from nearby stars, researchers have determined the abundance of certain elements for more than a hundred stars. Trace elements in such stars may influence their habitable zones, where planets with life might dwell. See article.
g Life - Blooms, or proliferation, of jellyfish have shown a substantial, visible impact on coastal populations -- clogged nets for fishermen, stinging waters for tourists, even choked intake lines for power plants -- and recent media reports have created a perception that the world's oceans are experiencing increases in jellyfish due to human activities such as global warming and overharvesting of fish. See article.
g Message - Here’s a neat website about Arecibo Observatory., the large radio telescope located in Puerto Rico that was featured in the film "Contact.”
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g Stars - A potent follow-up solar flare, which occurred on Jan. 17, just days after the Sun launched the biggest coronal mass ejection (CME) seen in nearly a decade, delivered a powerful radiation punch to Earth's magnetic field despite the fact that it was aimed away from our planet. See article.
g Abodes - By looking at the wavelengths of light from nearby stars, researchers have determined the abundance of certain elements for more than a hundred stars. Trace elements in such stars may influence their habitable zones, where planets with life might dwell. See article.
g Life - Blooms, or proliferation, of jellyfish have shown a substantial, visible impact on coastal populations -- clogged nets for fishermen, stinging waters for tourists, even choked intake lines for power plants -- and recent media reports have created a perception that the world's oceans are experiencing increases in jellyfish due to human activities such as global warming and overharvesting of fish. See article.
g Message - Here’s a neat website about Arecibo Observatory., the large radio telescope located in Puerto Rico that was featured in the film "Contact.”
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Sunday, February 05, 2012
Black holes help stars to form and evolutionary adaptation to roads
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - The center of just about every galaxy is thought to host a black hole, some with masses of thousands of millions of suns and consequently strong gravitational pulls that disrupt material around them. They had been thought to hinder the birth of stars, but now an international team of astronomers studying the nearby galaxy Centaurus A has found quite the opposite: a black hole that seems to be helping stars to form. See article.
g Abodes - Using 10 years of data from atmospheric and oceanic data, scientists are providing new information about the energy balance of Earth. See article.
g Life - Spotted salamanders exposed to contaminated roadside ponds are adapting to their toxic environments, according to a Yale paper in Scientific Reports. This study provides the first documented evidence that a vertebrate has adapted to the negative effects of roads apparently by evolving rapidly. See article.
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g Stars - The center of just about every galaxy is thought to host a black hole, some with masses of thousands of millions of suns and consequently strong gravitational pulls that disrupt material around them. They had been thought to hinder the birth of stars, but now an international team of astronomers studying the nearby galaxy Centaurus A has found quite the opposite: a black hole that seems to be helping stars to form. See article.
g Abodes - Using 10 years of data from atmospheric and oceanic data, scientists are providing new information about the energy balance of Earth. See article.
g Life - Spotted salamanders exposed to contaminated roadside ponds are adapting to their toxic environments, according to a Yale paper in Scientific Reports. This study provides the first documented evidence that a vertebrate has adapted to the negative effects of roads apparently by evolving rapidly. See article.
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Saturday, February 04, 2012
Underwater caves offer up secrets about alien life and how solar system may help space exploration
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Discoveries in underwater caves could help scientists understand how life arose in ancient oceans on Earth - and possibly how similar life could survive on other worlds. See article.
g Life - For decades, chemists considered a chemical pathway known as the formose reaction the only route for producing sugars essential for life to begin, but more recent research has called into question the plausibility of such thinking. Now a group from The Scripps Research Institute has proven an alternative pathway to those sugars called the glyoxylate scenario, which may push the field of pre-life chemistry past the formose reaction hurdle. See article.
g Cosmicus - The Radiation Assessment Detector on the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft measured radiation from a recent solar storm, providing valuable information for future human space exploration. See article.
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g Abodes - Discoveries in underwater caves could help scientists understand how life arose in ancient oceans on Earth - and possibly how similar life could survive on other worlds. See article.
g Life - For decades, chemists considered a chemical pathway known as the formose reaction the only route for producing sugars essential for life to begin, but more recent research has called into question the plausibility of such thinking. Now a group from The Scripps Research Institute has proven an alternative pathway to those sugars called the glyoxylate scenario, which may push the field of pre-life chemistry past the formose reaction hurdle. See article.
g Cosmicus - The Radiation Assessment Detector on the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft measured radiation from a recent solar storm, providing valuable information for future human space exploration. See article.
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Friday, February 03, 2012
Potential of ETI trying to contact us and why Americans suck so much at science
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Message - Could extraterrestrials already have tried to contact us? On the basis of statistical calculations on galactic migration, here’s a paper that explores the possibility that exogenous vehicles and/or probes may have reached our solar system, including Earth. See article.
g Learning - Why do American students suck so much at science? See article.
g Aftermath - Communication with extraterrestrial intelligence depends as much upon social support for the project as upon appropriate engineering design and upon the actual existence of a nearby extrasolar civilization. The results of a sociological survey of 1,465 American college students provide the first detailed analysis of the social and ideological factors that influence support for CETI, thereby suggesting ways that support might be increased. Linked to the most idealistic goals of the space program, notably interplanetary colonization, enthusiasm for CETI is little affected by attitudes toward technology or militarism. Few sciences or scholarly fields encourage CETI, with the exceptions of anthropology and astronomy. Support is somewhat greater among men than among women, but the sex difference is far less than in attitudes toward space flight in general. Evangelical Protestantism, represented by the "Born Again" movement, strongly discourages support for CETI. Just as exobiology begins with an understanding of terrestrial biology, exosociology on the question of how interstellar contact can be achieved should begin with serious sociological study of factors operating on our own world. See article.
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g Message - Could extraterrestrials already have tried to contact us? On the basis of statistical calculations on galactic migration, here’s a paper that explores the possibility that exogenous vehicles and/or probes may have reached our solar system, including Earth. See article.
g Learning - Why do American students suck so much at science? See article.
g Aftermath - Communication with extraterrestrial intelligence depends as much upon social support for the project as upon appropriate engineering design and upon the actual existence of a nearby extrasolar civilization. The results of a sociological survey of 1,465 American college students provide the first detailed analysis of the social and ideological factors that influence support for CETI, thereby suggesting ways that support might be increased. Linked to the most idealistic goals of the space program, notably interplanetary colonization, enthusiasm for CETI is little affected by attitudes toward technology or militarism. Few sciences or scholarly fields encourage CETI, with the exceptions of anthropology and astronomy. Support is somewhat greater among men than among women, but the sex difference is far less than in attitudes toward space flight in general. Evangelical Protestantism, represented by the "Born Again" movement, strongly discourages support for CETI. Just as exobiology begins with an understanding of terrestrial biology, exosociology on the question of how interstellar contact can be achieved should begin with serious sociological study of factors operating on our own world. See article.
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What makes a planet habitable and how matter between star systems interact
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Using data from NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft, an international team of researchers has measured neutral "alien" particles entering our solar system from interstellar space. A suite of studies published in the Astrophysical Journal provides a first look at the constituents of the interstellar medium, the matter between star systems, and how they interact with our heliosphere. See article.
g Abodes - Exoplanets are now being discovered at pace, and some have been described as "Earth-Like." These claims are often based on the distance between the exoplanet and its host star. Unfortunately, this distance isn't all that makes a planet habitable. See article.
g Life - A new theory asserts that the Earth is alive - including purportedly inanimate, non-living objects like water, proteins and DNA. See article.
g Cosmicus - Atomic-level defects in graphene could be a path forward to smaller and faster electronic devices, according to a study led by researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. See article.
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g Stars - Using data from NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft, an international team of researchers has measured neutral "alien" particles entering our solar system from interstellar space. A suite of studies published in the Astrophysical Journal provides a first look at the constituents of the interstellar medium, the matter between star systems, and how they interact with our heliosphere. See article.
g Abodes - Exoplanets are now being discovered at pace, and some have been described as "Earth-Like." These claims are often based on the distance between the exoplanet and its host star. Unfortunately, this distance isn't all that makes a planet habitable. See article.
g Life - A new theory asserts that the Earth is alive - including purportedly inanimate, non-living objects like water, proteins and DNA. See article.
g Cosmicus - Atomic-level defects in graphene could be a path forward to smaller and faster electronic devices, according to a study led by researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. See article.
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Thursday, February 02, 2012
Life in dormant hydrothermal vents and ice on asteroid Vesta
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - A Naval Research Laboratory scientist is part of a team that has recently discovered that vast clouds of hot gas are "sloshing" in Abell 2052, a galaxy cluster located about 480 million light years from Earth. The scientists are studying the hot (30 million degree) gas using X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and optical data from the Very Large Telescope to see the galaxies. See article.
g Life - Scientists have discovered evidence that life continues at hydrothermal sea vents, even after the vents themselves go dormant. The study sheds light on how microbial communities survive in one Earth's most unique environments. See article.
g Intelligence - Neuroscientists may one day be able to hear the imagined speech of a patient unable to speak due to stroke or paralysis, according to University of California, Berkeley, researchers. See article.
g Cosmicus - Half of the giant asteroid Vesta is expected to be so cold and to receive so little sunlight that water ice could survive. See article.
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g Stars - A Naval Research Laboratory scientist is part of a team that has recently discovered that vast clouds of hot gas are "sloshing" in Abell 2052, a galaxy cluster located about 480 million light years from Earth. The scientists are studying the hot (30 million degree) gas using X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and optical data from the Very Large Telescope to see the galaxies. See article.
g Life - Scientists have discovered evidence that life continues at hydrothermal sea vents, even after the vents themselves go dormant. The study sheds light on how microbial communities survive in one Earth's most unique environments. See article.
g Intelligence - Neuroscientists may one day be able to hear the imagined speech of a patient unable to speak due to stroke or paralysis, according to University of California, Berkeley, researchers. See article.
g Cosmicus - Half of the giant asteroid Vesta is expected to be so cold and to receive so little sunlight that water ice could survive. See article.
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Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Rethinking Snowball Earth and potential for past life on the Red Planet
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A new study suggests that geochemical records found in rocks prior to the glaciation event known as Snowball Earth are unrelated to the glaciation itself. See article.
g Intelligence - Genetic mutations that boost an individual's adaptability have greater chances of getting through to X chromosomes - at least in chimpanzees, according to new Danish research. See article.
g Cosmicus - Eight years after landing on Mars, NASA's Opportunity rover is still returning important data about the potential for past life on the Red Planet. Five months ago, Opportunity reached Endeavour Crater, where it discovered geological deposits that are older than anything the rover examined in its first seven years. See article.
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g Abodes - A new study suggests that geochemical records found in rocks prior to the glaciation event known as Snowball Earth are unrelated to the glaciation itself. See article.
g Intelligence - Genetic mutations that boost an individual's adaptability have greater chances of getting through to X chromosomes - at least in chimpanzees, according to new Danish research. See article.
g Cosmicus - Eight years after landing on Mars, NASA's Opportunity rover is still returning important data about the potential for past life on the Red Planet. Five months ago, Opportunity reached Endeavour Crater, where it discovered geological deposits that are older than anything the rover examined in its first seven years. See article.
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Regional variations in Titan’s sand dunes and Planetary Lake Lander update
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A new analysis of radar data has revealed regional variations in the sand dunes of Saturn's moon Titan. See article.
g Intelligence - Memories in our brains are maintained by connections between neurons called "synapses." But how do these synapses stay strong and keep memories alive for decades? Neuroscientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have discovered a major clue from a study in fruit flies: Hardy, self-copying clusters or oligomers of a synapse protein are an essential ingredient for the formation of long-term memory. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. While the Planetary Lake Lander (PLL) is positioned in its summer home, researchers study the geology of the Leguna Negra basin. See article.
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g Abodes - A new analysis of radar data has revealed regional variations in the sand dunes of Saturn's moon Titan. See article.
g Intelligence - Memories in our brains are maintained by connections between neurons called "synapses." But how do these synapses stay strong and keep memories alive for decades? Neuroscientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have discovered a major clue from a study in fruit flies: Hardy, self-copying clusters or oligomers of a synapse protein are an essential ingredient for the formation of long-term memory. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. While the Planetary Lake Lander (PLL) is positioned in its summer home, researchers study the geology of the Leguna Negra basin. See article.
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Monday, January 30, 2012
Clues about alien life in underwater caves and graphene’s superpermeability
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Scientists have developed a new method to measure cold plasma above the Earth, and have revealed more cold, charged ions in Earth’s upper altitudes than previously imagined. See article.
g Life - Discoveries made in some underwater caves by Texas &M University at Galveston researchers in the Bahamas could provide clues about how ocean life formed on Earth millions of years ago, and perhaps give hints of what types of marine life could be found on distant planets and moons. See article.
g Cosmicus - Wonder material graphene has revealed another of its extraordinary properties - University of Manchester researchers have found that it is superpermeable with respect to water. See article.
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g Abodes - Scientists have developed a new method to measure cold plasma above the Earth, and have revealed more cold, charged ions in Earth’s upper altitudes than previously imagined. See article.
g Life - Discoveries made in some underwater caves by Texas &M University at Galveston researchers in the Bahamas could provide clues about how ocean life formed on Earth millions of years ago, and perhaps give hints of what types of marine life could be found on distant planets and moons. See article.
g Cosmicus - Wonder material graphene has revealed another of its extraordinary properties - University of Manchester researchers have found that it is superpermeable with respect to water. See article.
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Sunday, January 29, 2012
Origin of life’s building blocks and when humans left Africa
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Geologists have determined that a half-mile-wide crater in California's Death Valley was formed by a volcanic explosion much more recently than previously thought. Their research also indicates that another, similar explosion could still occur at the site. See article.
g Life - A new study is helping to establish the origin of the carbohydrates that form the building blocks of life. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study, using genetic analysis to look for clues about human migration over sixty thousand years ago, suggests that the first modern humans settled in Arabia on their way from the Horn of Africa to the rest of the world. See article.
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g Abodes - Geologists have determined that a half-mile-wide crater in California's Death Valley was formed by a volcanic explosion much more recently than previously thought. Their research also indicates that another, similar explosion could still occur at the site. See article.
g Life - A new study is helping to establish the origin of the carbohydrates that form the building blocks of life. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study, using genetic analysis to look for clues about human migration over sixty thousand years ago, suggests that the first modern humans settled in Arabia on their way from the Horn of Africa to the rest of the world. See article.
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Saturday, January 28, 2012
Kepler discovers 11 new planetary systems and how viruses evolve
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - NASA’s Kepler mission has discovered 11 new planetary systems hosting 26 confirmed planets. The discoveries nearly double the number of verified planets and provide new data in the search for habitable, extrasolar worlds. See article.
g Life - Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have demonstrated how a new virus evolves, shedding light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations. The findings appear in the current issue of the journal Science. See article.
g Cosmicus - Physicists have built an accurate model of part of the Solar System inside a single atom. See article.
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g Abodes - NASA’s Kepler mission has discovered 11 new planetary systems hosting 26 confirmed planets. The discoveries nearly double the number of verified planets and provide new data in the search for habitable, extrasolar worlds. See article.
g Life - Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have demonstrated how a new virus evolves, shedding light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations. The findings appear in the current issue of the journal Science. See article.
g Cosmicus - Physicists have built an accurate model of part of the Solar System inside a single atom. See article.
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Friday, January 27, 2012
Origin of life’s building blocks and exploring the lakes of Titan
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - New research offers insight into how a massive volcanic eruption in Russia could have contributed to the greatest mass extinction known on Earth. See article.
g Life - Organic chemists at the University of York have made a significant advance towards establishing the origin of the carbohydrates (sugars) that form the building blocks of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
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g Abodes - New research offers insight into how a massive volcanic eruption in Russia could have contributed to the greatest mass extinction known on Earth. See article.
g Life - Organic chemists at the University of York have made a significant advance towards establishing the origin of the carbohydrates (sugars) that form the building blocks of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Pluto with rings and atomic X-ray laser
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Like other bodies in the outer Solar System, Pluto may have have rings orbiting it. Finding these rings could be important for the safety of NASA's New Horizons mission - currently en route to the tiny world. See article.
g Life - Since its discovery 150 years ago, scientists have puzzled over whether the winged dinosaur Archaeopteryx represents the missing link in birds' evolution to powered flight. Much of the debate has focused on the iconic creature's wings and the mystery of whether - and how well - it could fly. See article.
g Intelligence - A 33,000-year-old dog skull unearthed in a Siberian mountain cave presents some of the oldest known evidence of dog domestication and, together with an equally ancient find in a cave in Belgium, indicates that modern dogs may be descended from multiple ancestors. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists working at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created the shortest, purest X-ray laser pulses ever achieved, fulfilling a 45-year-old prediction and opening the door to a new range of scientific discovery. See article.
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g Abodes - Like other bodies in the outer Solar System, Pluto may have have rings orbiting it. Finding these rings could be important for the safety of NASA's New Horizons mission - currently en route to the tiny world. See article.
g Life - Since its discovery 150 years ago, scientists have puzzled over whether the winged dinosaur Archaeopteryx represents the missing link in birds' evolution to powered flight. Much of the debate has focused on the iconic creature's wings and the mystery of whether - and how well - it could fly. See article.
g Intelligence - A 33,000-year-old dog skull unearthed in a Siberian mountain cave presents some of the oldest known evidence of dog domestication and, together with an equally ancient find in a cave in Belgium, indicates that modern dogs may be descended from multiple ancestors. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists working at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created the shortest, purest X-ray laser pulses ever achieved, fulfilling a 45-year-old prediction and opening the door to a new range of scientific discovery. See article.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Life’s respiration within ice and a history of Martian rover advancement
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - In July 2011, a rare Martian meteorite fell to Earth - the first in about 50 years. The meteorite could hold clues to the history of the Martian environment and the potential for life on the red planet. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that two types of bacterium found at the bottom of glaciers show signs of respiration while living in ice. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA Mars rovers have come a long way in terms of size and capability since the rebirth of Red Planet surface exploration just 15 years ago – spanning from 1997 to 2012. NASA's newest rover, Curiosity, is scheduled to touch down on Mars in August. See article.
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g Abodes - In July 2011, a rare Martian meteorite fell to Earth - the first in about 50 years. The meteorite could hold clues to the history of the Martian environment and the potential for life on the red planet. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that two types of bacterium found at the bottom of glaciers show signs of respiration while living in ice. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA Mars rovers have come a long way in terms of size and capability since the rebirth of Red Planet surface exploration just 15 years ago – spanning from 1997 to 2012. NASA's newest rover, Curiosity, is scheduled to touch down on Mars in August. See article.
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Modeling clouds of Earth’s past to better understand alien worlds and mysterious ring of carbon monoxide gas orbits young star
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Astronomers have detected a mysterious ring of carbon monoxide gas around a young star. The ring is part of the star's planet-forming disk and it lies at a distance similar to that of the Earth from the Sun. See article.
g Abodes - The pattern of clouds on Earth is largely determined by the arrangement of the continents below. Now, astronomers are modeling the clouds at different periods in Earth’s past to better understand what alien worlds might look like. See article.
g Life - More than half of the 19,232 species newly known to science in 2009, the most recent calendar year of compilation, were insects - 9,738 or 50.6 percent - according to the 2011 State of Observed Species report released Jan. 18 by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University. See article.
g Cosmicus - Last summer, scientists observed a comet as it flew into the Sun. The comet's scorching end provided a new way to estimate the size and mass of these objects. See article.
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g Stars - Astronomers have detected a mysterious ring of carbon monoxide gas around a young star. The ring is part of the star's planet-forming disk and it lies at a distance similar to that of the Earth from the Sun. See article.
g Abodes - The pattern of clouds on Earth is largely determined by the arrangement of the continents below. Now, astronomers are modeling the clouds at different periods in Earth’s past to better understand what alien worlds might look like. See article.
g Life - More than half of the 19,232 species newly known to science in 2009, the most recent calendar year of compilation, were insects - 9,738 or 50.6 percent - according to the 2011 State of Observed Species report released Jan. 18 by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University. See article.
g Cosmicus - Last summer, scientists observed a comet as it flew into the Sun. The comet's scorching end provided a new way to estimate the size and mass of these objects. See article.
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Monday, January 23, 2012
How mechanisms crucial to life might have arisen and no element is unique to Moon anymore
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - The last mineral thought to have been unique to the Moon has been discovered in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. See article.
g Life - Scientists have discovered that two mechanisms crucial to life could have arisen in the hostile environment of volcanic-hydrothermal flow channels. See article.
g Message - Aliens will be glad to know that if ever they need to find an apartment here on Earth, someone has got them covered. In 2005, a company called Deep Space Communications Network beamed the first commercial transmission of a Web site into space. See article.
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g Abodes - The last mineral thought to have been unique to the Moon has been discovered in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. See article.
g Life - Scientists have discovered that two mechanisms crucial to life could have arisen in the hostile environment of volcanic-hydrothermal flow channels. See article.
g Message - Aliens will be glad to know that if ever they need to find an apartment here on Earth, someone has got them covered. In 2005, a company called Deep Space Communications Network beamed the first commercial transmission of a Web site into space. See article.
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Sunday, January 22, 2012
Two new circumbinary planet systems and life evolving in a freshwater environment
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - ESO's VISTA telescope, at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, has captured a striking new image of the Helix Nebula. This picture, taken in infrared light, reveals strands of cold nebular gas that are invisible in images taken in visible light, as well as bringing to light a rich background of stars and galaxies. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers announced the discovery of two new transiting “circumbinary” planet systems - planets that orbit two stars. The study provides new information about the diversity of worlds that exist in the universe. See article.
g Life - Most scientists who study the origin of life assume that it occurred in the ocean. But a minority view is that ions in seawater may interfere with prebiotic chemistry, making a freshwater environment more likely. See article.
g Message - How scientifically accurate was the ultimate astrobiology film, “Contact”? See article.
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g Stars - ESO's VISTA telescope, at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, has captured a striking new image of the Helix Nebula. This picture, taken in infrared light, reveals strands of cold nebular gas that are invisible in images taken in visible light, as well as bringing to light a rich background of stars and galaxies. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers announced the discovery of two new transiting “circumbinary” planet systems - planets that orbit two stars. The study provides new information about the diversity of worlds that exist in the universe. See article.
g Life - Most scientists who study the origin of life assume that it occurred in the ocean. But a minority view is that ions in seawater may interfere with prebiotic chemistry, making a freshwater environment more likely. See article.
g Message - How scientifically accurate was the ultimate astrobiology film, “Contact”? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Key step in evolution of life replicated and could the Death Star really destroy a planet?
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Scientists have long struggled to detect the dim dwarf galaxies that orbit our own galaxy. So it came as a surprise when a team of astronomers using Keck II telescope's adaptive optics has announced the discovery of a dwarf galaxy halfway across the universe. See article.
g Abodes - Research shows that greenhouse gases are disrupting Earth's glaciation. Heat trapped in the atmosphere could delay the next ice age by tens of thousands of years. See article.
g Life - Biologists have long wondered how sing-celled organisms on the Earth began forming multicellular clusters some 500 million years ago. Now, scientists have replicated this key step in the evolution of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - Researchers pose the question, could a small moon-sized battle station generate enough energy to destroy an Earth-sized planet? See article.
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g Stars - Scientists have long struggled to detect the dim dwarf galaxies that orbit our own galaxy. So it came as a surprise when a team of astronomers using Keck II telescope's adaptive optics has announced the discovery of a dwarf galaxy halfway across the universe. See article.
g Abodes - Research shows that greenhouse gases are disrupting Earth's glaciation. Heat trapped in the atmosphere could delay the next ice age by tens of thousands of years. See article.
g Life - Biologists have long wondered how sing-celled organisms on the Earth began forming multicellular clusters some 500 million years ago. Now, scientists have replicated this key step in the evolution of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - Researchers pose the question, could a small moon-sized battle station generate enough energy to destroy an Earth-sized planet? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, January 20, 2012
Potential habitability of 55 Cancri AB star system and why life began to produce oxygen
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - What is the potential habitability of planets orbiting 55 Cancri? See article.
g Abodes - New observations of the rocky exoplanet, 55 Cancri e, suggest it may be wetter than previously believed. See article.
g Life - By analyzing protein folds from organisms representing every domain of life, a team of scientists has assembled a timeline of “protein history” that could explain why life began to produce oxygen on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - Based on a hominid molar, scientists from Germany, Bulgaria and France have documented that great apes survived in Europe in savannah-like landscapes until seven million years ago. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of planets orbiting 55 Cancri? See article.
g Abodes - New observations of the rocky exoplanet, 55 Cancri e, suggest it may be wetter than previously believed. See article.
g Life - By analyzing protein folds from organisms representing every domain of life, a team of scientists has assembled a timeline of “protein history” that could explain why life began to produce oxygen on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - Based on a hominid molar, scientists from Germany, Bulgaria and France have documented that great apes survived in Europe in savannah-like landscapes until seven million years ago. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Why life began to produce oxygen and doubts about the Late Heavy Bombardment
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - A new Hubble Space Telescope image centers on the 100-million-solar-mass black hole at the hub of the neighboring spiral galaxy M31, or the Andromeda galaxy, the only galaxy outside the Milky Way visible to the naked eye and the only other giant galaxy in the local group. See article.
g Abodes - Data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter may cast doubt on theories that the early Earth was pummeled by impacts during a period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment. The study has important implications in understanding life's origins on our planet and the habitability of Earth. See article.
g Life - By analyzing protein folds from organisms representing every domain of life, a team of scientists has assembled a timeline of “protein history” that could explain why life began to produce oxygen on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study co-authored by a University of Florida researcher examines the first extinct North American primate with a toe bone showing features associated with the presence of both nails and a grooming claw, indicating our primate ancestors may have traded their flat nails for raised claws for functional purposes. See article.
g Cosmicus - The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft, which was meant to travel to a moon of Mars and back, has crashed back to Earth. See article.
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g Stars - A new Hubble Space Telescope image centers on the 100-million-solar-mass black hole at the hub of the neighboring spiral galaxy M31, or the Andromeda galaxy, the only galaxy outside the Milky Way visible to the naked eye and the only other giant galaxy in the local group. See article.
g Abodes - Data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter may cast doubt on theories that the early Earth was pummeled by impacts during a period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment. The study has important implications in understanding life's origins on our planet and the habitability of Earth. See article.
g Life - By analyzing protein folds from organisms representing every domain of life, a team of scientists has assembled a timeline of “protein history” that could explain why life began to produce oxygen on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study co-authored by a University of Florida researcher examines the first extinct North American primate with a toe bone showing features associated with the presence of both nails and a grooming claw, indicating our primate ancestors may have traded their flat nails for raised claws for functional purposes. See article.
g Cosmicus - The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft, which was meant to travel to a moon of Mars and back, has crashed back to Earth. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
How world’s axial tilt might prevent life and facial evolution
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:g Stars - Astronomers using the partially completed ALMA observatory have found compelling evidence for how star-forming galaxies evolve into 'red and dead' elliptical galaxies, catching a large group of galaxies right in the middle of this change. See article.
g Abodes - Gravitational interactions between red dwarf stars and habitable planets could erase a world's axial tilt, which moderates global temperatures and creates seasons, before life gets a chance to develop. See article.
g Life - Scientists have revealed details about the life that inhabits one of the world's most extreme deep-sea volcanic vents. See article.
g Intelligence - UCLA biologists working as "evolutionary detectives" studied the faces of 129 adult male primates from Central and South America, and they offer some answers in research published Jan. 11, in the early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The faces they studied evolved over at least 24 million years, they report. See article.
g Cosmicus - New maps produced by the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal features at the Moon's northern and southern poles in regions that lie in perpetual darkness. See article.
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g Abodes - Gravitational interactions between red dwarf stars and habitable planets could erase a world's axial tilt, which moderates global temperatures and creates seasons, before life gets a chance to develop. See article.
g Life - Scientists have revealed details about the life that inhabits one of the world's most extreme deep-sea volcanic vents. See article.
g Intelligence - UCLA biologists working as "evolutionary detectives" studied the faces of 129 adult male primates from Central and South America, and they offer some answers in research published Jan. 11, in the early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The faces they studied evolved over at least 24 million years, they report. See article.
g Cosmicus - New maps produced by the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal features at the Moon's northern and southern poles in regions that lie in perpetual darkness. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Three smallest known planets orbiting a distant star and increasing the complexity of a molecular machine
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - With data from Kepler, astronomers have discovered the three smallest known planets orbiting a distant star. All three planets are thought to be rocky like Earth, and the smallest is roughly the size of Mars. See article.
g Life - Scientists have demonstrated how just a few small, high-probability mutations increased the complexity of a molecular machine more than 800 million years ago. See article.
g Message - Here’s a fascinating talk with Jill Tarter, director of the Center for SETI Research and the inspiration behind Jody Foster’s character in the movie “Contact.” Find out about the tools and technologies being developed for a multigenerational effort to search for other advanced civilizations beyond our solar system here; scroll to “Listening for the Long Term.”
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
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g Abodes - With data from Kepler, astronomers have discovered the three smallest known planets orbiting a distant star. All three planets are thought to be rocky like Earth, and the smallest is roughly the size of Mars. See article.
g Life - Scientists have demonstrated how just a few small, high-probability mutations increased the complexity of a molecular machine more than 800 million years ago. See article.
g Message - Here’s a fascinating talk with Jill Tarter, director of the Center for SETI Research and the inspiration behind Jody Foster’s character in the movie “Contact.” Find out about the tools and technologies being developed for a multigenerational effort to search for other advanced civilizations beyond our solar system here; scroll to “Listening for the Long Term.”
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, January 16, 2012
Reversing strategy for hearing ETI and how part of Vesta ended up on Earth
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:g Abodes - Data from the Dawn spacecraft could help astrobiologists understand how pieces of the asteroid Vesta ended up on planet Earth. See article.
g Life - LSU's Chris Austin recently discovered two new species of frogs in New Guinea, one of which is now the world's tiniest known vertebrate, averaging only 7.7 millimeters in size - less than one-third of an inch. It ousts Paedocypris progenetica, an Indonesian fish averaging more than 8 millimeters, from the record. Austin, leading a team of scientists from the United States including LSU graduate student Eric Rittmeyer, made the discovery during a three-month long expedition to the island of New Guinea, the world's largest and tallest tropical island. Seearticle.
g Message - Here’s why the world's biggest search should reverse its strategy — and why the first signal we hear will probably come from an extremely powerful civilization extremely far away. See article.
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g Life - LSU's Chris Austin recently discovered two new species of frogs in New Guinea, one of which is now the world's tiniest known vertebrate, averaging only 7.7 millimeters in size - less than one-third of an inch. It ousts Paedocypris progenetica, an Indonesian fish averaging more than 8 millimeters, from the record. Austin, leading a team of scientists from the United States including LSU graduate student Eric Rittmeyer, made the discovery during a three-month long expedition to the island of New Guinea, the world's largest and tallest tropical island. See
g Message - Here’s why the world's biggest search should reverse its strategy — and why the first signal we hear will probably come from an extremely powerful civilization extremely far away. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Ring system discovered and new culprit in Earth's greatest mass extinction event
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - A team of astrophysicists from the University of Rochester and Europe has discovered a ring system in the constellation Centaurus that invites comparisons to Saturn. See article.
g Abodes - Scientists have discovered a new culprit that was likely involved in Earth's greatest mass extinction event some 250 million years ago. New research shows that mercury from volcanic eruptions may have been involved in rapid climate change and species loss on our planet. See article.
g Intelligence - Drinking alcohol leads to the release of endorphins in areas of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward, according to a study led by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco. See article.
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g Stars - A team of astrophysicists from the University of Rochester and Europe has discovered a ring system in the constellation Centaurus that invites comparisons to Saturn. See article.
g Abodes - Scientists have discovered a new culprit that was likely involved in Earth's greatest mass extinction event some 250 million years ago. New research shows that mercury from volcanic eruptions may have been involved in rapid climate change and species loss on our planet. See article.
g Intelligence - Drinking alcohol leads to the release of endorphins in areas of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward, according to a study led by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Supernova mystery solved and links between dusty disks and planet formation
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:g Stars - Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have solved a longstanding mystery of the type of star, or so-called progenitor, which caused a supernova seen in a nearby galaxy. The finding yields new observational data for pinpointing one of several scenarios that trigger such outbursts. See article.
g Abodes - With help from the Subaru telescope, researchers are gaining a new understanding of the links between dusty disks and planet formation. The data could aid in the search for new worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Message - "Surely one of the most marvelous feats of 21st-century science would be the firm proof that life exists on another planet. In that case, the thesis that life develops spontaneously when the conditions are favorable would be far more firmly established, and our whole view of the problem of the origin of life would be confirmed." Stanley Miller and Harold Urey wrote in 1959. Unfortunately, their dream has not been realized, and as we begin this new millennium the question of whether life exists beyond the Earth remains unanswered. However, there are reasons for optimism that in the not-too-distant future we may have an answer. See article. This article is from 2001.
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g Abodes - With help from the Subaru telescope, researchers are gaining a new understanding of the links between dusty disks and planet formation. The data could aid in the search for new worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Message - "Surely one of the most marvelous feats of 21st-century science would be the firm proof that life exists on another planet. In that case, the thesis that life develops spontaneously when the conditions are favorable would be far more firmly established, and our whole view of the problem of the origin of life would be confirmed." Stanley Miller and Harold Urey wrote in 1959. Unfortunately, their dream has not been realized, and as we begin this new millennium the question of whether life exists beyond the Earth remains unanswered. However, there are reasons for optimism that in the not-too-distant future we may have an answer. See article. This article is from 2001.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, January 13, 2012
High planet population and genetic molecules predating DNA and RNA
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - What is the potential habitability of TZ Arietis, a M-type star less than 15 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - New research indicates that planets around stars are the rule rather than the exception in our galaxy. If planets are common in the Milky Way, it could increase the likelihood that habitable worlds exist somewhere beyond our own solar system. See article.
g Life - Researchers studying the origin of life are investigating genetic molecules that could have pre-dated DNA and RNA. See article.
g Learning - Astrobiology Magazine welcomes the addition of the Pale Blue Blog, a unique collection of individual bloggers who voice their opinions on matters concerning life's potential on planets beyond our solar system. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of TZ Arietis, a M-type star less than 15 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - New research indicates that planets around stars are the rule rather than the exception in our galaxy. If planets are common in the Milky Way, it could increase the likelihood that habitable worlds exist somewhere beyond our own solar system. See article.
g Life - Researchers studying the origin of life are investigating genetic molecules that could have pre-dated DNA and RNA. See article.
g Learning - Astrobiology Magazine welcomes the addition of the Pale Blue Blog, a unique collection of individual bloggers who voice their opinions on matters concerning life's potential on planets beyond our solar system. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Searching for Tatooine in Kepler-16 System and analyzing cosmic radiation for ETI’s signals
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - What is the potential habitability of Wolf 424 AB, the home of Babel in the “Star Trek”? See article.
g Abodes - Astrophysicists have suggested where an Earth-type planet could exist in the two-star, Kepler-16 System. See article.
g Message - Here’s an interesting proposal: Search for extraterrestrial intelligence by analyzing cosmic radiation for signals. See article.
g Cosmicus - Opportunity will spend the coldest part of the Martian winter at an outcrop of rock named in honor of the late Ronald Greeley. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of Wolf 424 AB, the home of Babel in the “Star Trek”? See article.
g Abodes - Astrophysicists have suggested where an Earth-type planet could exist in the two-star, Kepler-16 System. See article.
g Message - Here’s an interesting proposal: Search for extraterrestrial intelligence by analyzing cosmic radiation for signals. See article.
g Cosmicus - Opportunity will spend the coldest part of the Martian winter at an outcrop of rock named in honor of the late Ronald Greeley. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
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