Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - With the VISIR instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope, astronomers have mapped the disc around a star more massive than the Sun. The very extended and flared disc most likely contains enough gas and dust to spawn planets. It appears as a precursor of debris discs such as the one around Vega-like stars and thus provides the rare opportunity to witness the conditions prevailing prior to or during planet formation. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060929094038.htm.
g Abodes - Jupiter’s moon Europa was revealed by the Galileo spacecraft, and previous missions, to be a fascinating ice-covered world with some of the best prospects for the presence of liquid water beyond Earth. Results from various instruments on the Galileo spacecraft revealed the presence of a surface layer approximately 100 km thick with the density of water or water ice. These results also suggest that while the top 10 km or so are likely frozen solid, the majority of this water could exist in a liquid form beneath an icy crust. Coupled with the likely presence of the chemical building blocks of life, and a variety of possible energy sources ranging from tidal heating from Jupiter’s gravity to radiative processing of the surface, Europa has emerged as one of the top Solar System locations in terms of potential habitability. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_europa_060928.html. For related story, see “Pluto-bound New Horizons craft snaps image of Jupiter” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/27newhorizons/.
g Life - In just a few generations, the male crickets on Kauai underwent a drastic genetic change that rendered them incapable of belting out courtship songs, according to a new study. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060922_cricket_mating.html.
g Message - During the early 1980s, David Brin offered an explanation for Fermi’s Paradox, which asked why if extraterrestrial life existed it wasn’t on Earth. Brin’s answer: The Zoo Hypothesis. Here’s a copy of that groundbreaking paper, “The 'Great Silence': The Controversy Concerning Extraterrestrial Life “ at http://brin-l.stock-consulting.com/downloads/silence.pdf.
g Cosmicus - Arizona tourists may have thought they'd stumbled upon a science fiction movie set if they found themselves near the state's famed Meteor Crater in early September. Though they didn't get a glimpse of R2D2 or C3PO, they did see robots, rovers and space-suited subjects with the latest interplanetary gear trekking over some of the state's harshest topography. See http://www.
astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file
=article&sid=2088mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Camera eyes on Mars, Earth’s first birds and ‘Cosmic Company’
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Strong solar flares cause Global Positioning System receivers to fail, Cornell researchers have discovered. Because solar flares - larger-than-normal radiation "burps" by the sun - are generally unpredictable, such failures could be devastating for "safety-of-life" GPS operations - such as navigating passenger jets, stabilizing floating oil rigs and locating mobile phone distress calls. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/27gpsfailures/.
g Abodes - The most powerful camera ever to orbit Mars will get its first close look at the Red Planet today. See http://www.astrobio.
net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&
sid=2098mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - The earliest known bird had flight feathers on its legs that allowed it to use its hind limbs as an extra pair of wings, a new study finds. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060922_archae
opteryx_wings.html. For related story, see “Ancient Birds Flew On All-Fours."
g Message - When it comes to signaling across space, power is paramount. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_targeted_040401.html. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - NASA is marching forward on its Moon, Mars and beyond planning, a multi-step action agenda enunciated by President George W. Bush as the vision for space exploration in January 2004. One goal of that plan is returning humans to the Moon as early as 2015 and no later than 2020. See http://www.space.com/news/060829_griffin_vision.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom lesson plan on “The United Nations Treaty for the Exploration and Use of Outer Space”: http://www.theguardians.com/teachers/un_activities.htm
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read David Bischoff’s "The Xaxrling of J. Arnold Boysenberry," anthologized in “First Contact,” edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff (published by DAW, 1997).
g Aftermath - Book alert: In “Cosmic Company,” Seth Shostak and Alex Barnett ponder the possibility of aliens visiting the Earth, as well as the consequences of receiving a signal from the cosmos proving we're neither alone, nor the most intelligent life forms. They explain why scientists think life might exist on other worlds, and how we might contact it. Shostak and Barnett, experienced writers of popular astronomy, provide an accessible overview of the science and technology behind the search for life in the universe. See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0521822335/ref=pd_sxp_f/103-9154374-8730217?v=glance&s=books.
g Stars - Strong solar flares cause Global Positioning System receivers to fail, Cornell researchers have discovered. Because solar flares - larger-than-normal radiation "burps" by the sun - are generally unpredictable, such failures could be devastating for "safety-of-life" GPS operations - such as navigating passenger jets, stabilizing floating oil rigs and locating mobile phone distress calls. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/27gpsfailures/.
g Abodes - The most powerful camera ever to orbit Mars will get its first close look at the Red Planet today. See http://www.astrobio.
net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&
sid=2098mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - The earliest known bird had flight feathers on its legs that allowed it to use its hind limbs as an extra pair of wings, a new study finds. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060922_archae
opteryx_wings.html. For related story, see “Ancient Birds Flew On All-Fours."
g Message - When it comes to signaling across space, power is paramount. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_targeted_040401.html. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - NASA is marching forward on its Moon, Mars and beyond planning, a multi-step action agenda enunciated by President George W. Bush as the vision for space exploration in January 2004. One goal of that plan is returning humans to the Moon as early as 2015 and no later than 2020. See http://www.space.com/news/060829_griffin_vision.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom lesson plan on “The United Nations Treaty for the Exploration and Use of Outer Space”: http://www.theguardians.com/teachers/un_activities.htm
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read David Bischoff’s "The Xaxrling of J. Arnold Boysenberry," anthologized in “First Contact,” edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff (published by DAW, 1997).
g Aftermath - Book alert: In “Cosmic Company,” Seth Shostak and Alex Barnett ponder the possibility of aliens visiting the Earth, as well as the consequences of receiving a signal from the cosmos proving we're neither alone, nor the most intelligent life forms. They explain why scientists think life might exist on other worlds, and how we might contact it. Shostak and Barnett, experienced writers of popular astronomy, provide an accessible overview of the science and technology behind the search for life in the universe. See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0521822335/ref=pd_sxp_f/103-9154374-8730217?v=glance&s=books.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Star spinning near break-up velocity, journey into space and constructive dialogue with ET
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - If your idea of fun is whirling around on a dizzying carnival ride, astronomers have found a stellar adventure that would stop you in your tracks. A sizzling-hot star is spinning around at near break-up velocity, according to a new study. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060925_mm_star_spin.html.
g Abodes - NASA's Mars robotic missions are performing so well, they are being prepared for additional overtime work. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/26rovers/.
g Life - Scientists have studied the life history of animals, part of a field called development, for many decades. Other scientists have studied how life arose and evolved on Earth. For the first time since the early part of this century, the two fields are coming together, in a new discipline called "Evo Devo. See http://www.astrobio.net
/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=101. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Intelligence - Johnny Depp may be easy on the eyes, but in reality he is just easy on the mind, a new study suggests. While eyes are the vehicles for receiving visual images, the brain decides how attractive those images are. Attractiveness appears to be related to how easy you can wrap your brain around a face. See http://www.livesci
ence.com/humanbiology/060927_attractiveness_mind.html.
g Message - Visiting another civilization on a distant world would be fascinating, but at present such a trip is beyond our capabilities. However, it is perfectly within our capabilities to develop a communications system using a powerful transmitter and a sensitive receiver, and using it to search the sky for alien worlds whose citizens have a similar inclination. See http://www.vectorsite.net/taseti.html.
g Cosmicus - A new survey is trying to get to the bottom of what public travelers long for and fancy from a journey into space. See http://www.space.com/news/060828_tourism_survey.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of classroom activities: Life On Other Planets in the Solar System. It examines the possibility of life on other planets in our own solar system and what form that life might take. Designed as a curriculum resource for middle and high school students. See http://www.resa.net/nasa/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read C.M. Kornbluth’s short story "The Silly Season," originally published in F&SF (Fall 1950).
g Aftermath - Here’s a fascinating idea: A group of serious scientists, writers, military leaders and others discussing how to establish a constructive dialogue between humanity and ETI, once contact is made: http://www.ieti.org/index.html.
g Stars - If your idea of fun is whirling around on a dizzying carnival ride, astronomers have found a stellar adventure that would stop you in your tracks. A sizzling-hot star is spinning around at near break-up velocity, according to a new study. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060925_mm_star_spin.html.
g Abodes - NASA's Mars robotic missions are performing so well, they are being prepared for additional overtime work. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/26rovers/.
g Life - Scientists have studied the life history of animals, part of a field called development, for many decades. Other scientists have studied how life arose and evolved on Earth. For the first time since the early part of this century, the two fields are coming together, in a new discipline called "Evo Devo. See http://www.astrobio.net
/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=101. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Intelligence - Johnny Depp may be easy on the eyes, but in reality he is just easy on the mind, a new study suggests. While eyes are the vehicles for receiving visual images, the brain decides how attractive those images are. Attractiveness appears to be related to how easy you can wrap your brain around a face. See http://www.livesci
ence.com/humanbiology/060927_attractiveness_mind.html.
g Message - Visiting another civilization on a distant world would be fascinating, but at present such a trip is beyond our capabilities. However, it is perfectly within our capabilities to develop a communications system using a powerful transmitter and a sensitive receiver, and using it to search the sky for alien worlds whose citizens have a similar inclination. See http://www.vectorsite.net/taseti.html.
g Cosmicus - A new survey is trying to get to the bottom of what public travelers long for and fancy from a journey into space. See http://www.space.com/news/060828_tourism_survey.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of classroom activities: Life On Other Planets in the Solar System. It examines the possibility of life on other planets in our own solar system and what form that life might take. Designed as a curriculum resource for middle and high school students. See http://www.resa.net/nasa/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read C.M. Kornbluth’s short story "The Silly Season," originally published in F&SF (Fall 1950).
g Aftermath - Here’s a fascinating idea: A group of serious scientists, writers, military leaders and others discussing how to establish a constructive dialogue between humanity and ETI, once contact is made: http://www.ieti.org/index.html.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Wave/particle duality, brightening space station and life on other planets in the solar system
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Wave/particle duality is a quantum phenomenon usually confined to photons, electrons, protons, and other ultra-tiny objects. Quantum mechanics shows that such objects sometimes behave like particles, sometimes behave like waves, and sometimes like a little of both. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060918202711.htm.
g Abodes - A team of British and US scientists have discovered that the gap in the Van Allen radiation belts is formed by natural wave turbulence in space, not by lightning. The discovery settles years of controversy among space scientists about the mechanisms responsible for causing the gap and has important implications for space weather forecasting. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060926171157.htm.
g Life - In the fish world, traditional roles are typically reversed with the male building the nest, completing nest-keeping tasks, and protecting and caring for the young. Since female fish lay their eggs in an already-built nest before swimming away, the hard work ensures a male fish will pass along his genes. But not all fish obey this rule. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060918_sunfish_smell.html.
g Cosmicus - The biggest and brightest manmade object orbiting Earth just got bigger and brighter. See http://www.space.com/spacewatch/060915_iss_watch.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of classroom activities: Life On Other Planets in the Solar System. It examines the possibility of life on other planets in our own solar system and what form that life might take. Designed as a curriculum resource for middle and high school students. See http://www.resa.net/nasa/.
g Stars - Wave/particle duality is a quantum phenomenon usually confined to photons, electrons, protons, and other ultra-tiny objects. Quantum mechanics shows that such objects sometimes behave like particles, sometimes behave like waves, and sometimes like a little of both. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060918202711.htm.
g Abodes - A team of British and US scientists have discovered that the gap in the Van Allen radiation belts is formed by natural wave turbulence in space, not by lightning. The discovery settles years of controversy among space scientists about the mechanisms responsible for causing the gap and has important implications for space weather forecasting. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060926171157.htm.
g Life - In the fish world, traditional roles are typically reversed with the male building the nest, completing nest-keeping tasks, and protecting and caring for the young. Since female fish lay their eggs in an already-built nest before swimming away, the hard work ensures a male fish will pass along his genes. But not all fish obey this rule. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060918_sunfish_smell.html.
g Cosmicus - The biggest and brightest manmade object orbiting Earth just got bigger and brighter. See http://www.space.com/spacewatch/060915_iss_watch.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of classroom activities: Life On Other Planets in the Solar System. It examines the possibility of life on other planets in our own solar system and what form that life might take. Designed as a curriculum resource for middle and high school students. See http://www.resa.net/nasa/.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Early universe’s galaxies, trees that water themselves and Active SETI
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Recent images from the depths of cosmos show more than 500 galaxies in the early universe, scientists report. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060921_young_galaxies.html.
g Abodes - Earth observation scientists at the University of Leicester have been able to measure from space for the first time signals showing the amount of carbon dioxide taken up by plants, in a project hailed by the Natural Environment Research Council as one of its top achievements of the year. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060925070142.htm.
g Life - Trees that live in an odd desert forest in Oman have found an unusual way to water themselves by extracting moisture from low-lying clouds, MIT scientists report. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060912225845.htm.
g Message - Recent discussions within the SETI community have thoroughly explored the issue of whether people with access to radio telescopes should send powerful signals to alien civilizations without some process of prior international consultation. In particular, those exchanges have focused on the question of "Active SETI." See http://www.setileague.org/editor/actvseti.htm.
g Cosmicus - American support remains strong for NASA’s plan to complete the International Space Station, retire its shuttle fleet by decade’s end and move on to the Moon and Mars, according to poll results released Monday. See http://www.space.com/news/060925_coalition_spacepoll.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity, courtesy of NASA: “The Drake Equation.” Students estimate the number of civilizations in the galaxy by first estimating the number of craters on the Moon and then by performing estimates of multiple-variable systems culminating in the use of the Drake Equation. See http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/DrakeEquation/Drake.htm.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read H.B. Fyfe’s short story "In Value Deceived," originally published in the November 1950 issue of Astounding magazine.
g Stars - Recent images from the depths of cosmos show more than 500 galaxies in the early universe, scientists report. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060921_young_galaxies.html.
g Abodes - Earth observation scientists at the University of Leicester have been able to measure from space for the first time signals showing the amount of carbon dioxide taken up by plants, in a project hailed by the Natural Environment Research Council as one of its top achievements of the year. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060925070142.htm.
g Life - Trees that live in an odd desert forest in Oman have found an unusual way to water themselves by extracting moisture from low-lying clouds, MIT scientists report. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060912225845.htm.
g Message - Recent discussions within the SETI community have thoroughly explored the issue of whether people with access to radio telescopes should send powerful signals to alien civilizations without some process of prior international consultation. In particular, those exchanges have focused on the question of "Active SETI." See http://www.setileague.org/editor/actvseti.htm.
g Cosmicus - American support remains strong for NASA’s plan to complete the International Space Station, retire its shuttle fleet by decade’s end and move on to the Moon and Mars, according to poll results released Monday. See http://www.space.com/news/060925_coalition_spacepoll.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity, courtesy of NASA: “The Drake Equation.” Students estimate the number of civilizations in the galaxy by first estimating the number of craters on the Moon and then by performing estimates of multiple-variable systems culminating in the use of the Drake Equation. See http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/DrakeEquation/Drake.htm.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read H.B. Fyfe’s short story "In Value Deceived," originally published in the November 1950 issue of Astounding magazine.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Our galaxy’s birth, Saturn’s new ring and Earth’s tallest living thing
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Looking in detail at the composition of stars with ESO's VLT, astronomers are providing a fresh look at the history of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. They reveal that the central part of our Galaxy formed not only very quickly but also independently of the rest. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060915203447.htm.
g Abodes - Saturn sports a new ring in an image taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft last Sunday during a one-of-a-kind observation. Other spectacular sights captured by Cassini's cameras include wispy fingers of icy material stretching out tens of thousands of kilometers from the active moon, Enceladus, and a cameo color appearance by planet Earth. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/060924newring.html.
g Life - A redwood in a remote Northern California coastal forest has been tentatively measured as the world's tallest living thing. See http://www.livescience.com/othernews/060907_ap_redwood_tallest.
html.
g Intelligence - Columbia University Medical Center researchers have identified an emotional control circuit in the human brain which keeps emotionally intense stimuli from interfering with mental functioning. These results significantly enhance our understanding of the neurobiology underlying psychiatric disorders involving emotional control, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060920193424.htm.
g Message - The universe is a noisy place, filled with the hiss and crackle of stars being born and dying. There is little escape from this cosmic din, except in one small region of the radio dial — the microwave band. Here, only the faint whimper of the Big Bang breaks the silence, making it a “really good place to communicate,” according to Dan Werthimer of Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, perched close to the stars atop Grizzly Peak. See http://www.alum
ni.berkeley.edu/Alumni/Cal_Monthly/December_2000/Can_we_
talk.asp. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Cosmicus - When the gates open on the X Prize Cup next month at the Las Cruces International Airport, New Mexico, visitors will get a first-hand feel for a new type of super-slick speedster—the rocket racer. See http://www.space.com/news/060914_xprize_racers.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom lesson for middle school students that examines why we should explore our solar system. See http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:n_WvWVxiMNgJ:serp.la.asu.edu/sts_dir/SpceExpl.pdf+%22space+exploration%22+benefits&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=37.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Ivan Yefremov’s novel "Cor Serpentis (Serdtse Zmei)" ("Heart of the Serpent"), published in 1959.
g Aftermath - The scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence is accelerating its pace and adopting fresh strategies. This increases the likelihood of successful detection in the near future. Humanity's first contact with alien intelligence will trigger extraordinary attention from the media, from government authorities, and from the general public. By improving our readiness for contact, especially for security during the first 30 days, we can avoid the most negative scenarios — and also enhance humanity's benefits from this first contact with an alien intelligence. Six potential problem areas include communicating with the media and the public, communicating with scientific colleagues, government control, an assassin or saboteur, well-meaning officials and lawsuits. See http://ieti.org/articles/security.htm.
g Stars - Looking in detail at the composition of stars with ESO's VLT, astronomers are providing a fresh look at the history of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. They reveal that the central part of our Galaxy formed not only very quickly but also independently of the rest. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060915203447.htm.
g Abodes - Saturn sports a new ring in an image taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft last Sunday during a one-of-a-kind observation. Other spectacular sights captured by Cassini's cameras include wispy fingers of icy material stretching out tens of thousands of kilometers from the active moon, Enceladus, and a cameo color appearance by planet Earth. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/060924newring.html.
g Life - A redwood in a remote Northern California coastal forest has been tentatively measured as the world's tallest living thing. See http://www.livescience.com/othernews/060907_ap_redwood_tallest.
html.
g Intelligence - Columbia University Medical Center researchers have identified an emotional control circuit in the human brain which keeps emotionally intense stimuli from interfering with mental functioning. These results significantly enhance our understanding of the neurobiology underlying psychiatric disorders involving emotional control, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060920193424.htm.
g Message - The universe is a noisy place, filled with the hiss and crackle of stars being born and dying. There is little escape from this cosmic din, except in one small region of the radio dial — the microwave band. Here, only the faint whimper of the Big Bang breaks the silence, making it a “really good place to communicate,” according to Dan Werthimer of Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, perched close to the stars atop Grizzly Peak. See http://www.alum
ni.berkeley.edu/Alumni/Cal_Monthly/December_2000/Can_we_
talk.asp. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Cosmicus - When the gates open on the X Prize Cup next month at the Las Cruces International Airport, New Mexico, visitors will get a first-hand feel for a new type of super-slick speedster—the rocket racer. See http://www.space.com/news/060914_xprize_racers.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom lesson for middle school students that examines why we should explore our solar system. See http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:n_WvWVxiMNgJ:serp.la.asu.edu/sts_dir/SpceExpl.pdf+%22space+exploration%22+benefits&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=37.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Ivan Yefremov’s novel "Cor Serpentis (Serdtse Zmei)" ("Heart of the Serpent"), published in 1959.
g Aftermath - The scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence is accelerating its pace and adopting fresh strategies. This increases the likelihood of successful detection in the near future. Humanity's first contact with alien intelligence will trigger extraordinary attention from the media, from government authorities, and from the general public. By improving our readiness for contact, especially for security during the first 30 days, we can avoid the most negative scenarios — and also enhance humanity's benefits from this first contact with an alien intelligence. Six potential problem areas include communicating with the media and the public, communicating with scientific colleagues, government control, an assassin or saboteur, well-meaning officials and lawsuits. See http://ieti.org/articles/security.htm.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Size of the cosmos, delays in verifying signal from ET and radiation risk to astronauts
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - A new discovery is casting doubt on the idea that a type of star explosion shines with equal brightness wherever it occurs in the universe. The finding could have implications for estimates of the size of the cosmos. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/
060920_supernova_atypical.html.
g Life - Coral-like mounds on the floor of a Canadian lake may make it easier someday to identify life on other planets. See http://www.
astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=
article&sid=113. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Intelligence - Even the tiny, mild-mannered fruit fly can be a little mean sometimes – especially when there’s a choice bit of rotten fruit to fight over. And, like people, some flies have shorter tempers than others. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060920192543.htm.
g Message - Most SETI programs scan the sky looking for strong radio signals. Any signals that are deemed interesting are put on a list for follow-up observations weeks, months — even years later. Long delays in verification of potential ET signals sometimes generate tantalizing, but ultimately frustrating, stories. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_backus_rhythm_030320.
html. Note: This article is from March 2003.
g Cosmicus - It doesn't just matter how much radiation an astronaut is exposed to; time and the order in which charged particles strike human cells are important factors as well. That's the main finding of a study simulating radiation exposure conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and published in the September 2006 edition of Radiation Research. In the study, human cells were three times more likely to develop properties similar to those in the initial stages of cancer when they were exposed to two types of high-energy particles in a short period of time. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2067mode=thread
&order=0&thold=0. For related story, see “One-two Particle Punch Poses Greater Risk For Astronauts” at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060824222016.htm.
g Learning - Here’s a great classroom resource guide, courtesy of NASA: NAI's team at NASA Ames Research Center has created Chapter 4 of the Yellowstone Resources and Issues Guide which tells all about thermophiles, their habitats in the park, and their relationship to both the history of life on Earth, and the search for life elsewhere. The guide is used to train park naturalists and rangers, and it can also serve as a valuable resource when teaching about extremophiles and astrobiology in the classroom. Download your copy at: http://www.nps.gov/yell/publications/pdfs/handbook/ch4.pdf.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Robert Heinlein’s novel “Have Spacesuit, Will Travel,” published by Scribners in 1958.
g Aftermath - Add one more worry to the computerized world of the 21st century. Could a signal from the stars broadcast by an alien intelligence also carry harmful information, in the spirit of a computer virus? Could star folk launch a "disinformation" campaign -- one that covers up aspects of their culture? Perhaps they might even mask the "real" intent of dispatching a message to other civilizations scattered throughout the Cosmos. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/space_hackers_031111.html. Note: This article is from 2003.
g Stars - A new discovery is casting doubt on the idea that a type of star explosion shines with equal brightness wherever it occurs in the universe. The finding could have implications for estimates of the size of the cosmos. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/
060920_supernova_atypical.html.
g Life - Coral-like mounds on the floor of a Canadian lake may make it easier someday to identify life on other planets. See http://www.
astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=
article&sid=113. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Intelligence - Even the tiny, mild-mannered fruit fly can be a little mean sometimes – especially when there’s a choice bit of rotten fruit to fight over. And, like people, some flies have shorter tempers than others. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060920192543.htm.
g Message - Most SETI programs scan the sky looking for strong radio signals. Any signals that are deemed interesting are put on a list for follow-up observations weeks, months — even years later. Long delays in verification of potential ET signals sometimes generate tantalizing, but ultimately frustrating, stories. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_backus_rhythm_030320.
html. Note: This article is from March 2003.
g Cosmicus - It doesn't just matter how much radiation an astronaut is exposed to; time and the order in which charged particles strike human cells are important factors as well. That's the main finding of a study simulating radiation exposure conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and published in the September 2006 edition of Radiation Research. In the study, human cells were three times more likely to develop properties similar to those in the initial stages of cancer when they were exposed to two types of high-energy particles in a short period of time. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2067mode=thread
&order=0&thold=0. For related story, see “One-two Particle Punch Poses Greater Risk For Astronauts” at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060824222016.htm.
g Learning - Here’s a great classroom resource guide, courtesy of NASA: NAI's team at NASA Ames Research Center has created Chapter 4 of the Yellowstone Resources and Issues Guide which tells all about thermophiles, their habitats in the park, and their relationship to both the history of life on Earth, and the search for life elsewhere. The guide is used to train park naturalists and rangers, and it can also serve as a valuable resource when teaching about extremophiles and astrobiology in the classroom. Download your copy at: http://www.nps.gov/yell/publications/pdfs/handbook/ch4.pdf.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Robert Heinlein’s novel “Have Spacesuit, Will Travel,” published by Scribners in 1958.
g Aftermath - Add one more worry to the computerized world of the 21st century. Could a signal from the stars broadcast by an alien intelligence also carry harmful information, in the spirit of a computer virus? Could star folk launch a "disinformation" campaign -- one that covers up aspects of their culture? Perhaps they might even mask the "real" intent of dispatching a message to other civilizations scattered throughout the Cosmos. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/space_hackers_031111.html. Note: This article is from 2003.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Scrutinizing Mars, looking rather than listening for ET and rockets for Orion
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Japan launched an international solar physics satellite into orbit Friday with a trio of powerful instruments that scientists hope can answer key questions about the Sun's magnetic field. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/m5/solarb/.
g Abodes - NASA's newest spacecraft at Mars has completed the challenging half-year task of shaping its orbit to the nearly circular, low-altitude pattern from which it will scrutinize the planet. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=2083mode=thread&order=0&thold=0. For related story, see “Faceless Cydonia.”
g Life - Does Greenland give a clue as to whether life was seeded twice: 'stock' cultures surviving one big impact event? “Life Under Bombardment” looks for the evidence of our terrestrial past. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=68. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Intelligence - After a long day spent socializing or learning who to flirt with, fruit flies apparently need to sleep longer, shedding light on what sleep may actually do for humans, scientists now find. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/060921_flies_sleep.html.
g Message - Should we be looking for extraterrestrial civilizations, rather than just listening for them, as we do in the SETI project? That is the suggestion of a French astronomer, Luc Arnold, in his paper “Transit Lightcurve Signatures of Artificial Objects.” He believes that the transit of large artificial objects in front of a sun could be a used for the emission of attention-getting signals. See http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/technovel
_ringworld_050415.html.
g Cosmicus - With NASA’s announcement that aerospace firm Lockheed Martin will build its shuttle successor Orion, the agency is forging ahead with a test flight plan for the rockets to launch those future vehicles spaceward. See http://www.space.com/business
technology/060906_lockheed_orion.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity that teaches students about the potential benefits and costs of space missions. See http://
news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/teachers/citizenship_11_14/subject_
areas/scientific_development/newsid_3397000/3397051.stm.
g Imagining - As long as there has been science, science fiction has existed. The secrets of the universe remain a mystery to us, but that doesn’t stop us from making guesses. An author who writes a science fiction novel tries to base it around the technology and knowledge that we have available to us. Those tidbits of knowledge are then exaggerated to great lengths, and then set into the future, on other planets, in other dimensions in time, or under new variants of scientific law. This process is called extrapolation, and becomes the premise of the story. Here’s a Web page works in reverse, by taking the scientific aspects from classic works of science fiction and explaining how they relate to astrobiology: http://www.geocities.com/fizzalumpagus/.
g Stars - Japan launched an international solar physics satellite into orbit Friday with a trio of powerful instruments that scientists hope can answer key questions about the Sun's magnetic field. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/m5/solarb/.
g Abodes - NASA's newest spacecraft at Mars has completed the challenging half-year task of shaping its orbit to the nearly circular, low-altitude pattern from which it will scrutinize the planet. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=2083mode=thread&order=0&thold=0. For related story, see “Faceless Cydonia.”
g Life - Does Greenland give a clue as to whether life was seeded twice: 'stock' cultures surviving one big impact event? “Life Under Bombardment” looks for the evidence of our terrestrial past. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=68. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Intelligence - After a long day spent socializing or learning who to flirt with, fruit flies apparently need to sleep longer, shedding light on what sleep may actually do for humans, scientists now find. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/060921_flies_sleep.html.
g Message - Should we be looking for extraterrestrial civilizations, rather than just listening for them, as we do in the SETI project? That is the suggestion of a French astronomer, Luc Arnold, in his paper “Transit Lightcurve Signatures of Artificial Objects.” He believes that the transit of large artificial objects in front of a sun could be a used for the emission of attention-getting signals. See http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/technovel
_ringworld_050415.html.
g Cosmicus - With NASA’s announcement that aerospace firm Lockheed Martin will build its shuttle successor Orion, the agency is forging ahead with a test flight plan for the rockets to launch those future vehicles spaceward. See http://www.space.com/business
technology/060906_lockheed_orion.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity that teaches students about the potential benefits and costs of space missions. See http://
news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/teachers/citizenship_11_14/subject_
areas/scientific_development/newsid_3397000/3397051.stm.
g Imagining - As long as there has been science, science fiction has existed. The secrets of the universe remain a mystery to us, but that doesn’t stop us from making guesses. An author who writes a science fiction novel tries to base it around the technology and knowledge that we have available to us. Those tidbits of knowledge are then exaggerated to great lengths, and then set into the future, on other planets, in other dimensions in time, or under new variants of scientific law. This process is called extrapolation, and becomes the premise of the story. Here’s a Web page works in reverse, by taking the scientific aspects from classic works of science fiction and explaining how they relate to astrobiology: http://www.geocities.com/fizzalumpagus/.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Black hole factory, studying Mars and oldest fossil remains of child
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Scientists could generate a black hole as often as every second when the world's most powerful particle accelerator comes online in 2007. This potential "black hole factory" has raised fears that a stray black hole could devour our planet whole. The Lifeboat Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to safeguarding humanity from what it considers threats to our existence, has stated that artificial black holes could "threaten all life on Earth" and so it proposes to set up "self-sustaining colonies elsewhere." But the chance of planetary annihilation by this means "is totally miniscule," experimental physicist Greg Landsberg at Brown University in Providence, R.I., told LiveScience. See http://www.livescience.com/includes/iab.html?url=/forcesofnature/060919_black_holes.html.
g Abodes - Scientists and engineers are enjoying success both on the surface of the red planet and in orbit around Mars. NASA’s Opportunity Mars rover is closing in on the huge Victoria Crater at Meridiani Planum. The robot has rolled into position nearby to make “rim shots”—using its cameras to take longing looks at the crater’s opposite wall. See http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060921_mars_probes.html. For related story, see “Managing Mars Missions.”
g Life - In search of meteor showers, an airborne research mission indicates that the chemical precursors to life found in comet dust may well have survived a plunge into early Earth's atmosphere. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=70. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Intelligence - Scientists have unearthed the oldest child ever discovered—the fossil remains of what appears to be a girl dating back 3.3 million years. See http://www.livescience.com/
humanbiology/060920_ancient_girl.html.
g Message - Here’s a quick, easy to understand primer to SETI’s radio searches and the Fermi Paradox: http://shayol.bartol.udel.edu/~rhdt/diploma/lecture_12/.
g Cosmicus - Automated telescopes are now doing work once done by tortured astronomers, and thanks to a new high speed wireless microwave network, today's digitally captured images can be beamed down from mountain observatories and quickly distributed to astronomers living thousands of miles away. See http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/060823_hpwren.html.
g Learning - Here’s a cool introduction to astrobiology: A concept map of the field’s fundamental questions with links to each one: http://electra.ihmc.us/servlet/SBReadResourceServletrid=1025201
081978_2008951983_2137&partName=htmltext.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read David Brin’s short story "Fortitude." It appeared in the January 1996 issue of Science Fiction Age magazine.
g Aftermath - Book alert: What happens if SETI succeeds? Several dozen experts from the fields of sociology, technology and education consider the social consequences of finding a signal in “Social Implications of the Detection of Extraterrestrial Civilizations,” by John Billingham, Roger Heyns, David Milne and Seth Shostak (editors). Based on workshops held in 1991 and 1992, this is the definitive opus on the likely impact of an extraterrestrial signal. Don't believe all you see on TV, nor what you read in the chat groups: here is reasoned prognostication on what could be the biggest event in human history. See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/
0966633504/ref=ase_setiprime-20/103-9154374-8730217.
g Stars - Scientists could generate a black hole as often as every second when the world's most powerful particle accelerator comes online in 2007. This potential "black hole factory" has raised fears that a stray black hole could devour our planet whole. The Lifeboat Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to safeguarding humanity from what it considers threats to our existence, has stated that artificial black holes could "threaten all life on Earth" and so it proposes to set up "self-sustaining colonies elsewhere." But the chance of planetary annihilation by this means "is totally miniscule," experimental physicist Greg Landsberg at Brown University in Providence, R.I., told LiveScience. See http://www.livescience.com/includes/iab.html?url=/forcesofnature/060919_black_holes.html.
g Abodes - Scientists and engineers are enjoying success both on the surface of the red planet and in orbit around Mars. NASA’s Opportunity Mars rover is closing in on the huge Victoria Crater at Meridiani Planum. The robot has rolled into position nearby to make “rim shots”—using its cameras to take longing looks at the crater’s opposite wall. See http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060921_mars_probes.html. For related story, see “Managing Mars Missions.”
g Life - In search of meteor showers, an airborne research mission indicates that the chemical precursors to life found in comet dust may well have survived a plunge into early Earth's atmosphere. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=70. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Intelligence - Scientists have unearthed the oldest child ever discovered—the fossil remains of what appears to be a girl dating back 3.3 million years. See http://www.livescience.com/
humanbiology/060920_ancient_girl.html.
g Message - Here’s a quick, easy to understand primer to SETI’s radio searches and the Fermi Paradox: http://shayol.bartol.udel.edu/~rhdt/diploma/lecture_12/.
g Cosmicus - Automated telescopes are now doing work once done by tortured astronomers, and thanks to a new high speed wireless microwave network, today's digitally captured images can be beamed down from mountain observatories and quickly distributed to astronomers living thousands of miles away. See http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/060823_hpwren.html.
g Learning - Here’s a cool introduction to astrobiology: A concept map of the field’s fundamental questions with links to each one: http://electra.ihmc.us/servlet/SBReadResourceServletrid=1025201
081978_2008951983_2137&partName=htmltext.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read David Brin’s short story "Fortitude." It appeared in the January 1996 issue of Science Fiction Age magazine.
g Aftermath - Book alert: What happens if SETI succeeds? Several dozen experts from the fields of sociology, technology and education consider the social consequences of finding a signal in “Social Implications of the Detection of Extraterrestrial Civilizations,” by John Billingham, Roger Heyns, David Milne and Seth Shostak (editors). Based on workshops held in 1991 and 1992, this is the definitive opus on the likely impact of an extraterrestrial signal. Don't believe all you see on TV, nor what you read in the chat groups: here is reasoned prognostication on what could be the biggest event in human history. See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/
0966633504/ref=ase_setiprime-20/103-9154374-8730217.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Brown dwarf spotted, Xena renamed Eris and Atlantis lands
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Discovered just 11 years ago, a class of oddball "failed stars" continues to baffle as well as enlighten astronomers. Now researchers have spotted for the first time one of these failed stars, called a brown dwarf, with a companion planet — both orbiting a Sun-like star. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060919
_st_dwarf_system.html. For related story, see “Scientists find first brown dwarf in planetary system” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/19browndwarf/.
g Abodes - The International Astronomical Union has announced that the dwarf planet known as Xena since its 2005 discovery has been named Eris, after the Greek goddess of discord. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060914155305.htm.
g Life - To approach the empirical question of how far we can test the earliest stages of biological evolution in our own solar system, we should decide first whether we should expect any form of convergence in the exo-microorganisms that we might encounter, possibly close to the surface of icy worlds, such as Europa. See http://www.ictp.trieste.it/~chelaf/ss13.html. Note: This article is from 2003.
g Intelligence - Researchers have found stimulating a region known as the left temporoparietal junction caused a woman to feel the presence of a shadowy person. See http://www.livescience.com/
humanbiology/060919_shadow_person.html.
g Message - On an episode of “The Space Show” last year, Scot Stride, a senior engineer at NASA JPL in Pasadena, Calif., was the guest for this Space Show program. Stride discussed SETI programs with us and highlighted his discussion with the SETI alternatives, SETV (Search for ET Visitation) and S3ETI (Solar System SETI). Stride provided listeners with a superb background and history on SETI, how it started and how it became what it is today. He also discussed the Allen Telescope Array and what it will mean for future SETI efforts. To hear a copy of the show, see http://thespaceshow.com/detail.asp?q=359.
g Cosmicus - The space shuttle Atlantis has touched down in Florida at the end of a 12 day mission that restarted orbital construction of the International Space Station by delivering a power-generating module and deploying two solar wings. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/060921landing/.
g Learning - In late August, 166 young space professionals and students from around the world gathered at NASA’s Ames Research Center to give their input on the future of space exploration. The event was called the Next Generation Exploration Conference and was by invitation only, bringing together the leading young people on the planet with a passion for space. See http://www.space.com/adastra/060920_adastra.html.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read C.M. Kornbluth’s short story "The Silly Season," originally published in F&SF (Fall 1950).
g Aftermath - Reactions to the announcement that scientists had found evidence for primitive life in a meteorite from Mars have been intense. Some concerned the scientific evidence, some the implications of extraterrestrial life, especially if intelligent. Underlying these reactions are assumptions, or beliefs, which often have a religious grounding. The two divergent beliefs, for and against the plurality of life in the universe, are examined historically and through religious traditions, particularly the Judeo-Christian. This examination guides the formulation of the right relation between science and religion as one that respects the autonomy of each discipline, yet allows for each to be open to the discoveries of the other. Based on this relationship, perspectives from scientific exploration are developed that can help individuals to respect and cope with the new phenomena that science brings, whether these imply that we might be alone in the universe or co-creatures of God with the ancient Martians. See http://www.aaas.org/spp/dser/cosmos/perspectives/corbally.shtml.
g Stars - Discovered just 11 years ago, a class of oddball "failed stars" continues to baffle as well as enlighten astronomers. Now researchers have spotted for the first time one of these failed stars, called a brown dwarf, with a companion planet — both orbiting a Sun-like star. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060919
_st_dwarf_system.html. For related story, see “Scientists find first brown dwarf in planetary system” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/19browndwarf/.
g Abodes - The International Astronomical Union has announced that the dwarf planet known as Xena since its 2005 discovery has been named Eris, after the Greek goddess of discord. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060914155305.htm.
g Life - To approach the empirical question of how far we can test the earliest stages of biological evolution in our own solar system, we should decide first whether we should expect any form of convergence in the exo-microorganisms that we might encounter, possibly close to the surface of icy worlds, such as Europa. See http://www.ictp.trieste.it/~chelaf/ss13.html. Note: This article is from 2003.
g Intelligence - Researchers have found stimulating a region known as the left temporoparietal junction caused a woman to feel the presence of a shadowy person. See http://www.livescience.com/
humanbiology/060919_shadow_person.html.
g Message - On an episode of “The Space Show” last year, Scot Stride, a senior engineer at NASA JPL in Pasadena, Calif., was the guest for this Space Show program. Stride discussed SETI programs with us and highlighted his discussion with the SETI alternatives, SETV (Search for ET Visitation) and S3ETI (Solar System SETI). Stride provided listeners with a superb background and history on SETI, how it started and how it became what it is today. He also discussed the Allen Telescope Array and what it will mean for future SETI efforts. To hear a copy of the show, see http://thespaceshow.com/detail.asp?q=359.
g Cosmicus - The space shuttle Atlantis has touched down in Florida at the end of a 12 day mission that restarted orbital construction of the International Space Station by delivering a power-generating module and deploying two solar wings. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/060921landing/.
g Learning - In late August, 166 young space professionals and students from around the world gathered at NASA’s Ames Research Center to give their input on the future of space exploration. The event was called the Next Generation Exploration Conference and was by invitation only, bringing together the leading young people on the planet with a passion for space. See http://www.space.com/adastra/060920_adastra.html.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read C.M. Kornbluth’s short story "The Silly Season," originally published in F&SF (Fall 1950).
g Aftermath - Reactions to the announcement that scientists had found evidence for primitive life in a meteorite from Mars have been intense. Some concerned the scientific evidence, some the implications of extraterrestrial life, especially if intelligent. Underlying these reactions are assumptions, or beliefs, which often have a religious grounding. The two divergent beliefs, for and against the plurality of life in the universe, are examined historically and through religious traditions, particularly the Judeo-Christian. This examination guides the formulation of the right relation between science and religion as one that respects the autonomy of each discipline, yet allows for each to be open to the discoveries of the other. Based on this relationship, perspectives from scientific exploration are developed that can help individuals to respect and cope with the new phenomena that science brings, whether these imply that we might be alone in the universe or co-creatures of God with the ancient Martians. See http://www.aaas.org/spp/dser/cosmos/perspectives/corbally.shtml.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Remains of stellar explosions, lightning from ice and alternatives to DNA/RNA
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Recent observations have uncovered evidence that helps to confirm the identification of the remains of one of the earliest stellar explosions recorded by humans. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060918142621.htm.
g Abodes - Miles above Earth in cumulonimbus clouds, tiny ice crystals are constantly bumping against larger ice pellets. The two kinds of ice rubbing together act like socks rubbing against carpet. Zap! Before you know it, the cloud is crackling with electric potential—and a bolt of lightning explodes to the ground. See http://www.livescience.com/forcesofnature/060913_electric_ice.
html.
g Life - Does Greenland give a clue as to whether life was seeded twice: 'stock' cultures surviving one big impact event? “Life Under Bombardment” looks for the evidence of our terrestrial past. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=68. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Message - Dan Werthimer, director of the SERENDIP SETI program and chief scientist of SETI@home at the University of California Berkeley, predicts we’ll make first contact with an alien civilization in 50-100 years. See http://www.astroseti.org/danweng.php. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - European astronaut Thomas Reiter recently began an extended stay on the International Space Station. His mission, Astrolab, is Europe’s first long-duration human mission in space. Over a period of several months, Reiter will conduct experiments to assess the effect on the human body of long-term exposure to the high-radiation and microgravity environment of space. See http://
www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=
article&sid=2080mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - What are university students learning about astrobiology? Check out "An Introduction to Astrobiology." Compiled by a team of experts, this textbook has been designed for elementary university courses in astrobiology. It begins with an examination of how life may have arisen on Earth and then reviews the evidence for possible life on Mars, Europa and Titan. The potential for life in exoplanetary systems and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence are also discussed. The text contains numerous useful learning features such as boxed summaries, student exercises with full solutions, and a glossary of terms. It is also supported by a Web site hosting further teaching materials. Written in an accessible style that avoids complex mathematics, this book is suitable for self-study and will appeal to amateur enthusiasts as well as undergraduate students. It contains numerous helpful learning features such as boxed summaries, student exercises with full solutions, and a glossary of terms. The book is also supported by a Website hosting further teaching materials. See http://www.sci
encedaily./com/cgibin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgiOperat
ion=ItemLookup&ItemId=0521546214com/.
g Imagining - Are there any alternatives to DNA or RNA, as an “X-Files” episode said there was? See http://nai.nasa.gov/nai2005/abstracts/1018%20-%20NAI05AbstractAegis.doc.pdf.
g Aftermath - In a cross-cultural study conducted several years ago, to scientists looked at the attitudes of college students towards the possibility that extraterrestrial life might exist, and if it does, what it might be like for people to learn that it exists. See http://publish.seti.org/general/articles.phpid=54. Note: This article is from 2002.
g Stars - Recent observations have uncovered evidence that helps to confirm the identification of the remains of one of the earliest stellar explosions recorded by humans. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060918142621.htm.
g Abodes - Miles above Earth in cumulonimbus clouds, tiny ice crystals are constantly bumping against larger ice pellets. The two kinds of ice rubbing together act like socks rubbing against carpet. Zap! Before you know it, the cloud is crackling with electric potential—and a bolt of lightning explodes to the ground. See http://www.livescience.com/forcesofnature/060913_electric_ice.
html.
g Life - Does Greenland give a clue as to whether life was seeded twice: 'stock' cultures surviving one big impact event? “Life Under Bombardment” looks for the evidence of our terrestrial past. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=68. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Message - Dan Werthimer, director of the SERENDIP SETI program and chief scientist of SETI@home at the University of California Berkeley, predicts we’ll make first contact with an alien civilization in 50-100 years. See http://www.astroseti.org/danweng.php. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - European astronaut Thomas Reiter recently began an extended stay on the International Space Station. His mission, Astrolab, is Europe’s first long-duration human mission in space. Over a period of several months, Reiter will conduct experiments to assess the effect on the human body of long-term exposure to the high-radiation and microgravity environment of space. See http://
www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=
article&sid=2080mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - What are university students learning about astrobiology? Check out "An Introduction to Astrobiology." Compiled by a team of experts, this textbook has been designed for elementary university courses in astrobiology. It begins with an examination of how life may have arisen on Earth and then reviews the evidence for possible life on Mars, Europa and Titan. The potential for life in exoplanetary systems and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence are also discussed. The text contains numerous useful learning features such as boxed summaries, student exercises with full solutions, and a glossary of terms. It is also supported by a Web site hosting further teaching materials. Written in an accessible style that avoids complex mathematics, this book is suitable for self-study and will appeal to amateur enthusiasts as well as undergraduate students. It contains numerous helpful learning features such as boxed summaries, student exercises with full solutions, and a glossary of terms. The book is also supported by a Website hosting further teaching materials. See http://www.sci
encedaily./com/cgibin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgiOperat
ion=ItemLookup&ItemId=0521546214com/.
g Imagining - Are there any alternatives to DNA or RNA, as an “X-Files” episode said there was? See http://nai.nasa.gov/nai2005/abstracts/1018%20-%20NAI05AbstractAegis.doc.pdf.
g Aftermath - In a cross-cultural study conducted several years ago, to scientists looked at the attitudes of college students towards the possibility that extraterrestrial life might exist, and if it does, what it might be like for people to learn that it exists. See http://publish.seti.org/general/articles.phpid=54. Note: This article is from 2002.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Milky Way’s formation, Titan’s ethane snow and mystery object
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - The Milky Way might not have formed through the merger of several smaller galaxies as previously thought, but by some other unknown process, a new study suggests. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060918_galactic_bulge.html.
g Abodes - Cassini has detected what appears to be a massive ethane cloud surrounding Titan's north pole. The cloud might be snowing ethane snowflakes into methane lakes below. The cloud may be the clue needed in solving a puzzle that has confounded scientists who so far have seen little evidence of a veil of ethane clouds and surface liquids originally thought extensive enough to cover the entire surface of Titan with a 300-meter-deep ocean. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/060914titancloud.html. For related story, see “Ethane Flakes Into Methane Lakes.”
g Life - They may be tiny, but Argentine ants can kick some ant butt. This invasive species has nearly wiped out native ants in California. Now scientists have discovered a way to turn one of the ants' strongest weapons into a weakness. By altering the identifying chemicals coating the ants' bodies, researchers turned typical cooperative behavior into an ant-family feud. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060914_ant_fight.html.
g Intelligence - Itchy skin fires up nerves and drives sufferers to scratch themselves raw, some even in their sleep. But the mechanisms behind aggravating itches are not entirely understood, and a new finding makes the whole problem seem even more complex. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/060918_mm_itch.html.
g Message - We’ve all heard of SETI, bit what about METI — “Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” or sending both scientific and artistic messages to the stars? See http://lnfm1.sai.msu.ru/SETI/koi/articles/METIArt.htm.
g Cosmicus - Flight controllers have asked the crew of Atlantis to leave the shuttle's television and computer network activated while they investigate a mystery object seen floating alongside the shuttle. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/060919mysteryobject/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Arthur C Clarke’s short story, "Before Eden," published in June 1961’s Amazing.
g Stars - The Milky Way might not have formed through the merger of several smaller galaxies as previously thought, but by some other unknown process, a new study suggests. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060918_galactic_bulge.html.
g Abodes - Cassini has detected what appears to be a massive ethane cloud surrounding Titan's north pole. The cloud might be snowing ethane snowflakes into methane lakes below. The cloud may be the clue needed in solving a puzzle that has confounded scientists who so far have seen little evidence of a veil of ethane clouds and surface liquids originally thought extensive enough to cover the entire surface of Titan with a 300-meter-deep ocean. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/060914titancloud.html. For related story, see “Ethane Flakes Into Methane Lakes.”
g Life - They may be tiny, but Argentine ants can kick some ant butt. This invasive species has nearly wiped out native ants in California. Now scientists have discovered a way to turn one of the ants' strongest weapons into a weakness. By altering the identifying chemicals coating the ants' bodies, researchers turned typical cooperative behavior into an ant-family feud. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060914_ant_fight.html.
g Intelligence - Itchy skin fires up nerves and drives sufferers to scratch themselves raw, some even in their sleep. But the mechanisms behind aggravating itches are not entirely understood, and a new finding makes the whole problem seem even more complex. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/060918_mm_itch.html.
g Message - We’ve all heard of SETI, bit what about METI — “Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” or sending both scientific and artistic messages to the stars? See http://lnfm1.sai.msu.ru/SETI/koi/articles/METIArt.htm.
g Cosmicus - Flight controllers have asked the crew of Atlantis to leave the shuttle's television and computer network activated while they investigate a mystery object seen floating alongside the shuttle. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/060919mysteryobject/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Arthur C Clarke’s short story, "Before Eden," published in June 1961’s Amazing.
Monday, September 18, 2006
A planet unlike any other, Orion spacecraft and gauging reactions to evidence of otherworldly intelligence
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - Using a network of small automated telescopes known as HAT, Smithsonian astronomers have discovered a planet unlike any other known world. This new planet, designated HAT-P-1, orbits one member of a pair of distant stars 450 light-years away in the constellation Lacerta. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060914135220.htm.
g Life - Scientists with NASA's Astrobiology Institute have discovered evidence that microbial life emerged on land between 2.6 billion and 2.7 billion years ago, much earlier than previously thought. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=110. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Message - Unexplained or incompletely studied astrophysical phenomena such as odd star populations of the galaxy NGC 5907 or the asymmetry of increases and decreases in the brightness of long-period variable stars provide us with a number of locations that may be studied for signs of Dyson Shells. If we free ourselves from anthropocentric perspectives and combine the ideas of Dyson, Minsky and Suffern as well as the technological progress of recent decades, we can envision advanced civilizations at the limits of physical laws. Observations directed towards stars decreasing in visual magnitude or searching for stellar occultations by large cold dark objects, merit serious consideration as future strategies in optical SETI. See http://www.aeiveos.com/~bradbury/MatrioshkaBrains/OSETI3/4273-27.html.
g Cosmicus - Now that NASA has settled on Lockheed Martin to build the Orion spacecraft that will propel the agency back to the Moon, officials are mulling a new fleet of vehicles to monitor potentially hazardous space storms that could turn such a mission into disaster. See http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060901_solar_mission.html.
g Learning - How are key concepts of astrobiology treated in science fiction? See http://www.ibiblio.org/astrobiology/index.php?page=lesson05. Note: This article is from 2001 and intended to be used as part of a classroom lesson.
g Imagining - While science fiction can prove remarkably accurate on technological development, it falls well short of reality when it comes to biology and behavior. Many of the bug-eyed monsters we see depicted in movies, books and comics are not only very unlikely but also completely unfeasible. And aliens all too often are charmingly naive about such things as violence and love. See http://www.ibiblio./org/astrobiology/print.php?page=concepts01. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Aftermath - How to predict reactions to receipt of evidence for an otherworldly intelligence? Some scientists argue that any unpredictable outcomes can only be judged against our own history. See http://seti.astrobio.net/news/article118.html.
g Abodes - Using a network of small automated telescopes known as HAT, Smithsonian astronomers have discovered a planet unlike any other known world. This new planet, designated HAT-P-1, orbits one member of a pair of distant stars 450 light-years away in the constellation Lacerta. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060914135220.htm.
g Life - Scientists with NASA's Astrobiology Institute have discovered evidence that microbial life emerged on land between 2.6 billion and 2.7 billion years ago, much earlier than previously thought. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=110. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Message - Unexplained or incompletely studied astrophysical phenomena such as odd star populations of the galaxy NGC 5907 or the asymmetry of increases and decreases in the brightness of long-period variable stars provide us with a number of locations that may be studied for signs of Dyson Shells. If we free ourselves from anthropocentric perspectives and combine the ideas of Dyson, Minsky and Suffern as well as the technological progress of recent decades, we can envision advanced civilizations at the limits of physical laws. Observations directed towards stars decreasing in visual magnitude or searching for stellar occultations by large cold dark objects, merit serious consideration as future strategies in optical SETI. See http://www.aeiveos.com/~bradbury/MatrioshkaBrains/OSETI3/4273-27.html.
g Cosmicus - Now that NASA has settled on Lockheed Martin to build the Orion spacecraft that will propel the agency back to the Moon, officials are mulling a new fleet of vehicles to monitor potentially hazardous space storms that could turn such a mission into disaster. See http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060901_solar_mission.html.
g Learning - How are key concepts of astrobiology treated in science fiction? See http://www.ibiblio.org/astrobiology/index.php?page=lesson05. Note: This article is from 2001 and intended to be used as part of a classroom lesson.
g Imagining - While science fiction can prove remarkably accurate on technological development, it falls well short of reality when it comes to biology and behavior. Many of the bug-eyed monsters we see depicted in movies, books and comics are not only very unlikely but also completely unfeasible. And aliens all too often are charmingly naive about such things as violence and love. See http://www.ibiblio./org/astrobiology/print.php?page=concepts01. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Aftermath - How to predict reactions to receipt of evidence for an otherworldly intelligence? Some scientists argue that any unpredictable outcomes can only be judged against our own history. See http://seti.astrobio.net/news/article118.html.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Identifying habitable worlds, Atlantis departs space station and listening for the first interstellar phone-call from ET
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - It is only a matter of time before astronomers find an Earth-sized planet orbiting a distant star. When they do, the first questions people will ask are: Is it habitable? And even more importantly, is there life present on it already? For clues to the answers, scientists are looking to their home planet, Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=2085mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - Duplicating the harsh conditions of space in their laboratory, NASA scientists have created primitive cells with membrane-like structures. These chemical compounds may have played a part in the origin of life. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.ph
pop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=122. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Intelligence - While it is widely accepted that the output of nerve cells carries information between regions of the brain, it's a big mystery how widely separated regions of the cortex involving billions of cells are linked together to coordinate complex activity. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060914155903.htm.
g Message - The SETI Institute predicts that we'll detect an extraterrestrial transmission within 20 years. If that turns out to be true, it'll probably be the folks at UC Berkeley's Hat Creek radio observatory who will have heard the call. See http://www.coe.berkeley.edu/labnotes/1204/welch.html. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - After flying together high above Earth for six days, shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station at 8:50 a.m. EDT this morning. With pilot Chris Ferguson at the controls, the shuttle flew a 360-degree lap around the complex for photo documentation before departing the station's vicinity. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/status.html.
g Learning - There’s a neat set of online activities, primarily for older teens or young adults, about communicating with extraterrestrial intelligence at http://ethel.as.arizona.edu/~collins/astro/subjects/ceti.html. It helps students learn about SETI while they send one another messages then decode them, as if they were alien civilizations on distant worlds.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Richard McKenna’s short story, "Mine Own Ways”, anthologized in “Casey Agonistes” (edited by Richard McKenna and published in 1960).
g Aftermath - Astronomers are searching hard for that first interstellar phone-call from ET. But when it happens, how will we react? Will it be a major trauma for humankind, or a new beginning? See http://www.firstscience.com/site/articles/shostak.asp. Note: This article is a few years old.
g Abodes - It is only a matter of time before astronomers find an Earth-sized planet orbiting a distant star. When they do, the first questions people will ask are: Is it habitable? And even more importantly, is there life present on it already? For clues to the answers, scientists are looking to their home planet, Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=2085mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - Duplicating the harsh conditions of space in their laboratory, NASA scientists have created primitive cells with membrane-like structures. These chemical compounds may have played a part in the origin of life. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.ph
pop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=122. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Intelligence - While it is widely accepted that the output of nerve cells carries information between regions of the brain, it's a big mystery how widely separated regions of the cortex involving billions of cells are linked together to coordinate complex activity. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060914155903.htm.
g Message - The SETI Institute predicts that we'll detect an extraterrestrial transmission within 20 years. If that turns out to be true, it'll probably be the folks at UC Berkeley's Hat Creek radio observatory who will have heard the call. See http://www.coe.berkeley.edu/labnotes/1204/welch.html. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - After flying together high above Earth for six days, shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station at 8:50 a.m. EDT this morning. With pilot Chris Ferguson at the controls, the shuttle flew a 360-degree lap around the complex for photo documentation before departing the station's vicinity. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/status.html.
g Learning - There’s a neat set of online activities, primarily for older teens or young adults, about communicating with extraterrestrial intelligence at http://ethel.as.arizona.edu/~collins/astro/subjects/ceti.html. It helps students learn about SETI while they send one another messages then decode them, as if they were alien civilizations on distant worlds.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Richard McKenna’s short story, "Mine Own Ways”, anthologized in “Casey Agonistes” (edited by Richard McKenna and published in 1960).
g Aftermath - Astronomers are searching hard for that first interstellar phone-call from ET. But when it happens, how will we react? Will it be a major trauma for humankind, or a new beginning? See http://www.firstscience.com/site/articles/shostak.asp. Note: This article is a few years old.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Double pulsar, expedition to Europa via the Canadian High Arctic and laser communication
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - An international research team led by Prof. Michael Kramer of the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Observatory, UK, has used three years of observations of the "double pulsar", a unique pair of natural stellar clocks which they discovered in 2003, to prove that Einstein's theory of general relativity - the theory of gravity that displaced Newton's - is correct to within a staggering 0.05 percent. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060914094623.htm.
g Abodes - This summer, a science team set out on a two-week expedition of Earth's own little version of Jupiter's moon Europa - the Borup Fiord Pass at Ellesmere Island, a place hidden high above the rest of the world in the Canadian High Arctic. See http://www.astro
bio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid
=2082mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - How do some microorganisms manage to exist and even thrive in surroundings ranging from Antarctica to boiling hot springs? See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060830214732.htm.
g Intelligence - Neanderthals might have endured thousands of years longer than previous thought, increasing the possibility they interbred with humans. See http://www.livescience.com/other
news/060913_neanderthal_tenacity.html.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See http://www.coseti.org/tps_01.htm.
g Cosmicus - United States entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari has been training for six months to get away from it all. Unlike most tourists, she won't be sporting a camera around her neck, and come Monday she won't need a boarding pass to get on her flight. See http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060915_ansari_qna.html. For related story, see “Veteran credits rookies with saving the day” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/060916interview/.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of NASA: “The Rare Earth.” How special are the circumstances that have allowed complex life, like animals and plants, to develop on Earth? In this activity, students systematically investigate the time frame for complex life to develop on Earth. See http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/Rare/rareearth.htm.
g Imagining - For anyone who has watched the recent incarnations of Star Trek, one question must present itself: do the majority of alien beings in the cosmos really just look like Earthlings, only with bonier faces or pointier ears? Is that it? Because, aside from the occasional intangible space entity, most “way-out” life forms are remarkably similar to us. Even the weirder images of the little green (or grey) aliens in popular culture are pretty unimaginative. Two arms? Check. Two legs? Check. A head, some eyes, an upright posture? Yes, please. This is not the cutting edge of science fiction, more our own narcissistic reflection dropping in via spacecraft. Surely we can aspire to thinking something a little more& alien? See http://www.
hero.ac.uk/uk/studying/archives/2003/it_s_life__jim__but_prett
3495.cfm.
g Aftermath - With humanity now on the verge of being capable to leave its home world, Earth, scientists have begun to wrestle with the consequences of this next great journey; of the social impact humanity will have upon discovering life elsewhere, be it fossil, bacterial or an intelligent civilization. See http://www.space.
com/searchforlife/astro_biology_991119.htmlsearchforlife/astro_
biology_991119.html. Note: This article is from 1999.
g Stars - An international research team led by Prof. Michael Kramer of the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Observatory, UK, has used three years of observations of the "double pulsar", a unique pair of natural stellar clocks which they discovered in 2003, to prove that Einstein's theory of general relativity - the theory of gravity that displaced Newton's - is correct to within a staggering 0.05 percent. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060914094623.htm.
g Abodes - This summer, a science team set out on a two-week expedition of Earth's own little version of Jupiter's moon Europa - the Borup Fiord Pass at Ellesmere Island, a place hidden high above the rest of the world in the Canadian High Arctic. See http://www.astro
bio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid
=2082mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - How do some microorganisms manage to exist and even thrive in surroundings ranging from Antarctica to boiling hot springs? See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060830214732.htm.
g Intelligence - Neanderthals might have endured thousands of years longer than previous thought, increasing the possibility they interbred with humans. See http://www.livescience.com/other
news/060913_neanderthal_tenacity.html.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See http://www.coseti.org/tps_01.htm.
g Cosmicus - United States entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari has been training for six months to get away from it all. Unlike most tourists, she won't be sporting a camera around her neck, and come Monday she won't need a boarding pass to get on her flight. See http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060915_ansari_qna.html. For related story, see “Veteran credits rookies with saving the day” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/060916interview/.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of NASA: “The Rare Earth.” How special are the circumstances that have allowed complex life, like animals and plants, to develop on Earth? In this activity, students systematically investigate the time frame for complex life to develop on Earth. See http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/Rare/rareearth.htm.
g Imagining - For anyone who has watched the recent incarnations of Star Trek, one question must present itself: do the majority of alien beings in the cosmos really just look like Earthlings, only with bonier faces or pointier ears? Is that it? Because, aside from the occasional intangible space entity, most “way-out” life forms are remarkably similar to us. Even the weirder images of the little green (or grey) aliens in popular culture are pretty unimaginative. Two arms? Check. Two legs? Check. A head, some eyes, an upright posture? Yes, please. This is not the cutting edge of science fiction, more our own narcissistic reflection dropping in via spacecraft. Surely we can aspire to thinking something a little more& alien? See http://www.
hero.ac.uk/uk/studying/archives/2003/it_s_life__jim__but_prett
3495.cfm.
g Aftermath - With humanity now on the verge of being capable to leave its home world, Earth, scientists have begun to wrestle with the consequences of this next great journey; of the social impact humanity will have upon discovering life elsewhere, be it fossil, bacterial or an intelligent civilization. See http://www.space.
com/searchforlife/astro_biology_991119.htmlsearchforlife/astro_
biology_991119.html. Note: This article is from 1999.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Solar flares, Artifact Hypothesis and chimp crossing guards
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Solar flares are tremendous explosions on the surface of our Sun, releasing as much energy as a billion megatons of TNT in the form of radiation, high energy particles and magnetic fields. The Sun's magnetic fields are known to be an extremely important factor in producing the energy for flaring and when these magnetic fields lines clash together, dragging hot gas with them, an enormous maelstrom of energy is released. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060911102213.htm.
g Abodes - A hardy microbe from Earth may one day transform the barren ground of Mars into arable soil. See http://www.astrobio.net/
news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=87. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Life - Animals colonizing cities are exposed to many novel and potentially stressful situations. Chronic stress, however, can cause deleterious effects. Hence, wild animals would suffer from city life unless they adjusted their stress response to the conditions in a city. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060901160821.htm.
g Intelligence - Elementary school children aren't the only ones who need crossing guards. Scientists report that wild chimpanzees safely cross roads with the aid of adult males that serve as traffic patrollers. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060911_chimp_road.html.
g Message - To subject the Fermi Paradox to needed experimental testing, a researcher has offered the Artifact Hypothesis: A technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilization has undertaken a long-term program of' interstellar exploration via transmission of material artifacts. http://www.setv.org/online_mss/seta83.html.
g Cosmicus - NASA chief, Mike Griffin, is preparing for his first-hand look at China’s growing space program—a visit slated for month’s end. See http://www.space.com/news/060813_griffin_china.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of classroom activities: Life On Other Planets in the Solar System. It examines the possibility of life on other planets in our own solar system and what form that life might take. Designed as a curriculum resource for middle and high school students. See http://www.resa.net/nasa/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Gary A. Braunbeck’s short story "Kite People," anthologized in “First Contact,” edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff (published by DAW in 1997).
g Aftermath - For centuries scientists, novelists and ordinary people have imagined what would happen if the human race had contact with an extra-terrestrial civilization. Professor Paul Davies, from the Australian Center for Astrobiology, Sydney, offers his thoughts in this interview. See http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.
asparticle_class=4&no=269045&rel_no=1.
g Stars - Solar flares are tremendous explosions on the surface of our Sun, releasing as much energy as a billion megatons of TNT in the form of radiation, high energy particles and magnetic fields. The Sun's magnetic fields are known to be an extremely important factor in producing the energy for flaring and when these magnetic fields lines clash together, dragging hot gas with them, an enormous maelstrom of energy is released. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060911102213.htm.
g Abodes - A hardy microbe from Earth may one day transform the barren ground of Mars into arable soil. See http://www.astrobio.net/
news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=87. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Life - Animals colonizing cities are exposed to many novel and potentially stressful situations. Chronic stress, however, can cause deleterious effects. Hence, wild animals would suffer from city life unless they adjusted their stress response to the conditions in a city. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060901160821.htm.
g Intelligence - Elementary school children aren't the only ones who need crossing guards. Scientists report that wild chimpanzees safely cross roads with the aid of adult males that serve as traffic patrollers. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060911_chimp_road.html.
g Message - To subject the Fermi Paradox to needed experimental testing, a researcher has offered the Artifact Hypothesis: A technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilization has undertaken a long-term program of' interstellar exploration via transmission of material artifacts. http://www.setv.org/online_mss/seta83.html.
g Cosmicus - NASA chief, Mike Griffin, is preparing for his first-hand look at China’s growing space program—a visit slated for month’s end. See http://www.space.com/news/060813_griffin_china.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of classroom activities: Life On Other Planets in the Solar System. It examines the possibility of life on other planets in our own solar system and what form that life might take. Designed as a curriculum resource for middle and high school students. See http://www.resa.net/nasa/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Gary A. Braunbeck’s short story "Kite People," anthologized in “First Contact,” edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff (published by DAW in 1997).
g Aftermath - For centuries scientists, novelists and ordinary people have imagined what would happen if the human race had contact with an extra-terrestrial civilization. Professor Paul Davies, from the Australian Center for Astrobiology, Sydney, offers his thoughts in this interview. See http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.
asparticle_class=4&no=269045&rel_no=1.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Universe’s first bright galaxies, golden age of dinosaur discovery and comprehensive review of possibility of life on other planets
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - The first bright galaxies in the universe apparently formed very rapidly, jumping from just one or so in number to hundreds in the span of little over 1 percent of the universe's age, astronomers find. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/0609
13_galaxy_formation.html.
g Abodes - A comprehensive review by leading scientists about our solar system which speculates on the possibility of life on other planets has been published. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/
releases/2006/09/060912230417.htm.
g Life - The next several decades could prove a golden age for dinosaur hunters looking to discover new species of the ancient reptiles. A new statistical analysis predicts that more than 1,300 unique dinosaur genera await discovery by paleontologists. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060904_unknown_dinos.
html.
g Intelligence - Could it be that in the great evolutionary "family tree," it is we modern humans, not the brow-ridged, large-nosed Neanderthals, who are the odd uncle out? See http://www.sci
encedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060908093606.htm. For related story, see “Scientist: Humans Strange, Neanderthals Normal” at http://www.livescience.com/othernews/060908_humans_odd.html.
g Message - We’ve all heard of SETI, bit what about METI — “Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” or sending both scientific and artistic messages to the stars? See http://lnfm1.sai.msu.ru/SETI/koi/articles/METIArt.htm.
g Cosmicus - The Atlantis astronauts successfully unfurled a second solar array today, giving the international space station a new set of wings stretching some 240 feet from tip to tip and completing the primary goal of the 116th shuttle mission. See http://www.space
flightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/060914arraydeploy/index3.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity: “Moons of Jupiter.” In this lesson plan, students build model rovers to learn about engineering and evidence of alien life. See http://www.adlerplan
et/arium.org/education/teachers/plans/alien/Lesson_Plan.
pdf.
g Imagining - Incredibly it’s been four decades since Federation Starship NCC-1701, better known as the Enterprise, first ignited its matter-antimatter engines and coasted into the dark spaces of the Galaxy to seek out new life. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_legacy_trek_060914.html.
g Aftermath - Reactions to the announcement that scientists had found evidence for primitive life in a meteorite from Mars have been intense. Some concerned the scientific evidence, some the implications of extraterrestrial life, especially if intelligent. Underlying these reactions are assumptions, or beliefs, which often have a religious grounding. The two divergent beliefs, for and against the plurality of life in the universe, are examined historically and through religious traditions, particularly the Judeo-Christian. This examination guides the formulation of the right relation between science and religion as one that respects the autonomy of each discipline, yet allows for each to be open to the discoveries of the other. Based on this relationship, perspectives from scientific exploration are developed that can help individuals to respect and cope with the new phenomena that science brings, whether these imply that we might be alone in the universe or co-creatures of God with the ancient Martians. See http://www.aaas.org/spp/dser/
cosmos/perspectives/corbally.shtml.
g Stars - The first bright galaxies in the universe apparently formed very rapidly, jumping from just one or so in number to hundreds in the span of little over 1 percent of the universe's age, astronomers find. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/0609
13_galaxy_formation.html.
g Abodes - A comprehensive review by leading scientists about our solar system which speculates on the possibility of life on other planets has been published. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/
releases/2006/09/060912230417.htm.
g Life - The next several decades could prove a golden age for dinosaur hunters looking to discover new species of the ancient reptiles. A new statistical analysis predicts that more than 1,300 unique dinosaur genera await discovery by paleontologists. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060904_unknown_dinos.
html.
g Intelligence - Could it be that in the great evolutionary "family tree," it is we modern humans, not the brow-ridged, large-nosed Neanderthals, who are the odd uncle out? See http://www.sci
encedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060908093606.htm. For related story, see “Scientist: Humans Strange, Neanderthals Normal” at http://www.livescience.com/othernews/060908_humans_odd.html.
g Message - We’ve all heard of SETI, bit what about METI — “Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” or sending both scientific and artistic messages to the stars? See http://lnfm1.sai.msu.ru/SETI/koi/articles/METIArt.htm.
g Cosmicus - The Atlantis astronauts successfully unfurled a second solar array today, giving the international space station a new set of wings stretching some 240 feet from tip to tip and completing the primary goal of the 116th shuttle mission. See http://www.space
flightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/060914arraydeploy/index3.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity: “Moons of Jupiter.” In this lesson plan, students build model rovers to learn about engineering and evidence of alien life. See http://www.adlerplan
et/arium.org/education/teachers/plans/alien/Lesson_Plan.
pdf.
g Imagining - Incredibly it’s been four decades since Federation Starship NCC-1701, better known as the Enterprise, first ignited its matter-antimatter engines and coasted into the dark spaces of the Galaxy to seek out new life. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_legacy_trek_060914.html.
g Aftermath - Reactions to the announcement that scientists had found evidence for primitive life in a meteorite from Mars have been intense. Some concerned the scientific evidence, some the implications of extraterrestrial life, especially if intelligent. Underlying these reactions are assumptions, or beliefs, which often have a religious grounding. The two divergent beliefs, for and against the plurality of life in the universe, are examined historically and through religious traditions, particularly the Judeo-Christian. This examination guides the formulation of the right relation between science and religion as one that respects the autonomy of each discipline, yet allows for each to be open to the discoveries of the other. Based on this relationship, perspectives from scientific exploration are developed that can help individuals to respect and cope with the new phenomena that science brings, whether these imply that we might be alone in the universe or co-creatures of God with the ancient Martians. See http://www.aaas.org/spp/dser/
cosmos/perspectives/corbally.shtml.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Another exoplanet discovered, infant and ape learning and predicting reactions to an alien message
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Our home solar system may be down by a planet with the recent demotion of Pluto, but the number of giant planets discovered in orbit around other stars continues to grow steadily. Now, an international team of astronomers has detected a planet slightly larger than Jupiter that orbits a star 500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.
phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2078mode=thread
&order=0&thold=0.
g Abodes - Space weather in the upper reaches of the atmosphere is affected by weather conditions down here on Earth, a new study suggests. See http://www.livescience.com/environment/0609
12_spaceweather_link.html.
g Life - A NASA-sponsored study shows that by using a new technique, scientists can determine what limits the growth of ocean algae, or phytoplankton, and how this affects Earth's climate. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060901163044.htm.
g Intelligence - Infants and apes apparently adopt the same tactics for remembering where things are, but as children develop their strategies change, a new study shows. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060908_ape_brains.html.
g Message - Most people see the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence as a project for merely listening for signals from other stars, but Yvan Dutil and Stephane Dumas from the Defence Research Establishment Valcartier in Canada had other ideas in mind when they composed a message recently sent to the stars. See http://www.ibiblio.org/astrobiology/print.php?page=interview01.
g Cosmicus - A satellite bearing the largest payload of plant and fungi seeds ever launched by China was flown into space on Sunday for a reported two-week stay in orbit before being sent on a guided return to Earth. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/10shijian8/.
g Learning - There are some great teacher resources on space biology at http://www.spacebio.net/modules/index.html. The modules cover such topics as “Life in the Universe,” “Radiation Biology” and “Life in Space Environments.” Each module includes an introduction, readings and references, teaching resources and research and applications.
g Imagining - While science fiction can prove remarkably accurate on technological development, it falls well short of reality when it comes to biology and behavior. Many of the bug-eyed monsters we see depicted in movies, books and comics are not only very unlikely but also completely unfeasible. And aliens all too often are charmingly naive about such things as violence and love. See http://www.ibiblio./org/astrobiology/print.php?page=concepts01. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Aftermath - How to predict reactions to receipt of evidence for an otherworldly intelligence? Some scientists argue that any unpredictable outcomes can only be judged against our own history. See http://seti.astrobio.net/news/article118.html.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - Our home solar system may be down by a planet with the recent demotion of Pluto, but the number of giant planets discovered in orbit around other stars continues to grow steadily. Now, an international team of astronomers has detected a planet slightly larger than Jupiter that orbits a star 500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.
phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2078mode=thread
&order=0&thold=0.
g Abodes - Space weather in the upper reaches of the atmosphere is affected by weather conditions down here on Earth, a new study suggests. See http://www.livescience.com/environment/0609
12_spaceweather_link.html.
g Life - A NASA-sponsored study shows that by using a new technique, scientists can determine what limits the growth of ocean algae, or phytoplankton, and how this affects Earth's climate. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060901163044.htm.
g Intelligence - Infants and apes apparently adopt the same tactics for remembering where things are, but as children develop their strategies change, a new study shows. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060908_ape_brains.html.
g Message - Most people see the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence as a project for merely listening for signals from other stars, but Yvan Dutil and Stephane Dumas from the Defence Research Establishment Valcartier in Canada had other ideas in mind when they composed a message recently sent to the stars. See http://www.ibiblio.org/astrobiology/print.php?page=interview01.
g Cosmicus - A satellite bearing the largest payload of plant and fungi seeds ever launched by China was flown into space on Sunday for a reported two-week stay in orbit before being sent on a guided return to Earth. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/10shijian8/.
g Learning - There are some great teacher resources on space biology at http://www.spacebio.net/modules/index.html. The modules cover such topics as “Life in the Universe,” “Radiation Biology” and “Life in Space Environments.” Each module includes an introduction, readings and references, teaching resources and research and applications.
g Imagining - While science fiction can prove remarkably accurate on technological development, it falls well short of reality when it comes to biology and behavior. Many of the bug-eyed monsters we see depicted in movies, books and comics are not only very unlikely but also completely unfeasible. And aliens all too often are charmingly naive about such things as violence and love. See http://www.ibiblio./org/astrobiology/print.php?page=concepts01. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Aftermath - How to predict reactions to receipt of evidence for an otherworldly intelligence? Some scientists argue that any unpredictable outcomes can only be judged against our own history. See http://seti.astrobio.net/news/article118.html.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Microorganisms thriving in extreme cold and heat, X Prize Cup and ‘Star Trek’ biology
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that some entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - AKARI, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency infrared astronomical satellite with ESA participation, is continuing its survey of the sky and its mapping of our cosmos in infrared light. New exciting images recently taken by AKARI depict scenes from the birth and death of stars. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/
2006/08/060830075652.htm.
g Abodes - To most common terrestrial dwellers, there's no place like Earth. But new simulations show that many Earth-like planets might exist outside of our solar system. See http://www.space.
com/scienceastronomy/060912_earthling_planets.html.
g Life - Scientists at Israel's Weizmann Institute say they've discovered how some microorganisms manage to exist and even thrive in extreme cold and extreme heat. See http://www.scie
ncedaily.com/upi/index.phpfeed=Science&article=UPI120060830
20131200bcisraelmicroorganisms.xml.
g Intelligence - Psychologists have long known that memories of disturbing emotional events - such as an act of violence or the unexpected death of a loved one - are more vivid and deeply imprinted in the brain than mundane recollections of everyday matters. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/
060904220231.htm.
g Message - Is there any good reason to look for intelligently generated extraterrestrial emissions in the spectrum at Pi GHz or 3.141... GHz. See http://seti1.setileague.org/askdr/pi.htm.
g Cosmicus - Momentum is picking up in staging the X Prize Cup, to be held October 20-21 at the Las Cruces International Airport, New Mexico. See http://www.space.com/news/060831_xprize_upaero.html.
g Learning - Here’s an easy to understand (and attractive) primer to astrobiology, courtesy of the BBC: http://www.open2.net/science/finalfrontier/life/what.htm.
g Imagining - If “Star Trek” has been about the search for life, “To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek” is about understanding these discoveries as we encounter them with the crews of the Enterprise, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine. Harvard biologist Athena Andreadis takes a lively, thought-provoking look at Star Trek's approach to the science of human, humanoid, and other life-forms, exploring what biological principles are probable or possible on the original show and the three series and nine movies that have followed. This absorbing, illuminating book makes everyone an armchair expert on the difference between science and science fiction on “Star Trek,” with keen observations into the series' complex worlds of physiology, psychology, and sociology. Its wealth of scientific detail and cultural insight pays tribute to a show that has profoundly shaped the way we understand and view science. See http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=2-0609804219-1.
g Aftermath - When an alien lands on the White House lawn, who should greet him (her? it?): Someone from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, or someone from the Fish and Wildlife Commission? What rights would an extraterrestrial have? See http://www.rfreitas.com/Astro/LegalRightsOfETs.htm. Note: This article is from 1977, but the issue has been thought about very little.
g Stars - AKARI, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency infrared astronomical satellite with ESA participation, is continuing its survey of the sky and its mapping of our cosmos in infrared light. New exciting images recently taken by AKARI depict scenes from the birth and death of stars. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/
2006/08/060830075652.htm.
g Abodes - To most common terrestrial dwellers, there's no place like Earth. But new simulations show that many Earth-like planets might exist outside of our solar system. See http://www.space.
com/scienceastronomy/060912_earthling_planets.html.
g Life - Scientists at Israel's Weizmann Institute say they've discovered how some microorganisms manage to exist and even thrive in extreme cold and extreme heat. See http://www.scie
ncedaily.com/upi/index.phpfeed=Science&article=UPI120060830
20131200bcisraelmicroorganisms.xml.
g Intelligence - Psychologists have long known that memories of disturbing emotional events - such as an act of violence or the unexpected death of a loved one - are more vivid and deeply imprinted in the brain than mundane recollections of everyday matters. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/
060904220231.htm.
g Message - Is there any good reason to look for intelligently generated extraterrestrial emissions in the spectrum at Pi GHz or 3.141... GHz. See http://seti1.setileague.org/askdr/pi.htm.
g Cosmicus - Momentum is picking up in staging the X Prize Cup, to be held October 20-21 at the Las Cruces International Airport, New Mexico. See http://www.space.com/news/060831_xprize_upaero.html.
g Learning - Here’s an easy to understand (and attractive) primer to astrobiology, courtesy of the BBC: http://www.open2.net/science/finalfrontier/life/what.htm.
g Imagining - If “Star Trek” has been about the search for life, “To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek” is about understanding these discoveries as we encounter them with the crews of the Enterprise, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine. Harvard biologist Athena Andreadis takes a lively, thought-provoking look at Star Trek's approach to the science of human, humanoid, and other life-forms, exploring what biological principles are probable or possible on the original show and the three series and nine movies that have followed. This absorbing, illuminating book makes everyone an armchair expert on the difference between science and science fiction on “Star Trek,” with keen observations into the series' complex worlds of physiology, psychology, and sociology. Its wealth of scientific detail and cultural insight pays tribute to a show that has profoundly shaped the way we understand and view science. See http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=2-0609804219-1.
g Aftermath - When an alien lands on the White House lawn, who should greet him (her? it?): Someone from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, or someone from the Fish and Wildlife Commission? What rights would an extraterrestrial have? See http://www.rfreitas.com/Astro/LegalRightsOfETs.htm. Note: This article is from 1977, but the issue has been thought about very little.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Black hole census, Commercial Orbital Transportation Services and imagining a creature that evolved in a chlorine-nitrogen atmosphere
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers using the European Space Agency's orbiting gamma-ray observatory, Integral, have taken an important step towards estimating how many black holes there are in the Universe. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/07blackhole/.
g Abodes - A violent collision with a space rock, like the one that doomed the dinosaurs, may have also caused our planet's greatest mass extinction 250 million years ago. See http://www.astrobio.
net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&
sid=133. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Life - A species of ant native to Central and South America is entering the annals of extreme animal movement, boasting jaws arguably more impressive than such noteworthy contenders as the great white shark and the spotted hyena. See http://www.science
daily.com/releases/2006/08/060822121727.htm.
g Intelligence - Archeologists say a prehistoric skeleton and campsite discovered on the muddy shore of Lake Travis could be between 700 and 2,000 years old. See http://www.livescience.
com/humanbiology/060829_ap_skeleton_tx.html.
g Message - What are our friends south of the equator doing in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence? After all, the Northern Hemisphere only covers half of the galaxy. See http://seti.uws.edu.au/.
g Cosmicus - NASA Administrator Mike Griffin does not mince words when he calls the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services demonstration effort a gamble, albeit one with the potential to pay off big time if the entrepreneurial sector delivers. See http://www.space.com/spacenews/businessmonday_060828.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of NASA: “Planets in a Bottle.” The lesson plan involves yeast experiments intended for 2nd through 4th grade students. See http://science
.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/msad16mar99_1a.htm.
g Imagining - Here’s a neat short story about alien biochemistry: “Black Destroyer” by A.E. van Vogt. It examines a creature that evolved in a chlorine-nitrogen atmosphere. It’s available in “First Flight,” an anthology edited by Damon Knight that you’ll probably have to scour used-book stores for.
g Aftermath - Would ET vote? What effect will ET’s political philosophy have on ours once contact is made? See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_vote_020815.html. It’s an older piece but well worth the read.
g Stars - Astronomers using the European Space Agency's orbiting gamma-ray observatory, Integral, have taken an important step towards estimating how many black holes there are in the Universe. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/07blackhole/.
g Abodes - A violent collision with a space rock, like the one that doomed the dinosaurs, may have also caused our planet's greatest mass extinction 250 million years ago. See http://www.astrobio.
net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&
sid=133. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Life - A species of ant native to Central and South America is entering the annals of extreme animal movement, boasting jaws arguably more impressive than such noteworthy contenders as the great white shark and the spotted hyena. See http://www.science
daily.com/releases/2006/08/060822121727.htm.
g Intelligence - Archeologists say a prehistoric skeleton and campsite discovered on the muddy shore of Lake Travis could be between 700 and 2,000 years old. See http://www.livescience.
com/humanbiology/060829_ap_skeleton_tx.html.
g Message - What are our friends south of the equator doing in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence? After all, the Northern Hemisphere only covers half of the galaxy. See http://seti.uws.edu.au/.
g Cosmicus - NASA Administrator Mike Griffin does not mince words when he calls the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services demonstration effort a gamble, albeit one with the potential to pay off big time if the entrepreneurial sector delivers. See http://www.space.com/spacenews/businessmonday_060828.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of NASA: “Planets in a Bottle.” The lesson plan involves yeast experiments intended for 2nd through 4th grade students. See http://science
.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/msad16mar99_1a.htm.
g Imagining - Here’s a neat short story about alien biochemistry: “Black Destroyer” by A.E. van Vogt. It examines a creature that evolved in a chlorine-nitrogen atmosphere. It’s available in “First Flight,” an anthology edited by Damon Knight that you’ll probably have to scour used-book stores for.
g Aftermath - Would ET vote? What effect will ET’s political philosophy have on ours once contact is made? See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_vote_020815.html. It’s an older piece but well worth the read.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Photographed exoplanet, decoding alien messages and ‘Star Trek’ lives
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have photographed one of the smallest objects ever seen around a normal star beyond our Sun. Weighing in at 12 times the mass of Jupiter, the object is small enough to be a planet. The conundrum is that it is also large enough to be a brown dwarf, a failed star. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2077mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Abodes - Jupiter's four largest moons were discovered by Galileo in 1610. Three of them might hold oceans of liquid water beneath their icy exteriors. Liquid water is a prerequisite for life. See http://www.
astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&
sid=79. Note: This article is from 2001. For related story, see “Visual Confirmation of Moon SMARTs.”
g Life - Scientists have unveiled a replica of a skeleton they say was from the largest dinosaur species yet discovered in Brazil - a mid-sized herbivore that roamed central Brazil some 80 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period. See http://www.livescience.com/
animalworld/060829_ap_brazil_dinosaur.html.
g Intelligence - By discovering that particular rat brain neurons combine or "integrate" dissimilar pieces of information (e.g. location versus reward), researchers have begun to learn how the brain controls decision-making and goal-oriented behaviors. Examples of these include foraging and navigation in animals and - in humans - whether to buy a particular second home or, in general, whether to favor a long-term benefit over immediate gratification. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060820191512.htm.
g Message - Here’s an intriguing hypothesis concerning the nature of extraterrestrial messages to Earth. It is based on the assumptions that aliens exist in abundance in the galaxy, that they are benevolent toward Earth-based life forms and that the lack of any human detection of extraterrestrials is due to an embargo designed to prevent any premature disclosure of their existence. It is argued that any embargo not involving alien force must be a leaky one designed to allow a gradual disclosure of the alien message and its gradual acceptance on the part of the general public over a very long time-scale. The communication may take the form of what is now considered magic, and may therefore be misinterpreted as “magic” or a hoax by contemporary governments and scientists. See http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=1986QJRAS..27...94D&db_key=AST.
g Cosmicus - During the Apollo moon missions, 15 out of 29 astronauts developed infections. Subsequent experiments aboard Skylab and several space shuttle missions confirmed that T-cells do not activate properly in microgravity. A new experiment being sent to the International Space Station will help scientists learn why the human immune system goes bad in space. See http://www.astro
bio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file
=article&sid=2071mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Forty years ago a science fiction show debuted on television with a paltry budget and a bold mission to go where no one had gone before. See http://www.space.com/entertainment/060907_star_trek.html.
g Imagining - Book alert: Following Athena Andreadis’s “To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek” and in the manner of Lawrence Krauss's “The Physics of Star Trek,” the husband-and-wife Jenkinses, he a molecular geneticist, she a psychiatrist, set out on a simple mission: "to entertain, to teach, and to share some favorite “Star Trek” moments" intheir book “Life Signs: The Biology of ‘Star Trek.’” Their compact but informative book succeeds in all three tasks. Each of the nine chapters takes on a related set of biological issues raised by the “Star Trek” TV series and films, explaining how the world created by the “Star Trek” writers meshes with that of our own. A discussion of the differences in mating habits among Vulcans, Klingons, Ferengi and Trills, as well as a host of other aliens, leads to an interesting discourse on complications arising from human sexuality, with distinctions made among genetic sex, phenotypic sex, core gender identity and sexual roles. Similarly, an examination of the "puppet-master parasites" (parasites that appear in a number of episodes and that have the disconcerting ability to take control of their hosts' minds) segues into a review of how the human brain functions. See http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Life_Signs:_The_Biology_of_Star_Trek.
g Aftermath - Book alert: Pick up “Beyond Contact: A Guide to SETI and Communicating with Alien Civilizations,” by inventor and software developer Brian McConnell. The book examines whether and why we might find something out there, who's doing what to look for it and — once some ET picks up on the other end — what we might say and how we might say it. This last problem, which occupies the final half of the book, proves to be the most thought provoking. See http://ibs.howstuffworks.com/ibs/orl/framed.htm?parent=http://ibs.howstuffworks.com/ibs/orl/alien-physiology5.htm&url=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/%0BASIN/0965377431/howstuffworks for reviews.
g Stars - Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have photographed one of the smallest objects ever seen around a normal star beyond our Sun. Weighing in at 12 times the mass of Jupiter, the object is small enough to be a planet. The conundrum is that it is also large enough to be a brown dwarf, a failed star. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2077mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Abodes - Jupiter's four largest moons were discovered by Galileo in 1610. Three of them might hold oceans of liquid water beneath their icy exteriors. Liquid water is a prerequisite for life. See http://www.
astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&
sid=79. Note: This article is from 2001. For related story, see “Visual Confirmation of Moon SMARTs.”
g Life - Scientists have unveiled a replica of a skeleton they say was from the largest dinosaur species yet discovered in Brazil - a mid-sized herbivore that roamed central Brazil some 80 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period. See http://www.livescience.com/
animalworld/060829_ap_brazil_dinosaur.html.
g Intelligence - By discovering that particular rat brain neurons combine or "integrate" dissimilar pieces of information (e.g. location versus reward), researchers have begun to learn how the brain controls decision-making and goal-oriented behaviors. Examples of these include foraging and navigation in animals and - in humans - whether to buy a particular second home or, in general, whether to favor a long-term benefit over immediate gratification. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060820191512.htm.
g Message - Here’s an intriguing hypothesis concerning the nature of extraterrestrial messages to Earth. It is based on the assumptions that aliens exist in abundance in the galaxy, that they are benevolent toward Earth-based life forms and that the lack of any human detection of extraterrestrials is due to an embargo designed to prevent any premature disclosure of their existence. It is argued that any embargo not involving alien force must be a leaky one designed to allow a gradual disclosure of the alien message and its gradual acceptance on the part of the general public over a very long time-scale. The communication may take the form of what is now considered magic, and may therefore be misinterpreted as “magic” or a hoax by contemporary governments and scientists. See http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=1986QJRAS..27...94D&db_key=AST.
g Cosmicus - During the Apollo moon missions, 15 out of 29 astronauts developed infections. Subsequent experiments aboard Skylab and several space shuttle missions confirmed that T-cells do not activate properly in microgravity. A new experiment being sent to the International Space Station will help scientists learn why the human immune system goes bad in space. See http://www.astro
bio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file
=article&sid=2071mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Forty years ago a science fiction show debuted on television with a paltry budget and a bold mission to go where no one had gone before. See http://www.space.com/entertainment/060907_star_trek.html.
g Imagining - Book alert: Following Athena Andreadis’s “To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek” and in the manner of Lawrence Krauss's “The Physics of Star Trek,” the husband-and-wife Jenkinses, he a molecular geneticist, she a psychiatrist, set out on a simple mission: "to entertain, to teach, and to share some favorite “Star Trek” moments" intheir book “Life Signs: The Biology of ‘Star Trek.’” Their compact but informative book succeeds in all three tasks. Each of the nine chapters takes on a related set of biological issues raised by the “Star Trek” TV series and films, explaining how the world created by the “Star Trek” writers meshes with that of our own. A discussion of the differences in mating habits among Vulcans, Klingons, Ferengi and Trills, as well as a host of other aliens, leads to an interesting discourse on complications arising from human sexuality, with distinctions made among genetic sex, phenotypic sex, core gender identity and sexual roles. Similarly, an examination of the "puppet-master parasites" (parasites that appear in a number of episodes and that have the disconcerting ability to take control of their hosts' minds) segues into a review of how the human brain functions. See http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Life_Signs:_The_Biology_of_Star_Trek.
g Aftermath - Book alert: Pick up “Beyond Contact: A Guide to SETI and Communicating with Alien Civilizations,” by inventor and software developer Brian McConnell. The book examines whether and why we might find something out there, who's doing what to look for it and — once some ET picks up on the other end — what we might say and how we might say it. This last problem, which occupies the final half of the book, proves to be the most thought provoking. See http://ibs.howstuffworks.com/ibs/orl/framed.htm?parent=http://ibs.howstuffworks.com/ibs/orl/alien-physiology5.htm&url=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/%0BASIN/0965377431/howstuffworks for reviews.
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