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 - Just in time for Halloween, astronomers have taken a haunting new portrait of the sun. In a color-coded image from the Hinode spacecraft, the sun glows eerily orange as though celebrating with earthly spooks. See article.
g Abodes - A Queen's University researcher has discovered a mineral that could explain the mountainous landscape of Mars, and have implications for NASA's next mission to the planet. See http://www.
astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file
=article&sid=2130mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - Book alert: Here’s a neat, fictional post-Apollo, Shuttle-derived lunar architecture as portrayed in Homer Hickam's "Back to the Moon.”
g Aftermath - Here’s another “old” piece worth reading: “Consequences of Success in SETI: Lessons from the History of Science,” given during a Bioastronomy Symposium in 1993. See http://www.nidsci.org/articles/steve_dick.php.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
Mars rover tested in Norwegian high Arctic, “Life in the Universe” and “Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life”
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 Cosmicus - With funding from a NASA ASTEP grant, a team of scientists and engineers last month traveled to the Svalbard archipelago, in the Norwegian high Arctic, to test a suite of instruments that will be part of the payload of NASA’s next Mars rover, Mars Science Laboratory. See http://www.astrobio.net
/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2129
mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of lessons about “Life in the Universe” that teaches kids some basic astronomical facts and mathematical skills along the way: http://www.nssc.co.uk/edu
cation/supportmaterials/PreVisitDocs/KS4and5/Life%20in%20Universe.doc.
g Aftermath - Book alert: The authentic discovery of extraterrestrial life would usher in a scientific revolution on par with Copernicus or Darwin, says Paul Davies in “Are We Alone?: Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life.” Just as these ideas sparked religious and philosophical controversy when they were first offered, so would proof of life arising away from Earth. With this brief book (160 pages, including two appendices and an index), Davies tries to get ahead of the curve and begin to sort out the metaphysical mess before it happens. Many science fiction writers have preceded him, of course, but here the matter is plainly put. This is a very good introduction to a compelling subject.
g Cosmicus - With funding from a NASA ASTEP grant, a team of scientists and engineers last month traveled to the Svalbard archipelago, in the Norwegian high Arctic, to test a suite of instruments that will be part of the payload of NASA’s next Mars rover, Mars Science Laboratory. See http://www.astrobio.net
/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2129
mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of lessons about “Life in the Universe” that teaches kids some basic astronomical facts and mathematical skills along the way: http://www.nssc.co.uk/edu
cation/supportmaterials/PreVisitDocs/KS4and5/Life%20in%20Universe.doc.
g Aftermath - Book alert: The authentic discovery of extraterrestrial life would usher in a scientific revolution on par with Copernicus or Darwin, says Paul Davies in “Are We Alone?: Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life.” Just as these ideas sparked religious and philosophical controversy when they were first offered, so would proof of life arising away from Earth. With this brief book (160 pages, including two appendices and an index), Davies tries to get ahead of the curve and begin to sort out the metaphysical mess before it happens. Many science fiction writers have preceded him, of course, but here the matter is plainly put. This is a very good introduction to a compelling subject.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
When Earth got sick, “Where the Winds Sleep” and “Psychology of Interstellar 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 Abodes - What caused the Permian-Triassic extinction, the largest mass extinction in Earth's history? The most likely explanation for the disappearance of up to 90 percent of species 250 million years ago, said David Bottjer of the University of Southern California, is that "the earth got sick." See article.
g Cosmicus - Book alert: If you would like to take a nostalgic trip back to what many people thought might have happened if the pace of Apollo was maintained - and expanded, getting a copy of "Where The Winds Sleep - Man's Future on the Moon: a Projected History" written in 1969 by Neil Ruzic is worth the effort.
g Aftermath - If we establish communication with a civilization even as close as 100 light years from Earth, the round-trip time for a message and its reply is 200 years. What will be the psychology of a civilization that can engage in a meaningful conversation with this sort of delay? How is such a conversation to be established? What should the content of such a conversation be? These are the questions which motivate this article’s title: "Minds and Millennia: The Psychology of Interstellar Communication." See article.
g Abodes - What caused the Permian-Triassic extinction, the largest mass extinction in Earth's history? The most likely explanation for the disappearance of up to 90 percent of species 250 million years ago, said David Bottjer of the University of Southern California, is that "the earth got sick." See article.
g Cosmicus - Book alert: If you would like to take a nostalgic trip back to what many people thought might have happened if the pace of Apollo was maintained - and expanded, getting a copy of "Where The Winds Sleep - Man's Future on the Moon: a Projected History" written in 1969 by Neil Ruzic is worth the effort.
g Aftermath - If we establish communication with a civilization even as close as 100 light years from Earth, the round-trip time for a message and its reply is 200 years. What will be the psychology of a civilization that can engage in a meaningful conversation with this sort of delay? How is such a conversation to be established? What should the content of such a conversation be? These are the questions which motivate this article’s title: "Minds and Millennia: The Psychology of Interstellar Communication." See article.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Mars’ recent and ancient environments, potential of bases at lunar poles and physics of an alien civilizations
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 - During its first week of observations from low orbit, NASA's newest Mars spacecraft revealed new clues about both recent and ancient environments on the red planet. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2128mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - Book alert: If you want to read a book that delves into the potential of bases at the lunar poles, have a look at "Moonrush" by Dennis Wingo.
g Aftermath - Often the advanced science and technology of alien civilizations is touted as a benefit of contact with alien civilizations. So what type of physics would an advanced, extraterrestrial civilization likely possess? See what theoretical physicist Michio Kaku thinks that civilization might have at http://www.mkaku.org/articles/physics_of_alien_civs.shtml.
g Abodes - During its first week of observations from low orbit, NASA's newest Mars spacecraft revealed new clues about both recent and ancient environments on the red planet. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2128mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - Book alert: If you want to read a book that delves into the potential of bases at the lunar poles, have a look at "Moonrush" by Dennis Wingo.
g Aftermath - Often the advanced science and technology of alien civilizations is touted as a benefit of contact with alien civilizations. So what type of physics would an advanced, extraterrestrial civilization likely possess? See what theoretical physicist Michio Kaku thinks that civilization might have at http://www.mkaku.org/articles/physics_of_alien_civs.shtml.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Detecting potentially habitable worlds, how spacesuits work and predicting reactions to evidence of an 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 - More than a decade after the first planets beyond our solar system were found, astronomers have discovered about 200 of these "extrasolar planets," as they're called. Using a common-sense definition of potentially habitable planets, coupled with extensive computer simulations, scientists have calculated how many potentially habitable planets might be detected around other stars by the SIM PlanetQuest mission. See article.
g Cosmicus - How do spacesuits work? See http://science.howstuffworks.com/space-suit.htm for a good primer.
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 - More than a decade after the first planets beyond our solar system were found, astronomers have discovered about 200 of these "extrasolar planets," as they're called. Using a common-sense definition of potentially habitable planets, coupled with extensive computer simulations, scientists have calculated how many potentially habitable planets might be detected around other stars by the SIM PlanetQuest mission. See article.
g Cosmicus - How do spacesuits work? See http://science.howstuffworks.com/space-suit.htm for a good primer.
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.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
How Cassiopeia A blew up, PlanetQuest and terraforming Mars
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 NASA's infrared Spitzer Space Telescope have discovered that an exploded star, named Cassiopeia A, blew up in a somewhat orderly fashion, retaining much of its original onion-like layering. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/26spitzer/.
g Abodes - Ever want to discover a new world? That’s what we are planning to have folks do with PlanetQuest, a distributed computing screen saver that will allow anyone to find extrasolar planets on their own computer. Like the venerable http://www.space.com/searchforlife/setihome_signal_040903.html, but distinct from the new planetary-systems-generating program of the OKLO project at UC Santa Cruz, PlanetQuest will enable users to discover real planets around other stars using four different detection techniques. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_planetquest_061019.html.
g Cosmicus - Behold Mars, a frozen and hostile world with temperatures below those of an arctic winter, lacking all but the wisp of an atmosphere. Is it only an impossible science fantasy to turn such a remote and alien landscape into one that will support human and other Earth-born life? Actually, there are good reasons to believe that this process, called "terraforming," will become technically feasible in the next few decades. In fact, terraforming techniques may be highly developed by the time other circumstances allow us to use them, and the hard part may be to choose the best plan from many possibilities. See http://www.distant-star.com/issue1/dsfeat5.htm. Note: This article is from 1996.
g Stars - Astronomers using NASA's infrared Spitzer Space Telescope have discovered that an exploded star, named Cassiopeia A, blew up in a somewhat orderly fashion, retaining much of its original onion-like layering. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/26spitzer/.
g Abodes - Ever want to discover a new world? That’s what we are planning to have folks do with PlanetQuest, a distributed computing screen saver that will allow anyone to find extrasolar planets on their own computer. Like the venerable http://www.space.com/searchforlife/setihome_signal_040903.html, but distinct from the new planetary-systems-generating program of the OKLO project at UC Santa Cruz, PlanetQuest will enable users to discover real planets around other stars using four different detection techniques. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_planetquest_061019.html.
g Cosmicus - Behold Mars, a frozen and hostile world with temperatures below those of an arctic winter, lacking all but the wisp of an atmosphere. Is it only an impossible science fantasy to turn such a remote and alien landscape into one that will support human and other Earth-born life? Actually, there are good reasons to believe that this process, called "terraforming," will become technically feasible in the next few decades. In fact, terraforming techniques may be highly developed by the time other circumstances allow us to use them, and the hard part may be to choose the best plan from many possibilities. See http://www.distant-star.com/issue1/dsfeat5.htm. Note: This article is from 1996.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Studying titanic solar eruptions, Little Red Spot’s wind speeds and isolated, self-sustaining, bacterial community
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 - NASA launched a pair of compact spacecraft today that will use the moon's gravity to whip them into orbital positions ahead of and behind the Earth to study titanic solar eruptions in three dimensions. The goals of the $550 million STEREO project are to figure out what triggers the enormous blasts, how electrically charged particles from the sun's atmosphere move through space and how they interact with Earth's magnetic field. See article.
g Abodes - The highest wind speeds in Jupiter's Little Red Spot have increased and are now equal to those in its older and larger sibling, the Great Red Spot, according to observations with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/10jupiterspots/.
g Life - Researchers have discovered an isolated, self-sustaining, bacterial community living under extreme conditions almost two miles deep beneath the surface in a South African gold mine. It is the first microbial community demonstrated to be exclusively dependent on geologically produced sulfur and hydrogen and one of the few ecosystems found on Earth that does not depend on energy from the Sun in any way. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2124mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - How do crew aboard the International Space Station take spacewalks? See http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/eva/outside.html.
g Stars - NASA launched a pair of compact spacecraft today that will use the moon's gravity to whip them into orbital positions ahead of and behind the Earth to study titanic solar eruptions in three dimensions. The goals of the $550 million STEREO project are to figure out what triggers the enormous blasts, how electrically charged particles from the sun's atmosphere move through space and how they interact with Earth's magnetic field. See article.
g Abodes - The highest wind speeds in Jupiter's Little Red Spot have increased and are now equal to those in its older and larger sibling, the Great Red Spot, according to observations with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/10jupiterspots/.
g Life - Researchers have discovered an isolated, self-sustaining, bacterial community living under extreme conditions almost two miles deep beneath the surface in a South African gold mine. It is the first microbial community demonstrated to be exclusively dependent on geologically produced sulfur and hydrogen and one of the few ecosystems found on Earth that does not depend on energy from the Sun in any way. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2124mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - How do crew aboard the International Space Station take spacewalks? See http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/eva/outside.html.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
More than asteroid needed to kill dinos, solar flares’ effect on human space missions and what an encounter with beings from another planet could mean
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 Life - There's growing evidence that the dinosaurs and most their contemporaries were not wiped out by the famed Chicxulub meteor impact, according to a paleontologist who says multiple meteor impacts, massive volcanism in India, and climate changes culminated in the end of the Cretaceous Period.See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2123mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - Radiation may seem like a necessary energy input to sustain any biological ecosystem: warmth, light, photosynthesis depend on our sun. But is radiation an invisible enemy to finding life elsewhere, where a protective blanket does not shroud thinner atmospheres than our own? The recent damage that intense solar flares may have done to an orbiting Mars imager brings back the question of how to plan human missions to other planets. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/article711.html.
g Aftermath - If, as “The X-Files'” Fox Mulder might say, "The truth is out there," then the researchers running the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence program are likely to be the first ones to find it. On the other hand, there are numerous people who believe they've already been in contact with aliens. National Geographic's video ”Phantom Quest: The Search for Extraterrestrials” studies the claims of both groups, ultimately seeking to reveal precisely what an encounter with beings from another planet could mean for humanity. See http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue128/cool.html.
g Life - There's growing evidence that the dinosaurs and most their contemporaries were not wiped out by the famed Chicxulub meteor impact, according to a paleontologist who says multiple meteor impacts, massive volcanism in India, and climate changes culminated in the end of the Cretaceous Period.See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2123mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - Radiation may seem like a necessary energy input to sustain any biological ecosystem: warmth, light, photosynthesis depend on our sun. But is radiation an invisible enemy to finding life elsewhere, where a protective blanket does not shroud thinner atmospheres than our own? The recent damage that intense solar flares may have done to an orbiting Mars imager brings back the question of how to plan human missions to other planets. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/article711.html.
g Aftermath - If, as “The X-Files'” Fox Mulder might say, "The truth is out there," then the researchers running the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence program are likely to be the first ones to find it. On the other hand, there are numerous people who believe they've already been in contact with aliens. National Geographic's video ”Phantom Quest: The Search for Extraterrestrials” studies the claims of both groups, ultimately seeking to reveal precisely what an encounter with beings from another planet could mean for humanity. See http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue128/cool.html.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Venusian meteorology, microbes able to survive at below-freezing temperatures and trip to Mars
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 - Engineers are rolling up their sleeves in preparation for building a telescope that will find the nearest star-like objects and the brightest galaxies. NASA has approved the start of construction on a new mission called the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, which will scan the entire sky in infrared light. See article.
g Abodes - In its relentless probing of Venus's atmosphere, the European Space Agency's Venus Express keeps revealing new details of the Venusian cloud system. Meteorology at Venus is a complex matter, scientists say. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/15venus/.
g Life - Close-up images taken by an electron microscope reveal tiny one-cell organisms called halophiles and methanogens. Studies show these microbes can survive at below-freezing temperatures. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2120.
g Cosmicus - A “worst-case” analysis shows that during a trip to and from Mars, astronauts would be exposed to levels of deadly radiation that are considered unacceptable by today’s standards. The danger arises from galactic cosmic radiation and the rare but dangerous storms of protons from the sun. See http://www.astrobio.net/news
/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2122
mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Stars - Engineers are rolling up their sleeves in preparation for building a telescope that will find the nearest star-like objects and the brightest galaxies. NASA has approved the start of construction on a new mission called the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, which will scan the entire sky in infrared light. See article.
g Abodes - In its relentless probing of Venus's atmosphere, the European Space Agency's Venus Express keeps revealing new details of the Venusian cloud system. Meteorology at Venus is a complex matter, scientists say. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/15venus/.
g Life - Close-up images taken by an electron microscope reveal tiny one-cell organisms called halophiles and methanogens. Studies show these microbes can survive at below-freezing temperatures. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2120.
g Cosmicus - A “worst-case” analysis shows that during a trip to and from Mars, astronauts would be exposed to levels of deadly radiation that are considered unacceptable by today’s standards. The danger arises from galactic cosmic radiation and the rare but dangerous storms of protons from the sun. See http://www.astrobio.net/news
/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2122
mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Brown dwarf’s planet, early evolution of fungi and bedtime for 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 Abodes - Astronomers have detected a new faint companion to the star HD 3651, already known to host a planet. This companion, a brown dwarf, is the faintest known companion of an exoplanet host star imaged directly and one of the faintest T dwarfs detected in the Solar neighborhood so far. The detection yields important information on the conditions under which planets form. See article.
g Life - In the latest installment of a major international effort to probe the origins of species, a team of scientists has reconstructed the early evolution of fungi, the biological kingdom now believed to be animals' closest relatives. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061018150157.htm.
g Cosmicus - In the future, bedtime for astronauts may be more than a few evening hours of regular shuteye. It may help them reach other planets, though admittedly they would have to sleep for quite a long time. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/scitues
_hibernation_041012.html.
g Abodes - Astronomers have detected a new faint companion to the star HD 3651, already known to host a planet. This companion, a brown dwarf, is the faintest known companion of an exoplanet host star imaged directly and one of the faintest T dwarfs detected in the Solar neighborhood so far. The detection yields important information on the conditions under which planets form. See article.
g Life - In the latest installment of a major international effort to probe the origins of species, a team of scientists has reconstructed the early evolution of fungi, the biological kingdom now believed to be animals' closest relatives. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061018150157.htm.
g Cosmicus - In the future, bedtime for astronauts may be more than a few evening hours of regular shuteye. It may help them reach other planets, though admittedly they would have to sleep for quite a long time. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/scitues
_hibernation_041012.html.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Composition of extrasolar gas giants, evolutionary advantage of being last in line and space tourist etiquette
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 - In the past few years many giant planets have also be discovered around other stars. Those that transit, by chance, between us and their star can be directly characterized: we can measure both their mass and size, which allows us to infer, with the help of models, their compositions. See article.
g Life - The early bird might get the worm, but the last in line makes the baby. From bonobo chimpanzees to fruit flies, many female animals mate with multiple partners that often queue up for the event. Studies have shown that the last male to mate with a female is the most successful at impregnating her. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/061019_sex_queue.html.
g Cosmicus - According to several veteran shuttle astronauts, future space tourists should carefully plan their out-of-this-world experience. Plot out your favorite free-fall activities, carefully select your camera gear — but don’t hog the window. See http://www.space.com/news/061019_xprizecup_advice.html.
g Abodes - In the past few years many giant planets have also be discovered around other stars. Those that transit, by chance, between us and their star can be directly characterized: we can measure both their mass and size, which allows us to infer, with the help of models, their compositions. See article.
g Life - The early bird might get the worm, but the last in line makes the baby. From bonobo chimpanzees to fruit flies, many female animals mate with multiple partners that often queue up for the event. Studies have shown that the last male to mate with a female is the most successful at impregnating her. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/061019_sex_queue.html.
g Cosmicus - According to several veteran shuttle astronauts, future space tourists should carefully plan their out-of-this-world experience. Plot out your favorite free-fall activities, carefully select your camera gear — but don’t hog the window. See http://www.space.com/news/061019_xprizecup_advice.html.
Friday, October 20, 2006
When microbes adapted to oxygen, evolutionary advantage of sucking up to the boss and space elevator research
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 - Scientists at the Carnegie Institution and Penn State University have discovered evidence showing that microbes adapted to living with oxygen 2.72 billion years ago, at least 300 million years before the rise of oxygen in the atmosphere. See article.
g Life - Sucking up to win the support of the boss dates back to our furry ancestors. The motivation, for monkeys, is life and death. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/061020_monkey_groomers.
html.
g Intelligence - If you’ve ever wondered how you recognize your mother’s voice without seeing her face or how you discern your cell phone’s ring in a crowded room, researchers may have another piece of the answer. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061019162118.htm.
g Cosmicus - How, exactly, does one handicap a race for something that’s rarely been done before, like building an elevator to go into space? Right now, the materials to support an elevator capable of traveling all the way to geosynchronous orbit are not available. However, it is believed that super-strong materials like carbon nanotubes, could open up a whole new means of space travel, one that could eliminate the need for expensive rockets with dangerous propellants. The technology, therefore, is worth researching. See http://www.space.com/news/061020_xprizecup_handicap.html.
g Abodes - Scientists at the Carnegie Institution and Penn State University have discovered evidence showing that microbes adapted to living with oxygen 2.72 billion years ago, at least 300 million years before the rise of oxygen in the atmosphere. See article.
g Life - Sucking up to win the support of the boss dates back to our furry ancestors. The motivation, for monkeys, is life and death. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/061020_monkey_groomers.
html.
g Intelligence - If you’ve ever wondered how you recognize your mother’s voice without seeing her face or how you discern your cell phone’s ring in a crowded room, researchers may have another piece of the answer. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061019162118.htm.
g Cosmicus - How, exactly, does one handicap a race for something that’s rarely been done before, like building an elevator to go into space? Right now, the materials to support an elevator capable of traveling all the way to geosynchronous orbit are not available. However, it is believed that super-strong materials like carbon nanotubes, could open up a whole new means of space travel, one that could eliminate the need for expensive rockets with dangerous propellants. The technology, therefore, is worth researching. See http://www.space.com/news/061020_xprizecup_handicap.html.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Day and night temperatures of extrasolar planet, Earth microbes flourishing on Mars and first purpose-built spaceport
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 - NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has made the first measurements of the day and night temperatures of a planet outside our solar system. The infrared observatory revealed that the Jupiter-like gas giant planet circling very close to its sun is always as hot as fire on one side, and potentially as cold as ice on the other. See article.
g Life - A class of especially hardy microbes that live in some of the harshest Earthly environments could flourish on cold Mars and other chilly planets, according to a research team of astronomers and microbiologists. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/19marsmicrobes/.
g Cosmicus - Work is underway to design and construct the first “purpose-built” spaceport to handle passenger and payload launches to the edge of space and into Earth orbit. See http://www.space.com/news/061019_xprizecup_spaceport.html.
g Abodes - NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has made the first measurements of the day and night temperatures of a planet outside our solar system. The infrared observatory revealed that the Jupiter-like gas giant planet circling very close to its sun is always as hot as fire on one side, and potentially as cold as ice on the other. See article.
g Life - A class of especially hardy microbes that live in some of the harshest Earthly environments could flourish on cold Mars and other chilly planets, according to a research team of astronomers and microbiologists. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/19marsmicrobes/.
g Cosmicus - Work is underway to design and construct the first “purpose-built” spaceport to handle passenger and payload launches to the edge of space and into Earth orbit. See http://www.space.com/news/061019_xprizecup_spaceport.html.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Andromeda Galaxy’s collision, what planets are made of and lunar ice
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 Andromeda galaxy, the closest large spiral to the Milky Way, appears calm and tranquil as it wheels through space. But appearances can be deceiving. Astronomers have new evidence that Andromeda was involved in a violent head-on collision with the neighboring dwarf galaxy Messier 32 (M32) more than 200 million years ago. See article.
g Abodes - Could all of the asteroids, comets and planets in our Milky Way galaxy be made of a similar mix of dusty components? See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2117mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - Alas, the moon is not for winter sports. Never mind the difficulty of a triple axel in a bulky spacesuit (though the diminished gravity might help) - ice, it turns out, is hard to come by up there. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/18lunarice/.
g Stars - The Andromeda galaxy, the closest large spiral to the Milky Way, appears calm and tranquil as it wheels through space. But appearances can be deceiving. Astronomers have new evidence that Andromeda was involved in a violent head-on collision with the neighboring dwarf galaxy Messier 32 (M32) more than 200 million years ago. See article.
g Abodes - Could all of the asteroids, comets and planets in our Milky Way galaxy be made of a similar mix of dusty components? See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2117mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - Alas, the moon is not for winter sports. Never mind the difficulty of a triple axel in a bulky spacesuit (though the diminished gravity might help) - ice, it turns out, is hard to come by up there. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/18lunarice/.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Antennae galaxies’ star births, Martian water and satellite solar power stations
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 Hubble image of the Antennae galaxies is the sharpest yet of this merging pair of galaxies. As the two galaxies smash together, billions of stars are born, mostly in groups and clusters of stars. See article.
g Abodes - For a number of decades now, astronomers have wondered about water on Mars. Thanks to ESA's Mars Express, much of the speculation has been replaced with facts. Launched on 2 June 2003, Mars Express has changed the way we think of Mars. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/17marswater/.
g Life - Two Northwestern University engineers have been studying the whisker system of rats to better understand how mechanical information from the whiskers gets transmitted to the brain and to develop artificial whisker arrays for engineering applications. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2116mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - We don't yet know what satellite solar power stations will look like 50 years from now. But we do know how big they'll be: they'll be hundreds of square kilometers in area - otherwise they won't generate enough power to have a significant impact on humans' growing energy needs. See http://www.spacefuture.com/power/largescale.shtml.
g Stars - A new Hubble image of the Antennae galaxies is the sharpest yet of this merging pair of galaxies. As the two galaxies smash together, billions of stars are born, mostly in groups and clusters of stars. See article.
g Abodes - For a number of decades now, astronomers have wondered about water on Mars. Thanks to ESA's Mars Express, much of the speculation has been replaced with facts. Launched on 2 June 2003, Mars Express has changed the way we think of Mars. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/17marswater/.
g Life - Two Northwestern University engineers have been studying the whisker system of rats to better understand how mechanical information from the whiskers gets transmitted to the brain and to develop artificial whisker arrays for engineering applications. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2116mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - We don't yet know what satellite solar power stations will look like 50 years from now. But we do know how big they'll be: they'll be hundreds of square kilometers in area - otherwise they won't generate enough power to have a significant impact on humans' growing energy needs. See http://www.spacefuture.com/power/largescale.shtml.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Mars’ geologic eras, shuttle launch dates for 2007and first contact’s effect on religion
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 - Mars Express has provided the most detailed map to date of Mars’ mineralogy and has answered some longstanding questions. Based on this new information, a group of European scientists has proposed new names for the planet’s geologic eras. But not everyone agrees with the need for change. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA managers have proposed new launch dates for the first three shuttle missions of 2007. Planning dates for all remaining flights through the end of shuttle operations in 2010 also were updated based on preliminary launch processing assessments. While several near-term flights face delays due primarily to external tank deliveries and possible conflicts with Russian Soyuz launches, NASA still expects to meet its 2010 deadline for completing the station and retiring the shuttle. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts116/061016manifest/.
g Aftermath - Could religions survive contact with extraterrestrials? The Medieval Church didn't think so, as the discovery would challenge mankind's central role in the cosmos. Today such ideas are considered old fashioned, and many theologians welcome the discovery of life — even intelligent life — among the stars. But if scientists were to find microscopic Martians or a signal from another world, would established religions really take it in stride? For a discussion, check out this past program of SETI’s “Are We Alone?” at http://www.seti.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=289154. Note: An mp3 player is required to play the audio files; you can download one at the site for free.
g Abodes - Mars Express has provided the most detailed map to date of Mars’ mineralogy and has answered some longstanding questions. Based on this new information, a group of European scientists has proposed new names for the planet’s geologic eras. But not everyone agrees with the need for change. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA managers have proposed new launch dates for the first three shuttle missions of 2007. Planning dates for all remaining flights through the end of shuttle operations in 2010 also were updated based on preliminary launch processing assessments. While several near-term flights face delays due primarily to external tank deliveries and possible conflicts with Russian Soyuz launches, NASA still expects to meet its 2010 deadline for completing the station and retiring the shuttle. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts116/061016manifest/.
g Aftermath - Could religions survive contact with extraterrestrials? The Medieval Church didn't think so, as the discovery would challenge mankind's central role in the cosmos. Today such ideas are considered old fashioned, and many theologians welcome the discovery of life — even intelligent life — among the stars. But if scientists were to find microscopic Martians or a signal from another world, would established religions really take it in stride? For a discussion, check out this past program of SETI’s “Are We Alone?” at http://www.seti.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=289154. Note: An mp3 player is required to play the audio files; you can download one at the site for free.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
How plants made transition from water to land, delivering solar energy from space and responding to an alien signal
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 Life - In the history of life on Earth, one intriguing mystery is how plants made the transition from water to land and then went on to diversify into the array of vegetation we see today, from simple mosses and liverworts to towering redwoods. See article.
g Cosmicus - The idea of delivering solar energy from space using a microwave beam has been around since the 1960s. Here's a summary of its progress so far: http://www.spacefuture.com/power/timeline.shtml. For related article, see “A very big chip” at http://www.spacefuture.com/power/solarcell.shtml.
g Aftermath - Book alert: Science fiction writers have given us many fine novels contemplating humankind's first contact with intelligent extraterrestrials. But our nonfiction world has not thought much about what to do if we are actually faced with this situation. In “Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” Jean Heidmann, chief astronomer at the Paris Observatory (and self-styled bioastronomer), offers a book on the subject that is at once serious and fun. Heidmann's obvious joy in raw speculation - all of it grounded in real science - is contagious. If aliens send us a message from many light years away, for example, how should we respond? Heidmann reviews the protocols established in the SETI Declaration and then offers his own suggestion: Send them the entire contents of the Encyclopedia Britannica. See http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521585635/102-7953720-3747358?n=283155.
g Life - In the history of life on Earth, one intriguing mystery is how plants made the transition from water to land and then went on to diversify into the array of vegetation we see today, from simple mosses and liverworts to towering redwoods. See article.
g Cosmicus - The idea of delivering solar energy from space using a microwave beam has been around since the 1960s. Here's a summary of its progress so far: http://www.spacefuture.com/power/timeline.shtml. For related article, see “A very big chip” at http://www.spacefuture.com/power/solarcell.shtml.
g Aftermath - Book alert: Science fiction writers have given us many fine novels contemplating humankind's first contact with intelligent extraterrestrials. But our nonfiction world has not thought much about what to do if we are actually faced with this situation. In “Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” Jean Heidmann, chief astronomer at the Paris Observatory (and self-styled bioastronomer), offers a book on the subject that is at once serious and fun. Heidmann's obvious joy in raw speculation - all of it grounded in real science - is contagious. If aliens send us a message from many light years away, for example, how should we respond? Heidmann reviews the protocols established in the SETI Declaration and then offers his own suggestion: Send them the entire contents of the Encyclopedia Britannica. See http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521585635/102-7953720-3747358?n=283155.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Super-Earths, planetary maps and “Advocating an Immediate Response”
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 - The 200 known planets that orbit other stars exhibit incredible variety. Among them are a handful of worlds that weigh between 5 and 15 times Earth. Astronomers believe these "super-Earths" are rocky iceballs rather than gas giants like Jupiter. While theorists can explain how such worlds form around Sun-like stars, the discovery of super-Earths around tiny red dwarf stars was surprising. New research suggests that some super-Earths build up rapidly when local temperatures drop and ices condense out of the surrounding gas. See article.
g Cosmicus - Need a map of a planet in our solar system? Try this database of JPL/Caltech-generated planetary maps: http://maps.jpl.nasa.gov/.
g Aftermath - Donald E. Tarter, a consultant in space policy and technology assessment, makes a persuasive case for developing the protocols and technology to reply to an extraterrestrial signal before news of the discovery is made public, in his article, “Advocating an Immediate Response.” Delay could be costly as technologically advanced fringe groups or ambitious nations could attempt to score a propaganda victory by being the first to reply, creating a mixed and perhaps embarrassing first message. This could be avoided by settling on a quick and simple message to let the extraterrestrial source know that we had received their message. See http://seti.planetary.org/Contact/ImmediateResponse.html. Note: This report is from 1996.
g Abodes - The 200 known planets that orbit other stars exhibit incredible variety. Among them are a handful of worlds that weigh between 5 and 15 times Earth. Astronomers believe these "super-Earths" are rocky iceballs rather than gas giants like Jupiter. While theorists can explain how such worlds form around Sun-like stars, the discovery of super-Earths around tiny red dwarf stars was surprising. New research suggests that some super-Earths build up rapidly when local temperatures drop and ices condense out of the surrounding gas. See article.
g Cosmicus - Need a map of a planet in our solar system? Try this database of JPL/Caltech-generated planetary maps: http://maps.jpl.nasa.gov/.
g Aftermath - Donald E. Tarter, a consultant in space policy and technology assessment, makes a persuasive case for developing the protocols and technology to reply to an extraterrestrial signal before news of the discovery is made public, in his article, “Advocating an Immediate Response.” Delay could be costly as technologically advanced fringe groups or ambitious nations could attempt to score a propaganda victory by being the first to reply, creating a mixed and perhaps embarrassing first message. This could be avoided by settling on a quick and simple message to let the extraterrestrial source know that we had received their message. See http://seti.planetary.org/Contact/ImmediateResponse.html. Note: This report is from 1996.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Seeking public’s help in finding extrasolar worlds, space elevator and six potential problem areas following alien contact
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 - Astronomers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are seeking the public's help to find and understand planets outside our solar system. But you don't need an advanced degree or even a telescope to participate - just a computer, access to the Internet and an interest in astronomy. See article.
g Cosmicus - Admittedly, at least for now, the idea of a beanstalk-like space elevator connecting Earth and space is a stretch. See http://www.space.com/news/060929_xprize_cup_elevator.html.
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 Abodes - Astronomers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are seeking the public's help to find and understand planets outside our solar system. But you don't need an advanced degree or even a telescope to participate - just a computer, access to the Internet and an interest in astronomy. See article.
g Cosmicus - Admittedly, at least for now, the idea of a beanstalk-like space elevator connecting Earth and space is a stretch. See http://www.space.com/news/060929_xprize_cup_elevator.html.
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.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Spiderweb Galaxy, new era of spaceflight and intelligent bacteria
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 - New Hubble images have provided a dramatic glimpse of a large massive galaxy under assembly as smaller galaxies merge. This has commonly been thought to be the way galaxies grew in the young universe, but now Hubble observations of the radio galaxy nicknamed the "Spiderweb Galaxy" have shown dozens of star-forming satellite galaxies in the actual process of merging. See article.
g Abodes - A new image of Saturn demonstrates a technique that creates a 'Chinese lantern' effect, showing Saturn's deep clouds silhouetted against the planet's warm, glowing interior. Seen this way, Saturn's interior shows surprising activity underneath the overlying haze, with a great variety of cloud shapes and sizes. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/061008lantern.html.
g Intelligence - Bacteria may not have brains, but they are intelligent. So says Lynn Margulis, co-author of “Microcosmos: Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution.” To mark the 20th anniversary of the book’s publication, Astrobiology Magazine spoke with Margulis, who laid out the evidence for bacterial intelligence. She also explained why she thinks that, most likely, Mars is a dead world. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2111mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - A new era of human spaceflight is upon us, and its movers and shapers say it will be cheaper, safer and aimed at the masses. Whether you just want to experience weightlessness, take a quick suborbital jaunt or spend a few days aboard the International Space Station or a space hotel, new space companies are cropping up, eager to compete for your business. See http://www.space.com/
businesstechnology/061004_tw_space_tourism.html.
g Stars - New Hubble images have provided a dramatic glimpse of a large massive galaxy under assembly as smaller galaxies merge. This has commonly been thought to be the way galaxies grew in the young universe, but now Hubble observations of the radio galaxy nicknamed the "Spiderweb Galaxy" have shown dozens of star-forming satellite galaxies in the actual process of merging. See article.
g Abodes - A new image of Saturn demonstrates a technique that creates a 'Chinese lantern' effect, showing Saturn's deep clouds silhouetted against the planet's warm, glowing interior. Seen this way, Saturn's interior shows surprising activity underneath the overlying haze, with a great variety of cloud shapes and sizes. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/061008lantern.html.
g Intelligence - Bacteria may not have brains, but they are intelligent. So says Lynn Margulis, co-author of “Microcosmos: Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution.” To mark the 20th anniversary of the book’s publication, Astrobiology Magazine spoke with Margulis, who laid out the evidence for bacterial intelligence. She also explained why she thinks that, most likely, Mars is a dead world. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2111mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - A new era of human spaceflight is upon us, and its movers and shapers say it will be cheaper, safer and aimed at the masses. Whether you just want to experience weightlessness, take a quick suborbital jaunt or spend a few days aboard the International Space Station or a space hotel, new space companies are cropping up, eager to compete for your business. See http://www.space.com/
businesstechnology/061004_tw_space_tourism.html.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Sun’s celestial siblings, 16 new extrasolar planet candidates and future of human expansion into space
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 at the University of Illinois say that rather than being an only child, the sun could have hundreds or thousands of celestial siblings that are now dispersed across the heavens. The researchers conclusions could reshape current theories on how, when and where planets form around stars. See article.
g Abodes - NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered 16 extrasolar planet candidates orbiting a variety of distant stars in the central region of our Milky Way galaxy. Five of the newly found planets represent a new extreme type of planet not found in any nearby searches. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/04hubbleplanets/.
g Cosmicus - Book alert: What future possibilities for space travel are the most likely to succeed? What are the greatest challenges and advantages of space travel for humankind? What are the potential moral and ethical implications of our space explorations? “Space, the Final Frontier?” imaginatively illustrates the possibilities that the exploration and subsequent exploitation of space opens up for humankind. Authors Giancarlo Genta and Michael Rycroft delve into the factors that encourage space travel and speculate on the future of human expansion into space. See http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521814030.
g Stars - Astronomers at the University of Illinois say that rather than being an only child, the sun could have hundreds or thousands of celestial siblings that are now dispersed across the heavens. The researchers conclusions could reshape current theories on how, when and where planets form around stars. See article.
g Abodes - NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered 16 extrasolar planet candidates orbiting a variety of distant stars in the central region of our Milky Way galaxy. Five of the newly found planets represent a new extreme type of planet not found in any nearby searches. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/04hubbleplanets/.
g Cosmicus - Book alert: What future possibilities for space travel are the most likely to succeed? What are the greatest challenges and advantages of space travel for humankind? What are the potential moral and ethical implications of our space explorations? “Space, the Final Frontier?” imaginatively illustrates the possibilities that the exploration and subsequent exploitation of space opens up for humankind. Authors Giancarlo Genta and Michael Rycroft delve into the factors that encourage space travel and speculate on the future of human expansion into space. See http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521814030.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Definitive evidence of nearest extrasolar planet, universe proves much more habitable than previously thought and alien disinformation campaigns
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 - See NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, in collaboration with ground-based observatories, has provided definitive evidence for the existence of the nearest extrasolar planet to our solar system. See NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, in collaboration with ground-based observatories, has provided definitive evidence for the existence of the nearest extrasolar planet to our solar system. See article.
g Message - The search for extraterrestrial intelligence could be taking the wrong approach. Instead of listening for alien radio broadcasts, a better strategy may be to look for giant structures placed in orbit around nearby stars by alien civilizations. See http://www.newscientist.com/channel/space/mg18624944.800.
g Cosmicus - At the beginning of the 21st century, our nation stands at a unique time in the history of exploration and discovery. Over the past decade, new evidence of resources on the moon, ancient water on Mars, oceans under the surface of the moons of Jupiter and planets around other stars indicates that our universe is much more habitable than previously thought. See http://ipp.nasa.gov/innovation/2-coverstory.html. Note: This article is from 2004.
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 - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Anne McCaffrey and Jody Lynn Nye’s “Treaty at Doona,” published by Ace in 1994.
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 Abodes - See NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, in collaboration with ground-based observatories, has provided definitive evidence for the existence of the nearest extrasolar planet to our solar system. See NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, in collaboration with ground-based observatories, has provided definitive evidence for the existence of the nearest extrasolar planet to our solar system. See article.
g Message - The search for extraterrestrial intelligence could be taking the wrong approach. Instead of listening for alien radio broadcasts, a better strategy may be to look for giant structures placed in orbit around nearby stars by alien civilizations. See http://www.newscientist.com/channel/space/mg18624944.800.
g Cosmicus - At the beginning of the 21st century, our nation stands at a unique time in the history of exploration and discovery. Over the past decade, new evidence of resources on the moon, ancient water on Mars, oceans under the surface of the moons of Jupiter and planets around other stars indicates that our universe is much more habitable than previously thought. See http://ipp.nasa.gov/innovation/2-coverstory.html. Note: This article is from 2004.
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 - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Anne McCaffrey and Jody Lynn Nye’s “Treaty at Doona,” published by Ace in 1994.
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.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Black hole population count, planet-forming disks ripped away and bad polls for space exploration
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 - NASA scientists using the Swift satellite have conducted the first complete census of galaxies with active, central black holes, a project that scanned the entire sky several times over a nine-month period. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/07headcount/.
g Abodes - A star must live in a relatively tranquil cosmic neighborhood to foster planet formation, say astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. A team of scientists came to this conclusion after watching intense ultraviolet light and powerful winds from O-type stars rip away the potential planet-forming disks around stars like our sun. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/03safer/.
g Message - Book alert: The father-son team of David E. Fisher and Marshall Jon Fisher brings the study of extraterrestrial life down to earth in “Strangers in the Night: Brief History of Life on Other Worlds,” an informative and entertaining book. In the anecdotal style that is their hallmark, the Fishers trace humankind’s attempts to discover life on other worlds. This informative and entertaining book tells the story of humankind’s attempts throughout history to discover extraterrestrial life. See http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/
obidos/ASIN/1887178872/boggysgeologylin/20292899029087057.
g Cosmicus - Some bad news: In a study reported on at the AIAA Space 2006 meeting, Dittmar Associates reported that young American adults are "largely disinterested" in the Vision for Space Exploration announced by President Bush in January of 2004. See http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=20904.
g Learning - It's an exciting time for educators and students. Before the end of the next decade, NASA astronauts will return to the moon. This time, they're planning to stay - building outposts and paving the way for eventual journeys to Mars and beyond. Today's students will be tomorrow's explorers. How will space exploration benefit their lives in the future? That's the question asked by a new NASA competition for students ages 11-18. The first NASA 21st Century Explorer Podcast Competition challenges students to create unique audio and video podcasts. The topic: How will space exploration benefit your life in the future? See http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=20906.
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 Stars - NASA scientists using the Swift satellite have conducted the first complete census of galaxies with active, central black holes, a project that scanned the entire sky several times over a nine-month period. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/07headcount/.
g Abodes - A star must live in a relatively tranquil cosmic neighborhood to foster planet formation, say astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. A team of scientists came to this conclusion after watching intense ultraviolet light and powerful winds from O-type stars rip away the potential planet-forming disks around stars like our sun. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/03safer/.
g Message - Book alert: The father-son team of David E. Fisher and Marshall Jon Fisher brings the study of extraterrestrial life down to earth in “Strangers in the Night: Brief History of Life on Other Worlds,” an informative and entertaining book. In the anecdotal style that is their hallmark, the Fishers trace humankind’s attempts to discover life on other worlds. This informative and entertaining book tells the story of humankind’s attempts throughout history to discover extraterrestrial life. See http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/
obidos/ASIN/1887178872/boggysgeologylin/20292899029087057.
g Cosmicus - Some bad news: In a study reported on at the AIAA Space 2006 meeting, Dittmar Associates reported that young American adults are "largely disinterested" in the Vision for Space Exploration announced by President Bush in January of 2004. See http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=20904.
g Learning - It's an exciting time for educators and students. Before the end of the next decade, NASA astronauts will return to the moon. This time, they're planning to stay - building outposts and paving the way for eventual journeys to Mars and beyond. Today's students will be tomorrow's explorers. How will space exploration benefit their lives in the future? That's the question asked by a new NASA competition for students ages 11-18. The first NASA 21st Century Explorer Podcast Competition challenges students to create unique audio and video podcasts. The topic: How will space exploration benefit your life in the future? See http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=20906.
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).
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Twisted space and warped time, extreme-cold bacteria and traveling NASA space exhibit
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 - NASA scientists and their international partners using the new Japanese Suzaku satellite have collected a startling new set of black hole observations, revealing details of twisted space and warped time never before seen with such precision. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/05blackholeedge/.
g Life - To study the bacteria which survive in extreme cold, scientists no longer have to go to extreme environments, such as Antarctic lakes and glaciers. Bacteria previously isolated from polar climates, and have properties allowing them to survive in extreme cold, have been isolated from soil in temperate environments. See article.
g Cosmicus - To actually touch the moon is something that isn’t easy. In fact, there are only three places on this planet where it is possible: The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., the Johnson Space Center in Texas, and as part of a traveling NASA space exhibit that is currently making its way cross country. See http://www.space.com/adastra/adastra_road_vision_061001.html.
g Stars - NASA scientists and their international partners using the new Japanese Suzaku satellite have collected a startling new set of black hole observations, revealing details of twisted space and warped time never before seen with such precision. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/05blackholeedge/.
g Life - To study the bacteria which survive in extreme cold, scientists no longer have to go to extreme environments, such as Antarctic lakes and glaciers. Bacteria previously isolated from polar climates, and have properties allowing them to survive in extreme cold, have been isolated from soil in temperate environments. See article.
g Cosmicus - To actually touch the moon is something that isn’t easy. In fact, there are only three places on this planet where it is possible: The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., the Johnson Space Center in Texas, and as part of a traveling NASA space exhibit that is currently making its way cross country. See http://www.space.com/adastra/adastra_road_vision_061001.html.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Uranus black cloud, symbiogenesis and technology’s affect on civilization
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 - NASA and Italian scientists using the Swift spacecraft have for the first time determined what the particle jets streaming from black holes are made of. The jets observed by Swift contain about the mass of Jupiter if it were pulverized and blasted out into intergalactic space. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/05blackholejets/.
g Abodes - Just as we near the end of the hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean, winds whirl and clouds churn 2 billion miles away in the atmosphere of Uranus, forming a dark vortex large enough to engulf two-thirds of the United States. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/02uranusspot/.
g Life - Twenty years have passed since the publication of “Microcosmos: Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution,” co-authored by Lynn Margulis and her son Dorion Sagan. In this interview with Astrobiology Magazine, Margulis explains one of the book’s central ideas: symbiogenesis. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/mod
ules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2100mode
=thread&order=0&thold=0. For Part II of the interview, see: http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2104mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - The continual advancement of technology will be critical in determining whether humanity will evolve into a true global civilization or destroy itself in the next century, a panel of experts said this week. See http://www.livescience.com/includes/iab.
htmlurl=/technology/060930_world_future.html.
g Stars - NASA and Italian scientists using the Swift spacecraft have for the first time determined what the particle jets streaming from black holes are made of. The jets observed by Swift contain about the mass of Jupiter if it were pulverized and blasted out into intergalactic space. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/05blackholejets/.
g Abodes - Just as we near the end of the hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean, winds whirl and clouds churn 2 billion miles away in the atmosphere of Uranus, forming a dark vortex large enough to engulf two-thirds of the United States. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/02uranusspot/.
g Life - Twenty years have passed since the publication of “Microcosmos: Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution,” co-authored by Lynn Margulis and her son Dorion Sagan. In this interview with Astrobiology Magazine, Margulis explains one of the book’s central ideas: symbiogenesis. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/mod
ules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2100mode
=thread&order=0&thold=0. For Part II of the interview, see: http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News
&file=article&sid=2104mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - The continual advancement of technology will be critical in determining whether humanity will evolve into a true global civilization or destroy itself in the next century, a panel of experts said this week. See http://www.livescience.com/includes/iab.
htmlurl=/technology/060930_world_future.html.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Old stars in young universe, seashells prove evolution and personal spaceflight business
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 team of astronomers based at Yale and Leiden University in The Netherlands found that "old stars" dominated many large galaxies in the early universe, raising the new question of why these galaxies progressed into "adulthood" so early in the life of the universe. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/02stellar/.
g Abodes - NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered 16 extrasolar planet candidates orbiting a variety of distant stars in the central region of our Milky Way galaxy. See http://www.astrobio.
net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid
=2105mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - When he started compiling an online database of seashells 15 years ago, Gary Rosenberg did not envision that his meticulous record-keeping would eventually shed light on a 40-year-old evolutionary debate. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/
2006/09/060911104122.htm.
g Cosmicus - Those caught in the whirlwind of the personal spaceflight business—the builders, shakers, dreamers and schemers—will be found this month at the Wirefly X Prize Cup, set for Oct. 20-21 in Las Cruces, N.M. See http://www.space.com/news/061006_xprizecup_shipmakers.html.
g Stars - An international team of astronomers based at Yale and Leiden University in The Netherlands found that "old stars" dominated many large galaxies in the early universe, raising the new question of why these galaxies progressed into "adulthood" so early in the life of the universe. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/02stellar/.
g Abodes - NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered 16 extrasolar planet candidates orbiting a variety of distant stars in the central region of our Milky Way galaxy. See http://www.astrobio.
net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid
=2105mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - When he started compiling an online database of seashells 15 years ago, Gary Rosenberg did not envision that his meticulous record-keeping would eventually shed light on a 40-year-old evolutionary debate. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/
2006/09/060911104122.htm.
g Cosmicus - Those caught in the whirlwind of the personal spaceflight business—the builders, shakers, dreamers and schemers—will be found this month at the Wirefly X Prize Cup, set for Oct. 20-21 in Las Cruces, N.M. See http://www.space.com/news/061006_xprizecup_shipmakers.html.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Killer electrons, animal senses and inside SpaceShip Two
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 - Weather that originates at the Sun, not here on Earth, is responsible for radio waves that cause an unusual shape of two belts of radiation that encircle Earth and contain "killer electrons" that can damage satellites and pose a risk to space travelers, scientists report. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/061003_science_tuesday.html.
g Life - You might think you're smart, but none of your senses rival the keenest abilities in the animal world. Animals see in the dark, sniff prey miles away, and detect electrical output from muscle twitches in hidden meals. Read on, so you don't become one of those meals. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/top10_animal_senses.html.
g Cosmicus - Future passengers aboard Virgin Galactic spaceliners can look forward to cushioned reclining seats and lots of windows during suborbital flights aboard SpaceShipTwo, a concept interior of which was unveiled by British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson [See image here.]. See http://www.space.com/news/060828_spaceshiptwo_next.html.
g Abodes - Weather that originates at the Sun, not here on Earth, is responsible for radio waves that cause an unusual shape of two belts of radiation that encircle Earth and contain "killer electrons" that can damage satellites and pose a risk to space travelers, scientists report. See http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/061003_science_tuesday.html.
g Life - You might think you're smart, but none of your senses rival the keenest abilities in the animal world. Animals see in the dark, sniff prey miles away, and detect electrical output from muscle twitches in hidden meals. Read on, so you don't become one of those meals. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/top10_animal_senses.html.
g Cosmicus - Future passengers aboard Virgin Galactic spaceliners can look forward to cushioned reclining seats and lots of windows during suborbital flights aboard SpaceShipTwo, a concept interior of which was unveiled by British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson [See image here.]. See http://www.space.com/news/060828_spaceshiptwo_next.html.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Fostering planet formation, shoreline property on Titan and Orion’s cockpit
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 star must live in a relatively tranquil cosmic neighborhood to foster planet formation, say astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. See article.
g Abodes - Shorefront property, anyone? These Cassini radar images taken during a flyby a week ago show lakes on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. The clear shorelines are reminiscent of terrestrial lakes. With Titan's colder temperatures and hydrocarbon-rich atmosphere, however, the lakes likely contain a combination of methane and ethane, not water. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/060930titanlakes.html.
g Life - Just as siblings may scuffle over who gets the front seat or access to the TV remote control, some bird siblings jostle for position in their nests. Those with winning moves can sit in the spot where mom is most likely to deliver food. See http://www.livescience.
com/animalworld/060926_sibling_rivalry.html.
g Cosmicus - The pieces are coming together for NASA’s next spaceship Orion as space agency engineers begin working with lead contractor Lockheed Martin to shape the vehicle’s cockpit. See http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/060927_techwed_orion.
html. For related story, see “Committee Warns NASA To Keep CEV on Track” at http://www.space.com/spacenews/businessmonday_061002.html.
g Stars - A star must live in a relatively tranquil cosmic neighborhood to foster planet formation, say astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. See article.
g Abodes - Shorefront property, anyone? These Cassini radar images taken during a flyby a week ago show lakes on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. The clear shorelines are reminiscent of terrestrial lakes. With Titan's colder temperatures and hydrocarbon-rich atmosphere, however, the lakes likely contain a combination of methane and ethane, not water. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/060930titanlakes.html.
g Life - Just as siblings may scuffle over who gets the front seat or access to the TV remote control, some bird siblings jostle for position in their nests. Those with winning moves can sit in the spot where mom is most likely to deliver food. See http://www.livescience.
com/animalworld/060926_sibling_rivalry.html.
g Cosmicus - The pieces are coming together for NASA’s next spaceship Orion as space agency engineers begin working with lead contractor Lockheed Martin to shape the vehicle’s cockpit. See http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/060927_techwed_orion.
html. For related story, see “Committee Warns NASA To Keep CEV on Track” at http://www.space.com/spacenews/businessmonday_061002.html.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Early galaxies, hot planets and Lunar Lander Challenge
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 - Early galaxies from the universe’s distant past grew up much faster than astronomers anticipated, according to a new study in the current issue of Astrophysical Journal. See http://www.space.
com/scienceastronomy/061002_mystery_monday.html.
g Abodes - A team of UK, French and Swiss astronomers has discovered two new Jupiter-sized planets around stars in the constellations of Andromeda and Delphinus. They are among the hottest planets yet discovered. Their atmospheres are slowly being whipped away into space by the searing radiation from their parent stars. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060926080308.htm.
g Life - During an expedition off the South American coast, an international team of ocean scientists discovered that the gases ethane and propane are being produced by microorganisms in deeply buried sediments. The findings suggest that microbes below the seafloor carry out processes that are highly relevant to both our understanding of global cycles and the metabolic abilities of microbes. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2095mode=thread
&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - The future will take to the skies over New Mexico next month as teams compete in the Lunar Lander Challenge sponsored by NASA under their Centennial Challenges program. See http://www.space.com/includes/iab.html?url=/spacewatch/060922_night_sky.html.
g Learning - It's an exciting time for educators and students. Before the end of the next decade, NASA astronauts will return to the moon. This time, they're planning to stay - building outposts and paving the way for eventual journeys to Mars and beyond. Today's students will be tomorrow's explorers. How will space exploration benefit their lives in the future? That's the question asked by a new NASA competition for students ages 11-18. The first NASA 21st Century Explorer Podcast Competition challenges students to create unique audio and video podcasts. The topic: How will space exploration benefit your life in the future? See http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=20906.
g Stars - Early galaxies from the universe’s distant past grew up much faster than astronomers anticipated, according to a new study in the current issue of Astrophysical Journal. See http://www.space.
com/scienceastronomy/061002_mystery_monday.html.
g Abodes - A team of UK, French and Swiss astronomers has discovered two new Jupiter-sized planets around stars in the constellations of Andromeda and Delphinus. They are among the hottest planets yet discovered. Their atmospheres are slowly being whipped away into space by the searing radiation from their parent stars. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060926080308.htm.
g Life - During an expedition off the South American coast, an international team of ocean scientists discovered that the gases ethane and propane are being produced by microorganisms in deeply buried sediments. The findings suggest that microbes below the seafloor carry out processes that are highly relevant to both our understanding of global cycles and the metabolic abilities of microbes. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2095mode=thread
&order=0&thold=0.
g Cosmicus - The future will take to the skies over New Mexico next month as teams compete in the Lunar Lander Challenge sponsored by NASA under their Centennial Challenges program. See http://www.space.com/includes/iab.html?url=/spacewatch/060922_night_sky.html.
g Learning - It's an exciting time for educators and students. Before the end of the next decade, NASA astronauts will return to the moon. This time, they're planning to stay - building outposts and paving the way for eventual journeys to Mars and beyond. Today's students will be tomorrow's explorers. How will space exploration benefit their lives in the future? That's the question asked by a new NASA competition for students ages 11-18. The first NASA 21st Century Explorer Podcast Competition challenges students to create unique audio and video podcasts. The topic: How will space exploration benefit your life in the future? See http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=20906.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Vega-like stars, dinosaur’s reputation reserved, orbiting human habitats in four years
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - 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 article.
g Abodes - Ancient rocks from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean suggest dramatic climate changes during the dinosaur-dominated Mesozoic Era, a time once thought to have been monotonously hot and humid. See article.
g Life - A dinosaur species long accused of cannibalism and infanticide is finally having the charges against it dropped and its reputation restored. See article.
g Intelligence - The completion of the Allen Institute for Brain Science's inaugural project signals a remarkable leap forward in one of the last frontiers of medical science - the brain. The Institute today announced the completion of the groundbreaking Allen Brain Atlas, a Web- based, three-dimensional map of gene expression in the mouse brain. Detailing more than 21,000 genes at the cellular level, the Atlas provides scientists with a level of data previously not available. See article.
g Cosmicus - If the planned Jan. 30 launch of Bigelow Aerospace's Genesis 2 space module on a Russian Dnepr rocket is successful, Las Vegas entrepreneur Robert Bigelow plans to send a human-rated habitat into orbit in either the second half of 2009 or the first half of 2010. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of classroom lessons, about how technologies have played an essential role in the study of space and in the emerging use of space environments.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
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 article.
g Abodes - Ancient rocks from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean suggest dramatic climate changes during the dinosaur-dominated Mesozoic Era, a time once thought to have been monotonously hot and humid. See article.
g Life - A dinosaur species long accused of cannibalism and infanticide is finally having the charges against it dropped and its reputation restored. See article.
g Intelligence - The completion of the Allen Institute for Brain Science's inaugural project signals a remarkable leap forward in one of the last frontiers of medical science - the brain. The Institute today announced the completion of the groundbreaking Allen Brain Atlas, a Web- based, three-dimensional map of gene expression in the mouse brain. Detailing more than 21,000 genes at the cellular level, the Atlas provides scientists with a level of data previously not available. See article.
g Cosmicus - If the planned Jan. 30 launch of Bigelow Aerospace's Genesis 2 space module on a Russian Dnepr rocket is successful, Las Vegas entrepreneur Robert Bigelow plans to send a human-rated habitat into orbit in either the second half of 2009 or the first half of 2010. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of classroom lessons, about how technologies have played an essential role in the study of space and in the emerging use of space environments.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Mars exploration, nanotechnology in the brain and space adventurer
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 - NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity has arrived at the rim of a crater approximately five times wider than a previous stadium-sized one it studied for half a year. See http://www.astrobio.net
/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=
2099mode=thread&order=0&thold=0. For related story, see “NASA's new Mars camera gives clear view of planet” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/29mrohirise/.
g Life - A tuberculosis pandemic among an ancient mammoth-like creature probably contributed to the great beasts' demise, a new study suggests. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld
/060922_mastodon_tb.html.
g Intelligence - Two MIT scientists have used nanotechnology to reconnect brain cells. See http://www.livescience.com/php/video/player.php?video_id=nas1033_brainhealingbridges.
g Cosmicus - Anousheh Ansari’s is not a tourist. The self-described “space ambassador” is better described as a “space adventurer.” See http://www.space.com/adastra/060918_woodsmansee_ansari.html. For related story, see “Ansari blog provides insight into life aboard space station” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/station/exp14/060925ansari.html.
g Abodes - NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity has arrived at the rim of a crater approximately five times wider than a previous stadium-sized one it studied for half a year. See http://www.astrobio.net
/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=
2099mode=thread&order=0&thold=0. For related story, see “NASA's new Mars camera gives clear view of planet” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0609/29mrohirise/.
g Life - A tuberculosis pandemic among an ancient mammoth-like creature probably contributed to the great beasts' demise, a new study suggests. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld
/060922_mastodon_tb.html.
g Intelligence - Two MIT scientists have used nanotechnology to reconnect brain cells. See http://www.livescience.com/php/video/player.php?video_id=nas1033_brainhealingbridges.
g Cosmicus - Anousheh Ansari’s is not a tourist. The self-described “space ambassador” is better described as a “space adventurer.” See http://www.space.com/adastra/060918_woodsmansee_ansari.html. For related story, see “Ansari blog provides insight into life aboard space station” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/station/exp14/060925ansari.html.
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