Other worlds’ plants, planetary wobbles and postsecondary astrobiology studies

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 is a "habitable zone"? See article.
g Life - The greenery on other planets may not be green. Astrobiologists say plants on Earth-sized planets orbiting stars somewhat brighter than the Sun may look yellow or orange, while those on planets orbiting stars much fainter than the Sun might look black. See article.
g Intelligence - Subtle wobbles in Earth's cosmic motions over thousands and millions of years may have influenced the long-term evolution of human beings and their ancestors. See article. Note: This article is from late 2004.
g Cosmicus - Quote of the Day: “If we at once admit the foolishness of these perennially suggested "impediments" to star flight, we will be on our way to understanding that interstellar space does not need a bridge too far. Interstellar travel may still be in its infancy, but adulthood is fast approaching, and our descendants will someday see childhood's end.” — Eugene Mallove and Gregory Matloff, “The Starflight Handbook”
g Learning - Here’s a list of places where one can study astrobiology for a bachelor’s or master’s degree.