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 stellar prodigy has been spotted about 450 light-years away in a system called UX Tau A by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Astronomers suspect this system’s central sun-like star, which is just one million years old, may already be surrounded by young planets. Scientists hope the finding will provide insight into when planets began to form in our own solar system. See article.
g Abodes - Many scientists are now convinced that Jupiter's moon Europa harbors a liquid ocean beneath its icy crust. The main question now is, could this ocean support life as we know it? See article.
g Life - Chris Impey has written a wonderfully readable book about the chances of life existing elsewhere in the universe (pretty high, in spite of the universe's appalling violence). But "The Living Cosmos" is not about just that. It is an overview of everything you need to know about the fundamentals, including how we got here and where we're probably going. More important, the science - a word that often causes eyes to glaze over -- is laid out with uncommon clarity and panache. See review.
g Intelligence - Do you sometimes have memories of a mysterious past life? Recall odd experiences such as being abducted by aliens? Wonder where these memories come from and if, in fact, you were really once whisked off in a flying saucer by ETs? Seems the answer may be simpler than you think—or remember. A new study shows that people with memories of past lives are more likely than others to misremember the source of any given piece of information. See article.
g Cosmicus - Measures to protect astronauts from health risks caused by space radiation will be important during extended missions to the moon or Mars, say researchers in a paper currently online in Experimental Neurology. See article.
g Learning - For 10 weeks in the summer of 2007, 16 students came to the SETI Institute as part of our Research Experience for Undergraduates program. In an excellent example of cooperation between two government agencies, 11 of the students were funded by the National Science Foundation, and 4 were funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute. See article.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Powerful cosmic explosion and twilight zones of 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 Stars - Astronomers are puzzling over a powerful cosmic explosion that seems to have detonated in a region of empty space, far away from any nearby galaxy. It may have been the death cry of a star that was born from debris strewn out of a past galactic dustup. See article.
g Abodes - Rocky extrasolar planets thought to be half frozen and half scorched might instead rock back and forth, creating large swaths of twilight with temperatures suitable for life. See article.
g Intelligence - The imaginary friends a child dreams up, naughty or nice, are good to have around. They have emotional, social, and cognitive benefits, and they help prepare children for real life, scientists say. See article.
g Stars - Astronomers are puzzling over a powerful cosmic explosion that seems to have detonated in a region of empty space, far away from any nearby galaxy. It may have been the death cry of a star that was born from debris strewn out of a past galactic dustup. See article.
g Abodes - Rocky extrasolar planets thought to be half frozen and half scorched might instead rock back and forth, creating large swaths of twilight with temperatures suitable for life. See article.
g Intelligence - The imaginary friends a child dreams up, naughty or nice, are good to have around. They have emotional, social, and cognitive benefits, and they help prepare children for real life, scientists say. See article.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Spirit’s significant discovery and how Earth protects the Moon
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 - UCSC astronomers 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. The project, called Systemic, enlists volunteers to help astronomers better understand what kinds of planetary systems inhabit our galaxy, the Milky Way, and whether systems like our solar system are common. See article.
g Abodes - After nearly four full years on Mars, those two robot rovers exploring the Red Planet are still at it, and their chief scientific shepherd reports for the first time that the partially crippled rover named Spirit has made "probably the most significant discovery" of its entire mission. See article.
g Cosmicus - New research has shown that Earth's magnetosphere actually protects some parts of the Moon from solar storms. Scientists found that for seven days during the Moon's 28-day orbit, select regions are shielded from harmful solar energy. The findings could help protect astronauts on future Moon missions. See article.
g Stars - UCSC astronomers 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. The project, called Systemic, enlists volunteers to help astronomers better understand what kinds of planetary systems inhabit our galaxy, the Milky Way, and whether systems like our solar system are common. See article.
g Abodes - After nearly four full years on Mars, those two robot rovers exploring the Red Planet are still at it, and their chief scientific shepherd reports for the first time that the partially crippled rover named Spirit has made "probably the most significant discovery" of its entire mission. See article.
g Cosmicus - New research has shown that Earth's magnetosphere actually protects some parts of the Moon from solar storms. Scientists found that for seven days during the Moon's 28-day orbit, select regions are shielded from harmful solar energy. The findings could help protect astronauts on future Moon missions. See article.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Planets in habitable zone around Gliese 581 and exploring Europa for 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 Stars - In April, astronomers announced the discovery of two possibly habitable planets. A&A is now publishing detailed studies of this system, which confirm that one of the planets might indeed be located within the habitable zone around the star Gliese 581. See article.
g Abodes - Jupiter’s moon Europa is just as far away as ever, but new research is bringing scientists closer to being able to explore its tantalizing ice-covered ocean and determine its potential for harboring life. See article.
g Message - If you've ever sent a carefully composed message to someone on a dating site in cyberspace, trying to ignite a spark of interest and elicit a reply, you'll understand what Yvan Dutil and his colleague Stephane Dumas are up against. See article.
g Cosmicus - It might be time to consider traffic lights on the moon. In the past week, governments, space agencies, and even a company from the Isle of Man announced plans to land on the moon. See article.
g Stars - In April, astronomers announced the discovery of two possibly habitable planets. A&A is now publishing detailed studies of this system, which confirm that one of the planets might indeed be located within the habitable zone around the star Gliese 581. See article.
g Abodes - Jupiter’s moon Europa is just as far away as ever, but new research is bringing scientists closer to being able to explore its tantalizing ice-covered ocean and determine its potential for harboring life. See article.
g Message - If you've ever sent a carefully composed message to someone on a dating site in cyberspace, trying to ignite a spark of interest and elicit a reply, you'll understand what Yvan Dutil and his colleague Stephane Dumas are up against. See article.
g Cosmicus - It might be time to consider traffic lights on the moon. In the past week, governments, space agencies, and even a company from the Isle of Man announced plans to land on the moon. See article.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Intergalactic particle beam and ‘follow the energy’
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 intergalactic particle beam stretching for more than a million light years is the longest ever seen. According to the team that discovered this record breaker, it could help reveal how such jets of matter bind themselves together. See article.
g Abodes - All conceivable life forms, whether earthly or extraterrestrial, require an energy source, and scientists are increasingly employing a "Follow the Energy" approach in the search for signs of habitability and life beyond Earth, as described in a report in the December 2007 Special Issue (Volume 7, Number 6) of Astrobiology, a peer-reviewed journal.
g Cosmicus - A robotic submarine designed to explore the oceans thought to lie beneath the icy crust on Jupiter's moon Europa will prove its mettle in an Antarctic lake in 2008. A previous version of the vessel has already mapped the balmier waters of a Mexican sinkhole. See article.
g Stars - An intergalactic particle beam stretching for more than a million light years is the longest ever seen. According to the team that discovered this record breaker, it could help reveal how such jets of matter bind themselves together. See article.
g Abodes - All conceivable life forms, whether earthly or extraterrestrial, require an energy source, and scientists are increasingly employing a "Follow the Energy" approach in the search for signs of habitability and life beyond Earth, as described in a report in the December 2007 Special Issue (Volume 7, Number 6) of Astrobiology, a peer-reviewed journal.
g Cosmicus - A robotic submarine designed to explore the oceans thought to lie beneath the icy crust on Jupiter's moon Europa will prove its mettle in an Antarctic lake in 2008. A previous version of the vessel has already mapped the balmier waters of a Mexican sinkhole. See article.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Composition of planet outside our solar system and the ET Meme
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 odds that scientists will someday be able to detect life elsewhere in the universe got a little better five years ago this month, when astronomers made the first measurement of the composition of a planet outside our solar system. See article.
g Message - Here’s a near article in which SETI supporter Larry Klaes discusses at the Allen Telescope Array. See article.
g Learning - The idea of extraterrestrial life was one of the most powerful concepts of the late 20th century. Richard Dawkins has hypothesized that such concepts may be thought of as "memes", i.e. ideas that are reproduced by imitation and migration through human intercourse. Here’s a paper that investigates the origin of the ET Meme as a cultural and societal phenomenon, focusing on the way the meme has manifested itself in representations of the quest for ET Life, including film, UFOs, the case for Mars, the Drake equation and its subsequent popularization in post-war British SF of influential writers such as Arthur C. Clarke and Fred Hoyle. There is evidence that the ET Meme has an autonomy from scientific practice allowing the meme to permeate different disciplinary approaches to the quest for ET life; and that the search for extraterrestrial life is as much driven by the ET Meme and its associated revolution of the imagination as by scientific practice and evidence. See article.
g Abodes - The odds that scientists will someday be able to detect life elsewhere in the universe got a little better five years ago this month, when astronomers made the first measurement of the composition of a planet outside our solar system. See article.
g Message - Here’s a near article in which SETI supporter Larry Klaes discusses at the Allen Telescope Array. See article.
g Learning - The idea of extraterrestrial life was one of the most powerful concepts of the late 20th century. Richard Dawkins has hypothesized that such concepts may be thought of as "memes", i.e. ideas that are reproduced by imitation and migration through human intercourse. Here’s a paper that investigates the origin of the ET Meme as a cultural and societal phenomenon, focusing on the way the meme has manifested itself in representations of the quest for ET Life, including film, UFOs, the case for Mars, the Drake equation and its subsequent popularization in post-war British SF of influential writers such as Arthur C. Clarke and Fred Hoyle. There is evidence that the ET Meme has an autonomy from scientific practice allowing the meme to permeate different disciplinary approaches to the quest for ET life; and that the search for extraterrestrial life is as much driven by the ET Meme and its associated revolution of the imagination as by scientific practice and evidence. See article.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
How Earthshine helps find other planets and life’s markers
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 - Earthshine – the dim glow from sunlight bouncing off the Earth, and reflected back from the Moon's surface – may aid in the search for life on other planets, say scientists. It may also give insights into climate change on Earth. However, experts are split on how useful a tool Earthshine may be. See article.
g Life - A working group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is trying to figure out what life’s markers might look like across a wide range of biological types. The most obvious signature for life itself is the presence of unusual combinations of things. A world without life shouldn’t, for example, give us strong signatures in both methane and oxygen simultaneously. See article.
g Learning - Science fiction is often perceived as a “fringe” form of entertainment that excites the socially challenged. This misperception detracts from the critical, scientific and interpretive nature of the genre that can be directed into science teaching at school and university levels as an innovative way of exploring the cultural background, politics, leitmotif and themes of society, science and their operation. One example is the “alien” theme in SF; it is perceptually one of the driving factors in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Such a topic can become an introduction to current technology, the motives and politics of science and the sociological implications inherent in a confrontation with the ideal of man’s uniqueness in the cosmos. When applied to SETI, SF engenders a constructive convergence in studies such as biological determinism, the evolution of life, communication, interstellar travel and methods of contact, thus enriching the consideration of possible life in the cosmos. Adopting elements of SF in lifelong learning therefore enables informed, imaginative reflection and debate that educates, trains and instructs, broadening the potential of students and their future roles by invoking an analysis of vital public, scientific and humanistic fields. See article.
g Abodes - Earthshine – the dim glow from sunlight bouncing off the Earth, and reflected back from the Moon's surface – may aid in the search for life on other planets, say scientists. It may also give insights into climate change on Earth. However, experts are split on how useful a tool Earthshine may be. See article.
g Life - A working group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is trying to figure out what life’s markers might look like across a wide range of biological types. The most obvious signature for life itself is the presence of unusual combinations of things. A world without life shouldn’t, for example, give us strong signatures in both methane and oxygen simultaneously. See article.
g Learning - Science fiction is often perceived as a “fringe” form of entertainment that excites the socially challenged. This misperception detracts from the critical, scientific and interpretive nature of the genre that can be directed into science teaching at school and university levels as an innovative way of exploring the cultural background, politics, leitmotif and themes of society, science and their operation. One example is the “alien” theme in SF; it is perceptually one of the driving factors in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Such a topic can become an introduction to current technology, the motives and politics of science and the sociological implications inherent in a confrontation with the ideal of man’s uniqueness in the cosmos. When applied to SETI, SF engenders a constructive convergence in studies such as biological determinism, the evolution of life, communication, interstellar travel and methods of contact, thus enriching the consideration of possible life in the cosmos. Adopting elements of SF in lifelong learning therefore enables informed, imaginative reflection and debate that educates, trains and instructs, broadening the potential of students and their future roles by invoking an analysis of vital public, scientific and humanistic fields. See article.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Water on planet orbiting another star and why Earth’s green plants may be unusual
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 - Gamma-ray bursts are short-lived bursts of gamma-ray photons, the most energetic form of light. At least some of them are associated with a special type of supernovae, the explosions marking the deaths of especially massive stars. See article.
g Abodes - Scientists have made a breakthrough in the search for aliens by discovering water for the first time ever on a planet orbiting another star. See article.
g Life - Researchers at the Virtual Planetary Laboratory there now believe that Earth-type worlds may have foliage that is largely yellow, orange or even red. The green of Earth’s plant life is anything but a universal standard. See article.
g Learning - Mars draws, demands attention. Of all the planets of our solar system not one has the stature of Mars in science, myth or fantasy. Mars is a magic name, heavy with allusions, aspirations and grand dreams unfulfilled. Carl Sagan once asked rhetorically, “why so many eager speculations and ardent fantasies about Martians, rather than Saturnians or Plutonians?” Why does Mars have this affect on humanity? From an educators point of view, that is the glory of Mars; it is a repository of imaginativeness and desire from which springs new insights, innovations and technologies that have both practical and cultural applications, enabling a creative and inventive approach to teaching of the life sciences, geology, history and literature. See article.
g Stars - Gamma-ray bursts are short-lived bursts of gamma-ray photons, the most energetic form of light. At least some of them are associated with a special type of supernovae, the explosions marking the deaths of especially massive stars. See article.
g Abodes - Scientists have made a breakthrough in the search for aliens by discovering water for the first time ever on a planet orbiting another star. See article.
g Life - Researchers at the Virtual Planetary Laboratory there now believe that Earth-type worlds may have foliage that is largely yellow, orange or even red. The green of Earth’s plant life is anything but a universal standard. See article.
g Learning - Mars draws, demands attention. Of all the planets of our solar system not one has the stature of Mars in science, myth or fantasy. Mars is a magic name, heavy with allusions, aspirations and grand dreams unfulfilled. Carl Sagan once asked rhetorically, “why so many eager speculations and ardent fantasies about Martians, rather than Saturnians or Plutonians?” Why does Mars have this affect on humanity? From an educators point of view, that is the glory of Mars; it is a repository of imaginativeness and desire from which springs new insights, innovations and technologies that have both practical and cultural applications, enabling a creative and inventive approach to teaching of the life sciences, geology, history and literature. See article.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Water raining down onto newly born solar system and exploring Europa’s ocean
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 - Enough water to fill the Earth's seas five time over has been spotted raining down onto a newly born solar system. The vital ingredient for life is falling as steam and hitting a disk of dust where planets are probably forming. See article.
g Message - The story goes like this: Sometime in the 1940s, Enrico Fermi was talking about the possibility of extra-terrestrial intelligence with some other physicists. They were impressed that life had evolved quickly and progressively on Earth. They figured our galaxy holds about 100 billion stars, and that an intelligent, exponentially reproducing species could colonize the galaxy in just a few million years. They reasoned that extraterrestrial intelligence should be common by now. Fermi listened patiently, then asked, simply, "So, where is everybody?" That is, if extra-terrestrial intelligence is common, why haven't we met any bright aliens yet? This conundrum became known as Fermi's Paradox. See article.
g Cosmicus - Jupiter’s moon Europa is just as far away as ever, but new research is bringing scientists closer to being able to explore its tantalizing ice-covered ocean and determine its potential for harboring life. See article.
g Learning - A positive response to lifelong learning policies involves the use of imaginative curriculum design in order to attract learners from disadvantaged backgrounds who are otherwise alienated from higher education. In this article a case study is presented based on the popularity of science fiction within popular culture, beginning with community-based modules in the South Wales valleys and culminating in a complete BSc honors award in Science and Science Fiction. This experiment in curriculum engineering has recruited adult learners, as well as school-leavers, and has led to the use of innovative teaching and learning methods that complement curriculum objectives and outcomes. See article.
g Abodes - Enough water to fill the Earth's seas five time over has been spotted raining down onto a newly born solar system. The vital ingredient for life is falling as steam and hitting a disk of dust where planets are probably forming. See article.
g Message - The story goes like this: Sometime in the 1940s, Enrico Fermi was talking about the possibility of extra-terrestrial intelligence with some other physicists. They were impressed that life had evolved quickly and progressively on Earth. They figured our galaxy holds about 100 billion stars, and that an intelligent, exponentially reproducing species could colonize the galaxy in just a few million years. They reasoned that extraterrestrial intelligence should be common by now. Fermi listened patiently, then asked, simply, "So, where is everybody?" That is, if extra-terrestrial intelligence is common, why haven't we met any bright aliens yet? This conundrum became known as Fermi's Paradox. See article.
g Cosmicus - Jupiter’s moon Europa is just as far away as ever, but new research is bringing scientists closer to being able to explore its tantalizing ice-covered ocean and determine its potential for harboring life. See article.
g Learning - A positive response to lifelong learning policies involves the use of imaginative curriculum design in order to attract learners from disadvantaged backgrounds who are otherwise alienated from higher education. In this article a case study is presented based on the popularity of science fiction within popular culture, beginning with community-based modules in the South Wales valleys and culminating in a complete BSc honors award in Science and Science Fiction. This experiment in curriculum engineering has recruited adult learners, as well as school-leavers, and has led to the use of innovative teaching and learning methods that complement curriculum objectives and outcomes. See article.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
What skies of alien worlds could look like and the gentle breathing out of plants on other planets
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - What would the skies of alien worlds look like? See article.
g Life - The first signs of life beyond our solar system might come from the gentle breathing out of plants on an alien world. See article.
g Cosmicus - Jacques Arnould is a consultant in charge of ethical, social and cultural aspects of space activities at the French Space Agency. In Bangalore to deliver a lecture on space ethics, he spoke to the Times of India. See article.
g Learning - The academic world is now becoming so specialized that the advantages of a cross disciplinary education are being lost in the tidal wave of scholarship concentrating upon narrow subject fields whilst displacing the values of connected disciplines from the sciences and humanities. The almost rigorous segregation of science and the arts at degree level is being felt not only within academia, but within society. The more a subject is concentrated, the less profound and applicable it appears to the public who should ultimately be the beneficiaries of such knowledge. In order to achieve a form of parity through which our modern world can be examined, the University of Glamorgan has introduced an innovative degree course aimed at developing a multidisciplinary knowledge of science and the arts via an exploration of the science, history, philosophy, religious, artistic, literary, cultural and social endeavors of the fields of astronomy and fantastic literature. See article.
g Abodes - What would the skies of alien worlds look like? See article.
g Life - The first signs of life beyond our solar system might come from the gentle breathing out of plants on an alien world. See article.
g Cosmicus - Jacques Arnould is a consultant in charge of ethical, social and cultural aspects of space activities at the French Space Agency. In Bangalore to deliver a lecture on space ethics, he spoke to the Times of India. See article.
g Learning - The academic world is now becoming so specialized that the advantages of a cross disciplinary education are being lost in the tidal wave of scholarship concentrating upon narrow subject fields whilst displacing the values of connected disciplines from the sciences and humanities. The almost rigorous segregation of science and the arts at degree level is being felt not only within academia, but within society. The more a subject is concentrated, the less profound and applicable it appears to the public who should ultimately be the beneficiaries of such knowledge. In order to achieve a form of parity through which our modern world can be examined, the University of Glamorgan has introduced an innovative degree course aimed at developing a multidisciplinary knowledge of science and the arts via an exploration of the science, history, philosophy, religious, artistic, literary, cultural and social endeavors of the fields of astronomy and fantastic literature. See article.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Water in Martian clouds and life beginning inside mica layers
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 - Martian clouds may contain less water than previously thought, according to a new NASA study. See article.
g Life - A new hypothesis describes how life may have begun in ancient oceans, protected inside layers of the mineral mica. These narrow, confined spaces may have provided the perfect conditions for the origin of biomolecules. See article.
g Cosmicus - Smaller Earth-like planets, some perhaps even having conditions for life, might be detected by astronomers with improved techniques, University of Hawaii-Manoa researchers say. See article.
g Aftermath - How is the search for life elsewhere reflected culturally in symbols that we recognize daily? One signpost invented to characterize the 'state of the internet' is the occasional change in the logo of the world's most popular search engine. How that doodle has come to recognize astrobiology seems to violate conventional wisdom on what is meant by tinkering with one's cherished brand recognition. See article. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Abodes - Martian clouds may contain less water than previously thought, according to a new NASA study. See article.
g Life - A new hypothesis describes how life may have begun in ancient oceans, protected inside layers of the mineral mica. These narrow, confined spaces may have provided the perfect conditions for the origin of biomolecules. See article.
g Cosmicus - Smaller Earth-like planets, some perhaps even having conditions for life, might be detected by astronomers with improved techniques, University of Hawaii-Manoa researchers say. See article.
g Aftermath - How is the search for life elsewhere reflected culturally in symbols that we recognize daily? One signpost invented to characterize the 'state of the internet' is the occasional change in the logo of the world's most popular search engine. How that doodle has come to recognize astrobiology seems to violate conventional wisdom on what is meant by tinkering with one's cherished brand recognition. See article. Note: This article is from 2004.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Newly discovered exoplanets and life on chlorine worlds
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
g Abodes - In Astrobiology Magazine’s latest podcast, Pascale Ehrenfreund talks about newly discovered exoplanets, and explains what we still need to learn about the evolution of solar systems. See article.
g Cosmicus - The resurgence in scientific interest in the potential for life on Mars began in the 1990s. It was recognized at that time that the types of extreme environments on Earth capable of supporting organisms, such as geothermal systems, hot springs, subfreezing environments, and the deep subsurface, likely existed on Mars and had the potential to support life there. The possibility of Martian life gained visibility with both the science community and the public with the hypothesis of McKay et al. that evidence for past life could be found in the Martian meteorite ALH 84001. Although that hypothesis has now been widely criticized, the ensuing discussion brought out the scientific value of incorporating astrobiology science goals into a broad exploration strategy for Mars. See article.
g Learning - In a unique collaboration between NASA and the Navajo Nation, the NASA Astrobiology Institute has received funding to continue its work to bring together astrobiology science and Navajo cultural knowledge into educational materials for Navajo youth for the next three years. See article.
g Imagining - Could life exist on “chlorine worlds”? Here’s a science fiction examination of its possibility. See article.
g Abodes - In Astrobiology Magazine’s latest podcast, Pascale Ehrenfreund talks about newly discovered exoplanets, and explains what we still need to learn about the evolution of solar systems. See article.
g Cosmicus - The resurgence in scientific interest in the potential for life on Mars began in the 1990s. It was recognized at that time that the types of extreme environments on Earth capable of supporting organisms, such as geothermal systems, hot springs, subfreezing environments, and the deep subsurface, likely existed on Mars and had the potential to support life there. The possibility of Martian life gained visibility with both the science community and the public with the hypothesis of McKay et al. that evidence for past life could be found in the Martian meteorite ALH 84001. Although that hypothesis has now been widely criticized, the ensuing discussion brought out the scientific value of incorporating astrobiology science goals into a broad exploration strategy for Mars. See article.
g Learning - In a unique collaboration between NASA and the Navajo Nation, the NASA Astrobiology Institute has received funding to continue its work to bring together astrobiology science and Navajo cultural knowledge into educational materials for Navajo youth for the next three years. See article.
g Imagining - Could life exist on “chlorine worlds”? Here’s a science fiction examination of its possibility. See article.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Hazes in atmosphere of planet orbiting distant star and extraterrestrial microbial life in the Earth's stratosphere
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 black hole blasting an immense jet of energy into a neighboring galaxy has been observed by astronomers for the first time. See article.
g Abodes - A team of astronomers have used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to detect, for the first time, strong evidence of hazes in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting a distant star. See article.
g Life - A team of scientists from India and the United Kingdom claims to have found extraterrestrial microbial life in the Earth's stratosphere, but others in the astrobiology community have their doubts. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Stars - A black hole blasting an immense jet of energy into a neighboring galaxy has been observed by astronomers for the first time. See article.
g Abodes - A team of astronomers have used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to detect, for the first time, strong evidence of hazes in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting a distant star. See article.
g Life - A team of scientists from India and the United Kingdom claims to have found extraterrestrial microbial life in the Earth's stratosphere, but others in the astrobiology community have their doubts. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
The pattern of life in rocks and finding the most efficient path for spacecraft
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 University of Arizona will build a prototype instrument to demonstrate their revolutionary idea for a satellite-borne remote sensing system. It will measure water vapor, temperature and ozone anywhere over the globe with unprecedented vertical resolution and accuracy. See article.
g Life - Kimberley Warren-Rhodes has spent countless hours in some of the world’s driest deserts, turning over rocks. Tens of thousands of rocks. What is she hoping to find? The pattern of life. See article.
g Intelligence - Have you Googled yourself lately? According to a survey (PDF) by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, there is a good chance you have. See article.
g Cosmicus - New software for complex space missions will help mission planners find the most efficient path for spacecraft traveling to distant locations. To develop the software, researchers studied NASA's Cassini mission, one of the most complicated missions to date and also one of the most important for astrobiologists. See article.
g Abodes - Scientists at The University of Arizona will build a prototype instrument to demonstrate their revolutionary idea for a satellite-borne remote sensing system. It will measure water vapor, temperature and ozone anywhere over the globe with unprecedented vertical resolution and accuracy. See article.
g Life - Kimberley Warren-Rhodes has spent countless hours in some of the world’s driest deserts, turning over rocks. Tens of thousands of rocks. What is she hoping to find? The pattern of life. See article.
g Intelligence - Have you Googled yourself lately? According to a survey (PDF) by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, there is a good chance you have. See article.
g Cosmicus - New software for complex space missions will help mission planners find the most efficient path for spacecraft traveling to distant locations. To develop the software, researchers studied NASA's Cassini mission, one of the most complicated missions to date and also one of the most important for astrobiologists. See article.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Venus compared to Earth and fungi’s relation to animals
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 - Venus Express has provided new data about the atmosphere of Venus, from the top down to nearly the surface. The findings show that the Venus may once have been more Earth-like and, to a certain extent, still is. 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 article. Note: This article is from 2006.
g Aftermath - An intriguing conference begins today at NASA Ames: “Contact: Culture of the Imagination.” Contact is a unique interdisciplinary conference that brings together some of the foremost international social and space scientists, science fiction writers and artists to exchange ideas, stimulate new perspectives and encourage serious, creative speculation about humanity's future ... onworld and offworld. See article.
g Abodes - Venus Express has provided new data about the atmosphere of Venus, from the top down to nearly the surface. The findings show that the Venus may once have been more Earth-like and, to a certain extent, still is. 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 article. Note: This article is from 2006.
g Aftermath - An intriguing conference begins today at NASA Ames: “Contact: Culture of the Imagination.” Contact is a unique interdisciplinary conference that brings together some of the foremost international social and space scientists, science fiction writers and artists to exchange ideas, stimulate new perspectives and encourage serious, creative speculation about humanity's future ... onworld and offworld. See article.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
DNA assembling into liquid crystals 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 Life - Scientists studying ultrashort DNA molecules have provided a new scenario for how life may have originated on Earth. The team found that short segments of DNA are able to assemble into distinct liquid crystal phases. The research may help us understand how life could have originated from segments of DNA-like molecules. See article.
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 article.
g Learning - Off the main highway in Schriever, La., there's a stunning view of volcanoes on Mars and galaxies that nurse infant stars into existence. See article.
g Aftermath - What are the societal implications of astrobiology? A NASA workshop in 1999 set out to determine what they might be. Here’s their report. See article.
g Life - Scientists studying ultrashort DNA molecules have provided a new scenario for how life may have originated on Earth. The team found that short segments of DNA are able to assemble into distinct liquid crystal phases. The research may help us understand how life could have originated from segments of DNA-like molecules. See article.
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 article.
g Learning - Off the main highway in Schriever, La., there's a stunning view of volcanoes on Mars and galaxies that nurse infant stars into existence. See article.
g Aftermath - What are the societal implications of astrobiology? A NASA workshop in 1999 set out to determine what they might be. Here’s their report. See article.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Planet hunters’ observational bias and 5,000 orbits for Mars Express
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 - More than half of the stars in our galaxy have a stellar companion. And yet, of the 130 or so currently known exoplanets (none of which are Earth-like), only about 20 of them are around so-called binaries. The percentage may grow higher. The current ratio is affected by an observational bias: planet hunters tend to avoid binaries because the star-star interactions can hide the planet signatures. See article.
g Abodes - The European Space Agency's Mars Express mission has now completed 5,000 orbits of Mars. In nearly four years of operation, Mars Express has returned valuable data about the diverse surface of Mars and has helped scientists understand the history of the planet's geology and climate. See article.
g Cosmicus - A private spaceflight firm is developing a new unmanned spacecraft in hopes of delivering cargo for NASA missions to the International Space Station. See article.
g Learning - Book alert: Here’s a neat, fictional post-Apollo, Shuttle-derived lunar architecture as portrayed in Homer Hickam's "Back to the Moon.”
g Stars - More than half of the stars in our galaxy have a stellar companion. And yet, of the 130 or so currently known exoplanets (none of which are Earth-like), only about 20 of them are around so-called binaries. The percentage may grow higher. The current ratio is affected by an observational bias: planet hunters tend to avoid binaries because the star-star interactions can hide the planet signatures. See article.
g Abodes - The European Space Agency's Mars Express mission has now completed 5,000 orbits of Mars. In nearly four years of operation, Mars Express has returned valuable data about the diverse surface of Mars and has helped scientists understand the history of the planet's geology and climate. See article.
g Cosmicus - A private spaceflight firm is developing a new unmanned spacecraft in hopes of delivering cargo for NASA missions to the International Space Station. See article.
g Learning - Book alert: Here’s a neat, fictional post-Apollo, Shuttle-derived lunar architecture as portrayed in Homer Hickam's "Back to the Moon.”
Friday, December 14, 2007
Partnerless stars, prehistoric monster reptile found in Arctic and ‘The New Science of Astrobiology’
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 - Most of the stars in the Milky Way are born alone and live out their lives without partners, a new analysis suggests. If true, the work overturns standard theories that stars are born in broods and also suggests planets – and potentially life – may be more common in the galaxy than thought. See article. Note: This article is from early 2006.
g Life - Remains of a bus-sized prehistoric "monster" reptile found on a remote Arctic island may be a new species never before recorded by science, researchers said Tuesday. See article.
g Cosmicus - The weather and surface conditions of planets outside our Solar System could be detected by constellations of telescopes sent to space, and then used to predict which are most Earthly and likely to harbor life, according to new research. Note: This article is from 2001. See article.
g Learning - Book alert: Astrobiology is a very broad interdisciplinary field covering the origin, evolution, distribution, and destiny of life in the universe, as well as the design and implementation of missions for solar system exploration. The last section of the “The New Science of Astrobiology,” by J. Chela-Flores, consists of a supplement, including a glossary, notes and tables, which represent highly condensed “windows” into research ranging from basic sciences to earth and life sciences, as well as the humanities. These additions should make this book accessible to a wide readership: scientists, humanists, and the general reader will have an opportunity to participate in one of the most rewarding activities of contemporary culture. See article.
g Stars - Most of the stars in the Milky Way are born alone and live out their lives without partners, a new analysis suggests. If true, the work overturns standard theories that stars are born in broods and also suggests planets – and potentially life – may be more common in the galaxy than thought. See article. Note: This article is from early 2006.
g Life - Remains of a bus-sized prehistoric "monster" reptile found on a remote Arctic island may be a new species never before recorded by science, researchers said Tuesday. See article.
g Cosmicus - The weather and surface conditions of planets outside our Solar System could be detected by constellations of telescopes sent to space, and then used to predict which are most Earthly and likely to harbor life, according to new research. Note: This article is from 2001. See article.
g Learning - Book alert: Astrobiology is a very broad interdisciplinary field covering the origin, evolution, distribution, and destiny of life in the universe, as well as the design and implementation of missions for solar system exploration. The last section of the “The New Science of Astrobiology,” by J. Chela-Flores, consists of a supplement, including a glossary, notes and tables, which represent highly condensed “windows” into research ranging from basic sciences to earth and life sciences, as well as the humanities. These additions should make this book accessible to a wide readership: scientists, humanists, and the general reader will have an opportunity to participate in one of the most rewarding activities of contemporary culture. See article.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Relationship between interstellar gas and dark matter, turning off the lights in Antarctica and first map of imprinted genes throughout the human gen
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 - Researchers using supercomputer simulations have exposed a very violent and critical relationship between interstellar gas and dark matter when galaxies are born -
one that has been largely ignored by the current model of how the universe evolved. See article.
g Life - So what happens when you turn off the lights in Antarctica? John Priscu and his team of polar scientists plan to stay until April to find out. See article. For related story, see “Eighty below and loving it: Montana State University scientists to get new cold lab.”
g Intelligence - Scientists at Duke University have created the first map of imprinted genes throughout the human genome, and they say a modern-day Rosetta stone - a form of artificial intelligence called machine learning - was the key to their success. The study revealed four times as many imprinted genes as had been previously identified. See article.
g Stars - Researchers using supercomputer simulations have exposed a very violent and critical relationship between interstellar gas and dark matter when galaxies are born -
one that has been largely ignored by the current model of how the universe evolved. See article.
g Life - So what happens when you turn off the lights in Antarctica? John Priscu and his team of polar scientists plan to stay until April to find out. See article. For related story, see “Eighty below and loving it: Montana State University scientists to get new cold lab.”
g Intelligence - Scientists at Duke University have created the first map of imprinted genes throughout the human genome, and they say a modern-day Rosetta stone - a form of artificial intelligence called machine learning - was the key to their success. The study revealed four times as many imprinted genes as had been previously identified. See article.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
New model of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus, prehistoric forest unburied and howwe ignore background noise
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 - A new model of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus may quell hopes of finding life there. Developed by researchers at the University of Illinois, the model explains the most salient observations on Enceladus without requiring the presence of liquid water. See article.
g Life - Dennis Myllyla thought he’d struck a fine bargain with the Michigan Department of Transportation. MDOT would get fill for nearby highway construction by dredging a pond on his farm near Arnheim, Mich., and Myllyla would get the pond. Neither Myllyla nor MDOT expected to find a prehistoric forest, too. But that’s exactly what they uncovered, about 15 feet down. See article.
g Intelligence - A team of Spanish and American neuroscientists has discovered neurons in the mammalian brainstem that focus exclusively on new, novel sounds, helping humans and other animals ignore ongoing, predictable sounds. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - A new model of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus may quell hopes of finding life there. Developed by researchers at the University of Illinois, the model explains the most salient observations on Enceladus without requiring the presence of liquid water. See article.
g Life - Dennis Myllyla thought he’d struck a fine bargain with the Michigan Department of Transportation. MDOT would get fill for nearby highway construction by dredging a pond on his farm near Arnheim, Mich., and Myllyla would get the pond. Neither Myllyla nor MDOT expected to find a prehistoric forest, too. But that’s exactly what they uncovered, about 15 feet down. See article.
g Intelligence - A team of Spanish and American neuroscientists has discovered neurons in the mammalian brainstem that focus exclusively on new, novel sounds, helping humans and other animals ignore ongoing, predictable sounds. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Number of Earth-like planets, what the Great Salt Lake tells us about the possibility of lie on Mars and what will happen to humanity when we make fir
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 research has suggested that life could have started in the universe 500 million years earlier than it did, but UV radiation suppressed its formation. See article.
g Abodes - More than one-third of the giant planet systems recently detected outside Earth's solar system may harbor Earth-like planets, many covered in deep oceans with potential for life, according to a 2006 study. See article.
g Life - Bonnie Baxter’s study of Utah’s Great Salt Lake makes her think there could be life on Mars. See article.
g Learning - In a recent essay on Space.com, SETI’s Edna DeVore smartly writes: “In the era of "Leave No Child Behind," I wonder when children find the time for their imaginations to spark and grow. In the classroom, often it's all about basics and test preparation. During out-of-school time, video games, television and earplug media leave little quiet time for mental exploration and development. When I consider gifts for children, I look for something that is both entertaining and mind expanding. I look for a good book; batteries not required.” Ah, words for the wise …
g Aftermath - Here’s one futurist’s thoughts about what will happen to humanity when we make first contact with aliens. I offer this site not for its scientific rigor but as an example of something all of us who care about astrobiology should consider: What are the trends in popular culture about first contact? Such thinking will greatly influence public reaction when first contact actually does occur. See article.
g Stars - A new research has suggested that life could have started in the universe 500 million years earlier than it did, but UV radiation suppressed its formation. See article.
g Abodes - More than one-third of the giant planet systems recently detected outside Earth's solar system may harbor Earth-like planets, many covered in deep oceans with potential for life, according to a 2006 study. See article.
g Life - Bonnie Baxter’s study of Utah’s Great Salt Lake makes her think there could be life on Mars. See article.
g Learning - In a recent essay on Space.com, SETI’s Edna DeVore smartly writes: “In the era of "Leave No Child Behind," I wonder when children find the time for their imaginations to spark and grow. In the classroom, often it's all about basics and test preparation. During out-of-school time, video games, television and earplug media leave little quiet time for mental exploration and development. When I consider gifts for children, I look for something that is both entertaining and mind expanding. I look for a good book; batteries not required.” Ah, words for the wise …
g Aftermath - Here’s one futurist’s thoughts about what will happen to humanity when we make first contact with aliens. I offer this site not for its scientific rigor but as an example of something all of us who care about astrobiology should consider: What are the trends in popular culture about first contact? Such thinking will greatly influence public reaction when first contact actually does occur. See article.
Monday, December 10, 2007
When our universe became hospitable to life, ideas about what alien life might look like and Astrobiology Primer
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 universe might have been hospitable for life 500 million years earlier than we thought, according to researchers. See article.
g Life - Is there life in the universe beyond our planet Earth? This is a question that has been pondered for literally thousand of years. Though scientists have yet to find proof of extraterrestrial life, they have discovered enough about biology and chemistry, along with the makeup of stars and other worlds, to formulate some comprehensive ideas about what kind of life and where such organisms might exist elsewhere in the cosmos. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA on Sunday delayed the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis until January after a gauge in the fuel tank failed for the second time in four days. See article.
g Learning - Here’s something neat, courtesy of Astrobiology.com: The Astrobiology Primer. It is a reference tool for those who are interested in the interdisciplinary field of astrobiology.
g Imagining - Since no extraterrestrial life forms have been conclusively discovered, alien physiology lies in the realm of our imagination. See article.
g Stars - The universe might have been hospitable for life 500 million years earlier than we thought, according to researchers. See article.
g Life - Is there life in the universe beyond our planet Earth? This is a question that has been pondered for literally thousand of years. Though scientists have yet to find proof of extraterrestrial life, they have discovered enough about biology and chemistry, along with the makeup of stars and other worlds, to formulate some comprehensive ideas about what kind of life and where such organisms might exist elsewhere in the cosmos. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA on Sunday delayed the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis until January after a gauge in the fuel tank failed for the second time in four days. See article.
g Learning - Here’s something neat, courtesy of Astrobiology.com: The Astrobiology Primer. It is a reference tool for those who are interested in the interdisciplinary field of astrobiology.
g Imagining - Since no extraterrestrial life forms have been conclusively discovered, alien physiology lies in the realm of our imagination. See article.
Flying-saucer-shaped moons embedded in Saturn's rings, key step in emergence of life on Earth and searching for alien worlds via radio
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 formation of strange flying-saucer-shaped moons embedded in Saturn's rings have baffled scientists. New findings suggest they're born largely from clumps of icy particles in the rings themselves, an insight that could shed light on how Earth and other planets coalesced from the disk of matter that once surrounded our newborn sun. See article.
g Life - Researchers have discovered some unexpected forms of liquid crystals of ultrashort DNA molecules immersed in water, providing a new scenario for a key step in the emergence of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - Visiting another civilization on a distant world would be fascinating, but at present such a trip is beyond our capabilities. However, it is perfectly within our capabilities to develop a communications system using a powerful transmitter and a sensitive receiver, and using it to search the sky for alien worlds whose citizens have a similar inclination. See article.
g Imagining - The first step in imagining what a real alien might look like is to forget you ever watched the "The X-Files." They won't be the sinister grays Fox Mulder pursues, little green men or even jolly old E.T. And most assuredly they won't look like us. See article. Note: This article is from 1999.
g Abodes - The formation of strange flying-saucer-shaped moons embedded in Saturn's rings have baffled scientists. New findings suggest they're born largely from clumps of icy particles in the rings themselves, an insight that could shed light on how Earth and other planets coalesced from the disk of matter that once surrounded our newborn sun. See article.
g Life - Researchers have discovered some unexpected forms of liquid crystals of ultrashort DNA molecules immersed in water, providing a new scenario for a key step in the emergence of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - Visiting another civilization on a distant world would be fascinating, but at present such a trip is beyond our capabilities. However, it is perfectly within our capabilities to develop a communications system using a powerful transmitter and a sensitive receiver, and using it to search the sky for alien worlds whose citizens have a similar inclination. See article.
g Imagining - The first step in imagining what a real alien might look like is to forget you ever watched the "The X-Files." They won't be the sinister grays Fox Mulder pursues, little green men or even jolly old E.T. And most assuredly they won't look like us. See article. Note: This article is from 1999.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Stellar prodigy, Venus’ atmosphere and modifying the Drake Equation
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 stellar prodigy has been spotted about 450 light-years away in a system called UX Tau A by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Astronomers suspect this system’s central sun-like star, which is just one million years old, may already be surrounded by young planets. Scientists hope the finding will provide insight into when planets began to form in our own solar system. See article.
g Abodes - Venus is the morning star and the evening star, the planet with the most romantic name. In size and shape, it's the place most like Earth. But up close, it's a nasty corner of the solar system ‑ brutally hot and lifeless, surrounded by clouds of sulfuric acid, its atmosphere oppressively dense. See article.
g Life - Web-making spiders employ a host of silk glands to synthesize a variety of silk filaments with different mechanical properties. Although it is widely believed that the aciniform glands are one such silk factory, there has been no hard evidence linking aciniform-derived proteins and silk - until now. See article.
g Message - Should we modify the Drake Equation to account for civilizations which actually engage in deliberate interstellar transmission? See article.
g Imagining - Could the legendary dragons of Pern from Anne McCaffrey’s famous science fiction novels actually exist? Welcome to the theoretical science of dracogenetics. See article.
g Stars - A stellar prodigy has been spotted about 450 light-years away in a system called UX Tau A by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Astronomers suspect this system’s central sun-like star, which is just one million years old, may already be surrounded by young planets. Scientists hope the finding will provide insight into when planets began to form in our own solar system. See article.
g Abodes - Venus is the morning star and the evening star, the planet with the most romantic name. In size and shape, it's the place most like Earth. But up close, it's a nasty corner of the solar system ‑ brutally hot and lifeless, surrounded by clouds of sulfuric acid, its atmosphere oppressively dense. See article.
g Life - Web-making spiders employ a host of silk glands to synthesize a variety of silk filaments with different mechanical properties. Although it is widely believed that the aciniform glands are one such silk factory, there has been no hard evidence linking aciniform-derived proteins and silk - until now. See article.
g Message - Should we modify the Drake Equation to account for civilizations which actually engage in deliberate interstellar transmission? See article.
g Imagining - Could the legendary dragons of Pern from Anne McCaffrey’s famous science fiction novels actually exist? Welcome to the theoretical science of dracogenetics. See article.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Titan's dune seas, motor neurons and a culture of feline aliens
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 - Imagine two stars with winds so powerful that they eject an Earth's worth of material roughly once every month. Next, imagine those two winds colliding head-on. Such titanic collisions produce multimillion-degree gas, which radiates brilliantly in X-rays. Astronomers have conclusively identified the X-rays from about two-dozen of these systems in our Milky Way. But they have never seen one outside our galaxy - until now. See article. Note: This article is from February 2007.
g Abodes - Through the obscuring haze come glimpses of Titan's dune seas. The dark, equatorial region known as Shangri-la is visible. Radar images show that Shangri-la and other dark regions around the moon's middle are filled with vast stretches of parallel dunes. See article.
g Life - Newly launched nerve cells in a growing embryo must chart their course to distant destinations, and many of the means they use to navigate have yet to surface. In a study published in the current issue of the journal Neuron, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have recovered a key signal that guides motor neurons - the nascent cells that extend from the spinal cord and must find their way down the length of limbs such as arms, wings and legs. See article.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien anthropology/cultures? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for Mary Gentle’s “Golden Witchbreed” (1983) and “Ancient Light” (1987), which examines a culture of feline aliens.
g Stars - Imagine two stars with winds so powerful that they eject an Earth's worth of material roughly once every month. Next, imagine those two winds colliding head-on. Such titanic collisions produce multimillion-degree gas, which radiates brilliantly in X-rays. Astronomers have conclusively identified the X-rays from about two-dozen of these systems in our Milky Way. But they have never seen one outside our galaxy - until now. See article. Note: This article is from February 2007.
g Abodes - Through the obscuring haze come glimpses of Titan's dune seas. The dark, equatorial region known as Shangri-la is visible. Radar images show that Shangri-la and other dark regions around the moon's middle are filled with vast stretches of parallel dunes. See article.
g Life - Newly launched nerve cells in a growing embryo must chart their course to distant destinations, and many of the means they use to navigate have yet to surface. In a study published in the current issue of the journal Neuron, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have recovered a key signal that guides motor neurons - the nascent cells that extend from the spinal cord and must find their way down the length of limbs such as arms, wings and legs. See article.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien anthropology/cultures? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for Mary Gentle’s “Golden Witchbreed” (1983) and “Ancient Light” (1987), which examines a culture of feline aliens.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
What causes supernovae, ambiguous searches for Martians and how plants protect themselves from sunburn
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 supernova observed last year was so bright - about 100 times as luminous as a typical supernova - that it challenged the theoretical understanding of what causes supernovae. See article.
g Abodes - Mars is often suggested as a good location to search for alien life. Despite many missions to the red planet, it's still a mystery whether life existed there in the distant past or if it is thriving there today. Attempting to answer this question was an aim of the Viking missions of 1976, but the results of those experiments were frustratingly ambiguous. See article.
g Life - A team of researchers has discovered how plants protect their leaves from damage by sunlight when they are faced with extreme climates. The new findings, which have been published in Nature, could have implications both for adapting plants to the threat of global warming and for helping man better harness solar energy. See article.
g Intelligence - Children as young as 6 months old have detailed memories that can persist for a year or more, researchers reported at a conference in San Francisco. See article.
g Cosmicus - When NASA made deep cuts last year to its budget for research grants, scientists whose livelihoods depend on receiving a share of the roughly $175 million in awards the U.S. space agency disburses each year screamed bloody murder. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - A supernova observed last year was so bright - about 100 times as luminous as a typical supernova - that it challenged the theoretical understanding of what causes supernovae. See article.
g Abodes - Mars is often suggested as a good location to search for alien life. Despite many missions to the red planet, it's still a mystery whether life existed there in the distant past or if it is thriving there today. Attempting to answer this question was an aim of the Viking missions of 1976, but the results of those experiments were frustratingly ambiguous. See article.
g Life - A team of researchers has discovered how plants protect their leaves from damage by sunlight when they are faced with extreme climates. The new findings, which have been published in Nature, could have implications both for adapting plants to the threat of global warming and for helping man better harness solar energy. See article.
g Intelligence - Children as young as 6 months old have detailed memories that can persist for a year or more, researchers reported at a conference in San Francisco. See article.
g Cosmicus - When NASA made deep cuts last year to its budget for research grants, scientists whose livelihoods depend on receiving a share of the roughly $175 million in awards the U.S. space agency disburses each year screamed bloody murder. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Red dwarfs hospitable to life, 425 million year-old fossils and 425-million year old fossils
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 - Red dwarfs, the cool, low mass stars that make up more than 75 percent of the stars in the Milky Way galaxy might be more hospitable to life than was previously thought, according to a new study by a Pennsylvania research team. See article.
g Abodes - Hanging bright in the morning sky, Venus's allure is obvious; but its blasted surface looks too hot to handle. Here’s an article that explores the difficulties of returning to the closest planet — and new plans to reap the rewards of doing so.
g Life - Researchers have found a new, exceptionally preserved deposit of fossils in 425 million year-old Silurian rocks in Ontario. See article.
g Learning - Earthlings and any aliens who happen to be tuning in to radio signals from Earth can listen to “Star Talk,” a new radio show about space and science. See article.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien anthropology and cultures? Then be sure to read James Blish’s classic novel “A Case of Conscience” (1958), in which he explores if original sin exists among the Lithians.
g Stars - Red dwarfs, the cool, low mass stars that make up more than 75 percent of the stars in the Milky Way galaxy might be more hospitable to life than was previously thought, according to a new study by a Pennsylvania research team. See article.
g Abodes - Hanging bright in the morning sky, Venus's allure is obvious; but its blasted surface looks too hot to handle. Here’s an article that explores the difficulties of returning to the closest planet — and new plans to reap the rewards of doing so.
g Life - Researchers have found a new, exceptionally preserved deposit of fossils in 425 million year-old Silurian rocks in Ontario. See article.
g Learning - Earthlings and any aliens who happen to be tuning in to radio signals from Earth can listen to “Star Talk,” a new radio show about space and science. See article.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien anthropology and cultures? Then be sure to read James Blish’s classic novel “A Case of Conscience” (1958), in which he explores if original sin exists among the Lithians.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Gravitational waves in space, new findings about Earth’s evil twin and crossing the termination shock
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 are searching for gravitational waves in space, a feat that would literally change what we know about the cosmos. Using new tools to look at the universe, says Patrick Brady, often has led to discoveries that change the course of science. History is full of examples. See article.
g Abodes - Two years after Venus Express left a launch pad in Kazakhstan, the first European mission to Earth's “evil twin” is turning up results. See article.
g Life - The Viking missions to Mars tried to find evidence for life on the planet's surface, but the results of those experiments were frustratingly ambiguous. Joop Houtkooper recently has taken another look at the data, and he suspects that Viking may have discovered Martian microbes after all. See article.
g Message - In 2001, a group of Russian teens from Moscow, Kaluga, Voronezh and Zheleznogorsk participated directly and via the Internet in composing a Teen-Age Message to extraterrestrial intelligence, and in the selection of target stars. Their message was transmitted in the autumn of that year, from the Evpatoria Deep Space Center. See article.
g Cosmicus - Using a computer model simulation, a physicist has predicted when the interplanetary spacecraft Voyager 2 will cross the "termination shock," the spherical shell around the solar system that marks where the solar wind slows down to subsonic speed. See article.
g Learning - The London Times this year recommends a number of science books as Christmas gifts, including one about astrobiology. See article.
g Stars - Astronomers are searching for gravitational waves in space, a feat that would literally change what we know about the cosmos. Using new tools to look at the universe, says Patrick Brady, often has led to discoveries that change the course of science. History is full of examples. See article.
g Abodes - Two years after Venus Express left a launch pad in Kazakhstan, the first European mission to Earth's “evil twin” is turning up results. See article.
g Life - The Viking missions to Mars tried to find evidence for life on the planet's surface, but the results of those experiments were frustratingly ambiguous. Joop Houtkooper recently has taken another look at the data, and he suspects that Viking may have discovered Martian microbes after all. See article.
g Message - In 2001, a group of Russian teens from Moscow, Kaluga, Voronezh and Zheleznogorsk participated directly and via the Internet in composing a Teen-Age Message to extraterrestrial intelligence, and in the selection of target stars. Their message was transmitted in the autumn of that year, from the Evpatoria Deep Space Center. See article.
g Cosmicus - Using a computer model simulation, a physicist has predicted when the interplanetary spacecraft Voyager 2 will cross the "termination shock," the spherical shell around the solar system that marks where the solar wind slows down to subsonic speed. See article.
g Learning - The London Times this year recommends a number of science books as Christmas gifts, including one about astrobiology. See article.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Viewing into the hearts of dying stars, ancient sea scorpion and Lunar monitoring 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 - Astronomers have discovered white dwarf stars with pure carbon atmospheres. The discovery could offer a unique view into the hearts of dying stars. See article.
g Abodes - A team of researchers from NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation and the British Antarctic Survey unveiled a newly completed map of Antarctica that is expected to revolutionize research of the continent's frozen landscape. See article.
g Life - Scientists have discovered a 390 million year old fossil of a sea scorpion that, when alive, would have been taller than the average human. The discovery provides a unique insight into the evolutionary history of life, and shows that creatures similar to spiders and insects were much larger in the past than previously thought. See article.
g Cosmicus - Research has shown that surface temperatures on the near side of the Moon may provide an accurate record of information concerning the Earth's climate. Consequently, monitoring stations on the Moon could one day help us study our own planet. See article.
g Aftermath - What if, one day, Earth was contacted by an extraterrestrial civilization? How, as a planet, would we respond to their offer to interact? What if they asked, “Do you have a method in place, or even a policy that outlines how Earth will proceed now that contact has happened?” Here’s an organization that we believes we need in place legal protocol and has proposed the “Extraterrestrial Contact Act.” See article.
g Stars - Astronomers have discovered white dwarf stars with pure carbon atmospheres. The discovery could offer a unique view into the hearts of dying stars. See article.
g Abodes - A team of researchers from NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation and the British Antarctic Survey unveiled a newly completed map of Antarctica that is expected to revolutionize research of the continent's frozen landscape. See article.
g Life - Scientists have discovered a 390 million year old fossil of a sea scorpion that, when alive, would have been taller than the average human. The discovery provides a unique insight into the evolutionary history of life, and shows that creatures similar to spiders and insects were much larger in the past than previously thought. See article.
g Cosmicus - Research has shown that surface temperatures on the near side of the Moon may provide an accurate record of information concerning the Earth's climate. Consequently, monitoring stations on the Moon could one day help us study our own planet. See article.
g Aftermath - What if, one day, Earth was contacted by an extraterrestrial civilization? How, as a planet, would we respond to their offer to interact? What if they asked, “Do you have a method in place, or even a policy that outlines how Earth will proceed now that contact has happened?” Here’s an organization that we believes we need in place legal protocol and has proposed the “Extraterrestrial Contact Act.” See article.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Inhibiting star formation, how Earth and Mars formed and this world’s cold-loving organisms
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 SRON astronomer is the first to have observed acidic particulate clouds outside of our own Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers think that acidification inhibits the formation of stars and planets in the dust clouds. See article.
g Abodes - A team of scientists has found that terrestrial planets such as the Earth and Mars may have remained molten in their early histories for tens of millions of years. The findings indicate that the two planets cooled slower than scientists thought and a mechanism to keep the planet interiors warm is required. See article.
g Life - Molecular evolutionist Mitch Sogin argues that if we want to learn how to look for life on other worlds in our solar system, we should study cold-loving organisms on Earth. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
g Cosmicus - Until space tourism becomes a substantial business space activities, including particularly all crewed space activities, will remain a burden on taxpayers. But some argue that no activity other than tourism offers similar promise of turning space activities into profitable commercial activities in the foreseeable future. See article.
g Stars - A SRON astronomer is the first to have observed acidic particulate clouds outside of our own Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers think that acidification inhibits the formation of stars and planets in the dust clouds. See article.
g Abodes - A team of scientists has found that terrestrial planets such as the Earth and Mars may have remained molten in their early histories for tens of millions of years. The findings indicate that the two planets cooled slower than scientists thought and a mechanism to keep the planet interiors warm is required. See article.
g Life - Molecular evolutionist Mitch Sogin argues that if we want to learn how to look for life on other worlds in our solar system, we should study cold-loving organisms on Earth. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
g Cosmicus - Until space tourism becomes a substantial business space activities, including particularly all crewed space activities, will remain a burden on taxpayers. But some argue that no activity other than tourism offers similar promise of turning space activities into profitable commercial activities in the foreseeable future. See article.
Rocky planets in Pleiades, thawing million-year-old ice and new launch facility in Russian
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's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is helping piece together the evolution of galaxies. Since its launch in 2003, the mission has surveyed tens of thousands of galaxies in ultraviolet light across nine billion years of time. The results provide new, comprehensive evidence for the "nurture" theory of galaxy evolution, which holds that the galaxies first described by Hubble – the elegant spirals and blob-like ellipticals - are evolutionarily linked. See article.
g Abodes - Evidence for rocky planets has been found in one of humanity's most beloved star clusters. See article.
g Life - Researchers have thawed ice estimated to be at least a million years old from above Lake Vostok, an ancient lake that lies hidden more than two miles beneath the frozen surface of Antarctica. See article.
g Cosmicus - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree authorizing construction of a new launch facility on Russian territory to reduce the nation's dependency on the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. See article.
g Aftermath - Though an older Web posting, “After Contact, Then What?” shows how little we’ve thought about this question.
g Stars - NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is helping piece together the evolution of galaxies. Since its launch in 2003, the mission has surveyed tens of thousands of galaxies in ultraviolet light across nine billion years of time. The results provide new, comprehensive evidence for the "nurture" theory of galaxy evolution, which holds that the galaxies first described by Hubble – the elegant spirals and blob-like ellipticals - are evolutionarily linked. See article.
g Abodes - Evidence for rocky planets has been found in one of humanity's most beloved star clusters. See article.
g Life - Researchers have thawed ice estimated to be at least a million years old from above Lake Vostok, an ancient lake that lies hidden more than two miles beneath the frozen surface of Antarctica. See article.
g Cosmicus - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree authorizing construction of a new launch facility on Russian territory to reduce the nation's dependency on the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. See article.
g Aftermath - Though an older Web posting, “After Contact, Then What?” shows how little we’ve thought about this question.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Missing black holes found, number of solar systems with moons like ours and Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle
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 - Hundreds of "missing" black holes have been found lurking in dusty galaxies billions of light-years away. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers have found that moons like ours are likely to be uncommon in the universe, and arise in only 5 to 10 percent of planetary systems. The study could have implications in the search for habitable planets beyond our Solar System. 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 article.
g Cosmicus - NASA Administrator Mike Griffin recently told a Senate panel that the United States could field the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and its Ares I launcher within three years of the space shuttle's retirement, but meeting that earlier delivery date would require an extra $2 billion over the next couple of years. See article.
g Stars - Hundreds of "missing" black holes have been found lurking in dusty galaxies billions of light-years away. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers have found that moons like ours are likely to be uncommon in the universe, and arise in only 5 to 10 percent of planetary systems. The study could have implications in the search for habitable planets beyond our Solar System. 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 article.
g Cosmicus - NASA Administrator Mike Griffin recently told a Senate panel that the United States could field the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and its Ares I launcher within three years of the space shuttle's retirement, but meeting that earlier delivery date would require an extra $2 billion over the next couple of years. See article.
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