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.