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 - What is the habitable zone for the nearby binary Groombridge 34 AB?
g Abodes - Luke Skywalker's home planet, which orbits a binary star system, could be out there, according to Ryosuke Kita of Northwestern University, who presented at the recent Astrobiology Science Conference 2008. Of the 200 or so star systems where we've found planets, about 20 percent are binary systems, and that number should go up as we find more, since about half of all main-sequence stars are binaries. Kita's calculations show that gravity from a second star will perturb an Earth-like planet's orbit to the point of making its climate uninhabitable. The key, he says, is that the planet can't be alone — it needs a nearby gas giant to help stabilize its orbit, and allow a climate that could support life. See article.
g Message - A pair of U.S. astrobiologists have come up with a cunningly simply way of attracting the attention of alien lifeforms - just cover half the Moon's surface with mirrors to throw back some extra sunlight in ET's direction. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists are using DNA to make intricate nano-sized objects smaller than the tiniest speck of dust. DNA is a primary building block for life, but its ability to self-assemble could also help develop technologies for medical, electronic and space applications. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a list of books about astrobiology recommended by science fiction writer David Darling.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Habitable zone for Gamma Leporis AB and Mars Phoenix’ landing site
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 - What is the habitable zone for the nearby binary Gamma Leporis AB?
g Abodes - With less than two months to go before it is due to land on Mars, NASA's Phoenix probe has been directed towards a specific landing site called Green Valley. The site has few boulders that could potentially endanger a landing and lots of water ice for the lander to study. See article.
g Life - By refining a technique used to date rocks and fossils, scientists have now determined the date of the dinosaurs' extinction with pinpoint accuracy. The finding sheds new light on one of the most dramatic periods in the evolution of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See article.
g Learning - Don’t quite know what a word you’ve come across in an astrobiology article means? Here’s a handy glossary. See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for the nearby binary Gamma Leporis AB?
g Abodes - With less than two months to go before it is due to land on Mars, NASA's Phoenix probe has been directed towards a specific landing site called Green Valley. The site has few boulders that could potentially endanger a landing and lots of water ice for the lander to study. See article.
g Life - By refining a technique used to date rocks and fossils, scientists have now determined the date of the dinosaurs' extinction with pinpoint accuracy. The finding sheds new light on one of the most dramatic periods in the evolution of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See article.
g Learning - Don’t quite know what a word you’ve come across in an astrobiology article means? Here’s a handy glossary. See article.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Discovery of a familiar solar system and SETI radio search 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 - What is the habitable zone for the nearby M dwarf GJ 625?
g Abodes - The discovery of a small-scale and very familiar solar system in the distant reaches of the galaxy has fired the imaginations of star-seekers everywhere. See article.
g Message - Here’s a quick, easy to understand primer to SETI’s radio searches and the Fermi Paradox. See article.
g Learning - The Astrobiology Science Conference, recently held in Santa Clara, California, was a complex universe teeming with topics and ideas. Although there were far too many interesting presentations to cover in full, this overview provides a few highlights. See article.
g Imagining - An impressive listing of “Star Trek” aliens exists at “Star Trek Aliens”. Of course, most “Star Trek” aliens either are just humanoid (an unlikely scenario, though the series did explain it away by saying a previous humanoid race “seeded” worlds with their DNA) are incorporeal. Still, the series did offer some intriguing species — most notably the horta, tribble and Species 8472 — merit attention.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for the nearby M dwarf GJ 625?
g Abodes - The discovery of a small-scale and very familiar solar system in the distant reaches of the galaxy has fired the imaginations of star-seekers everywhere. See article.
g Message - Here’s a quick, easy to understand primer to SETI’s radio searches and the Fermi Paradox. See article.
g Learning - The Astrobiology Science Conference, recently held in Santa Clara, California, was a complex universe teeming with topics and ideas. Although there were far too many interesting presentations to cover in full, this overview provides a few highlights. See article.
g Imagining - An impressive listing of “Star Trek” aliens exists at “Star Trek Aliens”. Of course, most “Star Trek” aliens either are just humanoid (an unlikely scenario, though the series did explain it away by saying a previous humanoid race “seeded” worlds with their DNA) are incorporeal. Still, the series did offer some intriguing species — most notably the horta, tribble and Species 8472 — merit attention.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Allen Telescope Array and trouble with Opportunity’s arm
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 the coldest brown dwarf star ever observed. The finding is a step toward filling the gap between stars and planets. See article.
g Abodes - In the time since the Viking life-detection experiments were conducted on Mars, many missions have enhanced our knowledge about the environmental conditions on the Red Planet. However, the Martian surface chemistry and the Viking lander results remain puzzling. See article.
g Message - Here’s an article in which Dave DeBoer, project engineer for the Allen Telescope Array, discusses what the unique telescope will offer. The development of the Allen Telescope Array is marked by many innovations crafted with the express purpose of building a world-class state-of-the-art astronomical facility at a fraction of the price of existing radio telescopes. See article. Note: This article is from October 2003.
g Cosmicus - NASA's Opportunity rover is having difficulty with a small motor in its robotic arm. Researchers are assessing how the rover's mission will be affected if the motor is no longer usable. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of NASA: “Who Can Live Here?” Students explore the limits of life on Earth to extend their beliefs about life to include its possibility on other worlds. See article.
g Imagining - Book alert: You’ve got to read Aliens and Alien Societies (Science Fiction Writing Series), by Stanley Schmidt. Whether you're a writer or a reader of science fiction, this how-to guide provides thought-provoking analyses of the ways in which aliens and alien societies can be portrayed convincingly. It's as fascinating as the many classic SF texts it examines.
g Stars - Astronomers have discovered the coldest brown dwarf star ever observed. The finding is a step toward filling the gap between stars and planets. See article.
g Abodes - In the time since the Viking life-detection experiments were conducted on Mars, many missions have enhanced our knowledge about the environmental conditions on the Red Planet. However, the Martian surface chemistry and the Viking lander results remain puzzling. See article.
g Message - Here’s an article in which Dave DeBoer, project engineer for the Allen Telescope Array, discusses what the unique telescope will offer. The development of the Allen Telescope Array is marked by many innovations crafted with the express purpose of building a world-class state-of-the-art astronomical facility at a fraction of the price of existing radio telescopes. See article. Note: This article is from October 2003.
g Cosmicus - NASA's Opportunity rover is having difficulty with a small motor in its robotic arm. Researchers are assessing how the rover's mission will be affected if the motor is no longer usable. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of NASA: “Who Can Live Here?” Students explore the limits of life on Earth to extend their beliefs about life to include its possibility on other worlds. See article.
g Imagining - Book alert: You’ve got to read Aliens and Alien Societies (Science Fiction Writing Series), by Stanley Schmidt. Whether you're a writer or a reader of science fiction, this how-to guide provides thought-provoking analyses of the ways in which aliens and alien societies can be portrayed convincingly. It's as fascinating as the many classic SF texts it examines.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Microscopic organisms that might survive in space and looking for powerful light pulses from other star systems
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 - What is the habitable zone for the nearby star Lacaille 9352?
g Abodes - Scientists have developed a new way of determining the size and frequency of meteorites that have collided with Earth in the past. Their work has provided new information about the impact that may have caused the demise of the dinosaurs. See article.
g Life - Microscopic organisms thrive in polar-ice 'brine channels' whose conditions mirror some of those found in space. See article.
g Message - In 2001, California astronomers broadened the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with a new experiment to look for powerful light pulses beamed our way from other star systems. Scientists from the University of California's Lick Observatory, the SETI Institute, UC-Santa Cruz, and UC-Berkeley used the Lick Observatory's 40-inch Nickel Telescope with a new pulse-detection system capable of finding laser beacons from civilizations many light-years distant. Unlike other optical SETI searches, this new experiment is largely immune to false alarms that slow the reconnaissance of target stars. See article.
g Aftermath - Book alert: You may have to really scour used book stores for this one: 1976’s “ETI: The First Encounter” considers the consequences to man's view of himself and his world of the first proven contact — when it comes — with beings from another planet. Edited by James L. Christian, this book led the way in reflecting on the next stage in man's gradual self-discovery. See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for the nearby star Lacaille 9352?
g Abodes - Scientists have developed a new way of determining the size and frequency of meteorites that have collided with Earth in the past. Their work has provided new information about the impact that may have caused the demise of the dinosaurs. See article.
g Life - Microscopic organisms thrive in polar-ice 'brine channels' whose conditions mirror some of those found in space. See article.
g Message - In 2001, California astronomers broadened the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with a new experiment to look for powerful light pulses beamed our way from other star systems. Scientists from the University of California's Lick Observatory, the SETI Institute, UC-Santa Cruz, and UC-Berkeley used the Lick Observatory's 40-inch Nickel Telescope with a new pulse-detection system capable of finding laser beacons from civilizations many light-years distant. Unlike other optical SETI searches, this new experiment is largely immune to false alarms that slow the reconnaissance of target stars. See article.
g Aftermath - Book alert: You may have to really scour used book stores for this one: 1976’s “ETI: The First Encounter” considers the consequences to man's view of himself and his world of the first proven contact — when it comes — with beings from another planet. Edited by James L. Christian, this book led the way in reflecting on the next stage in man's gradual self-discovery. See article.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Habitable zone for Luyten’s Star and Mars holding its breath
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 - What is the habitable zone for nearby Luyten’s Star?
g Abodes - Rather than having had its air knocked out into space, Mars might just be holding its breath. A new finding suggests the missing atmosphere of Mars might be locked up in hidden reservoirs on the planet, rather than having been chafed away by billions of years' worth of solar winds as previously thought. See article.
g Life - A small, light-weight microscope that can produce high-resolution images is being developed to help astrobiologists study microbial life in some of Earth's most extreme environments. These studies can allow scientists to determine the limits of life and will help define habitable environments on other planets. See article.
g Message - Searches for extraterrestrial intelligence are about to expand into new realms, thanks to new advances in technology — and new thinking. See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for nearby Luyten’s Star?
g Abodes - Rather than having had its air knocked out into space, Mars might just be holding its breath. A new finding suggests the missing atmosphere of Mars might be locked up in hidden reservoirs on the planet, rather than having been chafed away by billions of years' worth of solar winds as previously thought. See article.
g Life - A small, light-weight microscope that can produce high-resolution images is being developed to help astrobiologists study microbial life in some of Earth's most extreme environments. These studies can allow scientists to determine the limits of life and will help define habitable environments on other planets. See article.
g Message - Searches for extraterrestrial intelligence are about to expand into new realms, thanks to new advances in technology — and new thinking. See article.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Habitable zone for Gliese 5632 AB and arguments against ‘life from space’ scenarios
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 - What is the habitable zone for the nearby star Gliese 5632 AB?
g Abodes - Scientists have shown that biological productivity may have been responsible for super greenhouse episodes during the Cretaceous and Eocene. The finding provides important insights into the links between the biosphere and our planet's climate. See article.
g Life - Mike Russell thinks life began in iron sulfide deposits at ocean vents. In this interview, he expands on his theory of how life originated, and explains why “life from space” scenarios are dead wrong. See article.
g Intelligence - The completion of the Allen Institute for Brain Science's inaugural project signals a remarkable leap forward in one of the last frontiers of medical science - the brain. The Institute today announced the completion of the groundbreaking Allen Brain Atlas, a Web- based, three-dimensional map of gene expression in the mouse brain. Detailing more than 21,000 genes at the cellular level, the Atlas provides scientists with a level of data previously not available. See article.
g Message - How might we detect an extraterrestrial messenger probe already in the solar system? See article. Note: This article is from 1983.
g Cosmicus - NASA will launch two probes into the radiation belts in order to study how violent space weather can affect astronauts and space equipment. The knowledge gained will be essential in designing safe future space missions. See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for the nearby star Gliese 5632 AB?
g Abodes - Scientists have shown that biological productivity may have been responsible for super greenhouse episodes during the Cretaceous and Eocene. The finding provides important insights into the links between the biosphere and our planet's climate. See article.
g Life - Mike Russell thinks life began in iron sulfide deposits at ocean vents. In this interview, he expands on his theory of how life originated, and explains why “life from space” scenarios are dead wrong. See article.
g Intelligence - The completion of the Allen Institute for Brain Science's inaugural project signals a remarkable leap forward in one of the last frontiers of medical science - the brain. The Institute today announced the completion of the groundbreaking Allen Brain Atlas, a Web- based, three-dimensional map of gene expression in the mouse brain. Detailing more than 21,000 genes at the cellular level, the Atlas provides scientists with a level of data previously not available. See article.
g Message - How might we detect an extraterrestrial messenger probe already in the solar system? See article. Note: This article is from 1983.
g Cosmicus - NASA will launch two probes into the radiation belts in order to study how violent space weather can affect astronauts and space equipment. The knowledge gained will be essential in designing safe future space missions. See article.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Habitable zone of 107 Piscis and the age of Earth’s continents
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 - What is the habitable zone for the nearby K-type star 107 Piscis?
g Abodes - A study by an international team of researchers has concluded Earth's continents most likely were in place soon after Western Australia, thought to be among the oldest rock formed, overturning a long-held theory that the early planet was either moon-like or dominated by oceans. See article.
g Life - Researchers are developing a new and rapid way of identifying an organism's species based on DNA. The technology will help in finding new species and will be a valuable tool in understanding and documenting the evolution of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - Several big hunts are seeking radio and laser emissions from other civilizations. From Project Phoenix to SETI@home, here's a complete rundown of all the searches now under way or recently conducted. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA is extending the Cassini-Huygens mission by two years. The mission has provided exciting and unexpected findings from locations like Titan and Enceladus, and will now continue is important observations of Saturn and the planet's unique moons. See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for the nearby K-type star 107 Piscis?
g Abodes - A study by an international team of researchers has concluded Earth's continents most likely were in place soon after Western Australia, thought to be among the oldest rock formed, overturning a long-held theory that the early planet was either moon-like or dominated by oceans. See article.
g Life - Researchers are developing a new and rapid way of identifying an organism's species based on DNA. The technology will help in finding new species and will be a valuable tool in understanding and documenting the evolution of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - Several big hunts are seeking radio and laser emissions from other civilizations. From Project Phoenix to SETI@home, here's a complete rundown of all the searches now under way or recently conducted. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA is extending the Cassini-Huygens mission by two years. The mission has provided exciting and unexpected findings from locations like Titan and Enceladus, and will now continue is important observations of Saturn and the planet's unique moons. See article.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Habitable zone for Procyon AB and creating and artificially evolving unique proteins in the lab from scratch
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 - What is the habitable zone for the “Star Trek’s home star for the Andorians: Procyon AB?
g Abodes - NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured a new stereo view of Mars' largest moon, Phobos. The image could yield new information about Mars and its unique moons. See article.
g Life - Scientists have managed to create and artificially evolve unique proteins in the lab from scratch. The research can help answer fundamental questions about the origin and evolution of proteins, and can ultimately yield clues about the origin of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - At the Astrobiology Science Conference 2008 Nick Wolfe of the University of Arizona said recently that the best way to tell whether an exoplanet may harbor water — and life — is for us to launch a mission into space that will look back at Earth. Ever since Voyager I launched we've had a chance to gaze from afar at the homeworld, but for some reason we've passed up the chance. Wolfe said that's a critical oversight. As we search for new planets that might harbor life around far-off stars, it might be useful to know about what our own planet looks like from a distance. See article.
g Imagining - What is panspermia, a concept that appears in a number of science fiction stories, and how plausible is it? See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for the “Star Trek’s home star for the Andorians: Procyon AB?
g Abodes - NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured a new stereo view of Mars' largest moon, Phobos. The image could yield new information about Mars and its unique moons. See article.
g Life - Scientists have managed to create and artificially evolve unique proteins in the lab from scratch. The research can help answer fundamental questions about the origin and evolution of proteins, and can ultimately yield clues about the origin of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - At the Astrobiology Science Conference 2008 Nick Wolfe of the University of Arizona said recently that the best way to tell whether an exoplanet may harbor water — and life — is for us to launch a mission into space that will look back at Earth. Ever since Voyager I launched we've had a chance to gaze from afar at the homeworld, but for some reason we've passed up the chance. Wolfe said that's a critical oversight. As we search for new planets that might harbor life around far-off stars, it might be useful to know about what our own planet looks like from a distance. See article.
g Imagining - What is panspermia, a concept that appears in a number of science fiction stories, and how plausible is it? See article.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Hunting for life around red dwarfs and hot on ET’s trail
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 - Only recently has the idea of habitable planets around red dwarf stars taken hold. But it’s a fascinating one, especially if you take a look at the potential window for life to develop on such worlds. M-class red dwarfs live anywhere from 50 billion up to several trillion years, a vast stretch compared with our own Sun’s projected ten billion years. And with 75 percent of main sequence stars thought to be red dwarfs, the hunt for life can be expanded enormously if we add red dwarfs to the mix. See article.
g Abodes - A study of a meteorite that fell in Egypt nearly 95 years ago may offer clues as to the search for possible life on Mars. Researchers studying the meteorite that originated from Mars found a series of microscopic tunnels within the object that mimic the size, shape and distribution to tracks left on Earth rocks by the feeding frenzy of bacteria. See article.
g Life - If "E.T." is out there, whether in the form of intelligent beings or much simpler organisms, we may soon be hot on its trail. For the first time in history, the dream of searching for signs of life in other solar systems belongs not only on the philosopher's wish list but also on the list of doable and planned human endeavors. Note: This article is from 2002. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA and the European Space Agency are rapidly developing a $3-billion outer planets flagship effort that could barnstorm the giant icebergs and subsurface oceans of Jupiter's moon Europa, or deliver a low-altitude imaging airship and a miniature submarine to probe the methane lakes on Saturn's moon Titan. See article.
g Stars - Only recently has the idea of habitable planets around red dwarf stars taken hold. But it’s a fascinating one, especially if you take a look at the potential window for life to develop on such worlds. M-class red dwarfs live anywhere from 50 billion up to several trillion years, a vast stretch compared with our own Sun’s projected ten billion years. And with 75 percent of main sequence stars thought to be red dwarfs, the hunt for life can be expanded enormously if we add red dwarfs to the mix. See article.
g Abodes - A study of a meteorite that fell in Egypt nearly 95 years ago may offer clues as to the search for possible life on Mars. Researchers studying the meteorite that originated from Mars found a series of microscopic tunnels within the object that mimic the size, shape and distribution to tracks left on Earth rocks by the feeding frenzy of bacteria. See article.
g Life - If "E.T." is out there, whether in the form of intelligent beings or much simpler organisms, we may soon be hot on its trail. For the first time in history, the dream of searching for signs of life in other solar systems belongs not only on the philosopher's wish list but also on the list of doable and planned human endeavors. Note: This article is from 2002. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA and the European Space Agency are rapidly developing a $3-billion outer planets flagship effort that could barnstorm the giant icebergs and subsurface oceans of Jupiter's moon Europa, or deliver a low-altitude imaging airship and a miniature submarine to probe the methane lakes on Saturn's moon Titan. See article.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Habitable zone for Lacaille 8760 and 280 definitions 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 - What is the habitable zone for the nearby star Lacaille 8760?
g Abodes - Scientists have discovered a potentially Earth-like planet around a star 30 light years away. At a size five times larger than Earth, it is the smallest extrasolar planet yet discovered. See article.
g Life - What is life? According to Sohan Jheeta, an astrobiologist from the Open University in Milton Keynes, UK, biologists have spent far too long dithering about how to define what a living organism actually is. As a result there are more than 280 definitions of life on record, and none of them really hits the mark, Jheeta says. See article.
g Message - Astronomer Michael M. Davis checked his computer. One of the antennas on the state-of-the-art radio telescope being built in the valley outside his office was picking up an unusual pulse from beyond the Earth. A signal from another intelligent civilization? Not today. It was the Rosetta Satellite, en route to study a comet. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA has launched the new Lunar Science Institute to lead the agency's research activities for future missions to the moon related to NASA's exploration goals. 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 - What is the habitable zone for the nearby star Lacaille 8760?
g Abodes - Scientists have discovered a potentially Earth-like planet around a star 30 light years away. At a size five times larger than Earth, it is the smallest extrasolar planet yet discovered. See article.
g Life - What is life? According to Sohan Jheeta, an astrobiologist from the Open University in Milton Keynes, UK, biologists have spent far too long dithering about how to define what a living organism actually is. As a result there are more than 280 definitions of life on record, and none of them really hits the mark, Jheeta says. See article.
g Message - Astronomer Michael M. Davis checked his computer. One of the antennas on the state-of-the-art radio telescope being built in the valley outside his office was picking up an unusual pulse from beyond the Earth. A signal from another intelligent civilization? Not today. It was the Rosetta Satellite, en route to study a comet. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA has launched the new Lunar Science Institute to lead the agency's research activities for future missions to the moon related to NASA's exploration goals. 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.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Habitable zone for DX Cancri and new technology in search for habitable planets
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - What is the habitable zone of the nearby star DX Cancri?
g Abodes - A revolutionary laser technology will enable scientists to spot Earth-sized worlds in Earth-like orbits around distant stars. The new technology is a major step forward in the search for habitable planets. See article.
g Life - Life doesn't need water. In fact, all kinds of weird liquids could be solvents for life like water is here on Earth. Scientists say the list of alien water-substitutes is long, from frigid nitrogen to supercritical CO2 to methane to formamide. Whatever inhabits these other liquids would have to take on some truly odd forms, right down to DNA like we've never seen before. See article.
g Message - If you've ever seen the movie Contact, you'll know the alien-hunter stereotype: quirky, visionary loners who sit up all night listening to static, hoping for the signal that will change the world. That's probably not far off from real life, except that SETI (that's Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) scientists are getting creative. At the recent Astrobiology Science Conference, 2008, they're presenting new ways of looking for little green men, including watching for signs of alien lasers, infrared signals, and even gravity waves. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA Administrator Michael Griffin gave as good as he got on NASA Mars robotic funding cuts aired before a largely hostile audience of 300 international space researchers March 10 at the 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. See article.
g Learning - New academic disciplines often get cool receptions. Women's Studies and Quantum Mechanics were considered either frivolous or fictional by many when they first appeared in university catalogs. In the late 1930s, the manuscript that Grote Reber wrote describing low-frequency emission from the Milky Way — a pioneering work that broke open the field of radio astronomy — was uniformly rejected by reviewers for the Astrophysical Journal. Fortunately, the editor decided to publish Reber's paper anyway. Astrobiology feels their pain. The field is young enough to still have vocal critics; in particular, those who think that "astrobiology" is nothing more than a hope that life will someday be discovered beyond Earth. See article.
g Aftermath - If we ever make contact with intelligent aliens, we should be able to build a universal translator to communicate with them, according to a linguist and anthropologist. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - What is the habitable zone of the nearby star DX Cancri?
g Abodes - A revolutionary laser technology will enable scientists to spot Earth-sized worlds in Earth-like orbits around distant stars. The new technology is a major step forward in the search for habitable planets. See article.
g Life - Life doesn't need water. In fact, all kinds of weird liquids could be solvents for life like water is here on Earth. Scientists say the list of alien water-substitutes is long, from frigid nitrogen to supercritical CO2 to methane to formamide. Whatever inhabits these other liquids would have to take on some truly odd forms, right down to DNA like we've never seen before. See article.
g Message - If you've ever seen the movie Contact, you'll know the alien-hunter stereotype: quirky, visionary loners who sit up all night listening to static, hoping for the signal that will change the world. That's probably not far off from real life, except that SETI (that's Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) scientists are getting creative. At the recent Astrobiology Science Conference, 2008, they're presenting new ways of looking for little green men, including watching for signs of alien lasers, infrared signals, and even gravity waves. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA Administrator Michael Griffin gave as good as he got on NASA Mars robotic funding cuts aired before a largely hostile audience of 300 international space researchers March 10 at the 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. See article.
g Learning - New academic disciplines often get cool receptions. Women's Studies and Quantum Mechanics were considered either frivolous or fictional by many when they first appeared in university catalogs. In the late 1930s, the manuscript that Grote Reber wrote describing low-frequency emission from the Milky Way — a pioneering work that broke open the field of radio astronomy — was uniformly rejected by reviewers for the Astrophysical Journal. Fortunately, the editor decided to publish Reber's paper anyway. Astrobiology feels their pain. The field is young enough to still have vocal critics; in particular, those who think that "astrobiology" is nothing more than a hope that life will someday be discovered beyond Earth. See article.
g Aftermath - If we ever make contact with intelligent aliens, we should be able to build a universal translator to communicate with them, according to a linguist and anthropologist. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, April 18, 2008
Galactic habitable zones and odds of intelligent life evolving
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 - Here at the Astrobiology Science Conference 2008 in Santa Clara, Charley Lineweaver, a Senior Fellow at the Planetary Science Institute is trying to figure out where in a galaxy aliens might live - the so-called "galactic habitable zone." Planetary habitable zones are well-known - for our sun Sol, we think it's roughly between Venus' orbit and the asteroid belt outside Mars' orbit. Galactic habitable zones are little tougher to pin down - as usual you've got to worry about having liquid water (or liquid something), but things get interesting when you consider the risk of getting blown up by a supernova. See article.
g Abodes - In the Star Wars movies fictional planets are covered with forests, oceans, deserts, and volcanoes. But new models from a team of MIT, NASA, and Carnegie scientists begin to describe an even wider range of Earth-size planets that astronomers might actually be able to find in the near future. See article.
g Life - By sticking microbes to the outside of the International Space Station, Japanese researchers aim to test the "panspermia" theory that comets and asteroids can spread life between planets. See article.
g Intelligence - The likelihood were are not alone and intelligent life has evolved is just 0.01 percent on each suitable planet according to calculations by one scientist. See article.
g Cosmicus - Mars is preparing for an invasion from Earth. The rovers Spirit and Opportunity are still traveling across the surface of the Red Planet, but NASA and the European Space Agency are planning to send more missions over the next few years. First up is the Mars Phoenix lander. Launched last year, this mission is due to arrive near the Martian north pole on May 25. See article.
g Imagining - Here are 10 alleged alien encounters — those brushes with aliens (or supposed aliens) that have been definitively debunked over the years. See article.
g Stars - Here at the Astrobiology Science Conference 2008 in Santa Clara, Charley Lineweaver, a Senior Fellow at the Planetary Science Institute is trying to figure out where in a galaxy aliens might live - the so-called "galactic habitable zone." Planetary habitable zones are well-known - for our sun Sol, we think it's roughly between Venus' orbit and the asteroid belt outside Mars' orbit. Galactic habitable zones are little tougher to pin down - as usual you've got to worry about having liquid water (or liquid something), but things get interesting when you consider the risk of getting blown up by a supernova. See article.
g Abodes - In the Star Wars movies fictional planets are covered with forests, oceans, deserts, and volcanoes. But new models from a team of MIT, NASA, and Carnegie scientists begin to describe an even wider range of Earth-size planets that astronomers might actually be able to find in the near future. See article.
g Life - By sticking microbes to the outside of the International Space Station, Japanese researchers aim to test the "panspermia" theory that comets and asteroids can spread life between planets. See article.
g Intelligence - The likelihood were are not alone and intelligent life has evolved is just 0.01 percent on each suitable planet according to calculations by one scientist. See article.
g Cosmicus - Mars is preparing for an invasion from Earth. The rovers Spirit and Opportunity are still traveling across the surface of the Red Planet, but NASA and the European Space Agency are planning to send more missions over the next few years. First up is the Mars Phoenix lander. Launched last year, this mission is due to arrive near the Martian north pole on May 25. See article.
g Imagining - Here are 10 alleged alien encounters — those brushes with aliens (or supposed aliens) that have been definitively debunked over the years. See article.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Youngest forming planet yet seen and danger of radiation during a trip to Mars
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - By 'listening' to a planet-harboring star, astronomers have been able to determine its origin. The discovery may help us better understand star and planet formation. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers have identified the youngest forming planet yet seen. The discovery is providing a window into the early stages of planet formation and may help in the search for distant, habitable worlds. See article.
g Life - By sticking microbes to the outside of the International Space Station, Japanese researchers aim to test the "panspermia" theory that comets and asteroids can spread life between planets. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In response to Enrico Fermi's famous 1950 question concerning the existence of advanced civilizations elsewhere, physicist Stephen Webb in “If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens... Where Is Everybody? Fifty Solutions to Fermi's Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life” critically examines 50 resolutions to explain the total absence of empirical evidence for probes, starships, and communications from extraterrestrials. He focuses on our Milky Way Galaxy, which to date has yielded no objects or signals that indicate the existence of alien beings with intelligence and technology. His comprehensive analysis covers topics ranging from the Drake equation and Dyson spheres to the panspermia hypothesis and anthropic arguments. Of special interest are the discussions on the DNA molecule, the origin of life on Earth, and the threats to organic evolution on this planet (including mass extinctions). Webb himself concludes that the "great silence" in nature probably results from humankind's being the only civilization now in this galaxy, if not in the entire universe. This richly informative and very engaging book is recommended for most academic and public library science collections. See article.
g Cosmicus - It is well-known that deep-space radiation would be risky for future astronauts on long-lasting missions to targets such as Mars, but new research puts the danger in stark relief. See article.
g Learning - Humans tend to think that everything should have a beginning and an end. Most everything in life offers us at least some feeling of closure; our time on Earth, a story, a year, a day. See article.
g Imagining - Looking for an interesting read? Here’s a nifty anthology of science fiction that for the most part approaches extraterrestrials from a hard science fiction perspective: “Aliens and UFOs: Extraterrestrial Tales from Asimov's Science Fiction and Analog Science Fiction and Fact,” by Cynthia Manson and Charles Ardai. It was published in 1993.
g Stars - By 'listening' to a planet-harboring star, astronomers have been able to determine its origin. The discovery may help us better understand star and planet formation. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers have identified the youngest forming planet yet seen. The discovery is providing a window into the early stages of planet formation and may help in the search for distant, habitable worlds. See article.
g Life - By sticking microbes to the outside of the International Space Station, Japanese researchers aim to test the "panspermia" theory that comets and asteroids can spread life between planets. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In response to Enrico Fermi's famous 1950 question concerning the existence of advanced civilizations elsewhere, physicist Stephen Webb in “If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens... Where Is Everybody? Fifty Solutions to Fermi's Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life” critically examines 50 resolutions to explain the total absence of empirical evidence for probes, starships, and communications from extraterrestrials. He focuses on our Milky Way Galaxy, which to date has yielded no objects or signals that indicate the existence of alien beings with intelligence and technology. His comprehensive analysis covers topics ranging from the Drake equation and Dyson spheres to the panspermia hypothesis and anthropic arguments. Of special interest are the discussions on the DNA molecule, the origin of life on Earth, and the threats to organic evolution on this planet (including mass extinctions). Webb himself concludes that the "great silence" in nature probably results from humankind's being the only civilization now in this galaxy, if not in the entire universe. This richly informative and very engaging book is recommended for most academic and public library science collections. See article.
g Cosmicus - It is well-known that deep-space radiation would be risky for future astronauts on long-lasting missions to targets such as Mars, but new research puts the danger in stark relief. See article.
g Learning - Humans tend to think that everything should have a beginning and an end. Most everything in life offers us at least some feeling of closure; our time on Earth, a story, a year, a day. See article.
g Imagining - Looking for an interesting read? Here’s a nifty anthology of science fiction that for the most part approaches extraterrestrials from a hard science fiction perspective: “Aliens and UFOs: Extraterrestrial Tales from Asimov's Science Fiction and Analog Science Fiction and Fact,” by Cynthia Manson and Charles Ardai. It was published in 1993.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Amino acids in asteroids and microbes that could survive on Mars
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Matter is constantly falling into the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole, but sometimes enough builds up and gets hot enough to release a big flash. For instance, if humans had an X-ray observatory 300 years ago, we would have seen a giant flash caused by a clump of gas heating up as it fell toward the black hole. See article.
g Abodes - The organic soup that spawned life on Earth may have gotten generous helpings from outer space, according to a new study. Scientists at the Carnegie Institution have discovered concentrations of amino acids in two meteorites that are more than ten times higher than levels previously measured in other similar meteorites. This result suggests that the early solar system was far richer in the organic building blocks of life than scientists had thought, and that fallout from space may have spiked Earth’s primordial broth. See article.
g Life - A class of especially hardy microbes that live in some of the harshest Earthly environments could flourish on cold Mars and other chilly planets, according to a research team of astronomers and microbiologists. See article.
g Cosmicus - In April 2006, NASA announced that it was bringing in University of Arizona astronomy professor and former brigadier general Simon "Pete" Worden to be the director of its NASA Ames Research Center here. Since then, Worden has brought a fresh perspective to the helm of one of NASA's most important research facilities, demonstrated through initiatives such as giving a keynote address to the International Space Development Conference from the virtual world Second Life. (Note: My wife works at Second Life publisher Linden Lab). See article.
g Learning - National Geographic has some great science lesson plans for K-12 teacher son its Web site. One in particular grabbed my attention: It introduces students to the idea that animals prefer certain types of habitats over others and, in fact, cannot live in places that are too different from what they prefer. Students specifically focus on dinosaurs. See lesson plans.
g Stars - Matter is constantly falling into the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole, but sometimes enough builds up and gets hot enough to release a big flash. For instance, if humans had an X-ray observatory 300 years ago, we would have seen a giant flash caused by a clump of gas heating up as it fell toward the black hole. See article.
g Abodes - The organic soup that spawned life on Earth may have gotten generous helpings from outer space, according to a new study. Scientists at the Carnegie Institution have discovered concentrations of amino acids in two meteorites that are more than ten times higher than levels previously measured in other similar meteorites. This result suggests that the early solar system was far richer in the organic building blocks of life than scientists had thought, and that fallout from space may have spiked Earth’s primordial broth. See article.
g Life - A class of especially hardy microbes that live in some of the harshest Earthly environments could flourish on cold Mars and other chilly planets, according to a research team of astronomers and microbiologists. See article.
g Cosmicus - In April 2006, NASA announced that it was bringing in University of Arizona astronomy professor and former brigadier general Simon "Pete" Worden to be the director of its NASA Ames Research Center here. Since then, Worden has brought a fresh perspective to the helm of one of NASA's most important research facilities, demonstrated through initiatives such as giving a keynote address to the International Space Development Conference from the virtual world Second Life. (Note: My wife works at Second Life publisher Linden Lab). See article.
g Learning - National Geographic has some great science lesson plans for K-12 teacher son its Web site. One in particular grabbed my attention: It introduces students to the idea that animals prefer certain types of habitats over others and, in fact, cannot live in places that are too different from what they prefer. Students specifically focus on dinosaurs. See lesson plans.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Habitable zone for Wolf 359 and Titan’s underground 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 Stars - What is the habitable zone for the nearby star Wolf 359? See article.
g Abodes - NASA's Cassini spacecraft has discovered evidence that points to the existence of an underground ocean of water and ammonia on Saturn's moon Titan. The findings made using radar measurements of Titan's rotation appeared in the March 21 issue of the journal Science. See article.
g Message - Researchers writing in an issue of Nature from a couple of years ago argue that radio signals are not the most efficient way of alerting an extraterrestrial intelligence to our existence — and that anyone out there who is trying to send out a similar message is likely to have reached the same conclusion. Here’s a downloadable NPR report on the conclusions. Note: The radio report is from 2004.
g Imagining - Here are 10 alleged alien encounters — those brushes with aliens (or supposed aliens) that have been definitively debunked over the years. See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for the nearby star Wolf 359? See article.
g Abodes - NASA's Cassini spacecraft has discovered evidence that points to the existence of an underground ocean of water and ammonia on Saturn's moon Titan. The findings made using radar measurements of Titan's rotation appeared in the March 21 issue of the journal Science. See article.
g Message - Researchers writing in an issue of Nature from a couple of years ago argue that radio signals are not the most efficient way of alerting an extraterrestrial intelligence to our existence — and that anyone out there who is trying to send out a similar message is likely to have reached the same conclusion. Here’s a downloadable NPR report on the conclusions. Note: The radio report is from 2004.
g Imagining - Here are 10 alleged alien encounters — those brushes with aliens (or supposed aliens) that have been definitively debunked over the years. See article.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Habitable zone for Gliese 876 and four steps for intelligent life to evolve
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 - What is the habitable zone for the nearby red dwarf Gliese 876? See article.
g Abodes - Imagine if the sun's energy increased by 3400 times: Earth's oceans would instantly boil away. Yet a newly discovered exoplanet is subjected to such heat, making it one of the hottest in our galactic neighborhood. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that Earth's first animal was probably more complex than previously believed. By analyzing massive volumes of genetic data, scientists have defined the earliest splits at the base of the animal tree of life. See article.
g Intelligence - A mathematical model taking into account the limited habitable lifespan of the Earth suggests that four evolutionary steps were required for intelligent life to evolve. If this applies to other worlds, intelligent life may be rare in the universe. See article.
g Message - Since the invention of the radio, humans have been broadcasting signals into outer space. Other civilizations in our galaxy might be doing the same. They might even be deliberately sending out signals to find other civilizations. Someone out there may even be beaming a signal directly at the Earth. See article.
g Learning - How can one become an astrobiologist? Here’s a fact sheet for kids in grades 5-12, courtesy of NASA. See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for the nearby red dwarf Gliese 876? See article.
g Abodes - Imagine if the sun's energy increased by 3400 times: Earth's oceans would instantly boil away. Yet a newly discovered exoplanet is subjected to such heat, making it one of the hottest in our galactic neighborhood. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that Earth's first animal was probably more complex than previously believed. By analyzing massive volumes of genetic data, scientists have defined the earliest splits at the base of the animal tree of life. See article.
g Intelligence - A mathematical model taking into account the limited habitable lifespan of the Earth suggests that four evolutionary steps were required for intelligent life to evolve. If this applies to other worlds, intelligent life may be rare in the universe. See article.
g Message - Since the invention of the radio, humans have been broadcasting signals into outer space. Other civilizations in our galaxy might be doing the same. They might even be deliberately sending out signals to find other civilizations. Someone out there may even be beaming a signal directly at the Earth. See article.
g Learning - How can one become an astrobiologist? Here’s a fact sheet for kids in grades 5-12, courtesy of NASA. See article.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Habitable zone for Kapteyns Star and searching for traces of life's molecular building blocks on Mars
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for nearby Kapteyns Star?
g Abodes - It used to be that planets were familiar places such as Mars and Saturn that orbited our sun and were well known to all schoolchildren. Since astronomers identified the first planet outside our solar system 13 years ago, however, that idea has become downright quaint. Because now, according to the Extrasolar Planets Encyclopedia, there are 277 confirmed "extrasolar" planets, and quite a few more on the list of those suspected but not yet confirmed. See article.
g Life - NASA-funded researchers are refining a tool that could not only check for the faintest traces of life's molecular building blocks on Mars, but could also determine whether they have been produced by anything alive. See article.
g Message - In the search for life on other worlds, scientists can listen for radio transmissions from stellar neighborhoods where intelligent civilizations might lurk or they can try to actually spot planets like our own in habitable zones around nearby stars. Either approach is tricky and relies on choosing the right targets for scrutiny out of the many thousands of nearby stars in our galactic neighborhood. See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for nearby Kapteyns Star?
g Abodes - It used to be that planets were familiar places such as Mars and Saturn that orbited our sun and were well known to all schoolchildren. Since astronomers identified the first planet outside our solar system 13 years ago, however, that idea has become downright quaint. Because now, according to the Extrasolar Planets Encyclopedia, there are 277 confirmed "extrasolar" planets, and quite a few more on the list of those suspected but not yet confirmed. See article.
g Life - NASA-funded researchers are refining a tool that could not only check for the faintest traces of life's molecular building blocks on Mars, but could also determine whether they have been produced by anything alive. See article.
g Message - In the search for life on other worlds, scientists can listen for radio transmissions from stellar neighborhoods where intelligent civilizations might lurk or they can try to actually spot planets like our own in habitable zones around nearby stars. Either approach is tricky and relies on choosing the right targets for scrutiny out of the many thousands of nearby stars in our galactic neighborhood. See article.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Habitable zone for Tau Ceti and first impressions on celestial correspondents
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 - What is the habitable zone for the famous nearby star Tau Ceti?
g Abodes - Scientists discuss whether or not microbial life could survive inside Saturn's moon Enceladus. Based on observations of microbes on Earth that can live in environments absent of sunlight and oxygen, the researchers have outlined potential scenarios for how life might exist on the unique moon. See article.
g Life - Scientists have provided evidence that the building blocks of life could have formed from the interactions of desert heat, water and meteorite impacts. The findings may also explain why amino acids used by life are predominantly 'left-handed'. See article.
g Intelligence - Two MIT scientists have used nanotechnology to reconnect brain cells. See article.
g Message - If some day we decide to transmit intentional messages to the stars, rather than solely listen as current SETI programs do, what would we say? What sort of first impression would we want to give our celestial correspondents? See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for the famous nearby star Tau Ceti?
g Abodes - Scientists discuss whether or not microbial life could survive inside Saturn's moon Enceladus. Based on observations of microbes on Earth that can live in environments absent of sunlight and oxygen, the researchers have outlined potential scenarios for how life might exist on the unique moon. See article.
g Life - Scientists have provided evidence that the building blocks of life could have formed from the interactions of desert heat, water and meteorite impacts. The findings may also explain why amino acids used by life are predominantly 'left-handed'. See article.
g Intelligence - Two MIT scientists have used nanotechnology to reconnect brain cells. See article.
g Message - If some day we decide to transmit intentional messages to the stars, rather than solely listen as current SETI programs do, what would we say? What sort of first impression would we want to give our celestial correspondents? See article.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Habitable zone for Gliese 581 and Enceladus’ plumes contain organic chemicals
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 - What is the habitable zone for a star with known planets: Gliese 581. See article.
g Abodes - Cassini has discovered that plumes from Saturn's moon Enceladus are 'hot' and brimming with water vapor and organic chemicals. The surprising discovery has important implications in the search for habitable environments in the Solar System. See article.
g Life - Life as we know it on Earth is not the only kind possible in the universe, scientists reminded NASA in a recent report. See article.
g Aftermath - Here’s an interesting book for some astrobiological reading: “After Contact: The Human Response to Extraterrestrial Life” by Albert A. Harrison. See article.
g Stars - What is the habitable zone for a star with known planets: Gliese 581. See article.
g Abodes - Cassini has discovered that plumes from Saturn's moon Enceladus are 'hot' and brimming with water vapor and organic chemicals. The surprising discovery has important implications in the search for habitable environments in the Solar System. See article.
g Life - Life as we know it on Earth is not the only kind possible in the universe, scientists reminded NASA in a recent report. See article.
g Aftermath - Here’s an interesting book for some astrobiological reading: “After Contact: The Human Response to Extraterrestrial Life” by Albert A. Harrison. See article.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Satellite observatory to search for Earth-like planets and organic chemicals common in space
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - Scientists are designing a satellite-based observatory that could provide a sensitive survey of the entire sky to search for planets. The team hopes that the system could rapidly discover Earth-like planets. See article.
g Life - A team of NASA exobiology researchers have revealed organic chemicals that play a crucial role in the chemistry of life are common in space. See article.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? Here’s a good primer for those looking to get a basic overview. See article.
g Aftermath - In order to retrieve samples from another place in the solar system that might harbor life, careful planning is required to ensure that mission designs incorporate measures to safeguard both the Earth and other solar system bodies from cross contamination. These measures, collectively known as planetary protection measures, are actually tied to international law. Note: This article is from 1999. See article.
g Abodes - Scientists are designing a satellite-based observatory that could provide a sensitive survey of the entire sky to search for planets. The team hopes that the system could rapidly discover Earth-like planets. See article.
g Life - A team of NASA exobiology researchers have revealed organic chemicals that play a crucial role in the chemistry of life are common in space. See article.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? Here’s a good primer for those looking to get a basic overview. See article.
g Aftermath - In order to retrieve samples from another place in the solar system that might harbor life, careful planning is required to ensure that mission designs incorporate measures to safeguard both the Earth and other solar system bodies from cross contamination. These measures, collectively known as planetary protection measures, are actually tied to international law. Note: This article is from 1999. See article.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Gliese 570 ABC’s habitable zones and how viruses created our oxygen supply
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 - What would be the habitable zone for the stars in the nearby trinary Gliese 570 ABC? See article.
g Abodes - If the Earth was slightly smaller and less massive, life may have never gained a foothold on our planet. A new study shows that when searching for habitable planets around distant stars, astronomers might need to focus on planets Earth-sized or larger. See article.
g Life - New research shows that viruses infecting microorganisms in Earth's oceans might ultimately be responsible for much of the oxygen produced on our planet. The study highlights important links between life and the global climate of Earth. See article.
g Aftermath - Douglas Vakoch is one of a relatively small collection of scientists addressing the question of how to talk back to extraterrestrials. While most researchers involved in the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence come from physics and engineering backgrounds, Vakoch draws on a background in linguistics, sociology and psychology to explore SETI-related issues. Here’s an interview with him from Aug. 2003 about communicating with ET. See article.
g Stars - What would be the habitable zone for the stars in the nearby trinary Gliese 570 ABC? See article.
g Abodes - If the Earth was slightly smaller and less massive, life may have never gained a foothold on our planet. A new study shows that when searching for habitable planets around distant stars, astronomers might need to focus on planets Earth-sized or larger. See article.
g Life - New research shows that viruses infecting microorganisms in Earth's oceans might ultimately be responsible for much of the oxygen produced on our planet. The study highlights important links between life and the global climate of Earth. See article.
g Aftermath - Douglas Vakoch is one of a relatively small collection of scientists addressing the question of how to talk back to extraterrestrials. While most researchers involved in the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence come from physics and engineering backgrounds, Vakoch draws on a background in linguistics, sociology and psychology to explore SETI-related issues. Here’s an interview with him from Aug. 2003 about communicating with ET. See article.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Fomalhaut’s habitable zone and interstellar messaging
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 - What would be the habitable zone around the famous nearby star Fomalhaut?
g Abodes - NASA's Cassini Spacecraft has found evidence that Saturn's moon Titan may harbor an underground ocean of water and ammonia. It is an important finding for astrobiologists who are searching for potential habitats for life in our Solar System. See article.
g Life - Researchers say that clues from the ancient sedimentary rocks which overlie the massive iron ore deposits in the Pilbara hold the key to solving the puzzle - and probing them may also help mining companies come up with better ways of extracting iron ore by giving new insights into the resource. See article. For related story, see “Low oxygen and molybdenum in ancient oceans delayed evolution of life by 2 billion years.”
g Message - Here’s a neat Web site: “Interstellar Messaging.” You’ll find discussion, history and real-world examples of mankind's methods and ongoing attempts to communicate with extraterrestrials. See article.
g Stars - What would be the habitable zone around the famous nearby star Fomalhaut?
g Abodes - NASA's Cassini Spacecraft has found evidence that Saturn's moon Titan may harbor an underground ocean of water and ammonia. It is an important finding for astrobiologists who are searching for potential habitats for life in our Solar System. See article.
g Life - Researchers say that clues from the ancient sedimentary rocks which overlie the massive iron ore deposits in the Pilbara hold the key to solving the puzzle - and probing them may also help mining companies come up with better ways of extracting iron ore by giving new insights into the resource. See article. For related story, see “Low oxygen and molybdenum in ancient oceans delayed evolution of life by 2 billion years.”
g Message - Here’s a neat Web site: “Interstellar Messaging.” You’ll find discussion, history and real-world examples of mankind's methods and ongoing attempts to communicate with extraterrestrials. See article.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Habitable zone for Ross 154 and why evolution on Earth was delayed 2 billion years
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 - What would be the habitable zone for the nearby star Ross 154?
g Abodes - The discovery of 28 new planets and 7 brown dwarfs outside the Solar System was recently announced by the world's largest planet-hunting team. New and refined techniques are responsible for the large number of planets detected, and may soon help the team discover smaller, Earth-like planets around distant stars. See article.
g Life - Scientists from around the world have reconstructed changes in Earth's ancient ocean chemistry during a broad sweep of geological time, from about 2.5 to 0.5 billion years ago. They have discovered that a deficiency of oxygen and the heavy metal molybdenum in the ancient deep ocean may have delayed the evolution of animal life on Earth for nearly 2 billion years. See article.
g Message - To subject the Fermi Paradox to needed experimental testing, a researcher has offered the Artifact Hypothesis: A technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilization has undertaken a long-term program of interstellar exploration via transmission of material artifacts. See article.
g Cosmicus - There are several new missions set to explore the planet Mars over the next decade. Astrobiology Magazine recently discussed these missions with Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program, and Luann Becker, a geochemist who is developing an instrument for the European Space Agency’s ExoMars mission. See article.
g Learning - With about 50 researchers, the Penn State Astronomy and Astrophysics department works under the radar. Each day, astronomers are discovering stars, finding planets in other solar systems and looking for life on other planets, all in Davey Lab. Even though the researchers call this time "the golden era of astronomy," many worry for the future, when funding may force projects and research to halt. See article.
g Stars - What would be the habitable zone for the nearby star Ross 154?
g Abodes - The discovery of 28 new planets and 7 brown dwarfs outside the Solar System was recently announced by the world's largest planet-hunting team. New and refined techniques are responsible for the large number of planets detected, and may soon help the team discover smaller, Earth-like planets around distant stars. See article.
g Life - Scientists from around the world have reconstructed changes in Earth's ancient ocean chemistry during a broad sweep of geological time, from about 2.5 to 0.5 billion years ago. They have discovered that a deficiency of oxygen and the heavy metal molybdenum in the ancient deep ocean may have delayed the evolution of animal life on Earth for nearly 2 billion years. See article.
g Message - To subject the Fermi Paradox to needed experimental testing, a researcher has offered the Artifact Hypothesis: A technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilization has undertaken a long-term program of interstellar exploration via transmission of material artifacts. See article.
g Cosmicus - There are several new missions set to explore the planet Mars over the next decade. Astrobiology Magazine recently discussed these missions with Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program, and Luann Becker, a geochemist who is developing an instrument for the European Space Agency’s ExoMars mission. See article.
g Learning - With about 50 researchers, the Penn State Astronomy and Astrophysics department works under the radar. Each day, astronomers are discovering stars, finding planets in other solar systems and looking for life on other planets, all in Davey Lab. Even though the researchers call this time "the golden era of astronomy," many worry for the future, when funding may force projects and research to halt. See article.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Water evaporation on Mars and earliest direct evidence of biological material on Earth
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 world's thinnest material has been used to study the 'fine structure constant', one of physic's universal constants. This number is important because it underlies reactions in stars that generate carbon - a molecule essential for life. See article.
g Abodes - A team of researchers from the University of Arkansas has measured water evaporation rates under Mars-like conditions, and their findings favor the presence of surface water on the planet. Water on the planet's surface makes the existence of past or present life on Mars a little more likely. See article.
g Life - A U.S. scientist says he has discovered cellulose beneath the New Mexico desert, making it the earliest direct evidence of biological material on Earth. See article.
g Message - Would anyone deliberately beam high-powered signals into space? Can we assume that extraterrestrial societies would broadcast in ways that would mark their location as plainly as a flag on a golf green? See article.
g Learning - "For all positive integers w and y, where w > y, let the operation be defined by w y = 2w+y / 2w-y. For how many positive integers w is w 1 equal to 4?" Questions like that no doubt caused some test takers, in between palpitations, to wonder whether they were any good at math. Girls, especially, might have found their thoughts wandering to the news that just a week earlier, Lawrence H. Summers, president of Harvard University, had said that "intrinsic" differences in aptitude between the sexes might be an important reason that men dominate the science-and-engineering work force. The remarks sparked widespread protests, and Summers quickly apologized. But a growing body of research suggests that there is some truth in his comments. See article.
g Stars - The world's thinnest material has been used to study the 'fine structure constant', one of physic's universal constants. This number is important because it underlies reactions in stars that generate carbon - a molecule essential for life. See article.
g Abodes - A team of researchers from the University of Arkansas has measured water evaporation rates under Mars-like conditions, and their findings favor the presence of surface water on the planet. Water on the planet's surface makes the existence of past or present life on Mars a little more likely. See article.
g Life - A U.S. scientist says he has discovered cellulose beneath the New Mexico desert, making it the earliest direct evidence of biological material on Earth. See article.
g Message - Would anyone deliberately beam high-powered signals into space? Can we assume that extraterrestrial societies would broadcast in ways that would mark their location as plainly as a flag on a golf green? See article.
g Learning - "For all positive integers w and y, where w > y, let the operation be defined by w y = 2w+y / 2w-y. For how many positive integers w is w 1 equal to 4?" Questions like that no doubt caused some test takers, in between palpitations, to wonder whether they were any good at math. Girls, especially, might have found their thoughts wandering to the news that just a week earlier, Lawrence H. Summers, president of Harvard University, had said that "intrinsic" differences in aptitude between the sexes might be an important reason that men dominate the science-and-engineering work force. The remarks sparked widespread protests, and Summers quickly apologized. But a growing body of research suggests that there is some truth in his comments. See article.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Mars’ ancient salty sea and memorial to Big Ear
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 - Old galaxies swathed in dark matter clustered together early in the history of the universe, and eventually evolved into the most massive galaxies known today, British scientists say. See article.
g Abodes - A salty sea once washed over the plains of Mars at the Opportunity rover's landing site, creating a life-friendly environment more earthlike than any known on another world. Note: This article is from 2004. See article. For updated story, see “Chloride salts on Mars may have preserved past life”.
g Life - Researchers have found the earliest direct evidence of biological material on Earth in the form of cellulose microfibers. The finding also indicates that cellulose could be an excellent biosignature to search for on other planets. See article.
g Message - In late 1997, after almost 40 years of operation, the Ohio State University Radio Observatory and its "Big Ear" radio telescope — which picked up the famous “Wow!” signal — ceased operation. The land on which the observatory was sitting (owned by the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio) was sold in 1983 to land developers who later claimed their rights to develop the property. The telescope was destroyed in early 1998. For a Web page memorial to Big Ear. See article.
g Cosmicus - When UC Berkeley Professor Richard Mathies began prototyping the Mars Organic Analyzer, he never expected it would help millions of wine drinkers that suffer adverse reactions from consuming red wine. See article.
g Learning - Astrobiologist Margaret Turnbull has made Mental Floss’ list of “10 Trailblazing Scientists About to Change Your Future.” See article.
g Aftermath - Is SETI—the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence—a religion? See article.
g Stars - Old galaxies swathed in dark matter clustered together early in the history of the universe, and eventually evolved into the most massive galaxies known today, British scientists say. See article.
g Abodes - A salty sea once washed over the plains of Mars at the Opportunity rover's landing site, creating a life-friendly environment more earthlike than any known on another world. Note: This article is from 2004. See article. For updated story, see “Chloride salts on Mars may have preserved past life”.
g Life - Researchers have found the earliest direct evidence of biological material on Earth in the form of cellulose microfibers. The finding also indicates that cellulose could be an excellent biosignature to search for on other planets. See article.
g Message - In late 1997, after almost 40 years of operation, the Ohio State University Radio Observatory and its "Big Ear" radio telescope — which picked up the famous “Wow!” signal — ceased operation. The land on which the observatory was sitting (owned by the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio) was sold in 1983 to land developers who later claimed their rights to develop the property. The telescope was destroyed in early 1998. For a Web page memorial to Big Ear. See article.
g Cosmicus - When UC Berkeley Professor Richard Mathies began prototyping the Mars Organic Analyzer, he never expected it would help millions of wine drinkers that suffer adverse reactions from consuming red wine. See article.
g Learning - Astrobiologist Margaret Turnbull has made Mental Floss’ list of “10 Trailblazing Scientists About to Change Your Future.” See article.
g Aftermath - Is SETI—the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence—a religion? See article.
Friday, April 04, 2008
ET’s message in a bottle and ‘Beyond UFOs’
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 space, no one can hear you scream ‑ which is no bad thing, because scientists have discovered that it is a lot filthier than they thought. See article.
g Abodes - More than 250 planets have been found orbiting distant stars. Most of them are “hot Jupiters,” giant planets orbiting close to their stars, unlikely places for life to take hold. NASA’s Kepler mission hopes to find habitable planets like Earth. Or, perhaps, to discover that there aren’t many of them around to find. See article
g Life - Looking for evidence of life on Mars or other planets? Finding cellulose microfibers would be the next best thing to a close encounter, according to new research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. See article.
g Intelligence - No one knows exactly when the "first Americans" populated this continent nor who they were, but scientists exploring ancient caves in Oregon have found evidence that they must have arrived from Asia at least 1,200 years earlier than anyone had thought - and some say long before that. See article.
g Message - A recent study suggests it is more energy efficient to communicate across interstellar space by sending physical material — a sort of message in a bottle — than beams of electromagnetic radiation. Solid matter can hold more information and journey farther than radio waves, which disperse as they travel. See article.
g Cosmicus - Admittedly, at least for now, the idea of a beanstalk-like space elevator connecting Earth and space is a stretch. See article.
g Learning - Book alert: Few terms in the space vocabulary are as polarizing as this three-letter acronym: UFO. For some, it represents not just Unidentified Flying Objects, but a virtual universe of extraterrestrial visitations, alien abductions, and—of course—a vast web of government and multinational conspiracies to deny their presence. To others, it’s a symbol of hoaxes and fantasies or, at best, wishful thinking. For those in the latter camp, there might be some trepidation to pick up a book titled “Beyond UFOs.” Rest assured, though: despite the presence of that three-letter acronym, this book is actually a solid, factually-based look at the science of astrobiology and the prospects for life—intelligent or otherwise—elsewhere in the universe. See article. For related story, see “E.T.? An intriguing possibility in "Beyond UFOs".
g Imagining - Think of your favorite alien on TV or in the movies. Do you have the image in mind? I'd bet that your alien is pretty darn smart. However, despite what we see in “Star Wars” and “Star Trek,” the author of “The Science of Aliens” doesn't expect intelligence to be an inevitable result of evolution on other worlds. See article.
g Stars - In space, no one can hear you scream ‑ which is no bad thing, because scientists have discovered that it is a lot filthier than they thought. See article.
g Abodes - More than 250 planets have been found orbiting distant stars. Most of them are “hot Jupiters,” giant planets orbiting close to their stars, unlikely places for life to take hold. NASA’s Kepler mission hopes to find habitable planets like Earth. Or, perhaps, to discover that there aren’t many of them around to find. See article
g Life - Looking for evidence of life on Mars or other planets? Finding cellulose microfibers would be the next best thing to a close encounter, according to new research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. See article.
g Intelligence - No one knows exactly when the "first Americans" populated this continent nor who they were, but scientists exploring ancient caves in Oregon have found evidence that they must have arrived from Asia at least 1,200 years earlier than anyone had thought - and some say long before that. See article.
g Message - A recent study suggests it is more energy efficient to communicate across interstellar space by sending physical material — a sort of message in a bottle — than beams of electromagnetic radiation. Solid matter can hold more information and journey farther than radio waves, which disperse as they travel. See article.
g Cosmicus - Admittedly, at least for now, the idea of a beanstalk-like space elevator connecting Earth and space is a stretch. See article.
g Learning - Book alert: Few terms in the space vocabulary are as polarizing as this three-letter acronym: UFO. For some, it represents not just Unidentified Flying Objects, but a virtual universe of extraterrestrial visitations, alien abductions, and—of course—a vast web of government and multinational conspiracies to deny their presence. To others, it’s a symbol of hoaxes and fantasies or, at best, wishful thinking. For those in the latter camp, there might be some trepidation to pick up a book titled “Beyond UFOs.” Rest assured, though: despite the presence of that three-letter acronym, this book is actually a solid, factually-based look at the science of astrobiology and the prospects for life—intelligent or otherwise—elsewhere in the universe. See article. For related story, see “E.T.? An intriguing possibility in "Beyond UFOs".
g Imagining - Think of your favorite alien on TV or in the movies. Do you have the image in mind? I'd bet that your alien is pretty darn smart. However, despite what we see in “Star Wars” and “Star Trek,” the author of “The Science of Aliens” doesn't expect intelligence to be an inevitable result of evolution on other worlds. See article.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Why modern humans beat out the Neanderthals and 10 new extrasolar planets discovered
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 - What would be the habitable zone for the nearby, Sun-like star 82 Eridani?
g Abodes - By watching for planets that transit in front of their host stars, the SuperWASP system has detected 10 new extrasolar planets. SuperWASP data will help astronomers understand how habitable environments might form around distant stars. See article.
g Life - If Martian life existed a few billion years ago, scientists think any plant-like microbes would have left behind a stringy fuzz of fibers. See article.
g Intelligence - Could it be that in the great evolutionary "family tree," it is we modern humans, not the brow-ridged, large-nosed Neanderthals, who are the odd uncle out? See article.
g Message - How scientifically accurate was the ultimate astrobiology film, “Contact”? See article.
g Cosmicus - As an endeavor of tremendous breadth and depth, astrobiology requires interdisciplinary investigation in order to be fully appreciated and examined. As part of a concerted effort to undertake such a challenge, the NASA Astrobiology Institute was established in 1998 as an innovative way to develop the field of astrobiology and provide a scientific framework for flight missions. Now that the NAI has been in existence for almost a decade, the time is ripe to assess its achievements. See article.
g Learning - Why would anyone choose to spend a week in the dusty, desolate desert? That is just what a team of more than 30 NASA scientists, world-renowned planetary experts and teachers are excitedly gearing up for as part of the Spaceward Bound Mojave program. See article.
g Aftermath - Few terms in the space vocabulary are as polarizing as this three-letter acronym: UFO. For some, it represents not just Unidentified Flying Objects, but a virtual universe of extraterrestrial visitations, alien abductions, and—of course—a vast web of government and multinational conspiracies to deny their presence. To others, it’s a symbol of hoaxes and fantasies or, at best, wishful thinking. For those in the latter camp, there might be some trepidation to pick up a book titled Beyond UFOs. Rest assured, though: despite the presence of that three-letter acronym, this book is actually a solid, factually-based look at the science of astrobiology and the prospects for life—intelligent or otherwise—elsewhere in the universe. See article.
g Stars - What would be the habitable zone for the nearby, Sun-like star 82 Eridani?
g Abodes - By watching for planets that transit in front of their host stars, the SuperWASP system has detected 10 new extrasolar planets. SuperWASP data will help astronomers understand how habitable environments might form around distant stars. See article.
g Life - If Martian life existed a few billion years ago, scientists think any plant-like microbes would have left behind a stringy fuzz of fibers. See article.
g Intelligence - Could it be that in the great evolutionary "family tree," it is we modern humans, not the brow-ridged, large-nosed Neanderthals, who are the odd uncle out? See article.
g Message - How scientifically accurate was the ultimate astrobiology film, “Contact”? See article.
g Cosmicus - As an endeavor of tremendous breadth and depth, astrobiology requires interdisciplinary investigation in order to be fully appreciated and examined. As part of a concerted effort to undertake such a challenge, the NASA Astrobiology Institute was established in 1998 as an innovative way to develop the field of astrobiology and provide a scientific framework for flight missions. Now that the NAI has been in existence for almost a decade, the time is ripe to assess its achievements. See article.
g Learning - Why would anyone choose to spend a week in the dusty, desolate desert? That is just what a team of more than 30 NASA scientists, world-renowned planetary experts and teachers are excitedly gearing up for as part of the Spaceward Bound Mojave program. See article.
g Aftermath - Few terms in the space vocabulary are as polarizing as this three-letter acronym: UFO. For some, it represents not just Unidentified Flying Objects, but a virtual universe of extraterrestrial visitations, alien abductions, and—of course—a vast web of government and multinational conspiracies to deny their presence. To others, it’s a symbol of hoaxes and fantasies or, at best, wishful thinking. For those in the latter camp, there might be some trepidation to pick up a book titled Beyond UFOs. Rest assured, though: despite the presence of that three-letter acronym, this book is actually a solid, factually-based look at the science of astrobiology and the prospects for life—intelligent or otherwise—elsewhere in the universe. See article.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Mars' global volcanic upheavals and the day after contact
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - New data from Mars indicates that the planet has undergone a series of global volcanic upheavals that spewed lava and water onto the surface. New clues about the geological history of Mars may help determine if the planet was once suitable for life. See article.
g Life - The first field surveys of the Rubeho Mountains in Tanzania revealed over 160 animal species -including a new species of frog and 11 endemic species, according to an article published in the African Journal of Ecology. The findings elevate the importance of protecting this biologically rich wilderness area and the broader Eastern Arc Mountain range from destructive activities underway such as clear-cutting for agriculture, logging and poaching. See article.
g Message - Here’s something neat albeit technical: A slide show presentation of "Spectrum Environment of the Allen Telescope Array." See article.
g Aftermath - Here’s a brief but interesting piece: “The Day After Contact: Forecasting Reactions to Extraterrestrial Contact.” Note: This article is from June 1999. See article.
g Abodes - New data from Mars indicates that the planet has undergone a series of global volcanic upheavals that spewed lava and water onto the surface. New clues about the geological history of Mars may help determine if the planet was once suitable for life. See article.
g Life - The first field surveys of the Rubeho Mountains in Tanzania revealed over 160 animal species -including a new species of frog and 11 endemic species, according to an article published in the African Journal of Ecology. The findings elevate the importance of protecting this biologically rich wilderness area and the broader Eastern Arc Mountain range from destructive activities underway such as clear-cutting for agriculture, logging and poaching. See article.
g Message - Here’s something neat albeit technical: A slide show presentation of "Spectrum Environment of the Allen Telescope Array." See article.
g Aftermath - Here’s a brief but interesting piece: “The Day After Contact: Forecasting Reactions to Extraterrestrial Contact.” Note: This article is from June 1999. See article.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Mars' subterranean natural plumbing system and why going to the Moon benefits astrobiology
Mars’ subterranean plumbing system and restructuring the tree of lifeWelcome! “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 Mars-orbiting spacecraft has spotted a subterranean natural plumbing system that might have ferried water beneath the surface of the red planet in the distant past. See article.
g Life - Peter Ward, speaking at a NASA Director's Seminar, presented some ideas for changing the tree of life. This restructuring would not only embrace things like viruses, which are banished from the current tree, but would allow us to put into context some even odder misfits, such as cloned sheep and alien life on other worlds. See article.
g Message - During the early 1980s, David Brin offered an explanation for Fermi’s Paradox, which asked why if extraterrestrial life existed it wasn’t on Earth. Brin’s answer: The Zoo Hypothesis. Here’s a copy of that groundbreaking paper, “The 'Great Silence': The Controversy Concerning Extraterrestrial Life.” See article.
g Cosmicus - Bernard Foing is chief scientist of the European Space Agency’s Research and Scientific Support Department. He sees exploration of our Moon as only the first step toward understanding the potential for life in our solar system and beyond. See article.
g Abodes - A Mars-orbiting spacecraft has spotted a subterranean natural plumbing system that might have ferried water beneath the surface of the red planet in the distant past. See article.
g Life - Peter Ward, speaking at a NASA Director's Seminar, presented some ideas for changing the tree of life. This restructuring would not only embrace things like viruses, which are banished from the current tree, but would allow us to put into context some even odder misfits, such as cloned sheep and alien life on other worlds. See article.
g Message - During the early 1980s, David Brin offered an explanation for Fermi’s Paradox, which asked why if extraterrestrial life existed it wasn’t on Earth. Brin’s answer: The Zoo Hypothesis. Here’s a copy of that groundbreaking paper, “The 'Great Silence': The Controversy Concerning Extraterrestrial Life.” See article.
g Cosmicus - Bernard Foing is chief scientist of the European Space Agency’s Research and Scientific Support Department. He sees exploration of our Moon as only the first step toward understanding the potential for life in our solar system and beyond. See article.
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