Potential for life on Europa and returning planetary samples from 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 Abodes -New research is providing clues about the potential for life on Europa. By studying Europa's surface, scientists hope to determine the best places to search for life and whether or not the moon is geologically active. See article.
g Message -Among the most important SETI work is being done at Harvard University. Here’s the Harvard SETI home page, which discusses the Radio Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, The Arecibo Search for Early Hydrogen and Optical SETI.
g Cosmicus -A critical component of NASA's Mars exploration program involves bringing planetary samples back to Earth for in-depth analysis. See article.
g Learning -Take a group of scientists and a video game designer and what do you get? Spore, a game that can help teach players some evolutionary biology. See article.
g Aftermath - If some day we detect a radio signal from a distant civilization, we’ll have to make some adjustments in the way we view ourselves. After millennia of knowing of no other intelligence in the universe than humankind, we could face a considerable challenge to our terrestrial egotism. In the process, will we simply gain a little healthy humility about our place in the universe? Or would it be downright humiliating to compare our own meager accomplishments with those of more advanced extraterrestrials? See article. Note: This article is from 2000.