Saturday, August 02, 2008

Wet Mars and ET political philosophy

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 LP 816-060?
g Abodes -Two new studies indicate that Mars once hosted vast lakes, flowing rivers and other wet environments. Even more remarkable, the data supports the theory that Mars once had the potential to support life. See article.
g Life - A prehistoric crater left by an asteroid collision in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula could yield clues about what Mars was like billions of years ago, a NASA scientist says. See article.
g Message -The hunt for ET is revving up to warp speed, thanks largely to an infusion of cash from Seattle's most famous science-fiction fan. On Friday, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen joined scientists from SETI — the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence — to unveil the first major telescope devoted full time to answering the question: Is anyone out there? See article.
g Cosmicus - Quote of the Day: “If we do not have a place in space, then we have nothing to live for and ultimately our civilization will be doomed.” – Richard Branson
g Aftermath - Would ET vote? What effect will ET’s political philosophy have on ours once contact is made? See article. It’s an older piece but well worth the read.

Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future