Shock waves in planetary formation and the first extraterrestrial life we’ll likely find

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 tiny crystals in planet forming disks that indicate shock waves may play a role in planetary formation. The study sheds new light on the evolution of our own solar system. See article.
g Message -Just how does SETI work? Here’s a good primer for those looking to get a basic overview.
g Cosmicus -Being in space is like being Superman every day, says Clay Anderson, a NASA astronaut from Omaha, Neb. At the international space station, where he spent five months last year, he flew to breakfast, work and the bathroom. See article.
g Learning - The pilot-test of an NAI-supported curriculum entitled Astrobiology: An Integrated Science Approach will help kick-off the State of Maine's new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Initiative.
g Imagining -A scientist at Washington State University says the first extraterrestrial life we find is likely to be single-celled organisms surviving on a moon of Saturn, or in the atmosphere of Venus. See article.