Thursday, May 27, 2010

Phoenix Lander dies and would your neighbors wig our if first contact were made?

Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - The search for life on other planets focuses on water, but researchers argue that – judging from our own planet – a large fraction of water conditions may be inhospitable to life. See article.
g Life - It's been 30 years since Mother Nature kicked off an experiment in creative destruction at Mount St. Helens, and today the volcano serves as a prime example of how life adapts to changing conditions. See article.
g Message - Whenever the director of SETI research presents a public lecture, she can almost guarantee that “What If everybody is listening and nobody is transmitting?” will be one of the questions the audience asks. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
g Cosmicus - NASA's Phoenix mission has ended operations after repeated attempts to contact the lander were unsuccessful. A new image from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows that Phoenix's solar panels may have suffered severe ice damage during the cold, dark winter. See article.
g Learning - David Morrison has joined the SETI Institute staff as the Director of the Carl Sagan Center for Study of Life in the Universe. See article.
g Aftermath - Imagine that tomorrow morning scientists tell the world they've found evidence for a colony of aliens living only 35 million miles from Earth. Do you think your neighbors would wig out - stocking up on Ramen noodles, and secluding themselves and the family schnauzer in the basement? Or do you believe most folks would simply mutter "whatever," and go back to checking out new Facebook friends? See article.

Get your SF book manuscript edited


Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future