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 - Astronomers have confirmed that the first directly observed extrasolar planet is orbiting a sun-like star. The planet is adding to our knowledge of how planetary systems form and can help astrobiologists better understand where to search for habitable worlds around distant stars. 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 Imagining - Like stories about efforts to communicate with alien? Then be sure to read Fred Hoyle’s “A for Andromeda” (1962). See article.
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Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Modifying Drake Equation to accommodate for intersteller messaging and outfitting the Curiosity rover
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Message - Should we modify the Drake Equation to account for civilizations which actually engage in deliberate interstellar transmission? See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA's Curiosity rover - part of the upcoming Mars Science Laboratory mission - has been outfitted with an onboard X-Ray instrument that will help scientists determine if Mars was once habitable for life. The mission is currently scheduled for launch in late 2011. See article.
g Aftermath - As we look toward exploring other worlds, and perhaps even bringing samples back to Earth for testing, astrobiologists have to wonder: could there be alien pathogens in those samples that will wreak havoc on our world? See article.
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g Message - Should we modify the Drake Equation to account for civilizations which actually engage in deliberate interstellar transmission? See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA's Curiosity rover - part of the upcoming Mars Science Laboratory mission - has been outfitted with an onboard X-Ray instrument that will help scientists determine if Mars was once habitable for life. The mission is currently scheduled for launch in late 2011. See article.
g Aftermath - As we look toward exploring other worlds, and perhaps even bringing samples back to Earth for testing, astrobiologists have to wonder: could there be alien pathogens in those samples that will wreak havoc on our world? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
How ancients recorded climate change and how SETI works
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 news keeps us constantly in tune with environmental disasters and their effects on Earth's climate and biosphere. How did past generations who didn´t have television or a camera depict those dramatic moments in living geologic history? Through art. See article.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? See article.
g Imagining - Here’s an interesting critical examination of science fiction aliens that’s worth reading: Gregory M. Pfitzer’s "The Only Good Alien Is a Dead Alien: Science Fiction and the Metaphysics of Indian-Hating on the High Frontier" in “Journal of American Culture” (Spring 1995). See reviews.
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g Abodes - The news keeps us constantly in tune with environmental disasters and their effects on Earth's climate and biosphere. How did past generations who didn´t have television or a camera depict those dramatic moments in living geologic history? Through art. See article.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? See article.
g Imagining - Here’s an interesting critical examination of science fiction aliens that’s worth reading: Gregory M. Pfitzer’s "The Only Good Alien Is a Dead Alien: Science Fiction and the Metaphysics of Indian-Hating on the High Frontier" in “Journal of American Culture” (Spring 1995). See reviews.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, June 27, 2011
A once habitable Mars and what if ET isn’t smart enough to contact us?
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 - New evidence supports theories that conditions favorable for life may have existed all over the surface of ancient Mars. ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have identified hydrated silicate minerals in the northern lowlands of Mars, indicating that water once flowed there. See article.
g Message - We often assume extraterrestrials will be smart enough to contact us. But what if they aren't? How do we find them then? See article.
g Imagining - Here’s an interesting critical examination of science fiction aliens that’s worth reading: Chapter 1, "Aliens and Alien Worlds," of John J. Pierce’s “Great Themes of Science Fiction (1987). See reviews.
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g Abodes - New evidence supports theories that conditions favorable for life may have existed all over the surface of ancient Mars. ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have identified hydrated silicate minerals in the northern lowlands of Mars, indicating that water once flowed there. See article.
g Message - We often assume extraterrestrials will be smart enough to contact us. But what if they aren't? How do we find them then? See article.
g Imagining - Here’s an interesting critical examination of science fiction aliens that’s worth reading: Chapter 1, "Aliens and Alien Worlds," of John J. Pierce’s “Great Themes of Science Fiction (1987). See reviews.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Did Venus begin as a habitable planet and does non-professional involvement in SETI science perpetuate hoaxes?
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 European Space Agency's Venus Express is helping planetary scientists investigate whether Venus once had oceans. If it did, it may even have begun its existence as a habitable planet similar to Earth. See article.
g Message - Non-professional involvement in SETI science, which is encouraged by the nonprofit SETI League, Inc., increases the opportunity for the perpetration of hoaxes. The SETI League has already been peripherally involved in three separate false claims of ETI contact. Two were simple cases of mistaken identity, easily rectified. But the third was an elaborate hoax perpetrated by an Internet hacker who broke into a closed signal verification e-mail list. Such claims call for a prompt but measured response, so as not to subject the SETI community to charges of complicity in conspiracy or cover-up activities. In this presentation SETI League Executive Director H. Paul Shuch explores the dilemma of encouraging grass-roots participation, while avoiding association with fraudulent and pseudo-scientific claims. See article.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien biologies/environments? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for the late Poul Anderson’s “The Byworlder” (1971), which examines metazoans, linked cilia and radial lifeforms. See reviews.
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g Abodes - The European Space Agency's Venus Express is helping planetary scientists investigate whether Venus once had oceans. If it did, it may even have begun its existence as a habitable planet similar to Earth. See article.
g Message - Non-professional involvement in SETI science, which is encouraged by the nonprofit SETI League, Inc., increases the opportunity for the perpetration of hoaxes. The SETI League has already been peripherally involved in three separate false claims of ETI contact. Two were simple cases of mistaken identity, easily rectified. But the third was an elaborate hoax perpetrated by an Internet hacker who broke into a closed signal verification e-mail list. Such claims call for a prompt but measured response, so as not to subject the SETI community to charges of complicity in conspiracy or cover-up activities. In this presentation SETI League Executive Director H. Paul Shuch explores the dilemma of encouraging grass-roots participation, while avoiding association with fraudulent and pseudo-scientific claims. See article.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien biologies/environments? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for the late Poul Anderson’s “The Byworlder” (1971), which examines metazoans, linked cilia and radial lifeforms. See reviews.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Superstorm detected in exoplanet’s atmosphere and Interstellar Messaging
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 - Astronomers have measured a “superstorm” in the atmosphere of an exoplanet for the first time. Such observations may pave the way for more precise observations of extrasolar planets, ultimately helping astrobiologists detect habitable worlds around distant stars. See article.
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 Aftermath - How might interested parties envisage the design of a human team to prepare for an encounter with aliens — and improve the operational guidelines for that eventuality? See article.
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g Abodes - Astronomers have measured a “superstorm” in the atmosphere of an exoplanet for the first time. Such observations may pave the way for more precise observations of extrasolar planets, ultimately helping astrobiologists detect habitable worlds around distant stars. See article.
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 Aftermath - How might interested parties envisage the design of a human team to prepare for an encounter with aliens — and improve the operational guidelines for that eventuality? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, June 24, 2011
What happens if the next signal turns out to be the real thing and astronauts learn how to do field science
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Life - A team of scientists and astronauts return this week to Pavilion Lake in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The scientists will be continuing their effort to understand what role biology plays in forming the strange structures that line the lakebed, while the astronauts will be learning how to do field science. See article.
g Message - What happens if the next signal turns out to be the real thing? What happens if the sender wants to talk? Will we know what to say? See article.
g Aftermath - Would dutiful American citizens trust the government to handle first contact with extraterrestrials and rush to get information to the public? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Life - A team of scientists and astronauts return this week to Pavilion Lake in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The scientists will be continuing their effort to understand what role biology plays in forming the strange structures that line the lakebed, while the astronauts will be learning how to do field science. See article.
g Message - What happens if the next signal turns out to be the real thing? What happens if the sender wants to talk? Will we know what to say? See article.
g Aftermath - Would dutiful American citizens trust the government to handle first contact with extraterrestrials and rush to get information to the public? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, June 23, 2011
One of the most complex organic molecules yet found in the interstellar medium and do world governments have secret plans for first contact
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Life - A team of scientists has succeeded in identifying one of the most complex organic molecules yet found in the interstellar medium. The findings will help astrobiologists understand the production of organic molecules in space and how these molecules could have played a role in the origin of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - The privatization of SETI has resulted in global participation in signal detection and analysis activities by a wide range of non-professionals. The SETI community welcomes this grass-roots support, every bit as much as the optical observing community honors the significant scientific contributions of the world's amateur astronomers. However, as SETI observatories spring up on college campuses and in home gardens worldwide, a need emerges for establishing rigorous signal verification protocols and stringent standards of proof. See article.
g Aftermath - Within the scientific community, the question is no longer whether extraterrestrial life exists, but if ET is smart enough to do long division — and the U.S. and other world governments already have detailed secret plans for first contact. My apologies in advanced for Popular Mechanic’s lurid title, but the reporting is sound; article.
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g Life - A team of scientists has succeeded in identifying one of the most complex organic molecules yet found in the interstellar medium. The findings will help astrobiologists understand the production of organic molecules in space and how these molecules could have played a role in the origin of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - The privatization of SETI has resulted in global participation in signal detection and analysis activities by a wide range of non-professionals. The SETI community welcomes this grass-roots support, every bit as much as the optical observing community honors the significant scientific contributions of the world's amateur astronomers. However, as SETI observatories spring up on college campuses and in home gardens worldwide, a need emerges for establishing rigorous signal verification protocols and stringent standards of proof. See article.
g Aftermath - Within the scientific community, the question is no longer whether extraterrestrial life exists, but if ET is smart enough to do long division — and the U.S. and other world governments already have detailed secret plans for first contact. My apologies in advanced for Popular Mechanic’s lurid title, but the reporting is sound; article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Planet-hunting telescopes and Pioneer’s messages to extraterrestrials
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 - Two planet-hunting telescopes - CoRoT and Kepler - are keeping astronomers hard at work cataloging far-distant planets that orbit other stars in our galaxy. The search for distant planets is essential for astrobiologists who are hunting for habitable, Earth-like worlds beyond our solar system. See article.
g Message - What do the Pioneer plaques that carry messages to extraterrestrials look like and say? See article.
g Imagining - Book alert: ”Extraterrestrials, Where Are They?”.
by Ben Zuckerman and Michael H. Hart (ed.) offers a critical analysis by leading experts in a range of sciences, of the plausibility that other intelligent life forms do exists. Exploration of the solar system, and observations with telescopes that probe deep space, have come up empty-handed in searches for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Many experts in the fields of astronomy, biology, chemistry and physics now argue that the evidence points to the conclusion that technological civilizations are rare. After 10 billion years and among hundreds of billions of stars, we may well possess the most advanced brains in the Milky Way. This second edition elucidates many new aspects of research on extraterrestrial intelligence life, specifically biological considerations of the question.
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g Abodes - Two planet-hunting telescopes - CoRoT and Kepler - are keeping astronomers hard at work cataloging far-distant planets that orbit other stars in our galaxy. The search for distant planets is essential for astrobiologists who are hunting for habitable, Earth-like worlds beyond our solar system. See article.
g Message - What do the Pioneer plaques that carry messages to extraterrestrials look like and say? See article.
g Imagining - Book alert: ”Extraterrestrials, Where Are They?”.
by Ben Zuckerman and Michael H. Hart (ed.) offers a critical analysis by leading experts in a range of sciences, of the plausibility that other intelligent life forms do exists. Exploration of the solar system, and observations with telescopes that probe deep space, have come up empty-handed in searches for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Many experts in the fields of astronomy, biology, chemistry and physics now argue that the evidence points to the conclusion that technological civilizations are rare. After 10 billion years and among hundreds of billions of stars, we may well possess the most advanced brains in the Milky Way. This second edition elucidates many new aspects of research on extraterrestrial intelligence life, specifically biological considerations of the question.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
How Earth stayed warm beneath a weaker sun and modifying the Drake Equation
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 - How did the Earth stay warm 3.8 billion years ago when the young sun was 30% weaker? It's a mystery scientists have long been trying to solve, and it may come down to global warming. Ancient warming on Earth can also provide important clues concerning modern climate change. See article.
g Message - Should we modify the Drake Equation to account for civilizations which actually engage in deliberate interstellar transmission? See article.
g Imagining - Is there life on other planets? If so, does it look like the monstrous thing Sigourney Weaver battled in the “Alien” movie blockbusters? Could you kiss it the way Captain Kirk was so fond of doing on “Star Trek”? Or, could it be related to your houseplant? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - How did the Earth stay warm 3.8 billion years ago when the young sun was 30% weaker? It's a mystery scientists have long been trying to solve, and it may come down to global warming. Ancient warming on Earth can also provide important clues concerning modern climate change. See article.
g Message - Should we modify the Drake Equation to account for civilizations which actually engage in deliberate interstellar transmission? See article.
g Imagining - Is there life on other planets? If so, does it look like the monstrous thing Sigourney Weaver battled in the “Alien” movie blockbusters? Could you kiss it the way Captain Kirk was so fond of doing on “Star Trek”? Or, could it be related to your houseplant? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, June 20, 2011
Messages we’ve sent to aliens and challenging our understanding of early Earth
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 - New findings challenge a theory that the cooling period known as the Younger Dryas was caused by an impact. What was previously thought to be geologic evidence of intense heating at the time has now been shown to be fossilized balls of fungus, charcoal and fecal pellets. See article.
g Message - Researchers writing in a recent issue of Nature 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 Aftermath - If we find other civilizations, what will we say to them? Crafting a message that represents Earth and humanity and can be understood by another life form is no minor endeavor. SETI Institute psychologist Douglas Vakoch has been charged with this formidable task, and has enlisted the help of mathematicians, artists, astronomers and anthropologists. Hear the messages he helped compose and learn about the thinking behind them here.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - New findings challenge a theory that the cooling period known as the Younger Dryas was caused by an impact. What was previously thought to be geologic evidence of intense heating at the time has now been shown to be fossilized balls of fungus, charcoal and fecal pellets. See article.
g Message - Researchers writing in a recent issue of Nature 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 Aftermath - If we find other civilizations, what will we say to them? Crafting a message that represents Earth and humanity and can be understood by another life form is no minor endeavor. SETI Institute psychologist Douglas Vakoch has been charged with this formidable task, and has enlisted the help of mathematicians, artists, astronomers and anthropologists. Hear the messages he helped compose and learn about the thinking behind them here.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, June 19, 2011
How guanine formed on ancient Earth and what the search for ETI tells about humanity
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Life - By adding ultraviolet light to a model prebiotic reaction, researchers have discovered a way to form guanine. Guanine is a building block of RNA and scientists previously had trouble determining a method by which the molecule could have formed on the ancient Earth. See article.
g Message - Here’s a good overview of Drake Equation — though the rest of the Web site itself is a bit suspect. See article.
g Aftermath - The search for extraterrestrial life grips the human imagination because it tells us about ourselves. See article.
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Saturday, June 18, 2011
Lunar water could exceed volume of Great Lakes and planetary protection measures
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 - New research from NASA-funded scientists indicates that the volume of water molecules locked inside the Moon´s interior could exceed the amount of water in the Great Lakes. Water on the Moon could be an important resource for future explorers beyond our planet. 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 - 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. See article.
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g Abodes - New research from NASA-funded scientists indicates that the volume of water molecules locked inside the Moon´s interior could exceed the amount of water in the Great Lakes. Water on the Moon could be an important resource for future explorers beyond our planet. 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 - 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. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, June 17, 2011
Evidence for Europan life on icy surface and the downside of not contacting ETI
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 - Jupiter's moon Europa has a salty ocean where life could exist. A thick ice shell separates the ocean from our exploration vehicles, and it´s not known how far down we´d need to drill. But why drill at all, when evidence for life could be lying right on the surface? See article.
g Message - There are two interconnected, inverse and direct, problems in concept of extraterrestrial intelligence – Search for ETI by terrestrial intelligence and Messages to ETI from terrestrial intelligence. The key element of SETI is the Object of search, namely Universe, where we hope to detect the ETI and then to decode theirs Messages, and so the essence of SETI is Space Science. In turn, the key element of METI is the intellectual Subject, who creates new messages for potential ETI and hope that They will detect and perceive these Messages, and so the essence of METI is Space Art. Of course, both SETI and METI have both scientific and art components, but it’s important to underline that dominant of SETI is Science, and dominant of METI is Art. Also, the Messages for ETI might content both terrestrial knowledge and art, however scientific objective laws, known to terrestrials probably similar to ETI one, in turn the terrestrial subjective Art is unique and definitely unknown to ETI. See article.
g Aftermath - Here’s an intriguing essay that discusses what might happen if we do too little to contact extraterrestrials; as the authors argue, “…skepticism regarding SETI is at best unfounded and at worst can seriously damage the long-term prospects of humanity. If ETIs exist, no matter whether friendly or adversarial (or even beyond such simple distinctions), they are relevant for our future. To neglect this is contrary to the basic tenets of transhumanism. To appreciate this, it is only sufficient to imagine the consequences of SETI success for any aspect of transhumanist interests, and then to affirm that such a success can only be achieved without trying if they come to us, which would obviously mean that we are hopelessly lagging in the race for galactic colonization.” See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Jupiter's moon Europa has a salty ocean where life could exist. A thick ice shell separates the ocean from our exploration vehicles, and it´s not known how far down we´d need to drill. But why drill at all, when evidence for life could be lying right on the surface? See article.
g Message - There are two interconnected, inverse and direct, problems in concept of extraterrestrial intelligence – Search for ETI by terrestrial intelligence and Messages to ETI from terrestrial intelligence. The key element of SETI is the Object of search, namely Universe, where we hope to detect the ETI and then to decode theirs Messages, and so the essence of SETI is Space Science. In turn, the key element of METI is the intellectual Subject, who creates new messages for potential ETI and hope that They will detect and perceive these Messages, and so the essence of METI is Space Art. Of course, both SETI and METI have both scientific and art components, but it’s important to underline that dominant of SETI is Science, and dominant of METI is Art. Also, the Messages for ETI might content both terrestrial knowledge and art, however scientific objective laws, known to terrestrials probably similar to ETI one, in turn the terrestrial subjective Art is unique and definitely unknown to ETI. See article.
g Aftermath - Here’s an intriguing essay that discusses what might happen if we do too little to contact extraterrestrials; as the authors argue, “…skepticism regarding SETI is at best unfounded and at worst can seriously damage the long-term prospects of humanity. If ETIs exist, no matter whether friendly or adversarial (or even beyond such simple distinctions), they are relevant for our future. To neglect this is contrary to the basic tenets of transhumanism. To appreciate this, it is only sufficient to imagine the consequences of SETI success for any aspect of transhumanist interests, and then to affirm that such a success can only be achieved without trying if they come to us, which would obviously mean that we are hopelessly lagging in the race for galactic colonization.” See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Ocean once covered third of Mars and what happens if the next signal turns out to be the real thing?
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 - A new study shows that a vast ocean likely covered one-third of the surface of Mars 3.5 billion years ago. If liquid water was present on ancient Mars, it is possible that habitats for life persisted as well. See article.
g Message - What happens if the next signal turns out to be the real thing? What happens if the sender wants to talk? Will we know what to say? See article.
g Aftermath - Would dutiful American citizens trust the government to handle first contact with extraterrestrials and rush to get information to the public? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - A new study shows that a vast ocean likely covered one-third of the surface of Mars 3.5 billion years ago. If liquid water was present on ancient Mars, it is possible that habitats for life persisted as well. See article.
g Message - What happens if the next signal turns out to be the real thing? What happens if the sender wants to talk? Will we know what to say? See article.
g Aftermath - Would dutiful American citizens trust the government to handle first contact with extraterrestrials and rush to get information to the public? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Exoplanet detected transiting host star and the case for Active SETI
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 - For the first time, astronomers have been able to directly follow the motion of an exoplanet as it moves to the other side of its host star. The study is helping astronomers perfect techniques that will help in the search for habitable extrasolar planets. See article.
g Message - Recent discussions within the SETI community have thoroughly explored the issue of whether people with access to radio telescopes should send powerful signals to alien civilizations without some process of prior international consultation. In particular, those exchanges have focused on the question of "Active SETI." See article.
g Aftermath - While most depictions of extraterrestrials are confined to science fiction, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that some form of alien life exists somewhere in the universe, according to a new survey. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - For the first time, astronomers have been able to directly follow the motion of an exoplanet as it moves to the other side of its host star. The study is helping astronomers perfect techniques that will help in the search for habitable extrasolar planets. See article.
g Message - Recent discussions within the SETI community have thoroughly explored the issue of whether people with access to radio telescopes should send powerful signals to alien civilizations without some process of prior international consultation. In particular, those exchanges have focused on the question of "Active SETI." See article.
g Aftermath - While most depictions of extraterrestrials are confined to science fiction, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that some form of alien life exists somewhere in the universe, according to a new survey. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Modifying the Drake Equation and evidence of humanity’s first induced climate change
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 - New research shows that the climate change of 12,000 years ago could have been the first catastrophic climate event attributed to humans. In modern times, humans are continuing to have profound effects on our planet, from wildfires to dramatic weather. See article.
g Message - Should we modify the Drake Equation to account for civilizations which actually engage in deliberate interstellar transmission? See article.
g Imagining - Is there life on other planets? If so, does it look like the monstrous thing Sigourney Weaver battled in the “Alien” movie blockbusters? Could you kiss it the way Captain Kirk was so fond of doing on “Star Trek”? Or, could it be related to your houseplant? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - New research shows that the climate change of 12,000 years ago could have been the first catastrophic climate event attributed to humans. In modern times, humans are continuing to have profound effects on our planet, from wildfires to dramatic weather. See article.
g Message - Should we modify the Drake Equation to account for civilizations which actually engage in deliberate interstellar transmission? See article.
g Imagining - Is there life on other planets? If so, does it look like the monstrous thing Sigourney Weaver battled in the “Alien” movie blockbusters? Could you kiss it the way Captain Kirk was so fond of doing on “Star Trek”? Or, could it be related to your houseplant? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, June 13, 2011
Why ETI prefers radio and how comets delivered important materials to early Earth
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 - A new theory suggests that many comets, including ones like Halley and Hale-Bopp, may have been formed around other stars before traveling to our solar system. Understanding the origin of comets can help us understand how these objects from space may have played a role in delivering materials to the early Earth. See article.
g Message - Researchers writing in a recent issue of Nature 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 report from NPR about the conclusions.
g Aftermath - If we find other civilizations, what will we say to them? Crafting a message that represents Earth and humanity and can be understood by another life form is no minor endeavor. SETI Institute psychologist Douglas Vakoch has been charged with this formidable task, and has enlisted the help of mathematicians, artists, astronomers and anthropologists. Hear the messages he helped compose and learn about the thinking behind them article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - A new theory suggests that many comets, including ones like Halley and Hale-Bopp, may have been formed around other stars before traveling to our solar system. Understanding the origin of comets can help us understand how these objects from space may have played a role in delivering materials to the early Earth. See article.
g Message - Researchers writing in a recent issue of Nature 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 report from NPR about the conclusions.
g Aftermath - If we find other civilizations, what will we say to them? Crafting a message that represents Earth and humanity and can be understood by another life form is no minor endeavor. SETI Institute psychologist Douglas Vakoch has been charged with this formidable task, and has enlisted the help of mathematicians, artists, astronomers and anthropologists. Hear the messages he helped compose and learn about the thinking behind them article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, June 12, 2011
How asteroids affected origin of life and would aliens have language?
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Message - After its long voyage from Earth across the vast stretches of interstellar space, the space ship finally lands on a planet with an environment compatible with human life. The human space voyagers descend from their ship and encounter a race of intelligent beings native to the planet. Communication is soon established between the two groups, human and alien, of intelligent beings. So might begin a story in the contemporary science fiction genre. Such stories might not seem to have much to do with the question of the nature of language, but there is one aspect of the story that merits our attention, namely, the fact that communication is established. That in itself is remarkable. In real life humans have never succeeded in establishing communication with any other species, at least not in establishing communication in the same way as they do with alien beings in many science fiction stories. In such stories it is often possible to communicate with the aliens as effectively as with a human group who speak another language. Are we to say, then, that these alien beings have language? See article.
g Cosmicus - The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency is expecting the delivery of a sample return capsule from the near-Earth asteroid, Itokawa. The samples could help astrobiologists understand the role of asteroids in delivering materials to Earth that were important in the origin of life. See article.
g Aftermath - While most depictions of extraterrestrials are confined to science fiction, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that some form of alien life exists somewhere in the universe, according to a new survey. See article.
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g Message - After its long voyage from Earth across the vast stretches of interstellar space, the space ship finally lands on a planet with an environment compatible with human life. The human space voyagers descend from their ship and encounter a race of intelligent beings native to the planet. Communication is soon established between the two groups, human and alien, of intelligent beings. So might begin a story in the contemporary science fiction genre. Such stories might not seem to have much to do with the question of the nature of language, but there is one aspect of the story that merits our attention, namely, the fact that communication is established. That in itself is remarkable. In real life humans have never succeeded in establishing communication with any other species, at least not in establishing communication in the same way as they do with alien beings in many science fiction stories. In such stories it is often possible to communicate with the aliens as effectively as with a human group who speak another language. Are we to say, then, that these alien beings have language? See article.
g Cosmicus - The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency is expecting the delivery of a sample return capsule from the near-Earth asteroid, Itokawa. The samples could help astrobiologists understand the role of asteroids in delivering materials to Earth that were important in the origin of life. See article.
g Aftermath - While most depictions of extraterrestrials are confined to science fiction, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that some form of alien life exists somewhere in the universe, according to a new survey. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Distant solar systems in the making and first contact science fiction
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - For the first time, astronomers have observed distant solar systems in the making in great detail. The work provides an unprecedented view into the processes that give rise to stars and plants, and could help astrobiologists narrow the search for habitable planets. See article.
g Message - Here’s a good overview of the Drake Equation — though the rest of the Web site itself is a bit suspect.
g Aftermath - Looking for some interesting reading on “first contact”? Try the science fiction anthology “First Contact,” edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Larry Segriff. The book came out in 1997. Here’s a review (though it’s less than flattering).
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g Stars - For the first time, astronomers have observed distant solar systems in the making in great detail. The work provides an unprecedented view into the processes that give rise to stars and plants, and could help astrobiologists narrow the search for habitable planets. See article.
g Message - Here’s a good overview of the Drake Equation — though the rest of the Web site itself is a bit suspect.
g Aftermath - Looking for some interesting reading on “first contact”? Try the science fiction anthology “First Contact,” edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Larry Segriff. The book came out in 1997. Here’s a review (though it’s less than flattering).
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, June 10, 2011
Io as a potential spot for life and Fermi Paradox circa 1890
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 - Jupiter´s moon Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system. Could it also be a habitat for life? See article.
g Message - A number of searches for extraterrestrial intelligence actually have occurred, are ongoing and are planned. Here’s one of the more famous ones: Project BETA, at Harvard University. See article.
g Aftermath - It was not suggested outside of science fiction—and there only after the 1890s—that extraterrestrials might come to Earth, except for a few believers in interplanetary spirit travel by mortals (an idea now well established among occultists). Among these was the well-known Belgian writer Maurice Maeterlinck, who, in what was perhaps the earliest conception of ETs as “gods from outer space,” reasoned that since no beings from other worlds have used their advanced science to abolish suffering on Earth, “Is there not reason to fear that we are forever alone in the universe, and that no other world has ever been more intelligent or better than our own?” But this, the first serious “Where are they?” argument, was not known to the general public and in any case would not have carried weight, since it depended on the concept of disembodied spirits. Physical contact between worlds was not thought possible outside of fiction. See article.
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g Abodes - Jupiter´s moon Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system. Could it also be a habitat for life? See article.
g Message - A number of searches for extraterrestrial intelligence actually have occurred, are ongoing and are planned. Here’s one of the more famous ones: Project BETA, at Harvard University. See article.
g Aftermath - It was not suggested outside of science fiction—and there only after the 1890s—that extraterrestrials might come to Earth, except for a few believers in interplanetary spirit travel by mortals (an idea now well established among occultists). Among these was the well-known Belgian writer Maurice Maeterlinck, who, in what was perhaps the earliest conception of ETs as “gods from outer space,” reasoned that since no beings from other worlds have used their advanced science to abolish suffering on Earth, “Is there not reason to fear that we are forever alone in the universe, and that no other world has ever been more intelligent or better than our own?” But this, the first serious “Where are they?” argument, was not known to the general public and in any case would not have carried weight, since it depended on the concept of disembodied spirits. Physical contact between worlds was not thought possible outside of fiction. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, June 09, 2011
How Type II and III civilizations might communicate with us and which government agency is in charge of first contact?
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 Earth and Moon may have been formed much later than previously believed. Understanding the history and formation of the Earth is important in determining the potential for habitable worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Message - Interstellar transmissions via energy-markers (photons) or matter-markers (probes) appear to be energetically indistinguishable alternatives for advanced technical societies. Since only Type II and Type III civilizations realistically can afford beacons or star probe technology, alternative distinguishability criteria suggest the possible superiority of intelligent artifacts for contact and communication missions among extraterrestrial cultures. A balanced, more cost-effective Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence strategy is needed. See article.
g Aftermath - When an alien lands on the White House lawn, who should greet him (her? it?): Someone from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, or someone from the Fish and Wildlife Commission? What rights would an extraterrestrial have? See article.
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g Abodes - The Earth and Moon may have been formed much later than previously believed. Understanding the history and formation of the Earth is important in determining the potential for habitable worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Message - Interstellar transmissions via energy-markers (photons) or matter-markers (probes) appear to be energetically indistinguishable alternatives for advanced technical societies. Since only Type II and Type III civilizations realistically can afford beacons or star probe technology, alternative distinguishability criteria suggest the possible superiority of intelligent artifacts for contact and communication missions among extraterrestrial cultures. A balanced, more cost-effective Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence strategy is needed. See article.
g Aftermath - When an alien lands on the White House lawn, who should greet him (her? it?): Someone from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, or someone from the Fish and Wildlife Commission? What rights would an extraterrestrial have? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Arctic spring mimics past Martian environment and ‘Physics and Biology in an Open Universe’
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 - Scientists have discovered methane-eating bacteria that survive in a highly unique spring located on a remote island in northern Canada. In some ways, the spring could be similar to environments on past or present Mars. See article.
g Message - Here’s a classic essay by physicist Freeman J. Dyson: "Time Without End: Physics and Biology in an Open Universe," part of which examines "the problem of communication between two societies separated by a large distance in the open universe." Note: This is article is very technical. See article.
g Cosmicus - A new computer model could help researchers develop better wind-powered “tumbleweed” rovers for use on Mars. Such rovers could provide an energy-efficient way of exploring the Martian surface and gathering further data concerning the potential for past or present life on Mars. See article.
.
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g Abodes - Scientists have discovered methane-eating bacteria that survive in a highly unique spring located on a remote island in northern Canada. In some ways, the spring could be similar to environments on past or present Mars. See article.
g Message - Here’s a classic essay by physicist Freeman J. Dyson: "Time Without End: Physics and Biology in an Open Universe," part of which examines "the problem of communication between two societies separated by a large distance in the open universe." Note: This is article is very technical. See article.
g Cosmicus - A new computer model could help researchers develop better wind-powered “tumbleweed” rovers for use on Mars. Such rovers could provide an energy-efficient way of exploring the Martian surface and gathering further data concerning the potential for past or present life on Mars. See article.
.
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Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Habitable region of Mars and technology to find ETI
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 - NASA´s Phoenix lander revealed water ice mere inches beneath the Martian surface, and chemical evidence from the landing site strongly hints that the region is habitable. But learning whether there is life in Martian ice will require drilling and drilling on Mars will be anything but easy. See article.
g Message - We probably already have the technology to find evidence of extraterrestrial life forms and to even send out evidence of our own. If we don't have this capability yet, we certainly will have achieved it within 15 years. See article.
g Cosmicus - In “Leaves of Grass,” famed poet Walt Whitman wrote of a "strange huge meteor-procession." Now, using forensic astronomy, researchers may have rediscovered one of the most famous celestial events of Whitman's day. See article.
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g Abodes - NASA´s Phoenix lander revealed water ice mere inches beneath the Martian surface, and chemical evidence from the landing site strongly hints that the region is habitable. But learning whether there is life in Martian ice will require drilling and drilling on Mars will be anything but easy. See article.
g Message - We probably already have the technology to find evidence of extraterrestrial life forms and to even send out evidence of our own. If we don't have this capability yet, we certainly will have achieved it within 15 years. See article.
g Cosmicus - In “Leaves of Grass,” famed poet Walt Whitman wrote of a "strange huge meteor-procession." Now, using forensic astronomy, researchers may have rediscovered one of the most famous celestial events of Whitman's day. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, June 06, 2011
Titan’s methane-based life and why Fermi Paradox is a logical fallacy
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 - New analysis of complex chemical activity on Titan is raising questions about the potential for primitive, exotic life on the Saturnian moon. According to one theory, the chemical signatures fulfill two important conditions necessary for a hypothesized “methane-based life.” See article.
g Message - Here’s an intriguing piece: “There is No Fermi Paradox.” The "Fermi Paradox," an argument that extraterrestrial intelligence cannot exist because it has not yet been observed, is a logical fallacy. This "paradox" is a formally invalid inference, both because it requires modal operators lying outside the first-order propositional calculus and because it is unsupported by the observational record. See article.
g Cosmicus - Modern space telescopes and ground-based telescopes provide a wealth of data for astronomers. Like Galileo discovering Jupiter's moons, scientists today hunt the skies for new and mysterious objects. See article.
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g Abodes - New analysis of complex chemical activity on Titan is raising questions about the potential for primitive, exotic life on the Saturnian moon. According to one theory, the chemical signatures fulfill two important conditions necessary for a hypothesized “methane-based life.” See article.
g Message - Here’s an intriguing piece: “There is No Fermi Paradox.” The "Fermi Paradox," an argument that extraterrestrial intelligence cannot exist because it has not yet been observed, is a logical fallacy. This "paradox" is a formally invalid inference, both because it requires modal operators lying outside the first-order propositional calculus and because it is unsupported by the observational record. See article.
g Cosmicus - Modern space telescopes and ground-based telescopes provide a wealth of data for astronomers. Like Galileo discovering Jupiter's moons, scientists today hunt the skies for new and mysterious objects. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, June 05, 2011
Potential for habitable planets around Gliese 581 and optical vs. radio SETI
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Astronomers are providing new information about the potential for habitable planets in the Gliese 581 system. New data shows that the system's host star, Gliese 581, is relatively quiet. This increases the chances that one of the planets in the system could support environments for life as we know it. 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 Cosmicus - A space flight by microscopic worms could help humans overcome the health threats posed by space travel. See article.
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g Stars - Astronomers are providing new information about the potential for habitable planets in the Gliese 581 system. New data shows that the system's host star, Gliese 581, is relatively quiet. This increases the chances that one of the planets in the system could support environments for life as we know it. 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 Cosmicus - A space flight by microscopic worms could help humans overcome the health threats posed by space travel. See article.
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Saturday, June 04, 2011
NASA’s new astrobiology projects and designing a human team to prepare for an encounter with aliens
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Message - The privatization of SETI has resulted in global participation in signal detection and analysis activities by a wide range of non-professionals. The SETI community welcomes this grass-roots support, every bit as much as the optical observing community honors the significant scientific contributions of the world's amateur astronomers. However, as SETI observatories spring up on college campuses and in home gardens worldwide, a need emerges for establishing rigorous signal verification protocols and stringent standards of proof. See article.
g Cosmicus - The NASA Astrobiology Science & Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP) program has announced a set of new projects to develop and test technologies that will enable the astrobiological exploration of the Solar System. By exploring Earth's extreme environments, astrobiologists advance the search for life on other planets. See article.
g Aftermath - How might interested parties envisage the design of a human team to prepare for an encounter with aliens — and improve the operational guidelines for that eventuality? See article.
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g Message - The privatization of SETI has resulted in global participation in signal detection and analysis activities by a wide range of non-professionals. The SETI community welcomes this grass-roots support, every bit as much as the optical observing community honors the significant scientific contributions of the world's amateur astronomers. However, as SETI observatories spring up on college campuses and in home gardens worldwide, a need emerges for establishing rigorous signal verification protocols and stringent standards of proof. See article.
g Cosmicus - The NASA Astrobiology Science & Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP) program has announced a set of new projects to develop and test technologies that will enable the astrobiological exploration of the Solar System. By exploring Earth's extreme environments, astrobiologists advance the search for life on other planets. See article.
g Aftermath - How might interested parties envisage the design of a human team to prepare for an encounter with aliens — and improve the operational guidelines for that eventuality? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, June 03, 2011
Challenges of communicating with aliens and biochemical circuit created from scratch
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 - NASA's next Mars rover will carry two digital color cameras on its mast, showing the surface of Mars in exquisite detail. The Curiosity rover is being prepared for launch later this year. On Mars, Curiosity will help astrobiologists study the potential for past or present life. See article.
g Cosmicus - Researchers have built the most complex biochemical circuit ever created from scratch, made with DNA-based devices in a test tube that are analogous to the electronic transistors on a computer chip. See article.
g Aftermath - What are the challenges to comprehension in initiating and maintaining strategic dialogue in highly uncertain situations — such as with extraterrestrials? See article.
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g Abodes - NASA's next Mars rover will carry two digital color cameras on its mast, showing the surface of Mars in exquisite detail. The Curiosity rover is being prepared for launch later this year. On Mars, Curiosity will help astrobiologists study the potential for past or present life. See article.
g Cosmicus - Researchers have built the most complex biochemical circuit ever created from scratch, made with DNA-based devices in a test tube that are analogous to the electronic transistors on a computer chip. See article.
g Aftermath - What are the challenges to comprehension in initiating and maintaining strategic dialogue in highly uncertain situations — such as with extraterrestrials? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, June 02, 2011
An argument against the Fermi Paradox and recollections of a planet-hunting pioneer
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Life - A new study reveals bacterial genes that influence sulfur gas flux from seawater. The research could have implications for understanding the role of ocean bacteria in cloud formation. See article.
g Message - The assertion that extraterrestrial intelligences do not exist, based on the apparent contradictions inherent in the Fermi Paradox, rests upon an unproven and untenable presumption: That ETI are not now present in the Solar System. The current observational status of the Solar System is insufficient to support the assumption that ETI are not here. Most advanced civilizations also would be either invisible or unrecognizable using current human observational methods, so millions of advanced societies may exist and still not be directly detectable by us. Thus the Fermi Paradox cannot logically be raised as an objection to the existence of ETI until these major observational deficiencies have been corrected. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronomers have found hundreds of planets orbiting far-distant stars, but the road to discovery has been rough, and often led to dead-ends. Geoff Marcy, a planet-hunting pioneer, stomped a few miles down this road at a recent exoplanet symposium. See article.
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g Life - A new study reveals bacterial genes that influence sulfur gas flux from seawater. The research could have implications for understanding the role of ocean bacteria in cloud formation. See article.
g Message - The assertion that extraterrestrial intelligences do not exist, based on the apparent contradictions inherent in the Fermi Paradox, rests upon an unproven and untenable presumption: That ETI are not now present in the Solar System. The current observational status of the Solar System is insufficient to support the assumption that ETI are not here. Most advanced civilizations also would be either invisible or unrecognizable using current human observational methods, so millions of advanced societies may exist and still not be directly detectable by us. Thus the Fermi Paradox cannot logically be raised as an objection to the existence of ETI until these major observational deficiencies have been corrected. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronomers have found hundreds of planets orbiting far-distant stars, but the road to discovery has been rough, and often led to dead-ends. Geoff Marcy, a planet-hunting pioneer, stomped a few miles down this road at a recent exoplanet symposium. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Four percent of galaxies similar to ours and Optical SETI
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - New research shows that only four percent of galaxies are similar to the Milky Way. See article.
g Life - A new synchrotron X-ray technique could revolutionize chemical analysis of rare materials like meteoric rock samples and fossils. In doing so, astrobiologists could get a new glimpse into the origins and evolution of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - For many years the microwave Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence held the spotlight, while the number of optical SETI observatories on this planet could be counted on the thumbs of one hand. Since a recent Optical SETI Conference, however, that has begun to change, with optical SETI finally emerging into the scientific mainstream. Advancing technology is only partly responsible for OSETI's change of fortune. See article.
g Cosmicus - Advanced textiles could the key to making human Mars missions a reality. Human explorers on Mars could play a major role in the search for signs of past or present life on the red planet. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - New research shows that only four percent of galaxies are similar to the Milky Way. See article.
g Life - A new synchrotron X-ray technique could revolutionize chemical analysis of rare materials like meteoric rock samples and fossils. In doing so, astrobiologists could get a new glimpse into the origins and evolution of life on Earth. See article.
g Message - For many years the microwave Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence held the spotlight, while the number of optical SETI observatories on this planet could be counted on the thumbs of one hand. Since a recent Optical SETI Conference, however, that has begun to change, with optical SETI finally emerging into the scientific mainstream. Advancing technology is only partly responsible for OSETI's change of fortune. See article.
g Cosmicus - Advanced textiles could the key to making human Mars missions a reality. Human explorers on Mars could play a major role in the search for signs of past or present life on the red planet. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
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