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 analysis of radar data has revealed regional variations in the sand dunes of Saturn's moon Titan. See article.
g Intelligence - Memories in our brains are maintained by connections between neurons called "synapses." But how do these synapses stay strong and keep memories alive for decades? Neuroscientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have discovered a major clue from a study in fruit flies: Hardy, self-copying clusters or oligomers of a synapse protein are an essential ingredient for the formation of long-term memory. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. While the Planetary Lake Lander (PLL) is positioned in its summer home, researchers study the geology of the Leguna Negra basin. See article.
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Clues about alien life in underwater caves and graphene’s superpermeability
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 developed a new method to measure cold plasma above the Earth, and have revealed more cold, charged ions in Earth’s upper altitudes than previously imagined. See article.
g Life - Discoveries made in some underwater caves by Texas &M University at Galveston researchers in the Bahamas could provide clues about how ocean life formed on Earth millions of years ago, and perhaps give hints of what types of marine life could be found on distant planets and moons. See article.
g Cosmicus - Wonder material graphene has revealed another of its extraordinary properties - University of Manchester researchers have found that it is superpermeable with respect to water. See article.
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g Abodes - Scientists have developed a new method to measure cold plasma above the Earth, and have revealed more cold, charged ions in Earth’s upper altitudes than previously imagined. See article.
g Life - Discoveries made in some underwater caves by Texas &M University at Galveston researchers in the Bahamas could provide clues about how ocean life formed on Earth millions of years ago, and perhaps give hints of what types of marine life could be found on distant planets and moons. See article.
g Cosmicus - Wonder material graphene has revealed another of its extraordinary properties - University of Manchester researchers have found that it is superpermeable with respect to water. See article.
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Sunday, January 29, 2012
Origin of life’s building blocks and when humans left Africa
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 - Geologists have determined that a half-mile-wide crater in California's Death Valley was formed by a volcanic explosion much more recently than previously thought. Their research also indicates that another, similar explosion could still occur at the site. See article.
g Life - A new study is helping to establish the origin of the carbohydrates that form the building blocks of life. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study, using genetic analysis to look for clues about human migration over sixty thousand years ago, suggests that the first modern humans settled in Arabia on their way from the Horn of Africa to the rest of the world. See article.
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g Abodes - Geologists have determined that a half-mile-wide crater in California's Death Valley was formed by a volcanic explosion much more recently than previously thought. Their research also indicates that another, similar explosion could still occur at the site. See article.
g Life - A new study is helping to establish the origin of the carbohydrates that form the building blocks of life. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study, using genetic analysis to look for clues about human migration over sixty thousand years ago, suggests that the first modern humans settled in Arabia on their way from the Horn of Africa to the rest of the world. See article.
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Saturday, January 28, 2012
Kepler discovers 11 new planetary systems and how viruses evolve
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 Kepler mission has discovered 11 new planetary systems hosting 26 confirmed planets. The discoveries nearly double the number of verified planets and provide new data in the search for habitable, extrasolar worlds. See article.
g Life - Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have demonstrated how a new virus evolves, shedding light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations. The findings appear in the current issue of the journal Science. See article.
g Cosmicus - Physicists have built an accurate model of part of the Solar System inside a single atom. See article.
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g Abodes - NASA’s Kepler mission has discovered 11 new planetary systems hosting 26 confirmed planets. The discoveries nearly double the number of verified planets and provide new data in the search for habitable, extrasolar worlds. See article.
g Life - Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have demonstrated how a new virus evolves, shedding light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations. The findings appear in the current issue of the journal Science. See article.
g Cosmicus - Physicists have built an accurate model of part of the Solar System inside a single atom. See article.
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Friday, January 27, 2012
Origin of life’s building blocks and exploring the lakes of Titan
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 offers insight into how a massive volcanic eruption in Russia could have contributed to the greatest mass extinction known on Earth. See article.
g Life - Organic chemists at the University of York have made a significant advance towards establishing the origin of the carbohydrates (sugars) that form the building blocks of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
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g Abodes - New research offers insight into how a massive volcanic eruption in Russia could have contributed to the greatest mass extinction known on Earth. See article.
g Life - Organic chemists at the University of York have made a significant advance towards establishing the origin of the carbohydrates (sugars) that form the building blocks of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Pluto with rings and atomic X-ray laser
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 - Like other bodies in the outer Solar System, Pluto may have have rings orbiting it. Finding these rings could be important for the safety of NASA's New Horizons mission - currently en route to the tiny world. See article.
g Life - Since its discovery 150 years ago, scientists have puzzled over whether the winged dinosaur Archaeopteryx represents the missing link in birds' evolution to powered flight. Much of the debate has focused on the iconic creature's wings and the mystery of whether - and how well - it could fly. See article.
g Intelligence - A 33,000-year-old dog skull unearthed in a Siberian mountain cave presents some of the oldest known evidence of dog domestication and, together with an equally ancient find in a cave in Belgium, indicates that modern dogs may be descended from multiple ancestors. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists working at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created the shortest, purest X-ray laser pulses ever achieved, fulfilling a 45-year-old prediction and opening the door to a new range of scientific discovery. See article.
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g Abodes - Like other bodies in the outer Solar System, Pluto may have have rings orbiting it. Finding these rings could be important for the safety of NASA's New Horizons mission - currently en route to the tiny world. See article.
g Life - Since its discovery 150 years ago, scientists have puzzled over whether the winged dinosaur Archaeopteryx represents the missing link in birds' evolution to powered flight. Much of the debate has focused on the iconic creature's wings and the mystery of whether - and how well - it could fly. See article.
g Intelligence - A 33,000-year-old dog skull unearthed in a Siberian mountain cave presents some of the oldest known evidence of dog domestication and, together with an equally ancient find in a cave in Belgium, indicates that modern dogs may be descended from multiple ancestors. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists working at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created the shortest, purest X-ray laser pulses ever achieved, fulfilling a 45-year-old prediction and opening the door to a new range of scientific discovery. See article.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Life’s respiration within ice and a history of Martian rover advancement
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 - In July 2011, a rare Martian meteorite fell to Earth - the first in about 50 years. The meteorite could hold clues to the history of the Martian environment and the potential for life on the red planet. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that two types of bacterium found at the bottom of glaciers show signs of respiration while living in ice. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA Mars rovers have come a long way in terms of size and capability since the rebirth of Red Planet surface exploration just 15 years ago – spanning from 1997 to 2012. NASA's newest rover, Curiosity, is scheduled to touch down on Mars in August. See article.
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g Abodes - In July 2011, a rare Martian meteorite fell to Earth - the first in about 50 years. The meteorite could hold clues to the history of the Martian environment and the potential for life on the red planet. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that two types of bacterium found at the bottom of glaciers show signs of respiration while living in ice. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA Mars rovers have come a long way in terms of size and capability since the rebirth of Red Planet surface exploration just 15 years ago – spanning from 1997 to 2012. NASA's newest rover, Curiosity, is scheduled to touch down on Mars in August. See article.
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Modeling clouds of Earth’s past to better understand alien worlds and mysterious ring of carbon monoxide gas orbits young star
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 have detected a mysterious ring of carbon monoxide gas around a young star. The ring is part of the star's planet-forming disk and it lies at a distance similar to that of the Earth from the Sun. See article.
g Abodes - The pattern of clouds on Earth is largely determined by the arrangement of the continents below. Now, astronomers are modeling the clouds at different periods in Earth’s past to better understand what alien worlds might look like. See article.
g Life - More than half of the 19,232 species newly known to science in 2009, the most recent calendar year of compilation, were insects - 9,738 or 50.6 percent - according to the 2011 State of Observed Species report released Jan. 18 by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University. See article.
g Cosmicus - Last summer, scientists observed a comet as it flew into the Sun. The comet's scorching end provided a new way to estimate the size and mass of these objects. See article.
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g Stars - Astronomers have detected a mysterious ring of carbon monoxide gas around a young star. The ring is part of the star's planet-forming disk and it lies at a distance similar to that of the Earth from the Sun. See article.
g Abodes - The pattern of clouds on Earth is largely determined by the arrangement of the continents below. Now, astronomers are modeling the clouds at different periods in Earth’s past to better understand what alien worlds might look like. See article.
g Life - More than half of the 19,232 species newly known to science in 2009, the most recent calendar year of compilation, were insects - 9,738 or 50.6 percent - according to the 2011 State of Observed Species report released Jan. 18 by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University. See article.
g Cosmicus - Last summer, scientists observed a comet as it flew into the Sun. The comet's scorching end provided a new way to estimate the size and mass of these objects. See article.
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Monday, January 23, 2012
How mechanisms crucial to life might have arisen and no element is unique to Moon anymore
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 last mineral thought to have been unique to the Moon has been discovered in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. See article.
g Life - Scientists have discovered that two mechanisms crucial to life could have arisen in the hostile environment of volcanic-hydrothermal flow channels. See article.
g Message - Aliens will be glad to know that if ever they need to find an apartment here on Earth, someone has got them covered. In 2005, a company called Deep Space Communications Network beamed the first commercial transmission of a Web site into space. See article.
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g Abodes - The last mineral thought to have been unique to the Moon has been discovered in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. See article.
g Life - Scientists have discovered that two mechanisms crucial to life could have arisen in the hostile environment of volcanic-hydrothermal flow channels. See article.
g Message - Aliens will be glad to know that if ever they need to find an apartment here on Earth, someone has got them covered. In 2005, a company called Deep Space Communications Network beamed the first commercial transmission of a Web site into space. See article.
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Sunday, January 22, 2012
Two new circumbinary planet systems and life evolving in a freshwater environment
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 - ESO's VISTA telescope, at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, has captured a striking new image of the Helix Nebula. This picture, taken in infrared light, reveals strands of cold nebular gas that are invisible in images taken in visible light, as well as bringing to light a rich background of stars and galaxies. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers announced the discovery of two new transiting “circumbinary” planet systems - planets that orbit two stars. The study provides new information about the diversity of worlds that exist in the universe. See article.
g Life - Most scientists who study the origin of life assume that it occurred in the ocean. But a minority view is that ions in seawater may interfere with prebiotic chemistry, making a freshwater environment more likely. See article.
g Message - How scientifically accurate was the ultimate astrobiology film, “Contact”? See article.
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g Stars - ESO's VISTA telescope, at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, has captured a striking new image of the Helix Nebula. This picture, taken in infrared light, reveals strands of cold nebular gas that are invisible in images taken in visible light, as well as bringing to light a rich background of stars and galaxies. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers announced the discovery of two new transiting “circumbinary” planet systems - planets that orbit two stars. The study provides new information about the diversity of worlds that exist in the universe. See article.
g Life - Most scientists who study the origin of life assume that it occurred in the ocean. But a minority view is that ions in seawater may interfere with prebiotic chemistry, making a freshwater environment more likely. See article.
g Message - How scientifically accurate was the ultimate astrobiology film, “Contact”? See article.
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Saturday, January 21, 2012
Key step in evolution of life replicated and could the Death Star really destroy a planet?
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 - Scientists have long struggled to detect the dim dwarf galaxies that orbit our own galaxy. So it came as a surprise when a team of astronomers using Keck II telescope's adaptive optics has announced the discovery of a dwarf galaxy halfway across the universe. See article.
g Abodes - Research shows that greenhouse gases are disrupting Earth's glaciation. Heat trapped in the atmosphere could delay the next ice age by tens of thousands of years. See article.
g Life - Biologists have long wondered how sing-celled organisms on the Earth began forming multicellular clusters some 500 million years ago. Now, scientists have replicated this key step in the evolution of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - Researchers pose the question, could a small moon-sized battle station generate enough energy to destroy an Earth-sized planet? See article.
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g Stars - Scientists have long struggled to detect the dim dwarf galaxies that orbit our own galaxy. So it came as a surprise when a team of astronomers using Keck II telescope's adaptive optics has announced the discovery of a dwarf galaxy halfway across the universe. See article.
g Abodes - Research shows that greenhouse gases are disrupting Earth's glaciation. Heat trapped in the atmosphere could delay the next ice age by tens of thousands of years. See article.
g Life - Biologists have long wondered how sing-celled organisms on the Earth began forming multicellular clusters some 500 million years ago. Now, scientists have replicated this key step in the evolution of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - Researchers pose the question, could a small moon-sized battle station generate enough energy to destroy an Earth-sized planet? See article.
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Friday, January 20, 2012
Potential habitability of 55 Cancri AB star system and why life began to produce oxygen
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 - What is the potential habitability of planets orbiting 55 Cancri? See article.
g Abodes - New observations of the rocky exoplanet, 55 Cancri e, suggest it may be wetter than previously believed. See article.
g Life - By analyzing protein folds from organisms representing every domain of life, a team of scientists has assembled a timeline of “protein history” that could explain why life began to produce oxygen on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - Based on a hominid molar, scientists from Germany, Bulgaria and France have documented that great apes survived in Europe in savannah-like landscapes until seven million years ago. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of planets orbiting 55 Cancri? See article.
g Abodes - New observations of the rocky exoplanet, 55 Cancri e, suggest it may be wetter than previously believed. See article.
g Life - By analyzing protein folds from organisms representing every domain of life, a team of scientists has assembled a timeline of “protein history” that could explain why life began to produce oxygen on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - Based on a hominid molar, scientists from Germany, Bulgaria and France have documented that great apes survived in Europe in savannah-like landscapes until seven million years ago. See article.
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Thursday, January 19, 2012
Why life began to produce oxygen and doubts about the Late Heavy Bombardment
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 - A new Hubble Space Telescope image centers on the 100-million-solar-mass black hole at the hub of the neighboring spiral galaxy M31, or the Andromeda galaxy, the only galaxy outside the Milky Way visible to the naked eye and the only other giant galaxy in the local group. See article.
g Abodes - Data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter may cast doubt on theories that the early Earth was pummeled by impacts during a period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment. The study has important implications in understanding life's origins on our planet and the habitability of Earth. See article.
g Life - By analyzing protein folds from organisms representing every domain of life, a team of scientists has assembled a timeline of “protein history” that could explain why life began to produce oxygen on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study co-authored by a University of Florida researcher examines the first extinct North American primate with a toe bone showing features associated with the presence of both nails and a grooming claw, indicating our primate ancestors may have traded their flat nails for raised claws for functional purposes. See article.
g Cosmicus - The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft, which was meant to travel to a moon of Mars and back, has crashed back to Earth. See article.
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g Stars - A new Hubble Space Telescope image centers on the 100-million-solar-mass black hole at the hub of the neighboring spiral galaxy M31, or the Andromeda galaxy, the only galaxy outside the Milky Way visible to the naked eye and the only other giant galaxy in the local group. See article.
g Abodes - Data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter may cast doubt on theories that the early Earth was pummeled by impacts during a period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment. The study has important implications in understanding life's origins on our planet and the habitability of Earth. See article.
g Life - By analyzing protein folds from organisms representing every domain of life, a team of scientists has assembled a timeline of “protein history” that could explain why life began to produce oxygen on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study co-authored by a University of Florida researcher examines the first extinct North American primate with a toe bone showing features associated with the presence of both nails and a grooming claw, indicating our primate ancestors may have traded their flat nails for raised claws for functional purposes. See article.
g Cosmicus - The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft, which was meant to travel to a moon of Mars and back, has crashed back to Earth. See article.
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Wednesday, January 18, 2012
How world’s axial tilt might prevent life and facial evolution
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 using the partially completed ALMA observatory have found compelling evidence for how star-forming galaxies evolve into 'red and dead' elliptical galaxies, catching a large group of galaxies right in the middle of this change. See article.
g Abodes - Gravitational interactions between red dwarf stars and habitable planets could erase a world's axial tilt, which moderates global temperatures and creates seasons, before life gets a chance to develop. See article.
g Life - Scientists have revealed details about the life that inhabits one of the world's most extreme deep-sea volcanic vents. See article.
g Intelligence - UCLA biologists working as "evolutionary detectives" studied the faces of 129 adult male primates from Central and South America, and they offer some answers in research published Jan. 11, in the early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The faces they studied evolved over at least 24 million years, they report. See article.
g Cosmicus - New maps produced by the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal features at the Moon's northern and southern poles in regions that lie in perpetual darkness. See article.
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g Abodes - Gravitational interactions between red dwarf stars and habitable planets could erase a world's axial tilt, which moderates global temperatures and creates seasons, before life gets a chance to develop. See article.
g Life - Scientists have revealed details about the life that inhabits one of the world's most extreme deep-sea volcanic vents. See article.
g Intelligence - UCLA biologists working as "evolutionary detectives" studied the faces of 129 adult male primates from Central and South America, and they offer some answers in research published Jan. 11, in the early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The faces they studied evolved over at least 24 million years, they report. See article.
g Cosmicus - New maps produced by the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal features at the Moon's northern and southern poles in regions that lie in perpetual darkness. See article.
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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Three smallest known planets orbiting a distant star and increasing the complexity of a molecular machine
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 - With data from Kepler, astronomers have discovered the three smallest known planets orbiting a distant star. All three planets are thought to be rocky like Earth, and the smallest is roughly the size of Mars. See article.
g Life - Scientists have demonstrated how just a few small, high-probability mutations increased the complexity of a molecular machine more than 800 million years ago. See article.
g Message - Here’s a fascinating talk with Jill Tarter, director of the Center for SETI Research and the inspiration behind Jody Foster’s character in the movie “Contact.” Find out about the tools and technologies being developed for a multigenerational effort to search for other advanced civilizations beyond our solar system here; scroll to “Listening for the Long Term.”
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
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g Abodes - With data from Kepler, astronomers have discovered the three smallest known planets orbiting a distant star. All three planets are thought to be rocky like Earth, and the smallest is roughly the size of Mars. See article.
g Life - Scientists have demonstrated how just a few small, high-probability mutations increased the complexity of a molecular machine more than 800 million years ago. See article.
g Message - Here’s a fascinating talk with Jill Tarter, director of the Center for SETI Research and the inspiration behind Jody Foster’s character in the movie “Contact.” Find out about the tools and technologies being developed for a multigenerational effort to search for other advanced civilizations beyond our solar system here; scroll to “Listening for the Long Term.”
g Cosmicus - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
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Monday, January 16, 2012
Reversing strategy for hearing ETI and how part of Vesta ended up on 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 - Data from the Dawn spacecraft could help astrobiologists understand how pieces of the asteroid Vesta ended up on planet Earth. See article.
g Life - LSU's Chris Austin recently discovered two new species of frogs in New Guinea, one of which is now the world's tiniest known vertebrate, averaging only 7.7 millimeters in size - less than one-third of an inch. It ousts Paedocypris progenetica, an Indonesian fish averaging more than 8 millimeters, from the record. Austin, leading a team of scientists from the United States including LSU graduate student Eric Rittmeyer, made the discovery during a three-month long expedition to the island of New Guinea, the world's largest and tallest tropical island. Seearticle.
g Message - Here’s why the world's biggest search should reverse its strategy — and why the first signal we hear will probably come from an extremely powerful civilization extremely far away. See article.
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g Life - LSU's Chris Austin recently discovered two new species of frogs in New Guinea, one of which is now the world's tiniest known vertebrate, averaging only 7.7 millimeters in size - less than one-third of an inch. It ousts Paedocypris progenetica, an Indonesian fish averaging more than 8 millimeters, from the record. Austin, leading a team of scientists from the United States including LSU graduate student Eric Rittmeyer, made the discovery during a three-month long expedition to the island of New Guinea, the world's largest and tallest tropical island. See
g Message - Here’s why the world's biggest search should reverse its strategy — and why the first signal we hear will probably come from an extremely powerful civilization extremely far away. See article.
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Sunday, January 15, 2012
Life form breaks down cellulose near boiling point and how many technically advanced civilizations exist in our galaxy
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 - Scientists have discovered a microbe living in the extreme environment of a Nevada hot spring that is able to break down cellulose at temperatures near the boiling point of water. See article.
g Message - How many technically advanced civilizations exist in our galaxy? With this essay by Steven Soter, Scientist-in-Residence in the Center for Ancient Studies at New York University, Astrobiology Magazine initiates the first in a series of "Gedanken" or thought, experiments - musings by noted scientists on scientific mysteries in a series of "what if" scenarios. See article.
g Cosmicus - A second ARTEMIS satellite is set to enter orbit around the Moon this weekend. ARTEMIS will acquire a full 3-D view of the Moon's magnetic field and surface. See article.
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g Life - Scientists have discovered a microbe living in the extreme environment of a Nevada hot spring that is able to break down cellulose at temperatures near the boiling point of water. See article.
g Message - How many technically advanced civilizations exist in our galaxy? With this essay by Steven Soter, Scientist-in-Residence in the Center for Ancient Studies at New York University, Astrobiology Magazine initiates the first in a series of "Gedanken" or thought, experiments - musings by noted scientists on scientific mysteries in a series of "what if" scenarios. See article.
g Cosmicus - A second ARTEMIS satellite is set to enter orbit around the Moon this weekend. ARTEMIS will acquire a full 3-D view of the Moon's magnetic field and surface. See article.
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Ring system discovered and new culprit in Earth's greatest mass extinction event
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 - A team of astrophysicists from the University of Rochester and Europe has discovered a ring system in the constellation Centaurus that invites comparisons to Saturn. See article.
g Abodes - Scientists have discovered a new culprit that was likely involved in Earth's greatest mass extinction event some 250 million years ago. New research shows that mercury from volcanic eruptions may have been involved in rapid climate change and species loss on our planet. See article.
g Intelligence - Drinking alcohol leads to the release of endorphins in areas of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward, according to a study led by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco. See article.
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g Stars - A team of astrophysicists from the University of Rochester and Europe has discovered a ring system in the constellation Centaurus that invites comparisons to Saturn. See article.
g Abodes - Scientists have discovered a new culprit that was likely involved in Earth's greatest mass extinction event some 250 million years ago. New research shows that mercury from volcanic eruptions may have been involved in rapid climate change and species loss on our planet. See article.
g Intelligence - Drinking alcohol leads to the release of endorphins in areas of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward, according to a study led by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco. See article.
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Saturday, January 14, 2012
Supernova mystery solved and links between dusty disks and planet formation
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 - Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have solved a longstanding mystery of the type of star, or so-called progenitor, which caused a supernova seen in a nearby galaxy. The finding yields new observational data for pinpointing one of several scenarios that trigger such outbursts. See article.
g Abodes - With help from the Subaru telescope, researchers are gaining a new understanding of the links between dusty disks and planet formation. The data could aid in the search for new worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Message - "Surely one of the most marvelous feats of 21st-century science would be the firm proof that life exists on another planet. In that case, the thesis that life develops spontaneously when the conditions are favorable would be far more firmly established, and our whole view of the problem of the origin of life would be confirmed." Stanley Miller and Harold Urey wrote in 1959. Unfortunately, their dream has not been realized, and as we begin this new millennium the question of whether life exists beyond the Earth remains unanswered. However, there are reasons for optimism that in the not-too-distant future we may have an answer. See article. This article is from 2001.
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g Abodes - With help from the Subaru telescope, researchers are gaining a new understanding of the links between dusty disks and planet formation. The data could aid in the search for new worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Message - "Surely one of the most marvelous feats of 21st-century science would be the firm proof that life exists on another planet. In that case, the thesis that life develops spontaneously when the conditions are favorable would be far more firmly established, and our whole view of the problem of the origin of life would be confirmed." Stanley Miller and Harold Urey wrote in 1959. Unfortunately, their dream has not been realized, and as we begin this new millennium the question of whether life exists beyond the Earth remains unanswered. However, there are reasons for optimism that in the not-too-distant future we may have an answer. See article. This article is from 2001.
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Friday, January 13, 2012
High planet population and genetic molecules predating DNA and RNA
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 - What is the potential habitability of TZ Arietis, a M-type star less than 15 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - New research indicates that planets around stars are the rule rather than the exception in our galaxy. If planets are common in the Milky Way, it could increase the likelihood that habitable worlds exist somewhere beyond our own solar system. See article.
g Life - Researchers studying the origin of life are investigating genetic molecules that could have pre-dated DNA and RNA. See article.
g Learning - Astrobiology Magazine welcomes the addition of the Pale Blue Blog, a unique collection of individual bloggers who voice their opinions on matters concerning life's potential on planets beyond our solar system. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of TZ Arietis, a M-type star less than 15 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - New research indicates that planets around stars are the rule rather than the exception in our galaxy. If planets are common in the Milky Way, it could increase the likelihood that habitable worlds exist somewhere beyond our own solar system. See article.
g Life - Researchers studying the origin of life are investigating genetic molecules that could have pre-dated DNA and RNA. See article.
g Learning - Astrobiology Magazine welcomes the addition of the Pale Blue Blog, a unique collection of individual bloggers who voice their opinions on matters concerning life's potential on planets beyond our solar system. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Searching for Tatooine in Kepler-16 System and analyzing cosmic radiation for ETI’s signals
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 - What is the potential habitability of Wolf 424 AB, the home of Babel in the “Star Trek”? See article.
g Abodes - Astrophysicists have suggested where an Earth-type planet could exist in the two-star, Kepler-16 System. See article.
g Message - Here’s an interesting proposal: Search for extraterrestrial intelligence by analyzing cosmic radiation for signals. See article.
g Cosmicus - Opportunity will spend the coldest part of the Martian winter at an outcrop of rock named in honor of the late Ronald Greeley. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of Wolf 424 AB, the home of Babel in the “Star Trek”? See article.
g Abodes - Astrophysicists have suggested where an Earth-type planet could exist in the two-star, Kepler-16 System. See article.
g Message - Here’s an interesting proposal: Search for extraterrestrial intelligence by analyzing cosmic radiation for signals. See article.
g Cosmicus - Opportunity will spend the coldest part of the Martian winter at an outcrop of rock named in honor of the late Ronald Greeley. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
New model of Titan's atmosphere and methane cycle and the ‘100 Year Starship Study’ conference
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 - What is the potential habitability of Gliese 1, an M-type star some 14 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - A new computer model of Titan's atmosphere and methane cycle is helping scientists explain phenomena such as rainstorms and methane lakes on the intriguing moon. See article.
g Cosmicus - At the recent "100 Year Starship Study" conference, scientists discussed the challenges that humankind faces in our quest for interstellar travel. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of Gliese 1, an M-type star some 14 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - A new computer model of Titan's atmosphere and methane cycle is helping scientists explain phenomena such as rainstorms and methane lakes on the intriguing moon. See article.
g Cosmicus - At the recent "100 Year Starship Study" conference, scientists discussed the challenges that humankind faces in our quest for interstellar travel. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New hydrothermal vent species discovered and Laguna Negra expedition update
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 - What is the potential habitability of Ross 614 AB, a binary of M-type stars less than 14 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
g Life - Communities of species previously unknown to science have been discovered on the seafloor near Antarctica, clustered in the hot, dark environment surrounding hydrothermal vents. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of Ross 614 AB, a binary of M-type stars less than 14 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - A team of scientists has traveled to remote Laguna Negra in the central Andes of Chile to test technologies that could one day be used to explore the lakes of Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Expeditions Editor, Henry Bortman, provides a first-hand account of their progress. See article.
g Life - Communities of species previously unknown to science have been discovered on the seafloor near Antarctica, clustered in the hot, dark environment surrounding hydrothermal vents. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, January 09, 2012
Underestimating extinction rates and new image of Omega Nebula
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 - A new image of the Omega Nebula, captured by ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), is one of the sharpest of this object ever taken from the ground. It shows the dusty, rose-colored central parts of this famous stellar nursery and reveals extraordinary detail in the cosmic landscape of gas clouds, dust and newborn stars. See article.
g Life - Predictions of the loss of animal and plant diversity around the world are common under models of future climate change. But a new study shows that because these climate models don't account for species competition and movement, they could grossly underestimate future extinctions. See article.
g Message - Several big hunts are seeking radio and laser emissions from other civilizations. From Project Phoenix to SETI@home, here's a complete rundown of recently conducted searches.
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g Stars - A new image of the Omega Nebula, captured by ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), is one of the sharpest of this object ever taken from the ground. It shows the dusty, rose-colored central parts of this famous stellar nursery and reveals extraordinary detail in the cosmic landscape of gas clouds, dust and newborn stars. See article.
g Life - Predictions of the loss of animal and plant diversity around the world are common under models of future climate change. But a new study shows that because these climate models don't account for species competition and movement, they could grossly underestimate future extinctions. See article.
g Message - Several big hunts are seeking radio and laser emissions from other civilizations. From Project Phoenix to SETI@home, here's a complete rundown of recently conducted searches.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Rethinking how fish evolved to walk on land and 'The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence'
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 could rewrite our understanding of how ancient fish evolved to walk on land. See article.
g Message - Here’s a classic I stumbled across online: Carl Sagan’s 1978 article “The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.” Few other pieces so eloquently capture the essential, human purpose behind astrobiology and SETI. See article.
g Cosmicus - Using powerful magnets to levitate fruit flies can provide vital clues to how biological organisms are affected by weightless conditions in space, researchers at The University of Nottingham say. See article.
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g Message - Here’s a classic I stumbled across online: Carl Sagan’s 1978 article “The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.” Few other pieces so eloquently capture the essential, human purpose behind astrobiology and SETI. See article.
g Cosmicus - Using powerful magnets to levitate fruit flies can provide vital clues to how biological organisms are affected by weightless conditions in space, researchers at The University of Nottingham say. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Seeking rocky moons that may support life and potential habitability of Kruger 60 AB
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 - What is the potential habitability of Kruger 60 AB, a binary of M-type stars about 13 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - Rocky moons that orbit gas giant planet and reside in the habitable zone of their star could contain the seeds of life. Thanks to new research, finding those moons just got a little easier. See article.
g Message - Interstellar communication took a giant leap forward a few years ago when a Ukrainian space center sent several messages across the cosmos hoping to reach extraterrestrials 30-40 light years away. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of Kruger 60 AB, a binary of M-type stars about 13 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - Rocky moons that orbit gas giant planet and reside in the habitable zone of their star could contain the seeds of life. Thanks to new research, finding those moons just got a little easier. See article.
g Message - Interstellar communication took a giant leap forward a few years ago when a Ukrainian space center sent several messages across the cosmos hoping to reach extraterrestrials 30-40 light years away. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, January 06, 2012
ExoPlanet Sat may examine Alpha Centauri for planets and SETI pioneers
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 - What is the potential habitability of LaCaille 8760, a K-type star about 13 light years from Earth? See article.
g Message - Book alert: Here’s an oldie but goodie worth picking up — “SETI Pioneers: Scientists Talk About Their Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence” by David W. Swift. This instructive book (by a University of Hawaii sociologist) compiles Q&A interviews with 17 researchers, mostly American, who are involved in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. While the field, which did not attract attention from scientists until 1959, remains a fledgling discipline, it now draws physicists, astronomers, electrical engineers, chemists and an aerospace physician into its orbit. Scientists featured here discuss current methods used to investigate ETI, and others they hope to develop, but general readers will most likely value the impact of their personalities — modest, open, thoughtful, occasionally waggish — above talk of technicalities.
g Cosmicus - SA recently selected 20 small satellites to fly as auxiliary cargo aboard rockets that are planned to launch in 2011 and 2012. The CubeSats include the ExoPlanetSat, which will aid in the search for Earth-like planets by monitoring a single star. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - What is the potential habitability of LaCaille 8760, a K-type star about 13 light years from Earth? See article.
g Message - Book alert: Here’s an oldie but goodie worth picking up — “SETI Pioneers: Scientists Talk About Their Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence” by David W. Swift. This instructive book (by a University of Hawaii sociologist) compiles Q&A interviews with 17 researchers, mostly American, who are involved in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. While the field, which did not attract attention from scientists until 1959, remains a fledgling discipline, it now draws physicists, astronomers, electrical engineers, chemists and an aerospace physician into its orbit. Scientists featured here discuss current methods used to investigate ETI, and others they hope to develop, but general readers will most likely value the impact of their personalities — modest, open, thoughtful, occasionally waggish — above talk of technicalities.
g Cosmicus - SA recently selected 20 small satellites to fly as auxiliary cargo aboard rockets that are planned to launch in 2011 and 2012. The CubeSats include the ExoPlanetSat, which will aid in the search for Earth-like planets by monitoring a single star. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Searching the moon for alien artifacts and evolutionary fauna waves
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 - What is the potential habitability of Luyten’s Star, an M-type star just slightly more than 12 light years from Earth? See article.
g Life - A new study has identified six distinct, consecutive waves of “evolutionary faunas” over the last 65 million years on Earth. The findings could help scientists understand how climate change will affect the future of life's evolution. See article.
g Message - Two researchers have suggested that high-resolution images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter should be examined for anomalies that could be evidence of alien artifacts on the Moon. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - What is the potential habitability of Luyten’s Star, an M-type star just slightly more than 12 light years from Earth? See article.
g Life - A new study has identified six distinct, consecutive waves of “evolutionary faunas” over the last 65 million years on Earth. The findings could help scientists understand how climate change will affect the future of life's evolution. See article.
g Message - Two researchers have suggested that high-resolution images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter should be examined for anomalies that could be evidence of alien artifacts on the Moon. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Head-first evolution and why “Are we alone?’ is THE question
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 - What is the potential habitability of Tau Ceti, the nearest G-type star (other than Sol) to Earth? See article.
g Abodes - A groundbreaking study led by University of Miami (UM) scientist Shimon Wdowinski shows that earthquakes, including the recent 2010 temblors in Haiti and Taiwan, may be triggered by tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons), according to a presentation of the findings at the 2011 AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco. See article.
g Life - The history of evolution is periodically marked by explosions in biodiversity, as groups of species try out a wide range of shapes and sizes. With a new analysis of two such adaptive radiations in the fossil record, researchers have discovered that these diversifications proceeded head-first. See article.
g Intelligence - Chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas and bonobos make more sophisticated decisions than was previously thought. Great apes weigh their chances of success, based on what they know and the likelihood to succeed when guessing, according to a study of MPI researcher Daniel Haun, published Dec. 21 in the online journal PLoS ONE. The findings may provide insight into human decision-making as well. See article.
g Message - If we are not alone in the Universe, why have we never picked up signals from an extraterrestrial civilization? Known as the Fermi paradox after physicist Enrico Fermi, who first posed the question, this long-standing puzzle remains one of the strongest arguments against the existence of intelligent aliens. See article.
g Cosmicus - Are we alone? For space exploration, that is THE great question. It is one of the fundamental questions for all mankind, an existential query that could answer — or create — basic questions about the fundamental nature of existence. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - What is the potential habitability of Tau Ceti, the nearest G-type star (other than Sol) to Earth? See article.
g Abodes - A groundbreaking study led by University of Miami (UM) scientist Shimon Wdowinski shows that earthquakes, including the recent 2010 temblors in Haiti and Taiwan, may be triggered by tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons), according to a presentation of the findings at the 2011 AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco. See article.
g Life - The history of evolution is periodically marked by explosions in biodiversity, as groups of species try out a wide range of shapes and sizes. With a new analysis of two such adaptive radiations in the fossil record, researchers have discovered that these diversifications proceeded head-first. See article.
g Intelligence - Chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas and bonobos make more sophisticated decisions than was previously thought. Great apes weigh their chances of success, based on what they know and the likelihood to succeed when guessing, according to a study of MPI researcher Daniel Haun, published Dec. 21 in the online journal PLoS ONE. The findings may provide insight into human decision-making as well. See article.
g Message - If we are not alone in the Universe, why have we never picked up signals from an extraterrestrial civilization? Known as the Fermi paradox after physicist Enrico Fermi, who first posed the question, this long-standing puzzle remains one of the strongest arguments against the existence of intelligent aliens. See article.
g Cosmicus - Are we alone? For space exploration, that is THE great question. It is one of the fundamental questions for all mankind, an existential query that could answer — or create — basic questions about the fundamental nature of existence. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Mining Death Valley for microbes and NASA probes in Lunar orbit
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 - What’s the potential habitability of NLTT 47754, a G-type star about 64 light years from Earth? See article.
g Life - Nevada, the "Silver State," is well-known for mining precious metals. But scientists Dennis Bazylinski and colleagues at the University of Nevada Las Vegas do a different type of mining. They sluice through every water body they can find, looking for new forms of microbial magnetism. See article.
g Intelligence - Many animals produce alarm calls to predators, and do this more often when kin or mates are present than other audience members. So far, however, there has been no evidence that they take the other group members' knowledge state into account. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and the University of St. Andrews, Great Britain, set up a study with wild chimpanzees in Uganda and found that chimpanzees were more likely to alarm call to a snake in the presence of unaware than in the presence of aware group members, suggesting that they recognize knowledge and ignorance in others. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA celebrated the New Year by completing a space agency first and announcing that its two Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft are in lunar orbit. For NASA, the announcement was a fulfillment of the space agency’s New Year’s wish. NASA will use GRAIL-A and GRAIL-B to study Earth’s closest neighbor, the moon. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - What’s the potential habitability of NLTT 47754, a G-type star about 64 light years from Earth? See article.
g Life - Nevada, the "Silver State," is well-known for mining precious metals. But scientists Dennis Bazylinski and colleagues at the University of Nevada Las Vegas do a different type of mining. They sluice through every water body they can find, looking for new forms of microbial magnetism. See article.
g Intelligence - Many animals produce alarm calls to predators, and do this more often when kin or mates are present than other audience members. So far, however, there has been no evidence that they take the other group members' knowledge state into account. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and the University of St. Andrews, Great Britain, set up a study with wild chimpanzees in Uganda and found that chimpanzees were more likely to alarm call to a snake in the presence of unaware than in the presence of aware group members, suggesting that they recognize knowledge and ignorance in others. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA celebrated the New Year by completing a space agency first and announcing that its two Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft are in lunar orbit. For NASA, the announcement was a fulfillment of the space agency’s New Year’s wish. NASA will use GRAIL-A and GRAIL-B to study Earth’s closest neighbor, the moon. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, January 02, 2012
Finding water on distant worlds and China’s ambitious five-year plan for space exploration
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 - What is the potential habitability of DX Cancri, a M-type star less than 12 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - The bottom line is that we don't know how Earth got tanked-up with its water supply. So how might we begin to guess what's happening on worlds thousands of light-years away? See article.
g Cosmicus - Broadening its challenge to the United States, the Chinese government on Thursday announced an ambitious five-year plan for space exploration that would move China closer to becoming a major rival at a time when the American program is in retreat. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of DX Cancri, a M-type star less than 12 light years from Earth? See article.
g Abodes - The bottom line is that we don't know how Earth got tanked-up with its water supply. So how might we begin to guess what's happening on worlds thousands of light-years away? See article.
g Cosmicus - Broadening its challenge to the United States, the Chinese government on Thursday announced an ambitious five-year plan for space exploration that would move China closer to becoming a major rival at a time when the American program is in retreat. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, January 01, 2012
A New Year's Resolution
As the new year begins, let us all make a resolution: We will work to make humanity a truly space-faring race. For the past half-century, we’ve ventured into space as if children wading a few feet into a great ocean. But there are other islands out there — and now is the time to swim.
This blog is dedicated to one event that very well may compel us to becoming a space-faring race: contact with an extraterrestrial civilization. It is a serious site; you won’t find a discussion of UFOs and the Fifth Dimension’s denizens here. Instead, it updates readers daily of the latest scientific advances in a number of fields related to the multidisciplinary study of astrobiology.
Its sections are loosely arranged around the now famous Drake equation, developed by astronomer Frank Drake, who conducted the first modern search for extraterrestrial life in 1960. The equation seeks to determine the number of technological civilizations that might exist among the stars:
R * FP * NE * FL * FI * FC * LN = N
In the equation, R is the mean rate of star formation averaged over the lifetime of the galaxy; FP the fraction of stars with planetary systems; NE the mean number of planets per system with environments suitable for the origin of life; FL the fraction of such planets on which life does develop; FI the fraction of such planets on which intelligent life rises during the lifetime of the local sun; FC the fraction of planets on which advanced technical civilizations rises; L the lifetime of this technical civilization; and N the number of advanced technical civilizations emitting detectable radio signals.
This blog’s sections and the general topics addressed in each one include:
g Stars - Cosmology and astronomy, which affect our understanding of the mean rate of star formation averaged over the lifetime of the galaxy and the fraction of stars with planetary systems, or R and FP in the equation
g Abodes - Geology and Earth climate, which helps us grasp the mean number of planets per system with environments suitable for the origin of life, or NE in the equation
g Life - Biology, especially the evolution of life, as well as chemistry and other sciences that advance our understanding of the fraction of such planets on which life does develop, or FL in the equation
g Intelligence - How homo sapiens and, more generally, intelligence evolves, to help us determine the fraction of such planets on which intelligent life rises during the lifetime of the local sun, or FI in the equation
g Message - A discussion of our attempts to communicate with our other intelligences, to increase our knowledge of the fraction of planets on which advanced technical civilizations rises, or FC in the equation
g Cosmicus - Humanity's climb to the status of a space-faring civilization, a necessary step to increase the lifetime of this technical civilization, or L in the equation; the term “cosmicus” comes from the father of Russian astronautics, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, who envisioned humanity becoming “homo cosmicus” or a space-faring civilization — we will become “homo cosmicus” when the first human is born, lives, grows old and dies in space, returning to Earth only as a visitor
g Learning - Science education, as humanity's future and astrobiology's success depends upon a science-literate youth and public; it also is a necessary step to increase the lifetime of this technical civilization, or L in the equation
g Imagining - This section consists of musings on the possibilities of science fiction aliens as science fiction offers a literary portal for us to examine elements of the Drake Equation; I’ll primarily focus on “Star Trek,” the most popular and serious of the science fiction genre
g Aftermath - Looking beyond the Drake Equation is perhaps the most important question that will face humanity in the century ahead: “What will happen after we make contact with aliens?”; this section offers the latest speculations
I hope each of you will return daily to stay current with astrobiology — and that it may inspire you to work toward cosmicus.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
This blog is dedicated to one event that very well may compel us to becoming a space-faring race: contact with an extraterrestrial civilization. It is a serious site; you won’t find a discussion of UFOs and the Fifth Dimension’s denizens here. Instead, it updates readers daily of the latest scientific advances in a number of fields related to the multidisciplinary study of astrobiology.
Its sections are loosely arranged around the now famous Drake equation, developed by astronomer Frank Drake, who conducted the first modern search for extraterrestrial life in 1960. The equation seeks to determine the number of technological civilizations that might exist among the stars:
R * FP * NE * FL * FI * FC * LN = N
In the equation, R is the mean rate of star formation averaged over the lifetime of the galaxy; FP the fraction of stars with planetary systems; NE the mean number of planets per system with environments suitable for the origin of life; FL the fraction of such planets on which life does develop; FI the fraction of such planets on which intelligent life rises during the lifetime of the local sun; FC the fraction of planets on which advanced technical civilizations rises; L the lifetime of this technical civilization; and N the number of advanced technical civilizations emitting detectable radio signals.
This blog’s sections and the general topics addressed in each one include:
g Stars - Cosmology and astronomy, which affect our understanding of the mean rate of star formation averaged over the lifetime of the galaxy and the fraction of stars with planetary systems, or R and FP in the equation
g Abodes - Geology and Earth climate, which helps us grasp the mean number of planets per system with environments suitable for the origin of life, or NE in the equation
g Life - Biology, especially the evolution of life, as well as chemistry and other sciences that advance our understanding of the fraction of such planets on which life does develop, or FL in the equation
g Intelligence - How homo sapiens and, more generally, intelligence evolves, to help us determine the fraction of such planets on which intelligent life rises during the lifetime of the local sun, or FI in the equation
g Message - A discussion of our attempts to communicate with our other intelligences, to increase our knowledge of the fraction of planets on which advanced technical civilizations rises, or FC in the equation
g Cosmicus - Humanity's climb to the status of a space-faring civilization, a necessary step to increase the lifetime of this technical civilization, or L in the equation; the term “cosmicus” comes from the father of Russian astronautics, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, who envisioned humanity becoming “homo cosmicus” or a space-faring civilization — we will become “homo cosmicus” when the first human is born, lives, grows old and dies in space, returning to Earth only as a visitor
g Learning - Science education, as humanity's future and astrobiology's success depends upon a science-literate youth and public; it also is a necessary step to increase the lifetime of this technical civilization, or L in the equation
g Imagining - This section consists of musings on the possibilities of science fiction aliens as science fiction offers a literary portal for us to examine elements of the Drake Equation; I’ll primarily focus on “Star Trek,” the most popular and serious of the science fiction genre
g Aftermath - Looking beyond the Drake Equation is perhaps the most important question that will face humanity in the century ahead: “What will happen after we make contact with aliens?”; this section offers the latest speculations
I hope each of you will return daily to stay current with astrobiology — and that it may inspire you to work toward cosmicus.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
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