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 detected the first exoplanetary system with regularly aligned orbits similar to those in our solar system. See article.
g Life - Scientists have built a swimming, tissue-engineered "jellyfish" using silicon and muscle cells. See article.
g Message - The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) has traditionally hinged on detecting electromagnetic waves, most commonly radio waves but also infrared and x-ray radiation as well as optical pulses at specific frequencies. But in the absence of knowledge about the specific nature of extraterrestrial civilizations, we need to explore all sources of communication possible and not just ones based on electromagnetic waves. Thus the message we would send or receive could and should include everything from symbolic signals to actual physical samples of material signifying the presence of intelligent life. SETI is an endeavor fraught with such momentous potential significance that it would be foolish to hinge it on physics alone. We need to employ other sciences in its service. See article.
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Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
Magnetic fields in Moon’s crust and why Native Americans were smart not to go looking for Europeans
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 studying meteorite fragments have found evidence that liquid water inside an asteroid could be the reason that the amino acids found in meteorites show a strong preference for left-handed versus right-handed orientations. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists have solved a lunar mystery concerning localized magnetic fields in the Moon's crust. The results could provide safe havens for future space explorers. See article.
g Aftermath - A couple of years ago the eminent theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking warned that a human encounter with intelligent extraterrestrial beings could be dangerous for us, sort of similar to the way Europeans were dangerous to ancient Native Americans, “which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.” In hindsight, it would not have been a good idea for the Native Americans to go searching for Europeans. See article.
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g Life - Scientists studying meteorite fragments have found evidence that liquid water inside an asteroid could be the reason that the amino acids found in meteorites show a strong preference for left-handed versus right-handed orientations. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists have solved a lunar mystery concerning localized magnetic fields in the Moon's crust. The results could provide safe havens for future space explorers. See article.
g Aftermath - A couple of years ago the eminent theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking warned that a human encounter with intelligent extraterrestrial beings could be dangerous for us, sort of similar to the way Europeans were dangerous to ancient Native Americans, “which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.” In hindsight, it would not have been a good idea for the Native Americans to go searching for Europeans. See article.
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Sunday, July 29, 2012
Who took over Jill Tarter’s job and the potential fate of the 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 Stars - New research on dark energy is helping scientists understand the potential fate of the universe. See article.
g Message - Gerry Harp, who has taken over Jill Tarter’s job as research director at the SETI Institute, has high hopes for the hunt for alien life. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronaut Don Pettit recounts the days leading up to the launch of Expedition 31, as well as some of the more every-day aspects of living on the International Space Station. See article.
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g Stars - New research on dark energy is helping scientists understand the potential fate of the universe. See article.
g Message - Gerry Harp, who has taken over Jill Tarter’s job as research director at the SETI Institute, has high hopes for the hunt for alien life. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronaut Don Pettit recounts the days leading up to the launch of Expedition 31, as well as some of the more every-day aspects of living on the International Space Station. See article.
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Saturday, July 28, 2012
First contact within a few decades and new species in 6,000 years
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 on ocean chemistry is shedding light on one potential cause of a cooling trend experienced on Earth in the past 45 million years. See article.
g Life - A new study on Australian sea stars indicates that a new species can arise in as little as 6,000 years. See article.
g Message - Judging by the trends in technology and the advancements of SETI’s satellites, which are increasing at Moore’s Law rates, SETI astronomer Seth Shostak believes we will find some sort of ET in the next few decades. See article.
g Cosmicus - Quote of the Day: "It is man’s pact with himself to taste the new and the untried, to relish the unexpected, and to savor surprise in all his new adventures." - Mike Sage
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g Abodes - A new study on ocean chemistry is shedding light on one potential cause of a cooling trend experienced on Earth in the past 45 million years. See article.
g Life - A new study on Australian sea stars indicates that a new species can arise in as little as 6,000 years. See article.
g Message - Judging by the trends in technology and the advancements of SETI’s satellites, which are increasing at Moore’s Law rates, SETI astronomer Seth Shostak believes we will find some sort of ET in the next few decades. See article.
g Cosmicus - Quote of the Day: "It is man’s pact with himself to taste the new and the untried, to relish the unexpected, and to savor surprise in all his new adventures." - Mike Sage
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Friday, July 27, 2012
Connections between Earth's climate and evolution of life and the potential habitability of Eta Cassiopeiae
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 the nearby star system Eta Cassiopeiae? See article.
g Life - A new study shows that the evolution of marine life has been robustly and independently driven by ocean chemistry and sea level changes. The work provides new insight into the connections between the Earth's climate and the evolution of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - New research may lead to the use of insects to monitor hazardous situations before sending in humans. See article.
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Here's today's news:
g Stars - What is the potential habitability of the nearby star system Eta Cassiopeiae? See article.
g Life - A new study shows that the evolution of marine life has been robustly and independently driven by ocean chemistry and sea level changes. The work provides new insight into the connections between the Earth's climate and the evolution of life. See article.
g Cosmicus - New research may lead to the use of insects to monitor hazardous situations before sending in humans. See article.
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Solar system's earliest chemical processing and remembering Sally Ride
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 - By studying particularly old meteorites called diogenites, scientists have revealed new information about the solar system's earliest chemical processing. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists have designed a new suite of instruments that will help us better understand how Earth's protective atmosphere helps protect life as we know it from electrified particles that dominate the universe. See article.
g Learning - Sally K. Ride, the first American woman in space, has passed away at the age of 61. See article.
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g Abodes - By studying particularly old meteorites called diogenites, scientists have revealed new information about the solar system's earliest chemical processing. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists have designed a new suite of instruments that will help us better understand how Earth's protective atmosphere helps protect life as we know it from electrified particles that dominate the universe. See article.
g Learning - Sally K. Ride, the first American woman in space, has passed away at the age of 61. See article.
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Thursday, July 26, 2012
Hoax of SETI discovering alien spacecraft and the Pioneer Anomaly
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 - At 10:31 p.m. Pacific time on Aug. 5, NASA's Curiosity rover will begin the first direct search for habitable environments on Mars. See article.
g Message - Has the SETI Institute discovered three objects en route to our world? Alien spacecraft that will arrive in 2012? If you believe a widespread story now being circulated on the internet, and published by the ironically named “Pravda,” you might think so. But it’s all nonsense – it’s a rumor, a hoax, and a fabrication that uncritical web sites have reprinted without checking. See article.
g Cosmicus - The Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts were launched on an outward trajectory from the Sun in 1972 and 1973. In the 1980s, navigators for the mission saw a mysterious deceleration on the two spacecraft. Now, researchers have determined the cause of this “Pioneer Anomaly.” See article.
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g Abodes - At 10:31 p.m. Pacific time on Aug. 5, NASA's Curiosity rover will begin the first direct search for habitable environments on Mars. See article.
g Message - Has the SETI Institute discovered three objects en route to our world? Alien spacecraft that will arrive in 2012? If you believe a widespread story now being circulated on the internet, and published by the ironically named “Pravda,” you might think so. But it’s all nonsense – it’s a rumor, a hoax, and a fabrication that uncritical web sites have reprinted without checking. See article.
g Cosmicus - The Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts were launched on an outward trajectory from the Sun in 1972 and 1973. In the 1980s, navigators for the mission saw a mysterious deceleration on the two spacecraft. Now, researchers have determined the cause of this “Pioneer Anomaly.” See article.
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Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Titan’s river networks and free online astrobiology course
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 - By analyzing images of Titan's river networks, researchers have determined that in some regions, rivers have created surprisingly little erosion. This means that erosion on Titan may be extremely slow, or some other phenomena may have wiped out older riverbeds and landforms. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of aquanauts were recently joined by ESA astronaut Tim Peake to test communication strategies for a future mission to an asteroid. The explorers spent 12 days underwater on the Neemo mission simulating a trip to an asteroid 15 million kilometers from Earth. See article.
g Learning - Edinburgh University’s upcoming free course, “Introduction to Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life” will open up an exciting new era in the study of extraterrestrial life. According to Jeff Haywood, vice principal of the University of Edinburgh, the number of students for the online course is potentially 100,000 or more. The course reflects the ever increasing global awareness of the possibility of extraterrestrial life and its societal implications. See article.
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g Abodes - By analyzing images of Titan's river networks, researchers have determined that in some regions, rivers have created surprisingly little erosion. This means that erosion on Titan may be extremely slow, or some other phenomena may have wiped out older riverbeds and landforms. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of aquanauts were recently joined by ESA astronaut Tim Peake to test communication strategies for a future mission to an asteroid. The explorers spent 12 days underwater on the Neemo mission simulating a trip to an asteroid 15 million kilometers from Earth. See article.
g Learning - Edinburgh University’s upcoming free course, “Introduction to Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life” will open up an exciting new era in the study of extraterrestrial life. According to Jeff Haywood, vice principal of the University of Edinburgh, the number of students for the online course is potentially 100,000 or more. The course reflects the ever increasing global awareness of the possibility of extraterrestrial life and its societal implications. See article.
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Liquid water on worlds in Saturnian orbits and ‘RFI’ for pulsed 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 - Astronomers generally expect planets with liquid water to exist close to their parent star. But new research shows that some planets orbiting at the same distance as Saturn could have lakes and oceans. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers think they have found a once-massive star that has been transformed into a small planet made of diamond in our Milky Way. The discovery sheds new light on the diversity of planets and how they can form. See article.
g Message - In the 40 year history of SETI, radio frequency interference (RFI) has proven to be the dominant background in microwave searches. As the SETI community broadens its electromagnetic scope and searches for optical beacons, it must characterize and identify backgrounds for pulsed optical SETI. We must ask the question: What is the “RFI” for pulsed optical SETI? This paper seeks to answer the question by examining the astrophysical, atmospheric, terrestrial, and instrumental sources of optical pulses of nanosecond timescale. Potential astrophysical/atmospheric sources include airglow and scattered zodiacal light, stellar photon pileup, muon events, and cosmic-ray induced Cerenkov flashes. Terrestrial sources, including lightning and laser communications, appear negligible. Instrumental backgrounds such as scintillation in detector optics and corona breakdown have been the dominant background in our experiments to date, and present significant design challenges for future optical SETI researchers. See article.
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g Stars - Astronomers generally expect planets with liquid water to exist close to their parent star. But new research shows that some planets orbiting at the same distance as Saturn could have lakes and oceans. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers think they have found a once-massive star that has been transformed into a small planet made of diamond in our Milky Way. The discovery sheds new light on the diversity of planets and how they can form. See article.
g Message - In the 40 year history of SETI, radio frequency interference (RFI) has proven to be the dominant background in microwave searches. As the SETI community broadens its electromagnetic scope and searches for optical beacons, it must characterize and identify backgrounds for pulsed optical SETI. We must ask the question: What is the “RFI” for pulsed optical SETI? This paper seeks to answer the question by examining the astrophysical, atmospheric, terrestrial, and instrumental sources of optical pulses of nanosecond timescale. Potential astrophysical/atmospheric sources include airglow and scattered zodiacal light, stellar photon pileup, muon events, and cosmic-ray induced Cerenkov flashes. Terrestrial sources, including lightning and laser communications, appear negligible. Instrumental backgrounds such as scintillation in detector optics and corona breakdown have been the dominant background in our experiments to date, and present significant design challenges for future optical SETI researchers. See article.
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Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Solar storm warning system and who should end signals to 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 Abodes - The Earth has vast oceans and large glaciers near its poles, yet less than one percent of our planet's mass is locked up in water. A new analysis is helping astronomers understand why the Earth is comparatively dry. 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 Cosmicus - Massive explosions on the Sun can unleash radiation that is dangerous for humans and robotic missions in orbit. Now, researchers have developed a warning system that can forecast the radiation from these storms up to three hours in advance. See article.
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g Abodes - The Earth has vast oceans and large glaciers near its poles, yet less than one percent of our planet's mass is locked up in water. A new analysis is helping astronomers understand why the Earth is comparatively dry. 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 Cosmicus - Massive explosions on the Sun can unleash radiation that is dangerous for humans and robotic missions in orbit. Now, researchers have developed a warning system that can forecast the radiation from these storms up to three hours in advance. See article.
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Monday, July 23, 2012
First complete computer model of an organism and area south of Valles Marineris canyon examined
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 - Many galaxies contain enormous amounts of molecular gas in small areas near their nuclei. Highly condensed molecular gas is a birthplace of lots of stars. Moreover, it is considered to closely relate to activities of galactic nuclei. Therefore, it is important to investigate the physical state and chemical properties of molecular gas at galaxy centers through observation. To obtain detailed observation data, it is best to survey the center of the Milky Way Galaxy in which our solar system exists. See article.
g Abodes - Mars Express has imaged an area to the south of the famed Valles Marineris canyon on the Red Planet, showing a wide range of tectonic and impact features. See article.
g Life - In a breakthrough effort for computational biology, the world's first complete computer model of an organism has been completed, Stanford researchers reported last week in the journal Cell. See article.
g Cosmicus - Eureka High's class of 1987 gathered this weekend for a 25-year reunion, but alumnus Paul Thompson couldn't make it; he's busy fulfilling a childhood dream. See article.
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g Stars - Many galaxies contain enormous amounts of molecular gas in small areas near their nuclei. Highly condensed molecular gas is a birthplace of lots of stars. Moreover, it is considered to closely relate to activities of galactic nuclei. Therefore, it is important to investigate the physical state and chemical properties of molecular gas at galaxy centers through observation. To obtain detailed observation data, it is best to survey the center of the Milky Way Galaxy in which our solar system exists. See article.
g Abodes - Mars Express has imaged an area to the south of the famed Valles Marineris canyon on the Red Planet, showing a wide range of tectonic and impact features. See article.
g Life - In a breakthrough effort for computational biology, the world's first complete computer model of an organism has been completed, Stanford researchers reported last week in the journal Cell. See article.
g Cosmicus - Eureka High's class of 1987 gathered this weekend for a 25-year reunion, but alumnus Paul Thompson couldn't make it; he's busy fulfilling a childhood dream. See article.
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Sunday, July 22, 2012
Taking Optical SETI to whole new levels and requirements of ship to carry astronauts to asteroid
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 50 years of searching the skies for E.T. in the radio spectrum, SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) astronomers are finally taking Optical SETI to whole new levels. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA has released a new report discussing human deep-space exploration. The paper explores the requirements of a ship that could carry astronauts to a near Earth asteroid. See article.
g Learning - By weaving together biology and technology, Angelo Vermeulen's artistic and scientific explorations could help rethink how people interact with the systems that can keep them in both space and on Earth. See article.
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g Message - After 50 years of searching the skies for E.T. in the radio spectrum, SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) astronomers are finally taking Optical SETI to whole new levels. See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA has released a new report discussing human deep-space exploration. The paper explores the requirements of a ship that could carry astronauts to a near Earth asteroid. See article.
g Learning - By weaving together biology and technology, Angelo Vermeulen's artistic and scientific explorations could help rethink how people interact with the systems that can keep them in both space and on Earth. See article.
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Saturday, July 21, 2012
Planet smaller than Earth discovered just 33 light years away and how 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 - Astronomers using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have detected what they believe is a planet two-thirds the size of Earth. See article.
g Message - It's largely a technical achievement, but it augurs well for the chances of finding life trillions of miles from Earth. See article.
g Cosmicus - In a recent press conference at NASA's Langley Research Center, researchers and technicians who worked on the Mars Science Laboratory discussed their preparations for the mission's upcoming delivery of the Curiosity rover at Mars. See article.
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g Abodes - Astronomers using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have detected what they believe is a planet two-thirds the size of Earth. See article.
g Message - It's largely a technical achievement, but it augurs well for the chances of finding life trillions of miles from Earth. See article.
g Cosmicus - In a recent press conference at NASA's Langley Research Center, researchers and technicians who worked on the Mars Science Laboratory discussed their preparations for the mission's upcoming delivery of the Curiosity rover at Mars. See article.
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Friday, July 20, 2012
Marvel of spacesuits and how plant-eating dinosaurs fed 150 million years ago
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 - High-tech technology, traditionally usually used to design racing cars and aeroplanes, has helped researchers to understand how plant-eating dinosaurs fed 150 million years ago. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronaut Don Pettit recently completed a stay on the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 31 crew. In this diary entry, he discusses the marvel of spacesuits and his stay at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. See article.
g Learning - A NASA-created application that brings some of the agency's robotic spacecraft to life in 3-D now is available for free on the iPhone and iPad. See article.
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g Life - High-tech technology, traditionally usually used to design racing cars and aeroplanes, has helped researchers to understand how plant-eating dinosaurs fed 150 million years ago. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronaut Don Pettit recently completed a stay on the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 31 crew. In this diary entry, he discusses the marvel of spacesuits and his stay at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. See article.
g Learning - A NASA-created application that brings some of the agency's robotic spacecraft to life in 3-D now is available for free on the iPhone and iPad. See article.
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
Titan’s polar vortex and forefather of astrobiology passes
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 - Observations from the Cassini spacecraft show a concentration of high-altitude haze and a vortex at Titan's south pole, indicating that the seasons are turning on the mysterious moon. See article.
g Life - As organisms develop, their internal organs arrange in a consistent asymmetrical pattern - heart and stomach to the left, liver and appendix to the right. But how does this happen? See article.
g Learning - The astrobiology community mourns the death of Dick Holland, treasured colleague and forefather of astrobiology. See article.
g Cosmicus - When the Apollo astronauts visited the Moon, they spent only 2-3 days before returning home. The effects of long-duration exploration on the lunar surface are still unknown. Now, a team of researchers is attempting to quantify the hazards faced by humans on extended missions. See article.
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g Abodes - Observations from the Cassini spacecraft show a concentration of high-altitude haze and a vortex at Titan's south pole, indicating that the seasons are turning on the mysterious moon. See article.
g Life - As organisms develop, their internal organs arrange in a consistent asymmetrical pattern - heart and stomach to the left, liver and appendix to the right. But how does this happen? See article.
g Learning - The astrobiology community mourns the death of Dick Holland, treasured colleague and forefather of astrobiology. See article.
g Cosmicus - When the Apollo astronauts visited the Moon, they spent only 2-3 days before returning home. The effects of long-duration exploration on the lunar surface are still unknown. Now, a team of researchers is attempting to quantify the hazards faced by humans on extended missions. See article.
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Resurrecting 500 million year-old gene and behavior of foams in microgravity
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 - Researchers have resurrected a 500-million-year-old gene from bacteria and inserted it into modern-day Escherichia coli bacteria. The experiment is helping scientists observe evolution in action. See article.
g Intelligence - The diet of Australopithecus anamensis, a hominid that lived in the east of the African continent more than 4 million years ago, was very specialized and, according to a scientific study whose principal author is Ferran Estebaranz, from the Department of Animal Biology at the University of Barcelona, it included foods typical of open environments (seeds, sedges, grasses, etc.), as well as fruits and tubers. See article.
g Cosmicus - Research on the behavior of foams in microgravity has caught the attention of private industry. After performing experiments on parabolic flights, low-Earth orbit could be the next step in studying the science of foams. See article.
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g Life - Researchers have resurrected a 500-million-year-old gene from bacteria and inserted it into modern-day Escherichia coli bacteria. The experiment is helping scientists observe evolution in action. See article.
g Intelligence - The diet of Australopithecus anamensis, a hominid that lived in the east of the African continent more than 4 million years ago, was very specialized and, according to a scientific study whose principal author is Ferran Estebaranz, from the Department of Animal Biology at the University of Barcelona, it included foods typical of open environments (seeds, sedges, grasses, etc.), as well as fruits and tubers. See article.
g Cosmicus - Research on the behavior of foams in microgravity has caught the attention of private industry. After performing experiments on parabolic flights, low-Earth orbit could be the next step in studying the science of foams. See article.
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Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Meteorites brought water to Earth and crew selected for simulated mission to Mars
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 suggests that meteorites and their parent asteroids are the most-likely sources of water on Earth. Understanding if and how volatile elements were delivered to the early Earth is important in determining the origins of water and life on our planet. See article.
g Life - Not long after sunrise, these endangered seahorses in Broome, Australia, start slow dancing to demonstrate their attraction in a graceful courtship ritual – and up to three days later, they’re still going strong. See article.
g Cosmicus - A six-member crew has been selected for participation in a simulated Mars mission that will help determine the best way to keep astronauts nourished during long duration missions to Mars or the Moon. See article.
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g Abodes - A new study suggests that meteorites and their parent asteroids are the most-likely sources of water on Earth. Understanding if and how volatile elements were delivered to the early Earth is important in determining the origins of water and life on our planet. See article.
g Life - Not long after sunrise, these endangered seahorses in Broome, Australia, start slow dancing to demonstrate their attraction in a graceful courtship ritual – and up to three days later, they’re still going strong. See article.
g Cosmicus - A six-member crew has been selected for participation in a simulated Mars mission that will help determine the best way to keep astronauts nourished during long duration missions to Mars or the Moon. See article.
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Monday, July 16, 2012
Detecting water on the surface of exoplanets and picking up alien’s messages
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 - Detecting water on the surface of exoplanets is becoming a high priority for researchers, as surface water is considered a requirement for habitability. New research examines whether or not the “glint” of light from a planet can be interpreted as evidence for surface oceans. See article.
g Life - A small bird called a golden-collared manakin performs a tough, complex, tiring courtship dance that leaves its heart rate at some of the highest levels in the avian world, biologists say. See article.
g Message - If aliens ever sent us a message, scientists hope to pick it up in a remote part of northern California. See article.
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g Abodes - Detecting water on the surface of exoplanets is becoming a high priority for researchers, as surface water is considered a requirement for habitability. New research examines whether or not the “glint” of light from a planet can be interpreted as evidence for surface oceans. See article.
g Life - A small bird called a golden-collared manakin performs a tough, complex, tiring courtship dance that leaves its heart rate at some of the highest levels in the avian world, biologists say. See article.
g Message - If aliens ever sent us a message, scientists hope to pick it up in a remote part of northern California. See article.
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Sunday, July 15, 2012
No luck for arsenic substitute and fifth moon found orbiting Pluto
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 team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reporting the discovery of another moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto. See article.
g Life - Two new reports show that the bacterium known as GFAJ-1 requires small amounts of phosphate to grow, and that it cannot substitute arsenic for phosphorus to survive, as one previous report had suggested. See article.
g Cosmicus - On August 5, NASA will be unleashing a pyrotechnic display in the skies of Mars. The Curiosity rover, carried by the Mars Science Laboratory, will streak through the atmosphere of the red planet on it's way to a landing in Gale Crater. See article.
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g Abodes - A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reporting the discovery of another moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto. See article.
g Life - Two new reports show that the bacterium known as GFAJ-1 requires small amounts of phosphate to grow, and that it cannot substitute arsenic for phosphorus to survive, as one previous report had suggested. See article.
g Cosmicus - On August 5, NASA will be unleashing a pyrotechnic display in the skies of Mars. The Curiosity rover, carried by the Mars Science Laboratory, will streak through the atmosphere of the red planet on it's way to a landing in Gale Crater. See article.
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Saturday, July 14, 2012
Mystery of disappearing planetary dust and what comes after Kepler?
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 - Why did all the planet-forming dust around a star disappear in only three years? See article.
g Abodes - New research indicates that global warming may be leading to an increase in the amount of toxins produced by populations of cyanobacteria. See article.
g Message - What comes after Kepler? Maybe we try phoning ETI. See article.
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g Stars - Why did all the planet-forming dust around a star disappear in only three years? See article.
g Abodes - New research indicates that global warming may be leading to an increase in the amount of toxins produced by populations of cyanobacteria. See article.
g Message - What comes after Kepler? Maybe we try phoning ETI. See article.
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Friday, July 13, 2012
Life at Mars’ shallow depths and what to make of potentially isolated alien 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 Abodes - A new study suggests that evidence of ancient life on Mars might be found at relatively shallow depths on the Martian surface. The findings suggest that, if Mars harbor simple organic molecules, NASA's prospects for discovering them with the Curiosity rover are better than previously thought. See article.
g Message - Isolated events are not science's strong suite. If something happens once and never appears again then it's difficult, if not impossible, for the methods of science to be of much use. What you are left with is a question mark. That is the fate of the famous "WOW!" signal — an event that may or may not have been the reception of a signal from ETs. The question facing the rest of us is what do we make of such isolated events. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronaut Don Pettit recently completed a stay on the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 31 crew. While in orbit, he posted a series of diary entries about his experiences on the station and the important research that the crew conducted concerning life's adaptation to the space environment. See article.
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g Abodes - A new study suggests that evidence of ancient life on Mars might be found at relatively shallow depths on the Martian surface. The findings suggest that, if Mars harbor simple organic molecules, NASA's prospects for discovering them with the Curiosity rover are better than previously thought. See article.
g Message - Isolated events are not science's strong suite. If something happens once and never appears again then it's difficult, if not impossible, for the methods of science to be of much use. What you are left with is a question mark. That is the fate of the famous "WOW!" signal — an event that may or may not have been the reception of a signal from ETs. The question facing the rest of us is what do we make of such isolated events. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronaut Don Pettit recently completed a stay on the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 31 crew. While in orbit, he posted a series of diary entries about his experiences on the station and the important research that the crew conducted concerning life's adaptation to the space environment. See article.
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Thursday, July 12, 2012
Curiosity closes on Mars landing date and NASA takes a look behind scenes of 'La Luna'
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 - Researchers have discovered a method for finding “portals” that lead directly from the Earth to the atmosphere of the Sun 93 million miles away. See article.
g Life - On August 5, NASA will be unleashing a pyrotechnic display in the skies of Mars. The Curiosity rover, carried by the Mars Science Laboratory, will streak through the atmosphere of the red planet on its way to a landing in Gale Crater. See article.
See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA takes a look behind the scenes of the Pixar's “La Luna.” This animated short tells the story of a young boy's introduction to his family's line of work on the Moon. See article.
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g Stars - Researchers have discovered a method for finding “portals” that lead directly from the Earth to the atmosphere of the Sun 93 million miles away. See article.
g Life - On August 5, NASA will be unleashing a pyrotechnic display in the skies of Mars. The Curiosity rover, carried by the Mars Science Laboratory, will streak through the atmosphere of the red planet on its way to a landing in Gale Crater. See article.
See article.
g Cosmicus - NASA takes a look behind the scenes of the Pixar's “La Luna.” This animated short tells the story of a young boy's introduction to his family's line of work on the Moon. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Finding exoplanets using dark holes and nova visible in your backyard
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 - Japanese observers have spotted a nova, the fourth seen in Sagittarius so far this year. This one is relatively bright and easy to spot from your backyard. See article.
g Abodes - An advanced telescope imaging system has begun taking data, and is the first of its kind capable of spotting planets orbiting suns outside our solar system. Project 1640 creates “dark holes” around stars of interest, ultimately allowing direct imaging of planets that orbit them. See article.
g Cosmicus - On May 29, a bus-sized asteroid sped past the Earth in the sixth-closest approach on record. Dubbed 2012 KT42, the asteroid crossed the orbits of weather and television satellites only 22,000 miles above our planet's surface. See article.
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g Stars - Japanese observers have spotted a nova, the fourth seen in Sagittarius so far this year. This one is relatively bright and easy to spot from your backyard. See article.
g Abodes - An advanced telescope imaging system has begun taking data, and is the first of its kind capable of spotting planets orbiting suns outside our solar system. Project 1640 creates “dark holes” around stars of interest, ultimately allowing direct imaging of planets that orbit them. See article.
g Cosmicus - On May 29, a bus-sized asteroid sped past the Earth in the sixth-closest approach on record. Dubbed 2012 KT42, the asteroid crossed the orbits of weather and television satellites only 22,000 miles above our planet's surface. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Satellite galaxies passing through Milky Way and extending life via space travel
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 theorized that smaller satellite galaxies have passed through the disk of the Milky Way. Now, a team of astronomers have discovered possible evidence of such an encounter. See article.
g Life - A new study indicates that mass extinctions affect the pace of evolution, not just in the immediate aftermath of catastrophe, but for millions of years to follow. See article.
g Cosmicus - The effect of spaceflight on a microscopic worm could help it to live longer. See article.
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g Stars - Scientists have long theorized that smaller satellite galaxies have passed through the disk of the Milky Way. Now, a team of astronomers have discovered possible evidence of such an encounter. See article.
g Life - A new study indicates that mass extinctions affect the pace of evolution, not just in the immediate aftermath of catastrophe, but for millions of years to follow. See article.
g Cosmicus - The effect of spaceflight on a microscopic worm could help it to live longer. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, July 09, 2012
Attracting the best minds to a career in SETI and Titan likely harbors a layer of liquid water under its shell
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 - Super tornadoes on the Sun may one day help scientists develop ways of produce clean, free energy here on Earth. See article.
g Abodes - New data from Cassini indicates that Saturn's moon Titan likely harbors a layer of liquid water under its shell. The findings could have implications in the search for life on our solar system. See article.
g Intelligence - With no guarantee of success, it is difficult to attract the best minds to a career in SETI. While many are hooked on the importance and the potential payoff of this research, few are willing to bet their family’s livelihood on it. Some university professors have been able to develop SETI programs, but only after they achieve tenure. This isn’t conducive to determined exploration. And that is precisely what the search needs right now. See article.
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g Stars - Super tornadoes on the Sun may one day help scientists develop ways of produce clean, free energy here on Earth. See article.
g Abodes - New data from Cassini indicates that Saturn's moon Titan likely harbors a layer of liquid water under its shell. The findings could have implications in the search for life on our solar system. See article.
g Intelligence - With no guarantee of success, it is difficult to attract the best minds to a career in SETI. While many are hooked on the importance and the potential payoff of this research, few are willing to bet their family’s livelihood on it. Some university professors have been able to develop SETI programs, but only after they achieve tenure. This isn’t conducive to determined exploration. And that is precisely what the search needs right now. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, July 08, 2012
Searching for Martian rocks on Martian moons and Project Argus
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 suggests that the evolution of a fungi known as white rot may have brought an end to a 60-million-year-long period of coal deposition known as the Carboniferous period. See article.
g Message - Since the launch of The SETI League's Project Argus sky survey in April 1996, our members have detected a few interesting signals. See article.
g Cosmicus - A new study indicates that a mission to the moons of Mars could return valuable data about the potential for life on Mars in the planet's past or present. Such a mission would search for rocks that fell to the moon after being ejected from Mars by impact events. See article.
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g Life - A new study suggests that the evolution of a fungi known as white rot may have brought an end to a 60-million-year-long period of coal deposition known as the Carboniferous period. See article.
g Message - Since the launch of The SETI League's Project Argus sky survey in April 1996, our members have detected a few interesting signals. See article.
g Cosmicus - A new study indicates that a mission to the moons of Mars could return valuable data about the potential for life on Mars in the planet's past or present. Such a mission would search for rocks that fell to the moon after being ejected from Mars by impact events. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Determining mass of non-transiting exoplanets and what happened at SETIcon
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, scientists have developed a method for determining the mass of non-transiting exoplanets. The research could even lead to techniques for detecting molecules associated with the presence of life on such worlds. See article.
g Message - Did you miss SETIcon? Maybe you just want to experience again your favorite panel, fireside chat, or lunch and banquet presentation? Or share them with a friend. No problem. The entire proceedings are available for purchase on DVD. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronaut Don Pettit recently completed a stay on the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 31 crew. While in orbit, he posted a series of diary entries about his experiences on the station and the important research that the crew conducted concerning life's adaptation to the space environment. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - For the first time, scientists have developed a method for determining the mass of non-transiting exoplanets. The research could even lead to techniques for detecting molecules associated with the presence of life on such worlds. See article.
g Message - Did you miss SETIcon? Maybe you just want to experience again your favorite panel, fireside chat, or lunch and banquet presentation? Or share them with a friend. No problem. The entire proceedings are available for purchase on DVD. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronaut Don Pettit recently completed a stay on the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 31 crew. While in orbit, he posted a series of diary entries about his experiences on the station and the important research that the crew conducted concerning life's adaptation to the space environment. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, July 06, 2012
New trend in radio astronomy and massive collision billion years before any other known one
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 100 kilometer-wide crater has been found in Greenland, the result of a massive asteroid or comet impact a billion years before any other known collision on Earth. See article.
g Life - Invasive species such as kudzu, privet and garlic mustard can devastate ecosystems, and, until now, scientists had little reason to believe that native plants could mount a successful defense. See article.
g Message - The ATA is part of a new trend in radio astronomy. Rather than a single large dish, it is an array of a large number of small dishes (LNSD). See article.
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g Abodes - A 100 kilometer-wide crater has been found in Greenland, the result of a massive asteroid or comet impact a billion years before any other known collision on Earth. See article.
g Life - Invasive species such as kudzu, privet and garlic mustard can devastate ecosystems, and, until now, scientists had little reason to believe that native plants could mount a successful defense. See article.
g Message - The ATA is part of a new trend in radio astronomy. Rather than a single large dish, it is an array of a large number of small dishes (LNSD). See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, July 05, 2012
Official response to ETI and animals arrive 30 million years earlier than previously thought
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 - University of Alberta researchers have uncovered physical proof that animals existed 585 million years ago - 30 million years earlier than previous records show. See article.
g Intelligence - A team of scientists, led by researcher Carles Lalueza-Fox from CSIC (Spanish National Research Council), has recovered part of the genome of two individuals who were alive in the Mesolithic Period, 7000 years ago. See article.
g Aftermath - Suppose extraterrestrial beings are actually sending out signals to Earth and we finally hear them. Who in the federal government (or elsewhere) is designated to form an official response? See article.
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g Life - University of Alberta researchers have uncovered physical proof that animals existed 585 million years ago - 30 million years earlier than previous records show. See article.
g Intelligence - A team of scientists, led by researcher Carles Lalueza-Fox from CSIC (Spanish National Research Council), has recovered part of the genome of two individuals who were alive in the Mesolithic Period, 7000 years ago. See article.
g Aftermath - Suppose extraterrestrial beings are actually sending out signals to Earth and we finally hear them. Who in the federal government (or elsewhere) is designated to form an official response? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Protocol for making first contact and analysis says we may be alone
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 - By studying rocks blasted out of impact craters, ESA's Mars Express has found evidence that underground water persisted at depth for prolonged periods during the first billion years of the Red Planet's existence. See article.
g Intelligence - Are we alone in the universe? A new analysis says maybe. See article.
g Aftermath - If we discover aliens, what's our protocol for making contact? See article.
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g Abodes - By studying rocks blasted out of impact craters, ESA's Mars Express has found evidence that underground water persisted at depth for prolonged periods during the first billion years of the Red Planet's existence. See article.
g Intelligence - Are we alone in the universe? A new analysis says maybe. See article.
g Aftermath - If we discover aliens, what's our protocol for making contact? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
Dramatic changes in faraway planet’s upper atmosphere and 7 misconceptions about 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 Abodes - Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have seen dramatic changes in the upper atmosphere of a faraway planet. The observations are an example of how scientists can observe changing climates and weather on distant worlds. See article.
g Cosmicus - The B612 Foundation has announced plans to build, launch and operate the first privately funded deep space mission. Sentinel will be a space telescope placed in orbit around the Sun, and will create a comprehensive map of the inner Solar System. See article.
g Imagining - A typical Hollywood alien is "soft, squishy and big on mucus," in the words of Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif. These sci-fi lumps of goo are inclined to abduct us, probe us, hover above us and even walk among us (in disguise, of course). But far beyond Hollywood's limited scope, aliens might really exist. What are they like, and how would they actually handle a human encounter? Astrobiologists have deduced a few answers by combining their knowledge of life on Earth with their understanding of the cosmos as a whole. Their profile of ET might not be what you expected. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Cosmicus - The B612 Foundation has announced plans to build, launch and operate the first privately funded deep space mission. Sentinel will be a space telescope placed in orbit around the Sun, and will create a comprehensive map of the inner Solar System. See article.
g Imagining - A typical Hollywood alien is "soft, squishy and big on mucus," in the words of Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif. These sci-fi lumps of goo are inclined to abduct us, probe us, hover above us and even walk among us (in disguise, of course). But far beyond Hollywood's limited scope, aliens might really exist. What are they like, and how would they actually handle a human encounter? Astrobiologists have deduced a few answers by combining their knowledge of life on Earth with their understanding of the cosmos as a whole. Their profile of ET might not be what you expected. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, July 02, 2012
Tweets to ET and Obama would better handle alien invasion
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 - An international team of astronomers have discovered evidence that our Milky Way had an encounter with a small galaxy or massive dark matter structure perhaps as recently as 100 million years ago, and as a result of that encounter it is still ringing like a bell. See article.
g Message - Your tweets to be beamed across space. Will ET RT? See article.
g Aftermath - A new poll suggests that 77 percent of Americans think there's evidence that aliens have already visited Earth. The same poll suggests most Americans think President Barack Obama would do a better job than presumptive GOP challenger Mitt Romney if we had to fight off an alien invasion. See article.
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g Stars - An international team of astronomers have discovered evidence that our Milky Way had an encounter with a small galaxy or massive dark matter structure perhaps as recently as 100 million years ago, and as a result of that encounter it is still ringing like a bell. See article.
g Message - Your tweets to be beamed across space. Will ET RT? See article.
g Aftermath - A new poll suggests that 77 percent of Americans think there's evidence that aliens have already visited Earth. The same poll suggests most Americans think President Barack Obama would do a better job than presumptive GOP challenger Mitt Romney if we had to fight off an alien invasion. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, July 01, 2012
Develop smarter rovers and schools help develop cosmic ray telescope array
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 a new mineral embedded in a meteorite that exploded over Mexico in 1969. The mineral is believed to be among the oldest formed in the Solar System. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team is developing a rover-based computer system that can identify geologically relevant elements in a camera scene. See article.
g Learning - Inspired by SETI Chief Jill Tarter’s 2009 TED ‘Prize Wish’ to “Empower Earthlings everywhere to become active participants in the ultimate search for cosmic company,” the Energetic Ray Global Observatory - or ERGO - is an exciting new to project that aims to enlist students around the world to turn our whole planet into one massive cosmic-ray telescope to detect the energetic charged particles that arrive at Earth from space. Find out how it works and how your school can get involved. See article.
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g Abodes - Scientists have discovered a new mineral embedded in a meteorite that exploded over Mexico in 1969. The mineral is believed to be among the oldest formed in the Solar System. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team is developing a rover-based computer system that can identify geologically relevant elements in a camera scene. See article.
g Learning - Inspired by SETI Chief Jill Tarter’s 2009 TED ‘Prize Wish’ to “Empower Earthlings everywhere to become active participants in the ultimate search for cosmic company,” the Energetic Ray Global Observatory - or ERGO - is an exciting new to project that aims to enlist students around the world to turn our whole planet into one massive cosmic-ray telescope to detect the energetic charged particles that arrive at Earth from space. Find out how it works and how your school can get involved. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
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