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 indicates that Mars formed from similar building blocks to those of Earth, but that there were differences in how the two planets evolved. See article.
g Intelligence - Chemicals such as those found in hairspray might one day serve as signs that aliens have reshaped distant worlds, researchers say. See article.
g Message - To contact an alien civilization, humanity might want to consider a Bracewell probe — a hypothetical concept for an autonomous interstellar space probe dispatched for the express purpose of communication with (an) alien civilization(s). It was proposed by Ronald N. Bracewell in a 1960 paper, as an alternative to interstellar radio communication between widely separated civilizations. See article.
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Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Could Curiosity have made an incredible discovery?
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 mole-like mammal nicknamed the "grave robber" survived the event that killed the dinosaurs, new research finds. See article.
g Message - A number of searches for extraterrestrial intelligence actually have occurred, are ongoing and are planned. Here’s one of the more famous ones: Project BETA, at Harvard University.
g Cosmicus - Curiosity has now been exploring Gale Crater on Mars for a few months, testing its instruments and taking its first measurements. Already, it has found evidence that water once flowed in the crater. In the coming weeks, NASA's newest rover could have even more exciting science results to share. See article.
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g Life - A mole-like mammal nicknamed the "grave robber" survived the event that killed the dinosaurs, new research finds. See article.
g Message - A number of searches for extraterrestrial intelligence actually have occurred, are ongoing and are planned. Here’s one of the more famous ones: Project BETA, at Harvard University.
g Cosmicus - Curiosity has now been exploring Gale Crater on Mars for a few months, testing its instruments and taking its first measurements. Already, it has found evidence that water once flowed in the crater. In the coming weeks, NASA's newest rover could have even more exciting science results to share. See article.
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Wednesday, November 28, 2012
A 3.45-billion-year-old diet
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 are providing new information about the ‘diet’ of microorganisms on the early Earth. By studying 3.45-billion-year-old rocks, the team uncovered clues about ancient microbial metabolism. See article.
g Message - The set of assumptions that generates progressive research programs associated with the search for extra-terrestrial life--especially intelligent life--constitute a myth-like picture of reality. See article.
g Cosmicus - In his latest diary entry, astronaut Don Pettit talks about how exercise is used to stay healthy on the space station. Pettit also looks at the crystal structure of ice sheets made in space, questioning if they could be different than 'normal' ice that forms on Earth. See article.
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g Life - Researchers are providing new information about the ‘diet’ of microorganisms on the early Earth. By studying 3.45-billion-year-old rocks, the team uncovered clues about ancient microbial metabolism. See article.
g Message - The set of assumptions that generates progressive research programs associated with the search for extra-terrestrial life--especially intelligent life--constitute a myth-like picture of reality. See article.
g Cosmicus - In his latest diary entry, astronaut Don Pettit talks about how exercise is used to stay healthy on the space station. Pettit also looks at the crystal structure of ice sheets made in space, questioning if they could be different than 'normal' ice that forms on Earth. See article.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Potential habitability of the star Kappa Andromedae
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 star Kappa Andromedae? See article.
g Intelligence - Einstein's brain had extraordinary folding patterns in several regions, which may help explain his genius, newly uncovered photographs suggest. See article.
g Message - We’ve all heard of SETI, bit what about METI — “Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” or sending both scientific and artistic messages to the stars? See article.
g Learning - Watch videos, marvel at lush photos, interact with the universe, and much more courtesy of the History Channel. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of the star Kappa Andromedae? See article.
g Intelligence - Einstein's brain had extraordinary folding patterns in several regions, which may help explain his genius, newly uncovered photographs suggest. See article.
g Message - We’ve all heard of SETI, bit what about METI — “Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” or sending both scientific and artistic messages to the stars? See article.
g Learning - Watch videos, marvel at lush photos, interact with the universe, and much more courtesy of the History Channel. See article.
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Monday, November 26, 2012
Basic forms of alien life could be discovered within a decade and rare image of Super-Jupiter
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 rare image of a Super-Jupiter is helping astronomers understand how planets form from gas and dust around newborn stars. See article.
g Message - Professor Peter Smith, the University of Arizona expert who led NASA's Phoenix Mars Mission, predicts that at least basic forms of life would be discovered within the next decade. Microbes and bacteria were, thus far, the best bet, he said. See article.
g Aftermath - Book Alert: Science fiction writers have given us many fine novels contemplating humankind's first contact with intelligent extraterrestrials. But our nonfiction world has not thought much about what to do if we are actually faced with this situation. Jean Heidmann, Chief Astronomer at the Paris Observatory (and self-styled bioastronomer), offers a book, “Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” on the subject that is at once serious and fun. Heidmann's obvious joy in raw speculation — all of it grounded in real science — is contagious. If aliens send us a message from many light years away, for example, how should we respond? See reviews.
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g Abodes - A rare image of a Super-Jupiter is helping astronomers understand how planets form from gas and dust around newborn stars. See article.
g Message - Professor Peter Smith, the University of Arizona expert who led NASA's Phoenix Mars Mission, predicts that at least basic forms of life would be discovered within the next decade. Microbes and bacteria were, thus far, the best bet, he said. See article.
g Aftermath - Book Alert: Science fiction writers have given us many fine novels contemplating humankind's first contact with intelligent extraterrestrials. But our nonfiction world has not thought much about what to do if we are actually faced with this situation. Jean Heidmann, Chief Astronomer at the Paris Observatory (and self-styled bioastronomer), offers a book, “Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” on the subject that is at once serious and fun. Heidmann's obvious joy in raw speculation — all of it grounded in real science — is contagious. If aliens send us a message from many light years away, for example, how should we respond? See reviews.
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Sunday, November 25, 2012
Our solar system’s fate?
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 - Observations of a dying Sun-like star are helping scientists understand what the Earth and our solar system may experience billions of years from now. See article.
g Abodes - Observations of wind patterns and natural radiation patterns on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover are helping scientists better understand the environment on the Red Planet's surface. See article.
g Message - Is it even ethical for us to contact alien life? See article. Note: This article is a few years old.
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g Stars - Observations of a dying Sun-like star are helping scientists understand what the Earth and our solar system may experience billions of years from now. See article.
g Abodes - Observations of wind patterns and natural radiation patterns on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover are helping scientists better understand the environment on the Red Planet's surface. See article.
g Message - Is it even ethical for us to contact alien life? See article. Note: This article is a few years old.
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Saturday, November 24, 2012
Martian meltwater might be sufficient to support life
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 comparing satellite imagery of Mars and the arctic island of Svalbard, researchers have determined that water played a bigger role in shaping the landscape of Mars than previously thought. The study also indicates that environments capable of supporting life on Mars might exist. See article.
g Life - Two years ago, a 71-year-old Indiana man impaled his hand on a branch after cutting down a dead crab apple tree, causing an infection that led University of Utah scientists to discover a new bacterium and solve a mystery about how bacteria came to live inside insects. See article.
g Message - What role will extraterrestrials play in humanity’s future? Here’s a paper by University of Toronto Professor Allen Tough. Though written more than 20 years ago, the paper contains plenty of useful ideas that are fresh (and ignored) today, especially those about extraterrestrial behavior and help.
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g Abodes - By comparing satellite imagery of Mars and the arctic island of Svalbard, researchers have determined that water played a bigger role in shaping the landscape of Mars than previously thought. The study also indicates that environments capable of supporting life on Mars might exist. See article.
g Life - Two years ago, a 71-year-old Indiana man impaled his hand on a branch after cutting down a dead crab apple tree, causing an infection that led University of Utah scientists to discover a new bacterium and solve a mystery about how bacteria came to live inside insects. See article.
g Message - What role will extraterrestrials play in humanity’s future? Here’s a paper by University of Toronto Professor Allen Tough. Though written more than 20 years ago, the paper contains plenty of useful ideas that are fresh (and ignored) today, especially those about extraterrestrial behavior and help.
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Friday, November 23, 2012
SETI receives $3.5 million boost
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 - Hydrothermal fractures around Martian impact craters may have been a habitable environment for microbial life. See article.
g Message - California-based SETI Institute has received a $3.5 million donation to beef up its radio search for extraterrestrials, See article.
g Cosmicus - By emulating human skin, engineers have constructed the first material that can both sense subtle pressure and heal itself when torn or cut. See article.
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g Abodes - Hydrothermal fractures around Martian impact craters may have been a habitable environment for microbial life. See article.
g Message - California-based SETI Institute has received a $3.5 million donation to beef up its radio search for extraterrestrials, See article.
g Cosmicus - By emulating human skin, engineers have constructed the first material that can both sense subtle pressure and heal itself when torn or cut. See article.
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Thursday, November 22, 2012
Rouge planet discovered
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 discovered a potential "rogue" alien planet wandering alone just 100 light-years from Earth, suggesting that such starless worlds may be extremely common across the galaxy. See article.
g Life - Studies have previously discovered microbes in the upper atmosphere, but little is known about the diversity of life up there. New research aims to take a census at the top of the sky. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In “Is Anyone Out There?”, by Frank Drake, Dava Sobel, University of California astronomy and astrophysics professor Drake, aided by science journalist Sobel, responds to the title's classic question with an account of his career-long quest to gamer hard scientific data that might point to some answers. One of America's pioneer radio astronomers, Drake provides firsthand descriptions of breakthrough moments in the past 30 years of astrophysics - no encounters of any kind, just straightforward astrophysics with inconclusive experimental results. Drake's medium is science, his theory technical and his slightly anthropocentric conclusions more modest than those of the average UFO abductee.
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g Abodes - Astronomers have discovered a potential "rogue" alien planet wandering alone just 100 light-years from Earth, suggesting that such starless worlds may be extremely common across the galaxy. See article.
g Life - Studies have previously discovered microbes in the upper atmosphere, but little is known about the diversity of life up there. New research aims to take a census at the top of the sky. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In “Is Anyone Out There?”, by Frank Drake, Dava Sobel, University of California astronomy and astrophysics professor Drake, aided by science journalist Sobel, responds to the title's classic question with an account of his career-long quest to gamer hard scientific data that might point to some answers. One of America's pioneer radio astronomers, Drake provides firsthand descriptions of breakthrough moments in the past 30 years of astrophysics - no encounters of any kind, just straightforward astrophysics with inconclusive experimental results. Drake's medium is science, his theory technical and his slightly anthropocentric conclusions more modest than those of the average UFO abductee.
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Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Target stars for exoplanet searches
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 written “directions” for how to search for exoplanets. The team identified 144 target stars for exoplanet searches, with 20 very strong candidates See article.
g Abodes - A team of astrophysicists are hoping to use ultraprecise portable atomic clocks to study the Earth's true physical form and explore our planet's interior. See article.
g Message - Messages sent into space directed at extraterrestrials may have been too boring to earn a reply, say two astrophysicists trying to improve on their previous alien chat lines. See article.
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g Stars - Astronomers have written “directions” for how to search for exoplanets. The team identified 144 target stars for exoplanet searches, with 20 very strong candidates See article.
g Abodes - A team of astrophysicists are hoping to use ultraprecise portable atomic clocks to study the Earth's true physical form and explore our planet's interior. See article.
g Message - Messages sent into space directed at extraterrestrials may have been too boring to earn a reply, say two astrophysicists trying to improve on their previous alien chat lines. See article.
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Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Plans for sending men to asteroids
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 single Archaea that can perform marine methane oxidation coupled to sulfate respiration. Previously, it was thought that Archaea carried out this process in colaboration with a bacterium. See article.
g Message - Could intelligent beings in another solar system have hidden their sun by knocking their planets apart and using the pieces to build a hollow ball around their sun? See article.
g Cosmicus - The re-election of President Barack Obama has kept NASA on track to send human explorers to an asteroid, and that means work on a 21st-century spacecraft to fly astronauts to the target space rock and hover nearby — or maybe even pogo off its surface — will go ahead as well. See article.
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g Life - Scientists have discovered a single Archaea that can perform marine methane oxidation coupled to sulfate respiration. Previously, it was thought that Archaea carried out this process in colaboration with a bacterium. See article.
g Message - Could intelligent beings in another solar system have hidden their sun by knocking their planets apart and using the pieces to build a hollow ball around their sun? See article.
g Cosmicus - The re-election of President Barack Obama has kept NASA on track to send human explorers to an asteroid, and that means work on a 21st-century spacecraft to fly astronauts to the target space rock and hover nearby — or maybe even pogo off its surface — will go ahead as well. See article.
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Monday, November 19, 2012
Life before 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 Life - Early forms of life on Earth may have used RNA to encode genetic instructions before the advent of DNA. But what sort of genetic molecules did life rely on before RNA? A new study may help answer this question. Seearticle .
g Message - In 2001, California astronomers broadened the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with a new experiment to look for powerful light pulses beamed our way from other star systems. Scientists from the University of California's Lick Observatory, the SETI Institute, UC-Santa Cruz, and UC-Berkeley used the Lick Observatory's 40-inch Nickel Telescope with a new pulse-detection system capable of finding laser beacons from civilizations many light-years distant. Unlike other optical SETI searches, this new experiment is largely immune to false alarms that slow the reconnaissance of target stars. See article.
g Cosmicus - In his latest diary entry from Expedition 31, Don Pettit discusses daily life in microgravity on the International Space Station. See article.
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g Life - Early forms of life on Earth may have used RNA to encode genetic instructions before the advent of DNA. But what sort of genetic molecules did life rely on before RNA? A new study may help answer this question. See
g Message - In 2001, California astronomers broadened the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with a new experiment to look for powerful light pulses beamed our way from other star systems. Scientists from the University of California's Lick Observatory, the SETI Institute, UC-Santa Cruz, and UC-Berkeley used the Lick Observatory's 40-inch Nickel Telescope with a new pulse-detection system capable of finding laser beacons from civilizations many light-years distant. Unlike other optical SETI searches, this new experiment is largely immune to false alarms that slow the reconnaissance of target stars. See article.
g Cosmicus - In his latest diary entry from Expedition 31, Don Pettit discusses daily life in microgravity on the International Space Station. See article.
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Sunday, November 18, 2012
Developing a communications system to talk with aliens
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - In this interview, Hans Amundsen explains what rocks from the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard have in common with a famous Mars meteorite. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study shows that extreme weather decimated the political culture and population of the ancient Maya. See article.
g Message - Visiting another civilization on a distant world would be fascinating, but at present such a trip is beyond our capabilities. However, it is perfectly within our capabilities to develop a communications system using a powerful transmitter and a sensitive receiver, and using it to search the sky for alien worlds whose citizens have a similar inclination. See article.
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g Abodes - In this interview, Hans Amundsen explains what rocks from the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard have in common with a famous Mars meteorite. See article.
g Intelligence - A new study shows that extreme weather decimated the political culture and population of the ancient Maya. See article.
g Message - Visiting another civilization on a distant world would be fascinating, but at present such a trip is beyond our capabilities. However, it is perfectly within our capabilities to develop a communications system using a powerful transmitter and a sensitive receiver, and using it to search the sky for alien worlds whose citizens have a similar inclination. See article.
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Saturday, November 17, 2012
Star system’s dusty disk boasts large amounts of gas
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 - Every six seconds, for millions or years, comets have been colliding with one another near a star in the constellation Cetus, which is visible to the naked eye. The star hosts one of only two known dusty disks that also contain large amounts of gas. See article.
g Abodes - A new NASA-funded study finds climate model projections that show a greater rise in global temperature are likely to prove more accurate than those showing a lesser rise. The study helps narrow the range of global warming expected in the coming decades and beyond. See article.
g Message - Tired of the alien-of-the-week as depicted by "Star Trek"? Jar-Jar Binks bugging you? Are you wondering where the real space sentients are, and if they are weirder than we can even imagine? You are not alone – and in all probability, we are not alone either. At least, that’s what the folks at SETI – the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence – are betting. See article.
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g Stars - Every six seconds, for millions or years, comets have been colliding with one another near a star in the constellation Cetus, which is visible to the naked eye. The star hosts one of only two known dusty disks that also contain large amounts of gas. See article.
g Abodes - A new NASA-funded study finds climate model projections that show a greater rise in global temperature are likely to prove more accurate than those showing a lesser rise. The study helps narrow the range of global warming expected in the coming decades and beyond. See article.
g Message - Tired of the alien-of-the-week as depicted by "Star Trek"? Jar-Jar Binks bugging you? Are you wondering where the real space sentients are, and if they are weirder than we can even imagine? You are not alone – and in all probability, we are not alone either. At least, that’s what the folks at SETI – the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence – are betting. See article.
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Friday, November 16, 2012
Detecting colors – and life – on alien worlds
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 - Observations of a young star with a mass similar to that of the Sun show a giant gap inside its protoplanetary disk. The gravitational force of newborn planets may account for the huge gap. See article.
g Abodes - When direct detection of Earth-like planets becomes possible, scientists want to be able to easily characterize these planets and see which ones might be suitable for alien life. A new technique shows how the unique colors of particular environments known to harbor extremophile life on Earth can be detected remotely. See article.
g Message - Here’s a prerecorded Web cast at Aricebo Radio Observatory in March 2003 when scientists listened to the most promising transmissions from UC Berkeley’s SETI@home search. Join the Exploratorium’s Ron Hipschman and special guest Dan Werthimer, chief scientist and principal investigator for the SETI Institute’s efforts, as they also discuss Arecibo Observatory’s search of artificial radio signals coming from other stars here; scroll to “What about Intelligent Life?”
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g Stars - Observations of a young star with a mass similar to that of the Sun show a giant gap inside its protoplanetary disk. The gravitational force of newborn planets may account for the huge gap. See article.
g Abodes - When direct detection of Earth-like planets becomes possible, scientists want to be able to easily characterize these planets and see which ones might be suitable for alien life. A new technique shows how the unique colors of particular environments known to harbor extremophile life on Earth can be detected remotely. See article.
g Message - Here’s a prerecorded Web cast at Aricebo Radio Observatory in March 2003 when scientists listened to the most promising transmissions from UC Berkeley’s SETI@home search. Join the Exploratorium’s Ron Hipschman and special guest Dan Werthimer, chief scientist and principal investigator for the SETI Institute’s efforts, as they also discuss Arecibo Observatory’s search of artificial radio signals coming from other stars here; scroll to “What about Intelligent Life?”
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Thursday, November 15, 2012
Potential habitability of nearby star system HD 40307
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 HD 40307, which hosts six planets? See article.
g Abodes - A new study uses satellites to study how volcanoes are deformed prior to an eruption. See article.
g Message - "Surely one of the most marvelous feats of 20th-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. Note: This article is from 2001.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of the nearby star system HD 40307, which hosts six planets? See article.
g Abodes - A new study uses satellites to study how volcanoes are deformed prior to an eruption. See article.
g Message - "Surely one of the most marvelous feats of 20th-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. Note: This article is from 2001.
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Newly discovered planet may be capable of supporting life
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 an alien planet that may be capable of supporting life as we know it — and it's just a stone's throw from Earth in the cosmic scheme of things. See article.
g Life - New research shows that these methane-consuming microorganisms are quite picky about their diet. The study also reveals a surprising detail about how microbial cells actually use the methane they take in. See article.
g Intelligence - Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and in France have now shown that blind people - using specialized photographic and sound equipment - can actually "see" and describe objects and even identify letters and words. See article.
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g Abodes - Astronomers have detected an alien planet that may be capable of supporting life as we know it — and it's just a stone's throw from Earth in the cosmic scheme of things. See article.
g Life - New research shows that these methane-consuming microorganisms are quite picky about their diet. The study also reveals a surprising detail about how microbial cells actually use the methane they take in. See article.
g Intelligence - Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and in France have now shown that blind people - using specialized photographic and sound equipment - can actually "see" and describe objects and even identify letters and words. See article.
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Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Where Superman’s homeworld might be
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 shows that global warming was responsible for the slow recovery of plants and animals following the largest known mass extinction in Earth's history. The study could have implications in understanding how climate change could affect the future on life on our planet. See article.
g Intelligence - An Asian elephant can imitate human speech, speaking five words in Korean that can be understood by Korean speakers. See article.
g Imagining - In a new issue of Action Comics, Superman finds the location of his home planet of Krypton. So, DC Comics called in Astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson to figure out where the real outer space location of the fictional planet would be. See article.
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g Life - A new study shows that global warming was responsible for the slow recovery of plants and animals following the largest known mass extinction in Earth's history. The study could have implications in understanding how climate change could affect the future on life on our planet. See article.
g Intelligence - An Asian elephant can imitate human speech, speaking five words in Korean that can be understood by Korean speakers. See article.
g Imagining - In a new issue of Action Comics, Superman finds the location of his home planet of Krypton. So, DC Comics called in Astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson to figure out where the real outer space location of the fictional planet would be. See article.
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Monday, November 12, 2012
How star’s asteroid belt affects development of habitable worlds
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 indicates that size and location of a solar system's asteroid belt may determine whether or not complex life will evolve on Earth-like planets in the system. See article.
g Life - A new study suggests that mammalian eyes evolved for life in the dark. A nocturnal lifestyle may have helped them avoid predation by dinosaurs. See article.
g Learning - That change in perceptions towards astrobiology is due in part to the advances chronicled by Jacob Berkowitz in his book The Stardust Revolution. In it, he argues that we’re undergoing a scientific revolution as profound as the Copernican Revolution four centuries ago that shifted the Earth out of the center of the universe and the Darwinian Revolution of the nineteenth century that introduced revolution. This new revolution, he argues, is the merging of the first two, combining astronomy and biology: an argument expertly covered in the book, even if Berkowitz is guilty of a degree of overreach. See article.
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g Abodes - A new study indicates that size and location of a solar system's asteroid belt may determine whether or not complex life will evolve on Earth-like planets in the system. See article.
g Life - A new study suggests that mammalian eyes evolved for life in the dark. A nocturnal lifestyle may have helped them avoid predation by dinosaurs. See article.
g Learning - That change in perceptions towards astrobiology is due in part to the advances chronicled by Jacob Berkowitz in his book The Stardust Revolution. In it, he argues that we’re undergoing a scientific revolution as profound as the Copernican Revolution four centuries ago that shifted the Earth out of the center of the universe and the Darwinian Revolution of the nineteenth century that introduced revolution. This new revolution, he argues, is the merging of the first two, combining astronomy and biology: an argument expertly covered in the book, even if Berkowitz is guilty of a degree of overreach. See article.
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Sunday, November 11, 2012
How life from Earth adapts to the space 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 Abodes - A new NASA study shows that dust rising above the world's deserts causes a more significant localized warming effect than previously thought. See article.
g Intelligence - Research comparing brain development in humans and our closest nonhuman primate relatives, chimpanzees, reveals how quickly myelin in the cerebral cortex grows, shedding light on the evolution of human cognitive development and the vulnerability of humans to psychiatric disorders. Myelin is the fatty insulation surrounding axon connections of the brain. See article.
g Cosmicus - Don Pettit continues documenting the progress of plants grown on board the International Space Station. By studying different plants, from sunflowers to zucchinis, the experiments are helping scientists understand how life from Earth adapts to the space environment. See article.
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g Abodes - A new NASA study shows that dust rising above the world's deserts causes a more significant localized warming effect than previously thought. See article.
g Intelligence - Research comparing brain development in humans and our closest nonhuman primate relatives, chimpanzees, reveals how quickly myelin in the cerebral cortex grows, shedding light on the evolution of human cognitive development and the vulnerability of humans to psychiatric disorders. Myelin is the fatty insulation surrounding axon connections of the brain. See article.
g Cosmicus - Don Pettit continues documenting the progress of plants grown on board the International Space Station. By studying different plants, from sunflowers to zucchinis, the experiments are helping scientists understand how life from Earth adapts to the space environment. See article.
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Little methane found on 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 - With its initial sniffs of the Martian atmosphere, Curiosity has been able to detect little to no methane on Mars. However, the data that the rover has gathered is helping scientists understand how Mars may have lost its original atmosphere. See article.
g Intelligence - The brain holds in mind what has just been seen by synchronizing brain waves in a working memory circuit, an animal study supported by the National Institutes of Health suggests. The more in-sync such electrical signals of neurons were in two key hubs of the circuit, the more those cells held the short-term memory of a just-seen object. See article.
g Cosmicus - In this interview, Jennifer Stern explains how she went from studying methane emissions in landfills to searching for signs of life on Mars. See article.
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g Abodes - With its initial sniffs of the Martian atmosphere, Curiosity has been able to detect little to no methane on Mars. However, the data that the rover has gathered is helping scientists understand how Mars may have lost its original atmosphere. See article.
g Intelligence - The brain holds in mind what has just been seen by synchronizing brain waves in a working memory circuit, an animal study supported by the National Institutes of Health suggests. The more in-sync such electrical signals of neurons were in two key hubs of the circuit, the more those cells held the short-term memory of a just-seen object. See article.
g Cosmicus - In this interview, Jennifer Stern explains how she went from studying methane emissions in landfills to searching for signs of life on Mars. See article.
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Friday, November 09, 2012
Our solar system not quite so special
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 - Some 4.567 billion years ago, our solar system's planets spawned from an expansive disc of gas and dust rotating around the sun. While similar processes are witnessed in younger solar systems throughout the Milky Way, the formative stages of our own solar system were believed to have taken twice as long to occur. Now, new research lead by the Centre for Star and Planet Formation at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, suggests otherwise. Indeed, our solar system is not quite as special as once believed. See article.
g Abodes - Cassini has captured images showing how Titan glows dimly in the dark. Light is emitted when charged particles bang into nitrogen molecules in the moon's dense atmosphere. The data is a glimpse into the processes behind the natural organic chemistry factory that exists on the unique moon. See article.
g Life - A new study provides a detailed picture of how opsins evolved. Opsins are light-sensitive molecules found in photoreceptor cells of the retina. See article.
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g Stars - Some 4.567 billion years ago, our solar system's planets spawned from an expansive disc of gas and dust rotating around the sun. While similar processes are witnessed in younger solar systems throughout the Milky Way, the formative stages of our own solar system were believed to have taken twice as long to occur. Now, new research lead by the Centre for Star and Planet Formation at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, suggests otherwise. Indeed, our solar system is not quite as special as once believed. See article.
g Abodes - Cassini has captured images showing how Titan glows dimly in the dark. Light is emitted when charged particles bang into nitrogen molecules in the moon's dense atmosphere. The data is a glimpse into the processes behind the natural organic chemistry factory that exists on the unique moon. See article.
g Life - A new study provides a detailed picture of how opsins evolved. Opsins are light-sensitive molecules found in photoreceptor cells of the retina. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, November 08, 2012
Mineralogy of Martian soil
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 - Initial experiments from Curiosity show that the mineralogy of Martian soil is similar to weathered volcanic soils in Hawaii. See article.
g Life - A new study suggests that the structure of ecosystems in North America increased the severity of the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs. See article.
g Intelligence - Vision may be less important to "seeing" than is the brain's ability to process points of light into complex images, according to a new study of the fruit fly visual system currently published in the online journal Nature Communications. See article.
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g Abodes - Initial experiments from Curiosity show that the mineralogy of Martian soil is similar to weathered volcanic soils in Hawaii. See article.
g Life - A new study suggests that the structure of ecosystems in North America increased the severity of the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs. See article.
g Intelligence - Vision may be less important to "seeing" than is the brain's ability to process points of light into complex images, according to a new study of the fruit fly visual system currently published in the online journal Nature Communications. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
New Orion spaceship set for test launch in 2014
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 heat-seeking capabilities of the Cassini spacecraft and two ground-based telescopes have provided the first look at the aftermath of Saturn’s “Great Springtime Storm.” See article.
g Intelligence - New research shows a simple reason why even the most intelligent, complex brains can be taken by a swindler's story - one that upon a second look offers clues it was false. See article.
g Cosmicus - The pieces are coming together for NASA's newest spaceship Orion, with its first unmanned launch test scheduled for September 2014. See article.
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g Abodes - The heat-seeking capabilities of the Cassini spacecraft and two ground-based telescopes have provided the first look at the aftermath of Saturn’s “Great Springtime Storm.” See article.
g Intelligence - New research shows a simple reason why even the most intelligent, complex brains can be taken by a swindler's story - one that upon a second look offers clues it was false. See article.
g Cosmicus - The pieces are coming together for NASA's newest spaceship Orion, with its first unmanned launch test scheduled for September 2014. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Martian crater analog in Mexico
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 using Hubble data is bringing new life to claims that the nearby star Fomalhaut hosts a massive planet. See article.
g Life - Opsins, the light-sensitive proteins key to vision, may have evolved earlier and undergone fewer genetic changes than previously believed, according to a new study from the National University of Ireland Maynooth and the University of Bristol published Oct. 29 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. See article.
g Cosmicus - A unique Mexican valley may provide insight into the past environment of Curiosity's landing site, Gale Crater. See article.
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g Abodes - A new study using Hubble data is bringing new life to claims that the nearby star Fomalhaut hosts a massive planet. See article.
g Life - Opsins, the light-sensitive proteins key to vision, may have evolved earlier and undergone fewer genetic changes than previously believed, according to a new study from the National University of Ireland Maynooth and the University of Bristol published Oct. 29 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. See article.
g Cosmicus - A unique Mexican valley may provide insight into the past environment of Curiosity's landing site, Gale Crater. See article.
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Monday, November 05, 2012
Nearby star Fomalhaut hosts massive exoplanet
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 second look at data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reanimating the claim that the nearby star Fomalhaut hosts a massive exoplanet. The study suggests that the planet, named Fomalhaut b, is a rare and possibly unique object that is completely shrouded by dust. See article.
g Life - Scientists are challenging the idea that the oxygenation of the oceans and atmosphere of Earth occurred only in a positive direction starting 2.4 billion years ago. Their study shows evidence of a drop in oxygen after it first began to rise. See article.
g Cosmicus - Don Pettit, member of the Expedition 31 crew, continues to document the growth of plants in microgravity conditions onboard the International Space Station. These studies provide insight into how Earth life adapts to the space environment. See article.
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g Abodes - A second look at data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reanimating the claim that the nearby star Fomalhaut hosts a massive exoplanet. The study suggests that the planet, named Fomalhaut b, is a rare and possibly unique object that is completely shrouded by dust. See article.
g Life - Scientists are challenging the idea that the oxygenation of the oceans and atmosphere of Earth occurred only in a positive direction starting 2.4 billion years ago. Their study shows evidence of a drop in oxygen after it first began to rise. See article.
g Cosmicus - Don Pettit, member of the Expedition 31 crew, continues to document the growth of plants in microgravity conditions onboard the International Space Station. These studies provide insight into how Earth life adapts to the space environment. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, November 04, 2012
Potential habitability of nearby star Fomalhaut
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 Fomalhaut? See article.
g Abodes - The Cluster mission has discovered that Earth's protective magnetic bubble lets the solar wind in under a wider range of conditions than previously believed. See article.
g Cosmicus - A new study details how 'paint balls' could be used to alter the reflectivity of an Earth-bound asteroid, ultimately helping to alter it's course and keep our planet safe from an impact. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of the nearby star Fomalhaut? See article.
g Abodes - The Cluster mission has discovered that Earth's protective magnetic bubble lets the solar wind in under a wider range of conditions than previously believed. See article.
g Cosmicus - A new study details how 'paint balls' could be used to alter the reflectivity of an Earth-bound asteroid, ultimately helping to alter it's course and keep our planet safe from an impact. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, November 03, 2012
Bacteria leading to animal life
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 the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, researchers have discovered a band, or stream, of stars believed to be the remnant of an ancient star cluster slowly being ingested by the Milky Way, Earth's home galaxy. See article.
g Abodes - Using a new technique, astronomers are bringing Uranus into sharp focus. New observations are revealing incredible details about the bizarre weather on our solar system's seventh planet. See article.
g Life - A new study indicates that bacteria may have helped kick off the leap from single celled organisms to multicellular organisms. See article.
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g Stars - Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, researchers have discovered a band, or stream, of stars believed to be the remnant of an ancient star cluster slowly being ingested by the Milky Way, Earth's home galaxy. See article.
g Abodes - Using a new technique, astronomers are bringing Uranus into sharp focus. New observations are revealing incredible details about the bizarre weather on our solar system's seventh planet. See article.
g Life - A new study indicates that bacteria may have helped kick off the leap from single celled organisms to multicellular organisms. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, November 02, 2012
New mission to study super-Earths orbiting nearby stars
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 - Using a combination of Earth-based telescopic surveys and archival data, a team of researchers has gathered nearly 40 snapshots of volcanic eruptions on Jupiter's 'volcanic wonderland' moon, Io. See article.
g Intelligence - Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have identified small variations in a number of genes that are closely linked to an increased risk of bipolar disorder, a mental illness that affects nearly six million Americans, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. See article.
g Cosmicus - ESA has announced a new mission to study super-Earths orbiting nearby stars. Dubbed Cheops, the mission could be just the first in a new series of small missions developed as part of ESA's Science Program. See article.
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g Abodes - Using a combination of Earth-based telescopic surveys and archival data, a team of researchers has gathered nearly 40 snapshots of volcanic eruptions on Jupiter's 'volcanic wonderland' moon, Io. See article.
g Intelligence - Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have identified small variations in a number of genes that are closely linked to an increased risk of bipolar disorder, a mental illness that affects nearly six million Americans, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. See article.
g Cosmicus - ESA has announced a new mission to study super-Earths orbiting nearby stars. Dubbed Cheops, the mission could be just the first in a new series of small missions developed as part of ESA's Science Program. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Titan’s ancient shorelines
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 comprehensive study of hundreds of galaxies observed by the Keck telescopes in Hawaii and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has revealed an unexpected pattern of change that extends back 8 billion years, or more than half the age of the universe. See article.
g Abodes - Radar images of Titan have revealed some curious new features on the mysterious moon. They include a nearly circular feature that resembles a giant hot cross bun and shorelines of ancient seas. See article.
g Intelligence - Scientists at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry have now performed one of the largest ever genetic replication studies of bipolar affective disorder, with 28,000 subjects recruited from 36 different research centers. Their findings provide compelling evidence that the chromosome 3p21.1 locus contains a common genetic risk for bipolar disorder, the PBRM1 gene. See article.
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g Stars - A comprehensive study of hundreds of galaxies observed by the Keck telescopes in Hawaii and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has revealed an unexpected pattern of change that extends back 8 billion years, or more than half the age of the universe. See article.
g Abodes - Radar images of Titan have revealed some curious new features on the mysterious moon. They include a nearly circular feature that resembles a giant hot cross bun and shorelines of ancient seas. See article.
g Intelligence - Scientists at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry have now performed one of the largest ever genetic replication studies of bipolar affective disorder, with 28,000 subjects recruited from 36 different research centers. Their findings provide compelling evidence that the chromosome 3p21.1 locus contains a common genetic risk for bipolar disorder, the PBRM1 gene. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
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