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 - For the first time, scientists find that microbes from Earth can survive and grow even in the mix of drastically low pressure, freezing temperatures and oxygen-starved conditions seen on Mars. See article.
g Intelligence - A fossilized bone fragment found buried deep in the soil of a Serbian cave is causing scientists to reconsider what happened during a critical period in human development, when the strands of modern humanity were still coming together. See article.
g Message - Intelligent alien life is likely relatively rare throughout our Milky Way galaxy, with fewer than one in a million solar systems harboring civilizations advanced enough to send out radio signals, a new study reports. See article.
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Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Radio-using ETI ‘one in a million’
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 - Two of NASA's great observatories, the Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes, have teamed up to uncover a mysterious infant star that behaves like a strobe light. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that salmon may use the geomagnetic field to navigate across thousands of miles of open ocean to locate their river of origin. See article.
g Message - NASA’s Kepler mission has identified 2,740 planets orbiting other stars, but do any of them harbor intelligent life? Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have now used the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia to look for intelligent radio signals from planets around 86 of these stars. While discovering no telltale signs of life, the researchers calculate that fewer than one in a million stars in the Milky Way Galaxy have planetary civilizations advanced enough to transmit beacons we could detect. See article.
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g Stars - Two of NASA's great observatories, the Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes, have teamed up to uncover a mysterious infant star that behaves like a strobe light. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that salmon may use the geomagnetic field to navigate across thousands of miles of open ocean to locate their river of origin. See article.
g Message - NASA’s Kepler mission has identified 2,740 planets orbiting other stars, but do any of them harbor intelligent life? Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have now used the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia to look for intelligent radio signals from planets around 86 of these stars. While discovering no telltale signs of life, the researchers calculate that fewer than one in a million stars in the Milky Way Galaxy have planetary civilizations advanced enough to transmit beacons we could detect. See article.
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Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Volcanoes may hold secret of climate flips
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 is shedding light on one of Earth's enduring climate mysteries. Earth has flipped between greenhouse and icehouse states for the past 500 million years. This process may have been driven by episodic flare-ups of volcanoes at key locations around the planet. See article.
g Intelligence - Man's best friend may touch our hearts with their empathy, companionship, playfulness and loyalty, and they may also lead us to a deeper understanding of our heads. 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 Abodes - A new study is shedding light on one of Earth's enduring climate mysteries. Earth has flipped between greenhouse and icehouse states for the past 500 million years. This process may have been driven by episodic flare-ups of volcanoes at key locations around the planet. See article.
g Intelligence - Man's best friend may touch our hearts with their empathy, companionship, playfulness and loyalty, and they may also lead us to a deeper understanding of our heads. 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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Monday, February 25, 2013
More evidence for dino-killing 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 Abodes - Scientists find new clues that a single gigantic asteroid impact ended the age of dinosaurs. See article.
g Message - In 2001, California astronomers broadened the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with a new experiment to look for powerful light pulses beamed our way from other star systems. Scientists from the University of California's Lick Observatory, the SETI Institute, UC-Santa Cruz, and UC-Berkeley used the Lick Observatory's 40-inch Nickel Telescope with a new pulse-detection system capable of finding laser beacons from civilizations many light-years distant. Unlike other optical SETI searches, this new experiment is largely immune to false alarms that slow the reconnaissance of target stars. See article.
g Cosmicus - A newly discovered comet will make its first-ever journey into the inner solar system later this year. Comet ISON will appear bright in the night sky starting in November 2013. See article.
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g Abodes - Scientists find new clues that a single gigantic asteroid impact ended the age of dinosaurs. See article.
g Message - In 2001, California astronomers broadened the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with a new experiment to look for powerful light pulses beamed our way from other star systems. Scientists from the University of California's Lick Observatory, the SETI Institute, UC-Santa Cruz, and UC-Berkeley used the Lick Observatory's 40-inch Nickel Telescope with a new pulse-detection system capable of finding laser beacons from civilizations many light-years distant. Unlike other optical SETI searches, this new experiment is largely immune to false alarms that slow the reconnaissance of target stars. See article.
g Cosmicus - A newly discovered comet will make its first-ever journey into the inner solar system later this year. Comet ISON will appear bright in the night sky starting in November 2013. See article.
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Sunday, February 24, 2013
Programming organic cells to communicate and perform computations
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Intelligence - Almost everyone reports experiencing mind-pops at some time or another, but some experience them more than others according to research conducted by the University of Hertfordshire. In the paper to be published in Psychiatry Research, findings suggest that mind-pop experiences are related to hallucinations in those people suffering from schizophrenia. See article.
g Message - The search for extraterrestrial visitation is motivated not only by the writings of other authors on the subject of interstellar probes, but also by the awareness of the progression of our own probe technology. Included in this awareness are Earth's advancements in communication technology, growing understanding of exobiology and ongoing research of new possibilities to enable travel across vast distances. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of UCSF researchers has engineered E. coli with the key molecular circuitry that will enable genetic engineers to program cells to communicate and perform computations. See article.
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g Intelligence - Almost everyone reports experiencing mind-pops at some time or another, but some experience them more than others according to research conducted by the University of Hertfordshire. In the paper to be published in Psychiatry Research, findings suggest that mind-pop experiences are related to hallucinations in those people suffering from schizophrenia. See article.
g Message - The search for extraterrestrial visitation is motivated not only by the writings of other authors on the subject of interstellar probes, but also by the awareness of the progression of our own probe technology. Included in this awareness are Earth's advancements in communication technology, growing understanding of exobiology and ongoing research of new possibilities to enable travel across vast distances. See article.
g Cosmicus - A team of UCSF researchers has engineered E. coli with the key molecular circuitry that will enable genetic engineers to program cells to communicate and perform computations. See article.
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Saturday, February 23, 2013
NASA’s efforts to plan a future mission to Europa
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Intelligence - A new study from Lund University in Sweden shows that the average life expectancy of men and women with schizophrenia is 15 years and 12 years shorter respectively than for those who do not suffer from the disease. The study has been carried out in collaboration with Stanford University in the United States. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In response to Enrico Fermi's famous 1950 question concerning the existence of advanced civilizations elsewhere, physicist Stephen Webb in “If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens... Where Is Everybody? Fifty Solutions to Fermi's Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life” critically examines 50 resolutions to explain the total absence of empirical evidence for probes, starships, and communications from extraterrestrials. He focuses on our Milky Way Galaxy, which to date has yielded no objects or signals that indicate the existence of alien beings with intelligence and technology. His comprehensive analysis covers topics ranging from the Drake equation and Dyson spheres to the panspermia hypothesis and anthropic arguments. Of special interest are the discussions on the DNA molecule, the origin of life on Earth, and the threats to organic evolution on this planet (including mass extinctions). Webb himself concludes that the "great silence" in nature probably results from humankind's being the only civilization now in this galaxy, if not in the entire universe. This richly informative and very engaging book is recommended for most academic and public library science collections. See article.
g Cosmicus - Here’s a series that follows an oceanographic expedition to the Mid-Cayman Rise and NASA’s efforts to plan a future mission to Jupiter’s moon, Europa. In part five, scientists use high-tech submersibles to explore the seafloor and bring intriguing samples up to the surface. See article.
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g Intelligence - A new study from Lund University in Sweden shows that the average life expectancy of men and women with schizophrenia is 15 years and 12 years shorter respectively than for those who do not suffer from the disease. The study has been carried out in collaboration with Stanford University in the United States. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In response to Enrico Fermi's famous 1950 question concerning the existence of advanced civilizations elsewhere, physicist Stephen Webb in “If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens... Where Is Everybody? Fifty Solutions to Fermi's Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life” critically examines 50 resolutions to explain the total absence of empirical evidence for probes, starships, and communications from extraterrestrials. He focuses on our Milky Way Galaxy, which to date has yielded no objects or signals that indicate the existence of alien beings with intelligence and technology. His comprehensive analysis covers topics ranging from the Drake equation and Dyson spheres to the panspermia hypothesis and anthropic arguments. Of special interest are the discussions on the DNA molecule, the origin of life on Earth, and the threats to organic evolution on this planet (including mass extinctions). Webb himself concludes that the "great silence" in nature probably results from humankind's being the only civilization now in this galaxy, if not in the entire universe. This richly informative and very engaging book is recommended for most academic and public library science collections. See article.
g Cosmicus - Here’s a series that follows an oceanographic expedition to the Mid-Cayman Rise and NASA’s efforts to plan a future mission to Jupiter’s moon, Europa. In part five, scientists use high-tech submersibles to explore the seafloor and bring intriguing samples up to the surface. See article.
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Friday, February 22, 2013
Piloting spacecraft by 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 Abodes - A team of scientists believe that they may have identified a meteorite from Mercury based on its composition and data from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft. 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.
g Cosmicus - Scientists at the University of Essex have been working with NASA on a project where they controlled a virtual spacecraft by thought alone. See article.
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g Abodes - A team of scientists believe that they may have identified a meteorite from Mercury based on its composition and data from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft. 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.
g Cosmicus - Scientists at the University of Essex have been working with NASA on a project where they controlled a virtual spacecraft by thought alone. See article.
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Thursday, February 21, 2013
Earth-like planets in red dwarf habitable zones
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 publicly available data from NASA's Kepler space telescope, astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) estimate that six percent of red dwarf stars in the galaxy have Earth-size planets in the "habitable zone," the range of distances from a star where the surface temperature of an orbiting planet might be suitable for liquid water. See article.
g Abodes - A new study using data from Cassini is helping scientists understand the behavior of smoggy aerosol layers in the atmospheres of Titan and Earth. See article.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See article. Note: This article is from 1996.
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g Stars - Using publicly available data from NASA's Kepler space telescope, astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) estimate that six percent of red dwarf stars in the galaxy have Earth-size planets in the "habitable zone," the range of distances from a star where the surface temperature of an orbiting planet might be suitable for liquid water. See article.
g Abodes - A new study using data from Cassini is helping scientists understand the behavior of smoggy aerosol layers in the atmospheres of Titan and Earth. See article.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See article. Note: This article is from 1996.
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Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Super Earths or Mini-Neptunes?
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 super-Earth planets might be unlikely to ever become truly Earth-like. These worlds may be more like mini-Neptunes See article.
g Intelligence - Scientists have simulated 25,000 generations of evolution within computers, providing new insight into the evolution of complexity. The study could also have implications for the future of artificial intelligence. See article.
g Aftermath - Book alert: In “Cosmic Company,” Seth Shostak and Alex Barnett ponder the possibility of aliens visiting the Earth, as well as the consequences of receiving a signal from the cosmos proving we're neither alone, nor the most intelligent life forms. They explain why scientists think life might exist on other worlds, and how we might contact it. Shostak and Barnett, experienced writers of popular astronomy, provide an accessible overview of the science and technology behind the search for life in the universe. See reviews.
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g Abodes - A new study suggests that super-Earth planets might be unlikely to ever become truly Earth-like. These worlds may be more like mini-Neptunes See article.
g Intelligence - Scientists have simulated 25,000 generations of evolution within computers, providing new insight into the evolution of complexity. The study could also have implications for the future of artificial intelligence. See article.
g Aftermath - Book alert: In “Cosmic Company,” Seth Shostak and Alex Barnett ponder the possibility of aliens visiting the Earth, as well as the consequences of receiving a signal from the cosmos proving we're neither alone, nor the most intelligent life forms. They explain why scientists think life might exist on other worlds, and how we might contact it. Shostak and Barnett, experienced writers of popular astronomy, provide an accessible overview of the science and technology behind the search for life in the universe. See reviews.
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Purple rather than green 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 - Researchers searching the galaxy for planets that could pass the litmus test of sustaining water-based life must find whether those planets fall in what's known as a habitable zone. New work, led by a team of Penn State researchers, will help scientists in that search. See article.
g Life - The earliest life on Earth might have been just as purple as it is green today, a scientist claims. See article.
g Cosmicus - The technology behind 3D printing has allowed users to craft musical instruments and prosthetic limbs, and now European scientists are taking a serious look at printing their own moon base. See article.
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g Stars - Researchers searching the galaxy for planets that could pass the litmus test of sustaining water-based life must find whether those planets fall in what's known as a habitable zone. New work, led by a team of Penn State researchers, will help scientists in that search. See article.
g Life - The earliest life on Earth might have been just as purple as it is green today, a scientist claims. See article.
g Cosmicus - The technology behind 3D printing has allowed users to craft musical instruments and prosthetic limbs, and now European scientists are taking a serious look at printing their own moon base. See article.
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Monday, February 18, 2013
Why red dwarf stars may be great places to look for 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 - Red dwarfs are smaller, dimmer and cooler than our sun. There are more than a dozen of these stars within a few light years of our Earth, yet not one of them is visible to the naked eye. For years it was thought that they were a poor place to look for alien lifeforms. However, recent computer models contradict this supposition. This is excellent news for xenobiologists since four out of every five stars is a red dwarf. See article.
g Abodes - A new study rebuts the hypothesis that an impact event 13,000 years ago brought about dramatic climate change in North America and led to the end of the Clovis culture. See article.
g Intelligence - For the first time, researchers have been able to see a thought "swim" through the brain of a living fish. The new technology is a useful tool for studies of perception. It might even find use in psychiatric drug discovery, according to authors of the study See article.
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g Stars - Red dwarfs are smaller, dimmer and cooler than our sun. There are more than a dozen of these stars within a few light years of our Earth, yet not one of them is visible to the naked eye. For years it was thought that they were a poor place to look for alien lifeforms. However, recent computer models contradict this supposition. This is excellent news for xenobiologists since four out of every five stars is a red dwarf. See article.
g Abodes - A new study rebuts the hypothesis that an impact event 13,000 years ago brought about dramatic climate change in North America and led to the end of the Clovis culture. See article.
g Intelligence - For the first time, researchers have been able to see a thought "swim" through the brain of a living fish. The new technology is a useful tool for studies of perception. It might even find use in psychiatric drug discovery, according to authors of the study See article.
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Sunday, February 17, 2013
Stars can be late parents
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 unique capabilities of ESA's Herschel space observatory, astronomers have accurately “weighed” a star's disc, finding it still has enough mass to spawn 50 Jupiter-sized planets, several million years after most other stars have already given birth. See article.
g Abodes - For the first time, scientists have successfully drilled through 800 meters of Antarctic ice to retrieve water and sediment from an isolated, subglacial lake. The samples will teach astrobiologists about life in extreme environments on Earth, and possibly on icy worlds in the Solar System. See article. Related article: Visions of Earth's Early Biosphere
g Learning - Here’s a good website that gives an general overview of astrobiology for kids: “Astrocentral.”See article.
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g Stars - Using the unique capabilities of ESA's Herschel space observatory, astronomers have accurately “weighed” a star's disc, finding it still has enough mass to spawn 50 Jupiter-sized planets, several million years after most other stars have already given birth. See article.
g Abodes - For the first time, scientists have successfully drilled through 800 meters of Antarctic ice to retrieve water and sediment from an isolated, subglacial lake. The samples will teach astrobiologists about life in extreme environments on Earth, and possibly on icy worlds in the Solar System. See article. Related article: Visions of Earth's Early Biosphere
g Learning - Here’s a good website that gives an general overview of astrobiology for kids: “Astrocentral.”See article.
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Saturday, February 16, 2013
Closest star forming planets
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 ESA's Herschel Space Telescope, astronomers including Thomas Henning from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg have used a new method to determine the mass of the planetary nursery around the star TW Hydrae. At a distance of merely 176 light-years from Earth, this is the closest star that is currently forming new planets - hence one of the most important objects for astronomers studying planet formation. See article.
g Abodes - Ridges in impact craters on Mars appear to be fossils of cracks in the Martian surface, formed by minerals deposited by flowing water. Water flowing beneath the surface suggests life may once have been possible on Mars. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists have developed a way to grow iron-oxidizing bacteria using electricity instead of iron. The study could one day lead to using the organisms to turn electricity into fuel. See article.
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g Stars - Using ESA's Herschel Space Telescope, astronomers including Thomas Henning from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg have used a new method to determine the mass of the planetary nursery around the star TW Hydrae. At a distance of merely 176 light-years from Earth, this is the closest star that is currently forming new planets - hence one of the most important objects for astronomers studying planet formation. See article.
g Abodes - Ridges in impact craters on Mars appear to be fossils of cracks in the Martian surface, formed by minerals deposited by flowing water. Water flowing beneath the surface suggests life may once have been possible on Mars. See article.
g Cosmicus - Scientists have developed a way to grow iron-oxidizing bacteria using electricity instead of iron. The study could one day lead to using the organisms to turn electricity into fuel. See article.
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Friday, February 15, 2013
Exploring Europa, Venus and Earth’s upper atmosphere
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 - Venus Express has observed Venus during a period of reduced solar wind pressure, discovering that the planet’s ionosphere balloons out like a comet’s tail on its nightside. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that bacteria that survive in the harsh conditions of the upper atmosphere might affect the weather and climate of planet Earth. See article.
g Cosmicus - When the Voyager and Galileo spacecraft visited Jupiter’s moons Io and Europa, scientists were faced with the exciting possibility that these strange worlds might host exotic forms of life. See article.
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g Abodes - Venus Express has observed Venus during a period of reduced solar wind pressure, discovering that the planet’s ionosphere balloons out like a comet’s tail on its nightside. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that bacteria that survive in the harsh conditions of the upper atmosphere might affect the weather and climate of planet Earth. See article.
g Cosmicus - When the Voyager and Galileo spacecraft visited Jupiter’s moons Io and Europa, scientists were faced with the exciting possibility that these strange worlds might host exotic forms of life. See article.
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Thursday, February 14, 2013
Why stars are hotter at their surface
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 - Solar astronomers have long wondered why the Sun's atmosphere gets hotter, rather than colder, as you move away from the star's surface. High resolution observations are now revealing the mechanism that pumps energy into the Sun's corona. See article.
g Abodes - A new study on ice cores shows that the period between Earth's ice ages may have been warmer than previously thought. See article.
g Life - Red coloration - historically seen as costly in vertebrates - might represent some physiological benefit after all, according to research published in the journal Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. See article.
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g Stars - Solar astronomers have long wondered why the Sun's atmosphere gets hotter, rather than colder, as you move away from the star's surface. High resolution observations are now revealing the mechanism that pumps energy into the Sun's corona. See article.
g Abodes - A new study on ice cores shows that the period between Earth's ice ages may have been warmer than previously thought. See article.
g Life - Red coloration - historically seen as costly in vertebrates - might represent some physiological benefit after all, according to research published in the journal Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. See article.
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Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Insect uses Milky Way for orientation
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - A new report describes some surprisingly complex ways in which the Sun affects Earth's climate. Radiation from the Sun impacts everything from the Earth's upper atmosphere down to our planet's surface, and plays in important role in shpaing the future of life on Earth. See article.
g Life - Scientists have proven that dung beetles use the Milky Way for orientation. The insects use the gradient of light to dark in the night sky to guide them as they roll their balls in a straight line. See article.
g Message - The Wisconsin Public Radio program “To the Best of Our Knowledge” recently interviewed a number of experts about why astronomers believe that one day soon . . . within a decade . . . you'll wake up to the news of life . . . on another planet. See podcast; look for theprogram daed 2/12/12.
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g Stars - A new report describes some surprisingly complex ways in which the Sun affects Earth's climate. Radiation from the Sun impacts everything from the Earth's upper atmosphere down to our planet's surface, and plays in important role in shpaing the future of life on Earth. See article.
g Life - Scientists have proven that dung beetles use the Milky Way for orientation. The insects use the gradient of light to dark in the night sky to guide them as they roll their balls in a straight line. See article.
g Message - The Wisconsin Public Radio program “To the Best of Our Knowledge” recently interviewed a number of experts about why astronomers believe that one day soon . . . within a decade . . . you'll wake up to the news of life . . . on another planet. See podcast; look for theprogram daed 2/12/12.
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Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Potential habitability of the 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 - In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, researchers used genomic techniques to document the presence of significant numbers of living microorganisms - principally bacteria - in the middle and upper troposphere, that section of the atmosphere approximately four to six miles above Earth's surface. See article.
g Life - A new paper describes the peculiar adaptations exhibited by the bacterium E. coli when cells are exposed to a synthetic protein. The study is helping scientists understand how synthetic biology could be beneficial in areas such as medicine. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of the nearby star Fomalhaut? See article.
g Abodes - In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, researchers used genomic techniques to document the presence of significant numbers of living microorganisms - principally bacteria - in the middle and upper troposphere, that section of the atmosphere approximately four to six miles above Earth's surface. See article.
g Life - A new paper describes the peculiar adaptations exhibited by the bacterium E. coli when cells are exposed to a synthetic protein. The study is helping scientists understand how synthetic biology could be beneficial in areas such as medicine. See article.
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Monday, February 11, 2013
Inside binary star explosions
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 University of Alberta professor has revealed the workings of a celestial event involving binary stars that produce an explosion so powerful its luminosity ranks close to that of a supernova, an exploding star. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that sunken pieces of wood can develop into oases for deep-sea life. Using underwater robot technology, scientists confirmed that life from hot and cold seeps on the ocean floor are attracted to the wood due to the activity of bacteria. See article.
g Cosmicus - Richard Leveille of the Canadian Space Agency is one of the scientists working on Curiosity's Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) instrument. ChemCam’s laser will target selected rocks, creating an ionized, glowing plasma that will be used to analyze their composition. See article.
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g Stars - A University of Alberta professor has revealed the workings of a celestial event involving binary stars that produce an explosion so powerful its luminosity ranks close to that of a supernova, an exploding star. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that sunken pieces of wood can develop into oases for deep-sea life. Using underwater robot technology, scientists confirmed that life from hot and cold seeps on the ocean floor are attracted to the wood due to the activity of bacteria. See article.
g Cosmicus - Richard Leveille of the Canadian Space Agency is one of the scientists working on Curiosity's Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) instrument. ChemCam’s laser will target selected rocks, creating an ionized, glowing plasma that will be used to analyze their composition. See article.
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Sunday, February 10, 2013
Seasonal changes on Martian sand dunes
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has spotted seasonal changes on sand dunes in the far north of Mars. The changes are caused by warming of a winter blanket of frozen carbon dioxide. See article.
g Life - A new study is helping scientists understand how archaea and bacteria are working together to survive at a deep, cold sulfur spring in southern Germany. See article.
g Cosmicus - Opportunity landed on the surface of Mars nine years ago this winter. Now, the long-lived rover is examining veined rocks on the rim of an ancient crater. See article.
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g Abodes - NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has spotted seasonal changes on sand dunes in the far north of Mars. The changes are caused by warming of a winter blanket of frozen carbon dioxide. See article.
g Life - A new study is helping scientists understand how archaea and bacteria are working together to survive at a deep, cold sulfur spring in southern Germany. See article.
g Cosmicus - Opportunity landed on the surface of Mars nine years ago this winter. Now, the long-lived rover is examining veined rocks on the rim of an ancient crater. See article.
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Saturday, February 09, 2013
Planets orbit star in opposite directions
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 revealed new details about the HAT-P-7 planetary system. The study includes the discovery of a companion star and the confirmation of a new giant planet that orbits outside of the retrograde planet HAT-P-7b. See article.
g Cosmicus - Commercial asteroid hunters are planning to send a fleet of asteroid-prospecting spacecraft to hunt for resources to accelerate space development to benefit Earth. See article.
g Aftermath - The scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence is accelerating its pace and adopting fresh strategies. This increases the likelihood of successful detection in the near future. Humanity's first contact with alien intelligence will trigger extraordinary attention from the media, from government authorities, and from the general public. By improving our readiness for contact, especially for security during the first 30 days, we can avoid the most negative scenarios — and also enhance humanity's benefits from this first contact with an alien intelligence. Six potential problem areas include communicating with the media and the public, communicating with scientific colleagues, government control, an assassin or saboteur, well-meaning officials and lawsuits. See article.
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g Abodes - Astronomers have revealed new details about the HAT-P-7 planetary system. The study includes the discovery of a companion star and the confirmation of a new giant planet that orbits outside of the retrograde planet HAT-P-7b. See article.
g Cosmicus - Commercial asteroid hunters are planning to send a fleet of asteroid-prospecting spacecraft to hunt for resources to accelerate space development to benefit Earth. See article.
g Aftermath - The scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence is accelerating its pace and adopting fresh strategies. This increases the likelihood of successful detection in the near future. Humanity's first contact with alien intelligence will trigger extraordinary attention from the media, from government authorities, and from the general public. By improving our readiness for contact, especially for security during the first 30 days, we can avoid the most negative scenarios — and also enhance humanity's benefits from this first contact with an alien intelligence. Six potential problem areas include communicating with the media and the public, communicating with scientific colleagues, government control, an assassin or saboteur, well-meaning officials and lawsuits. See article.
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Intelligent life rare in galaxy, new study says
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 how Antarctica's Don Juan Pond gets the salty water it needs to exist. Their findings could help reveal the possibilities for flowing water on Mars, both in the past and the present. See article.
g Intelligence - Through a series of investigations in mice and humans, Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy. Results of their experiments explain how these therapies likely work to relieve depression by stimulating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature. In addition, the researchers say, these experiments raise the possibility of predicting individual people's response to depression therapy, and fine-tuning treatment accordingly. See article.
g Message - Intelligent alien life is likely relatively rare throughout our Milky Way galaxy, with fewer than one in a million solar systems harboring civilizations advanced enough to send out radio signals, a new study reports. See article.
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g Abodes - Scientists have discovered how Antarctica's Don Juan Pond gets the salty water it needs to exist. Their findings could help reveal the possibilities for flowing water on Mars, both in the past and the present. See article.
g Intelligence - Through a series of investigations in mice and humans, Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy. Results of their experiments explain how these therapies likely work to relieve depression by stimulating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature. In addition, the researchers say, these experiments raise the possibility of predicting individual people's response to depression therapy, and fine-tuning treatment accordingly. See article.
g Message - Intelligent alien life is likely relatively rare throughout our Milky Way galaxy, with fewer than one in a million solar systems harboring civilizations advanced enough to send out radio signals, a new study reports. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, February 08, 2013
Psychology of interstellar communication
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 chemosynthetic life that thrives at hydrothermal vents might give us clues to how life arose in the first place. They also might be the same sort of life that could possibly exist on Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. See article.
g Intelligence - Dolphins are known for being highly intelligent mammals. So intelligent, in fact, that they can communicate with humans even when they have not been trained to do so. That's what happened to a group of divers on an observation trip off the coast of Hawaii, known as the Big Island. See article.
g Aftermath - If we establish communication with a civilization even as close as 100 light years from Earth, the round-trip time for a message and its reply is 200 years. What will be the psychology of a civilization that can engage in a meaningful conversation with this sort of delay? How is such a conversation to be established? What should the content of such a conversation be? These are the questions which motivate our title: "Minds and Millennia: The Psychology of Interstellar Communication." See article.
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g Abodes - The chemosynthetic life that thrives at hydrothermal vents might give us clues to how life arose in the first place. They also might be the same sort of life that could possibly exist on Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. See article.
g Intelligence - Dolphins are known for being highly intelligent mammals. So intelligent, in fact, that they can communicate with humans even when they have not been trained to do so. That's what happened to a group of divers on an observation trip off the coast of Hawaii, known as the Big Island. See article.
g Aftermath - If we establish communication with a civilization even as close as 100 light years from Earth, the round-trip time for a message and its reply is 200 years. What will be the psychology of a civilization that can engage in a meaningful conversation with this sort of delay? How is such a conversation to be established? What should the content of such a conversation be? These are the questions which motivate our title: "Minds and Millennia: The Psychology of Interstellar Communication." See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, February 07, 2013
Mars may hold clues to the origin of 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 - A new study argues that the subsurface environment on Mars may hold clues to the origin of life. See article.
g Intelligence - Findings suggest that distinct circuit dysfunctions may contribute to different features of emotion dysregulation in bipolar disorder. See article.
g Aftermath - Would people still believe in God after we made contact with aliens? See article.
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g Abodes - A new study argues that the subsurface environment on Mars may hold clues to the origin of life. See article.
g Intelligence - Findings suggest that distinct circuit dysfunctions may contribute to different features of emotion dysregulation in bipolar disorder. See article.
g Aftermath - Would people still believe in God after we made contact with aliens? See article.
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Wednesday, February 06, 2013
Philosophical and theological issues of discovering 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 - New research shows that some of the tectonic processes driving volcanic activity today were occurring as early as 3.8 billion years ago. The study provides new insight about the early environment of Earth. See article.
g Life - Researchers have proved that four-stranded “guadruple helix” DNA structures exist within the human genome. The finding could have implications in the treatment of cancer. See article.
g Intelligence - The scientific discussion of the evolution of life in the universe raises some key philosophical and theological issues: Will life and intelligence be found throughout the universe, or will it turn out to be exceedingly rare? Will intelligent life be capable of both rationality and moral agency? Will evolutionary biology determine its moral content or will it merely bequeath intelligent life with moral capacity, leaving moral content to be determined independently of biology? If moral agency evolves, will these species inevitably exhibit moral failure, or is our generic human experience of moral failure strictly the result of our particular evolution, leaving us to expect there to be other civilizations that are entirely benign? The discussion of these issues, though largely hypothetical, can offer insight into the theological and cultural implications of the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence as well into a better understanding of the human condition. See article.
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g Abodes - New research shows that some of the tectonic processes driving volcanic activity today were occurring as early as 3.8 billion years ago. The study provides new insight about the early environment of Earth. See article.
g Life - Researchers have proved that four-stranded “guadruple helix” DNA structures exist within the human genome. The finding could have implications in the treatment of cancer. See article.
g Intelligence - The scientific discussion of the evolution of life in the universe raises some key philosophical and theological issues: Will life and intelligence be found throughout the universe, or will it turn out to be exceedingly rare? Will intelligent life be capable of both rationality and moral agency? Will evolutionary biology determine its moral content or will it merely bequeath intelligent life with moral capacity, leaving moral content to be determined independently of biology? If moral agency evolves, will these species inevitably exhibit moral failure, or is our generic human experience of moral failure strictly the result of our particular evolution, leaving us to expect there to be other civilizations that are entirely benign? The discussion of these issues, though largely hypothetical, can offer insight into the theological and cultural implications of the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence as well into a better understanding of the human condition. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, February 05, 2013
Largest known structure in 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 - Astronomers have discovered the largest known structure in the universe - a group of quasars so large it would take 4 billion years to cross it while traveling at speed of light. See article.
g Abodes - The presence of high levels of the isotope carbon-14 and beryllium-10 in tree rings may indicate that a nearby, short-duration gamma-ray burst irradiated the Earth in the 8th century. See article.
g Aftermath - How do we explain human aesthetics to extraterristrial civilizations? Listen to podcast.
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g Stars - Astronomers have discovered the largest known structure in the universe - a group of quasars so large it would take 4 billion years to cross it while traveling at speed of light. See article.
g Abodes - The presence of high levels of the isotope carbon-14 and beryllium-10 in tree rings may indicate that a nearby, short-duration gamma-ray burst irradiated the Earth in the 8th century. See article.
g Aftermath - How do we explain human aesthetics to extraterristrial civilizations? Listen to podcast.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, February 04, 2013
Potential habitability of nearby star 54 Piscium
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 54 Piscium? See article.
g Abodes - New observations from Cassini are helping scientists understand physical processes like stream erosion and drifting sand dunes on the surface of Saturn's moon, Titan. See article.
g Intelligence - New research links loneliness to a number of dysfunctional immune responses, suggesting that being lonely has the potential to harm overall health. See article.
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g Stars - What is the potential habitability of the nearby star 54 Piscium? See article.
g Abodes - New observations from Cassini are helping scientists understand physical processes like stream erosion and drifting sand dunes on the surface of Saturn's moon, Titan. See article.
g Intelligence - New research links loneliness to a number of dysfunctional immune responses, suggesting that being lonely has the potential to harm overall health. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, February 03, 2013
Martian surface carved by water?
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - New Mars Express images show a region of Reull Vallis on Mars where a channel 7 kilometers wide that may have been carved by flowing water. See article.
g Message - Book alert: Despite an evidently open-minded attitude, Barry R. Parker in his new book “Alien Life: The Search for Extraterrestrials and Beyond” delivers the hard line to ET enthusiasts: "Strangely, we haven't found a single sign of life beyond our solar system." In “Alien Life,” the emeritus Idaho State University professor of astronomy and physics summarizes recent scientific conjecture on extraterrestrial life without venturing much personal speculation. He considers the "architecture of life" and the mystery of DNA as related to its possible exploitation elsewhere; the possibility of non-carbon-based life forms; the history of Mars exploration (including the recent "meteorite from Mars" discovery); the results of NASA space probes; the discovery of distant planets through advanced telescopy; and SETI's search for alien radio signals. Parker acknowledges the contentions of UFO believers, but devotes few pages to claims of alien encounters such as the well-known Roswell incident. Steering clear of that controversy as "an argument not likely to be resolved in the near future," Parker's hopeful and energetic book ends up reinforcing the science establishment's lonely outlook for humanity, but still leaves room for the possibility that if they are out there, we will find them - or they, us. See article.
g Cosmicus - As his mission comes to an end, Expedition 31 crew member, Don Pettit, reflects on the view of Earth and beyond from the International Space Station. See article.
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g Abodes - New Mars Express images show a region of Reull Vallis on Mars where a channel 7 kilometers wide that may have been carved by flowing water. See article.
g Message - Book alert: Despite an evidently open-minded attitude, Barry R. Parker in his new book “Alien Life: The Search for Extraterrestrials and Beyond” delivers the hard line to ET enthusiasts: "Strangely, we haven't found a single sign of life beyond our solar system." In “Alien Life,” the emeritus Idaho State University professor of astronomy and physics summarizes recent scientific conjecture on extraterrestrial life without venturing much personal speculation. He considers the "architecture of life" and the mystery of DNA as related to its possible exploitation elsewhere; the possibility of non-carbon-based life forms; the history of Mars exploration (including the recent "meteorite from Mars" discovery); the results of NASA space probes; the discovery of distant planets through advanced telescopy; and SETI's search for alien radio signals. Parker acknowledges the contentions of UFO believers, but devotes few pages to claims of alien encounters such as the well-known Roswell incident. Steering clear of that controversy as "an argument not likely to be resolved in the near future," Parker's hopeful and energetic book ends up reinforcing the science establishment's lonely outlook for humanity, but still leaves room for the possibility that if they are out there, we will find them - or they, us. See article.
g Cosmicus - As his mission comes to an end, Expedition 31 crew member, Don Pettit, reflects on the view of Earth and beyond from the International Space Station. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, February 02, 2013
Could extraterrestrial life exist in the Alpha Centauri solar system?
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 - Could extraterrestrial life exist on a planet in the Alpha Centauri solar system? See article.
g Abodes - Curiosity has tracked a trail of minerals on Mars that indicates water was once present in Gale Crater on Mars. Curiosity's ChemCam instrument detected veins composed mainly of hydrated calcium sulfate, such as gypsum. On Earth, forming such features requires liquid water. See article.
g Message - Seth Shostak is an astronomer, specifically a radio astronomer. That is, he looks at radio signals coming from space from various cosmic objects. But a while back, he decided to change his focus (haha, get it?) somewhat. He doesn’t look for black holes and galaxies anymore. He looks for aliens.He tell you all about it, in this TEDxSanJose talk he gave in April 2012. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - Could extraterrestrial life exist on a planet in the Alpha Centauri solar system? See article.
g Abodes - Curiosity has tracked a trail of minerals on Mars that indicates water was once present in Gale Crater on Mars. Curiosity's ChemCam instrument detected veins composed mainly of hydrated calcium sulfate, such as gypsum. On Earth, forming such features requires liquid water. See article.
g Message - Seth Shostak is an astronomer, specifically a radio astronomer. That is, he looks at radio signals coming from space from various cosmic objects. But a while back, he decided to change his focus (haha, get it?) somewhat. He doesn’t look for black holes and galaxies anymore. He looks for aliens.He tell you all about it, in this TEDxSanJose talk he gave in April 2012. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, February 01, 2013
Is ET out there, capable of phoning home?
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A new study shows that Earth's core formed in the presence of more oxidizing conditions than previously thought. The study is helping scientists understand the distribution of planet-forming materials in the early Solar System. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that multicellular cyanobacteria arose much earlier than previously believed. Multicellularity developed in cyanobacteria at almost the same time as the oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere, and around one billion years earlier than eukaryotes. See article.
g Intelligence - Microbes on Mars might be impressive, but the average Earthling would really be wowed by news of a full-blown, advanced civilization on a planet beyond our own. What’s the likelihood that such a civilization exists in our galaxy? Explore the arguments over whether ET is out there, capable of phoning home. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - A new study shows that Earth's core formed in the presence of more oxidizing conditions than previously thought. The study is helping scientists understand the distribution of planet-forming materials in the early Solar System. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that multicellular cyanobacteria arose much earlier than previously believed. Multicellularity developed in cyanobacteria at almost the same time as the oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere, and around one billion years earlier than eukaryotes. See article.
g Intelligence - Microbes on Mars might be impressive, but the average Earthling would really be wowed by news of a full-blown, advanced civilization on a planet beyond our own. What’s the likelihood that such a civilization exists in our galaxy? Explore the arguments over whether ET is out there, capable of phoning home. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
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