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 - The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the most detailed images to date of the open star clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud - two sparkling sets of gemstones in the southern sky. See article.
g Abodes - An undersea volcano in the Pacific is growing from its summit and could breach the ocean surface within a few decades, a new study reveals. See article.
g Life - Scientists at the University of British Columbia believe the Hagfish's gruesome method of feeding may cause the stagnant water inside the carcass to become acidic from the build up of CO2 produced by the fish, which could explain why the fish is able to cope with environmental conditions of up to 7 percent CO2 — 350 times that found in normal air). See article.
g Intelligence - The most important factor in what kind of sweetener people prefer has little to do with how sweet it tastes. Rather, it has more to do with other tastes in the sweetener, such as bitterness or sourness, new research suggests. See article.
g Message - Here’s a neat National geographic interview of Seth Shostak, a senior astronomer at the SETI Institute, about the search for extraterrestrial intelligences: article. Note: The interview is from 2003.
g Cosmicus - California lawmakers took steps this week to provide an outlay of funds for the inland Mojave Spaceport, an action also designed to keep the state aggressive in public space travel and space enterprise. See article.
g Learning - What are SETI scientists doing to foment the study and understanding of astrobiology in our schools? See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Arthur C Clarke’s short story, "Before Eden," published in June 1961’s Amazing.
g Aftermath - If, as “The X-Files'” Fox Mulder might say, "The truth is out there," then the researchers running the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence program are likely to be the first ones to find it. On the other hand, there are numerous people who believe they've already been in contact with aliens. National Geographic's video ”Phantom Quest: The Search for Extraterrestrials” studies the claims of both groups, ultimately seeking to reveal precisely what an encounter with beings from another planet could mean for humanity. See article.
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Friday, April 21, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Merging black holes, space weather and new moonship
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 - The types of black hole mergers predicted by Einstein's general relativity have been accurately simulated in a computer model for the first time. See article.
g Abodes - Five spacecraft from two European Space Agency missions unexpectedly found themselves engulfed by waves of electrical and magnetic energy as they traveled through Earth's nighttime shadow, a new report says. The data collected by the spacecraft are giving scientists an important clue to the effects of 'space weather' on Earth's magnetic field. See article.
g Life - Competition and conflict between males and females start inside the egg in some species, say scientists. See article.
g Intelligence - Sleeping helps to reinforce what we've learned. And brain scans have revealed that cerebral activity associated with learning new information is replayed during sleep. But, in a study published in the open access journal PLoS Biology, a team at the University of Liege demonstrate for the first time that the brain doesn't wait until night to structure information. Day and night, the brain doesn't stop (re)working what we learn. See article.
g Message - A new radio telescope array has been developed by the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute and the University of California at Berkeley that will shed some cosmic noise, and give scientists a better view of one million stars scattered throughout the universe. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
g Cosmicus - As NASA marks 25 years of shuttle flight, the space agency is looking ahead to its next spaceship to reach for the orbit and the Moon. See article. For related stories, see “STS-121 Shuttle Commander Confident in July Launch Target” and “Spacewalk strategy revised for next shuttle flight”.
g Learning - There are some great teacher resources on space biology. The modules cover such topics as “Life in the Universe,” “Radiation Biology” and “Life in Space Environments.” Each module includes an introduction, readings and references, teaching resources and research and applications.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Greg Bear’s novel, “The Forge of God,” published by Tor in 1987.
g Aftermath - Clearly, if we are not alone in the universe, there are some unavoidable theological and philosophical consequences. We should reflect on the consequences of a positive result of either finding extraterrestrial microorganisms, or receiving a radio message form an extraterrestrial source: When such discovery occurs, the implications are likely to have an impact on our culture requiring adjustments possibly more radical than those arising form the evidence that humans descend from microorganisms. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - The types of black hole mergers predicted by Einstein's general relativity have been accurately simulated in a computer model for the first time. See article.
g Abodes - Five spacecraft from two European Space Agency missions unexpectedly found themselves engulfed by waves of electrical and magnetic energy as they traveled through Earth's nighttime shadow, a new report says. The data collected by the spacecraft are giving scientists an important clue to the effects of 'space weather' on Earth's magnetic field. See article.
g Life - Competition and conflict between males and females start inside the egg in some species, say scientists. See article.
g Intelligence - Sleeping helps to reinforce what we've learned. And brain scans have revealed that cerebral activity associated with learning new information is replayed during sleep. But, in a study published in the open access journal PLoS Biology, a team at the University of Liege demonstrate for the first time that the brain doesn't wait until night to structure information. Day and night, the brain doesn't stop (re)working what we learn. See article.
g Message - A new radio telescope array has been developed by the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute and the University of California at Berkeley that will shed some cosmic noise, and give scientists a better view of one million stars scattered throughout the universe. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
g Cosmicus - As NASA marks 25 years of shuttle flight, the space agency is looking ahead to its next spaceship to reach for the orbit and the Moon. See article. For related stories, see “STS-121 Shuttle Commander Confident in July Launch Target” and “Spacewalk strategy revised for next shuttle flight”.
g Learning - There are some great teacher resources on space biology. The modules cover such topics as “Life in the Universe,” “Radiation Biology” and “Life in Space Environments.” Each module includes an introduction, readings and references, teaching resources and research and applications.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Greg Bear’s novel, “The Forge of God,” published by Tor in 1987.
g Aftermath - Clearly, if we are not alone in the universe, there are some unavoidable theological and philosophical consequences. We should reflect on the consequences of a positive result of either finding extraterrestrial microorganisms, or receiving a radio message form an extraterrestrial source: When such discovery occurs, the implications are likely to have an impact on our culture requiring adjustments possibly more radical than those arising form the evidence that humans descend from microorganisms. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Gamma radiation, meteorite bombardment of our moon and neuro-chips
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - Are you losing sleep at night because you're afraid that all life on Earth will suddenly be annihilated by a massive dose of gamma radiation from the cosmos? Well, now you can rest easy. See http://
www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=
article&sid=1932mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Abodes - New age measurements of lunar rocks returned by the Apollo space missions have revealed that a surprising number of the rocks show signs of melting about 3.9 billion years ago, suggesting that the moon - and its nearby neighbor Earth - were bombarded by a series of large meteorites at that time. See http://www.astrobio.
net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&
sid=1927mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - Chemists at Oregon State University have pioneered a controversial theory about how supposedly-stable DNA bases can be pushed into a "dark state" in which they are highly vulnerable to damage from ultraviolet radiation - an idea that has challenged some of the most basic concepts of modern biochemistry. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060408124233.htm.
g Intelligence - The line between living organisms and machines has just become a whole lot blurrier. European researchers have developed "neuro-chips" in which living brain cells and silicon circuits are coupled together. See http://www.livescience.com/human
biology/060327_neuro_chips.html.
g Message - Since the beginning of astronomical observation, science has been viewing light on a curve. In a galaxy filled with thousands of eclipsing binary stars, we've refined our skills by measuring the brightness or intensity of so-called variable star as a function of time. The result is known as a "light curve." Through this type of study, we've discovered size, distance and orbital speed of stellar bodies and refined our ability to detect planetary bodies orbiting distant suns. Here on Earth, most of the time it's impossible for us to resolve such small objects even with the most powerful of telescopes, because their size is less than one pixel in the detector. But new research should let us determine the shape of an object... like a ringed planet, or an orbiting alien space station. See http://
www.universetoday.com/am/publish/alien_space_stations.html.
g Cosmicus - A rapid-turnaround launch system capable of hurling satellites or special purpose payloads into Earth orbit in as little as 48 hours is being touted by a major aerospace firm —Northrop Grumman Corporation. See http://space.com/news/060404_hybrid_air.html.
g Learning - Here’s a good Web site that gives an general overview of astrobiology for kids: “Astrocentral.” See http://www.astrocentral.co.uk/lifeindex.html.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Isaac Asimov’s "Found!" originally published in the October 1978 Omni magazine.
g Aftermath - While formal principles have been adopted for the eventuality of detecting intelligent life in our galaxy, no such guidelines exist for the discovery of non-intelligent extraterrestrial life within the solar system. Current scientifically based planetary protection policies for solar system exploration address how to undertake exploration, but do not provide clear guidance on what to do if and when life is detected. Considering that Martian life could be detected under several different robotic and human exploration scenarios in the coming decades, it is appropriate to anticipate how detection of non-intelligent, microbial life could impact future exploration missions and activities, especially on Mars. See http://www.seti.org/atf/cf/{B0D4BC0E-D59B-4CD09E79113953A58644}/m_race_guidelines.pdf.
g Stars - Are you losing sleep at night because you're afraid that all life on Earth will suddenly be annihilated by a massive dose of gamma radiation from the cosmos? Well, now you can rest easy. See http://
www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=
article&sid=1932mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Abodes - New age measurements of lunar rocks returned by the Apollo space missions have revealed that a surprising number of the rocks show signs of melting about 3.9 billion years ago, suggesting that the moon - and its nearby neighbor Earth - were bombarded by a series of large meteorites at that time. See http://www.astrobio.
net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&
sid=1927mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Life - Chemists at Oregon State University have pioneered a controversial theory about how supposedly-stable DNA bases can be pushed into a "dark state" in which they are highly vulnerable to damage from ultraviolet radiation - an idea that has challenged some of the most basic concepts of modern biochemistry. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060408124233.htm.
g Intelligence - The line between living organisms and machines has just become a whole lot blurrier. European researchers have developed "neuro-chips" in which living brain cells and silicon circuits are coupled together. See http://www.livescience.com/human
biology/060327_neuro_chips.html.
g Message - Since the beginning of astronomical observation, science has been viewing light on a curve. In a galaxy filled with thousands of eclipsing binary stars, we've refined our skills by measuring the brightness or intensity of so-called variable star as a function of time. The result is known as a "light curve." Through this type of study, we've discovered size, distance and orbital speed of stellar bodies and refined our ability to detect planetary bodies orbiting distant suns. Here on Earth, most of the time it's impossible for us to resolve such small objects even with the most powerful of telescopes, because their size is less than one pixel in the detector. But new research should let us determine the shape of an object... like a ringed planet, or an orbiting alien space station. See http://
www.universetoday.com/am/publish/alien_space_stations.html.
g Cosmicus - A rapid-turnaround launch system capable of hurling satellites or special purpose payloads into Earth orbit in as little as 48 hours is being touted by a major aerospace firm —Northrop Grumman Corporation. See http://space.com/news/060404_hybrid_air.html.
g Learning - Here’s a good Web site that gives an general overview of astrobiology for kids: “Astrocentral.” See http://www.astrocentral.co.uk/lifeindex.html.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Isaac Asimov’s "Found!" originally published in the October 1978 Omni magazine.
g Aftermath - While formal principles have been adopted for the eventuality of detecting intelligent life in our galaxy, no such guidelines exist for the discovery of non-intelligent extraterrestrial life within the solar system. Current scientifically based planetary protection policies for solar system exploration address how to undertake exploration, but do not provide clear guidance on what to do if and when life is detected. Considering that Martian life could be detected under several different robotic and human exploration scenarios in the coming decades, it is appropriate to anticipate how detection of non-intelligent, microbial life could impact future exploration missions and activities, especially on Mars. See http://www.seti.org/atf/cf/{B0D4BC0E-D59B-4CD09E79113953A58644}/m_race_guidelines.pdf.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Stellar clusters, ant evolution and searching for ET in the microwave band
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - Stellar clusters, gravity-bound collections of stars all created at roughly the same time and from the same material, are the closest thing astronomers have to a controlled laboratory environment. See http://space.com/scienceastronomy/0604
18_star_clusters.html.
g Abodes - The outermost ring of Uranus, discovered just last year, is bright blue, making it only the second known blue ring in the solar system, according to a report this week in the journal Science. Perhaps not coincidentally, both blue rings are associated with small moons. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0604/06
uranusmoon/.
g Life - The emergence of flowering plants 100 million years ago may have led to the explosion in ant diversity that occurred around the same time, scientists say. See http://www.livescience.com/animal
world/060406_ant_diversity.html. For related story, see “Water Found To Be Main Culprit In Argentine Ant Invasions” at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060331153612.htm.
g Intelligence - Scientists in northeastern Ethiopia said Saturday that they have discovered the skull of a small human ancestor that could be a missing link between the extinct Homo erectus and modern man. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/06
0325_ap_ethiopia_herectus.html.
g Message - The universe is a noisy place, filled with the hiss and crackle of stars being born and dying. There is little escape from this cosmic din, except in one small region of the radio dial — the microwave band. Here, only the faint whimper of the Big Bang breaks the silence, making it a “really good place to communicate,” according to Dan Werthimer of Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, perched close to the stars atop Grizzly Peak. See http://www.alumni.
berkeley.edu/Alumni/Cal_Monthly/December_2000/Can_we_talk.asp. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Cosmicus - Chinese space officials have invited NASA Administrator Michael Griffin to visit their country in the fall, possibly as early as September. See http://space.com/news/060405_nss_griffin.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of DiscoverSchool.com: “Extraterrestrials.” In the activity, a digital radio message, intended to alert any intelligent life in space to the existence of intelligent life on Earth, has been electronically transmitted into space by the Arecibo radio dish in Puerto Rico. Students must ensure the message is effective by showing that the senders (humans from Earth) are capable of advanced thinking — but it must not depend on the ability of extraterrestrials to understand any Earth language. See http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/
programs/extraterrestrials/extraterrestrials.rtf.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Poul Anderson’s novel “The High Crusade,” published in 1960.
g Aftermath - What if we did contact another intelligent life form in the universe? Should we respond? What should we say? What traits best represent our humanity? Douglas Vakoch, the SETI Institute’s director of Interstellar Message Composition, is working with scientists, artists, linguists, composers, and others to imagine how to speak for our planet. Here’s a Web cast in which Vakoch describes his work: http://www.exploratorium.edu/origins/arecibo/live/index.html; scroll to “Talking with ET.”
g Stars - Stellar clusters, gravity-bound collections of stars all created at roughly the same time and from the same material, are the closest thing astronomers have to a controlled laboratory environment. See http://space.com/scienceastronomy/0604
18_star_clusters.html.
g Abodes - The outermost ring of Uranus, discovered just last year, is bright blue, making it only the second known blue ring in the solar system, according to a report this week in the journal Science. Perhaps not coincidentally, both blue rings are associated with small moons. See http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0604/06
uranusmoon/.
g Life - The emergence of flowering plants 100 million years ago may have led to the explosion in ant diversity that occurred around the same time, scientists say. See http://www.livescience.com/animal
world/060406_ant_diversity.html. For related story, see “Water Found To Be Main Culprit In Argentine Ant Invasions” at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060331153612.htm.
g Intelligence - Scientists in northeastern Ethiopia said Saturday that they have discovered the skull of a small human ancestor that could be a missing link between the extinct Homo erectus and modern man. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/06
0325_ap_ethiopia_herectus.html.
g Message - The universe is a noisy place, filled with the hiss and crackle of stars being born and dying. There is little escape from this cosmic din, except in one small region of the radio dial — the microwave band. Here, only the faint whimper of the Big Bang breaks the silence, making it a “really good place to communicate,” according to Dan Werthimer of Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, perched close to the stars atop Grizzly Peak. See http://www.alumni.
berkeley.edu/Alumni/Cal_Monthly/December_2000/Can_we_talk.asp. Note: This article is from 2000.
g Cosmicus - Chinese space officials have invited NASA Administrator Michael Griffin to visit their country in the fall, possibly as early as September. See http://space.com/news/060405_nss_griffin.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of DiscoverSchool.com: “Extraterrestrials.” In the activity, a digital radio message, intended to alert any intelligent life in space to the existence of intelligent life on Earth, has been electronically transmitted into space by the Arecibo radio dish in Puerto Rico. Students must ensure the message is effective by showing that the senders (humans from Earth) are capable of advanced thinking — but it must not depend on the ability of extraterrestrials to understand any Earth language. See http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/
programs/extraterrestrials/extraterrestrials.rtf.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Poul Anderson’s novel “The High Crusade,” published in 1960.
g Aftermath - What if we did contact another intelligent life form in the universe? Should we respond? What should we say? What traits best represent our humanity? Douglas Vakoch, the SETI Institute’s director of Interstellar Message Composition, is working with scientists, artists, linguists, composers, and others to imagine how to speak for our planet. Here’s a Web cast in which Vakoch describes his work: http://www.exploratorium.edu/origins/arecibo/live/index.html; scroll to “Talking with ET.”
Monday, April 17, 2006
‘Empty’ sky, ‘fifth’ planet and SETI alternatives
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - An image made of about 300 million pixels is being released by ESO, based on more than 64 hours of observations with the Wide-Field Camera on the 2.2m telescope at La Silla (Chile). The image covers an “empty” region of the sky five times the size of the full moon, opening an exceptionally clear view towards the most distant part of our universe. It reveals objects that are 100 million times fainter than what the unaided eye can see. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060414010938.htm.
g Abodes - A fifth terrestrial planet may once have orbited between Mars and Jupiter. Although gravitational disturbances would have sent the planet hurtling into the sun or out into space long ago, traces of this long-gone world may still be visible in part of the asteroid belt today. See http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas
es/200604/nswgo040506.php.
g Life - The discovery of a possible hibernation hormone in the brain may unlock the mystery behind the dormant state, researchers report. Hibernation allows animals from bears to rodents to survive unscathed - in a state of suspended animation - under the harshest of winter conditions. See http://www.astrobiology.com/news/viewpr.htmlpid=19473.
g Intelligence - A mathematical analysis of humpbacked whale song shows it follows complex grammatical rules. Using syntax, the whales combine sounds into phrases, which they further weave into hours-long melodies packed with information. See http://www.livescience.
com/animalworld/060322_whale_grammar.html.
g Message - On an episode of “The Space Show” last year, Scot Stride, a senior engineer at NASA JPL in Pasadena, Calif., was the guest for this Space Show program. Stride discussed SETI programs with us and highlighted his discussion with the SETI alternatives, SETV (Search for ET Visitation) and S3ETI (Solar System SETI). Stride provided listeners with a superb background and history on SETI, how it started and how it became what it is today. He also discussed the Allen Telescope Array and what it will mean for future SETI efforts. To hear a copy of the show, see http://thespaceshow.com/detail.asp?q=359.
g Cosmicus - The European Space Agency has taken a further step in preparing for participation in Mars Sample Return, the landmark mission to return samples from the Red Planet, with the announcement of the next phase of industrial activity. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060407150414.htm.
g Learning - Here’s a great resource for middle school science teachers; “Life on Other Planets in the Solar System.” See http://www.resa.net/nasa/xlife_intro.htm.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Timothy Zahn’s novel “Conqueror's Pride,” published by Bantam Spectra in 1994.
g Aftermath - Astronomers are searching hard for that first interstellar phone-call from ET. But when it happens, how will we react? Will it be a major trauma for humankind, or a new beginning? See http://www.firstscience.com/site/articles/shostak.asp.
g Stars - An image made of about 300 million pixels is being released by ESO, based on more than 64 hours of observations with the Wide-Field Camera on the 2.2m telescope at La Silla (Chile). The image covers an “empty” region of the sky five times the size of the full moon, opening an exceptionally clear view towards the most distant part of our universe. It reveals objects that are 100 million times fainter than what the unaided eye can see. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060414010938.htm.
g Abodes - A fifth terrestrial planet may once have orbited between Mars and Jupiter. Although gravitational disturbances would have sent the planet hurtling into the sun or out into space long ago, traces of this long-gone world may still be visible in part of the asteroid belt today. See http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas
es/200604/nswgo040506.php.
g Life - The discovery of a possible hibernation hormone in the brain may unlock the mystery behind the dormant state, researchers report. Hibernation allows animals from bears to rodents to survive unscathed - in a state of suspended animation - under the harshest of winter conditions. See http://www.astrobiology.com/news/viewpr.htmlpid=19473.
g Intelligence - A mathematical analysis of humpbacked whale song shows it follows complex grammatical rules. Using syntax, the whales combine sounds into phrases, which they further weave into hours-long melodies packed with information. See http://www.livescience.
com/animalworld/060322_whale_grammar.html.
g Message - On an episode of “The Space Show” last year, Scot Stride, a senior engineer at NASA JPL in Pasadena, Calif., was the guest for this Space Show program. Stride discussed SETI programs with us and highlighted his discussion with the SETI alternatives, SETV (Search for ET Visitation) and S3ETI (Solar System SETI). Stride provided listeners with a superb background and history on SETI, how it started and how it became what it is today. He also discussed the Allen Telescope Array and what it will mean for future SETI efforts. To hear a copy of the show, see http://thespaceshow.com/detail.asp?q=359.
g Cosmicus - The European Space Agency has taken a further step in preparing for participation in Mars Sample Return, the landmark mission to return samples from the Red Planet, with the announcement of the next phase of industrial activity. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060407150414.htm.
g Learning - Here’s a great resource for middle school science teachers; “Life on Other Planets in the Solar System.” See http://www.resa.net/nasa/xlife_intro.htm.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Timothy Zahn’s novel “Conqueror's Pride,” published by Bantam Spectra in 1994.
g Aftermath - Astronomers are searching hard for that first interstellar phone-call from ET. But when it happens, how will we react? Will it be a major trauma for humankind, or a new beginning? See http://www.firstscience.com/site/articles/shostak.asp.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Deflecting killer asteroid, another blow to anti-evolution arguments and low-gravity tourism
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - New findings are revealing how individual galaxies in galaxy clusters evolve over time, changing from chemically simple to complex and from spirals to smooth disks. See http://space.com/
scienceastronomy/060410_mm_galaxy_evo.html.
g Abodes - If a large asteroid such as the recently identified 2004 VD17 – about 500 m in diameter with a mass of nearly 1000 million tons - collides with the Earth it could spell disaster for much of our planet. As part of ESA’s Near-Earth Object deflecting mission Don Quijote, three teams of European industries are now carrying out studies on how to prevent this. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/
releases/2006/04/060403130841.htm.
g Life - Using new techniques for resurrecting ancient genes, scientists have for the first time reconstructed the Darwinian evolution of an apparently "irreducibly complex" molecular system. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060406231
032.htm.
g Intelligence - In a groundbreaking new study, researchers from the University of Michigan and Harvard University use cutting-edge brain-scanning technology to explore how different regions of the brain are activated when we think about certain qualities of brands and products. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Consumer Research, is the first to use fMRI to assess consumer perceptions and has important implications for the use of metaphorical human-like traits in branding. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/
2006/03/060318144712.htm.
g Message - Scientists are ramping up the search for extraterrestrial life with a powerful array of new telescopes and a refined sense of where to look within the vast expanses of our universe. See http://
www.newsday.com/news/health/nyhsstar224636482feb22,0,64304
91.storycoll=nyhealthprint.
g Cosmicus - Virgin Galactic has collected $13 million in cash from some 157 people who have signed contracts to be flown to the edge of the atmosphere — about 110 kilometers — to experience about five minutes of low-gravity conditions, Virgin Galactic President Will Whitehorn said. See http://space.com/spacenews/businessmonday
_060403.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom resource courtesy of NASA: “Life on Earth … and Elsewhere?” This booklet contains 5 classroom activities for grades 5-10 spanning topics from "Defining Life," to "Determining the Chances of Extraterrestrial Life." See http://www.erg.pdf/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Ivan Yefremov’s novel "Cor Serpentis (Serdtse Zmei)" ("Heart of the Serpent"), published in 1959.
g Aftermath - Even if the public seems less than awestruck by the prospect that alien life is a bunch of microscopic bugs, astrobiologists say unequivocal discovery of microbial life beyond Earth will change human society in profound ways, some unfathomable today. See http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/news_stories/news_print.cfmID=138. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Stars - New findings are revealing how individual galaxies in galaxy clusters evolve over time, changing from chemically simple to complex and from spirals to smooth disks. See http://space.com/
scienceastronomy/060410_mm_galaxy_evo.html.
g Abodes - If a large asteroid such as the recently identified 2004 VD17 – about 500 m in diameter with a mass of nearly 1000 million tons - collides with the Earth it could spell disaster for much of our planet. As part of ESA’s Near-Earth Object deflecting mission Don Quijote, three teams of European industries are now carrying out studies on how to prevent this. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/
releases/2006/04/060403130841.htm.
g Life - Using new techniques for resurrecting ancient genes, scientists have for the first time reconstructed the Darwinian evolution of an apparently "irreducibly complex" molecular system. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060406231
032.htm.
g Intelligence - In a groundbreaking new study, researchers from the University of Michigan and Harvard University use cutting-edge brain-scanning technology to explore how different regions of the brain are activated when we think about certain qualities of brands and products. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Consumer Research, is the first to use fMRI to assess consumer perceptions and has important implications for the use of metaphorical human-like traits in branding. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/
2006/03/060318144712.htm.
g Message - Scientists are ramping up the search for extraterrestrial life with a powerful array of new telescopes and a refined sense of where to look within the vast expanses of our universe. See http://
www.newsday.com/news/health/nyhsstar224636482feb22,0,64304
91.storycoll=nyhealthprint.
g Cosmicus - Virgin Galactic has collected $13 million in cash from some 157 people who have signed contracts to be flown to the edge of the atmosphere — about 110 kilometers — to experience about five minutes of low-gravity conditions, Virgin Galactic President Will Whitehorn said. See http://space.com/spacenews/businessmonday
_060403.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom resource courtesy of NASA: “Life on Earth … and Elsewhere?” This booklet contains 5 classroom activities for grades 5-10 spanning topics from "Defining Life," to "Determining the Chances of Extraterrestrial Life." See http://www.erg.pdf/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Ivan Yefremov’s novel "Cor Serpentis (Serdtse Zmei)" ("Heart of the Serpent"), published in 1959.
g Aftermath - Even if the public seems less than awestruck by the prospect that alien life is a bunch of microscopic bugs, astrobiologists say unequivocal discovery of microbial life beyond Earth will change human society in profound ways, some unfathomable today. See http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/news_stories/news_print.cfmID=138. Note: This article is from 2001.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Solar twin, life on Mars and Himalayan ecosystems
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers have discovered a nearby solar twin which may shed light on the search for planets that are similar to Earth and that may even support life. See http://www.astrobiology.com/news/
viewpr.htmlpid=19462.
g Abodes - Life on Mars is currently unfeasible but probably existed millions of years ago, said Andrew Knoll, professor of natural history and earth and planetary sciences at Harvard University, in a recent lecture at Lehigh University. See http://www.bw.lehigh.edu/story.
aspID=19645. For related stories, see “Wintering on Mars” at http://
www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&
file=article&sid=1928mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 and “Mars rovers head for new sites after studying layers” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0604/12marsrovers/.
g Life - Mount Everest and the Himalayan mountain range conjure images of llamas and Sherpas loaded with heavy packs. But tucked into the cold shadows of the world's tallest mountain are biologically diverse hotspots filled with poorly known plants and animals found nowhere else on the globe. See http://www.livescience.com/animal
world/060407_everest_expedition.html.
g Intelligence - Depending on which journals you've picked up in recent months, early humans were either peace-loving softies or war-mongering buffoons. Which theory is to be believed? See http://
www.livescience.com/history/060316_peace_violence.html.
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 http://www.vectorsite.
net/taseti.html.
g Cosmicus - Long before “astrobiology” was even a real word, scientists in Europe had started using space research to try and find answers to deep-rooted questions about life. From simple beginnings, the experiments became more complex and more ambitious. Looking at the effects of space on living systems, exploring new worlds for life or the building blocks of it, searching for habitable planets outside our Solar System; step-by-step Europe has developed a strong and diverse program of space research for astrobiology. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=mod
load&name=News&file=article&sid=1919mode=thread
&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s an interesting classroom activity: “Who Can Live Here?” Students explore the limits of life on Earth to extend their beliefs about life to include its possibility on other worlds. See http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/astrobiology/LabActivities/Extreme
Environments.doc.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Ralph Williams’ short story "Pax Galactica," published in the November 1952 Astounding magazine.
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 http://ieti.org/articles/
security.htm.
g Stars - Astronomers have discovered a nearby solar twin which may shed light on the search for planets that are similar to Earth and that may even support life. See http://www.astrobiology.com/news/
viewpr.htmlpid=19462.
g Abodes - Life on Mars is currently unfeasible but probably existed millions of years ago, said Andrew Knoll, professor of natural history and earth and planetary sciences at Harvard University, in a recent lecture at Lehigh University. See http://www.bw.lehigh.edu/story.
aspID=19645. For related stories, see “Wintering on Mars” at http://
www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&
file=article&sid=1928mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 and “Mars rovers head for new sites after studying layers” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0604/12marsrovers/.
g Life - Mount Everest and the Himalayan mountain range conjure images of llamas and Sherpas loaded with heavy packs. But tucked into the cold shadows of the world's tallest mountain are biologically diverse hotspots filled with poorly known plants and animals found nowhere else on the globe. See http://www.livescience.com/animal
world/060407_everest_expedition.html.
g Intelligence - Depending on which journals you've picked up in recent months, early humans were either peace-loving softies or war-mongering buffoons. Which theory is to be believed? See http://
www.livescience.com/history/060316_peace_violence.html.
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 http://www.vectorsite.
net/taseti.html.
g Cosmicus - Long before “astrobiology” was even a real word, scientists in Europe had started using space research to try and find answers to deep-rooted questions about life. From simple beginnings, the experiments became more complex and more ambitious. Looking at the effects of space on living systems, exploring new worlds for life or the building blocks of it, searching for habitable planets outside our Solar System; step-by-step Europe has developed a strong and diverse program of space research for astrobiology. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=mod
load&name=News&file=article&sid=1919mode=thread
&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s an interesting classroom activity: “Who Can Live Here?” Students explore the limits of life on Earth to extend their beliefs about life to include its possibility on other worlds. See http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/astrobiology/LabActivities/Extreme
Environments.doc.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Ralph Williams’ short story "Pax Galactica," published in the November 1952 Astounding magazine.
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 http://ieti.org/articles/
security.htm.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Merging black holes, Venusian vortex and next Mars lander
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 pair of supermassive black holes in the distant universe are intertwined and spiraling toward a merger that will create a single super-supermassive black hole capable of swallowing billions of stars, according to a new study by astronomers. See article.
g Abodes - The latest images from Venus show a previously suspected dark vortex over the south pole of the planet. See article.
g Life - The changing climate of the Holocene would have had little bearing on the survival of the mammoth ecosystem, a researcher contends. See article.
g Intelligence - Psychologists at the University of Manchester have set up a 'BabyLab' within the campus, to try and learn more about how babies acquire knowledge. See article.
g Cosmicus - The next Mars lander is undergoing assembly and testing, being readied for departure next year to explore the Martian arctic. This probe is equipped to dig deep, quite literally, into an ongoing mystery—the history of water on Mars and the planet’s potential as an extraterrestrial address for life. See article. For related story, see “Soggy Sands Of Mars?” For related story, see “Broken Wheel Forces NASA Rover to Seek Alternate Winter Site on Mars”.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity: “Alien Safari.” New from NASA PlanetQuest, Alien Safari can be used in your classrooms or informal education settings to help kids discover some of the most extreme organisms on our planet, and find out what they are telling astrobiologists about the search for life beyond Earth.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Cherry Wilder’s "The Ark of James Carlyle," published in “New Writers in SF 24” (1974).
g Aftermath - Book alert: The authentic discovery of extraterrestrial life would usher in a scientific revolution on par with Copernicus or Darwin, says Paul Davies in “Are We Alone?: Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life.” Just as these ideas sparked religious and philosophical controversy when they were first offered, so would proof of life arising away from Earth. With this brief book (160 pages, including two appendices and an index), Davies tries to get ahead of the curve and begin to sort out the metaphysical mess before it happens. Many science fiction writers have preceded him, of course, but here the matter is plainly put. This is a very good introduction to a compelling subject. See reviews.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - A pair of supermassive black holes in the distant universe are intertwined and spiraling toward a merger that will create a single super-supermassive black hole capable of swallowing billions of stars, according to a new study by astronomers. See article.
g Abodes - The latest images from Venus show a previously suspected dark vortex over the south pole of the planet. See article.
g Life - The changing climate of the Holocene would have had little bearing on the survival of the mammoth ecosystem, a researcher contends. See article.
g Intelligence - Psychologists at the University of Manchester have set up a 'BabyLab' within the campus, to try and learn more about how babies acquire knowledge. See article.
g Cosmicus - The next Mars lander is undergoing assembly and testing, being readied for departure next year to explore the Martian arctic. This probe is equipped to dig deep, quite literally, into an ongoing mystery—the history of water on Mars and the planet’s potential as an extraterrestrial address for life. See article. For related story, see “Soggy Sands Of Mars?” For related story, see “Broken Wheel Forces NASA Rover to Seek Alternate Winter Site on Mars”.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity: “Alien Safari.” New from NASA PlanetQuest, Alien Safari can be used in your classrooms or informal education settings to help kids discover some of the most extreme organisms on our planet, and find out what they are telling astrobiologists about the search for life beyond Earth.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Cherry Wilder’s "The Ark of James Carlyle," published in “New Writers in SF 24” (1974).
g Aftermath - Book alert: The authentic discovery of extraterrestrial life would usher in a scientific revolution on par with Copernicus or Darwin, says Paul Davies in “Are We Alone?: Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life.” Just as these ideas sparked religious and philosophical controversy when they were first offered, so would proof of life arising away from Earth. With this brief book (160 pages, including two appendices and an index), Davies tries to get ahead of the curve and begin to sort out the metaphysical mess before it happens. Many science fiction writers have preceded him, of course, but here the matter is plainly put. This is a very good introduction to a compelling subject. See reviews.
Read this blogger’s books
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Supernova bubbles, missing fish link and space shuttle’s silver anniversary
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 - When stars explode as supernova, they carve giant bubbles in space. Our own solar system is enveloped by such a structure from a long-ago explosion. See article.
g Abodes - Like most living things, microscopic marine plants need iron and other minerals to live and grow. On land, soil provides a ubiquitous source of minerals, but how do essential nutrients get into vast watery stretches of the open ocean? See article.
g Life - A newfound beast with swim fins and a head like a crocodile fills an evolutionary gap between fish and four-legged land animals. See article.
g Intelligence - A research team that included members from The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Minnesota Medical School has for the first time identified a substance in the brain that is proven to cause memory loss. This identification gives drug developers a target for creating drugs to treat memory loss in patients with dementia. See article.
g Message - Since the Department of Defense launched the first Global Positioning System satellite in 1978, GPS technology has matured into a highly valued, national resource used for a virtually limitless variety of applications involving location, navigation, tracking, mapping and timing. Despite the amazing variety of uses of the technology, there is one application that the creators of GPS surely never could have imagined: seeking to detect the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life. See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
g Cosmicus - Two astronauts, one space plane and NASA’s shuttle era began this week in 1981 as the Columbia orbiter launched into the morning skies above Cape Canaveral, Fla. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site to help students learn about constellations: “Sky Maps.” The site helps students find out which constellations are visible in the night sky during the year as the Earth revolves around our sun. The maps are set for 9 p.m. in the Northern Hemisphere around mid-month. January and July maps are larger so you can compare winter and summer skies. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read H.G. Wells’ short story "In the Abyss," published in the August 1896 issue of Pearson's Magazine.
g Aftermath - Scientists and governments are vigorously searching for signs of life in the universe. Will their efforts meet with success? Award-winning author Paul Davies, an eminent scientist who writes like a science fiction novelist, explores the ramifications of that success in his fascinating book, “Are We Alone? Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life.” "The discovery of a single extraterrestrial microbe," he writes, "would drastically alter our world view and change our society as profoundly as the Copernican and Darwinian revolutions. It could truly be described as the greatest scientific discovery of all time." Though a decade old, the book still is a great read. See reviews.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - When stars explode as supernova, they carve giant bubbles in space. Our own solar system is enveloped by such a structure from a long-ago explosion. See article.
g Abodes - Like most living things, microscopic marine plants need iron and other minerals to live and grow. On land, soil provides a ubiquitous source of minerals, but how do essential nutrients get into vast watery stretches of the open ocean? See article.
g Life - A newfound beast with swim fins and a head like a crocodile fills an evolutionary gap between fish and four-legged land animals. See article.
g Intelligence - A research team that included members from The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Minnesota Medical School has for the first time identified a substance in the brain that is proven to cause memory loss. This identification gives drug developers a target for creating drugs to treat memory loss in patients with dementia. See article.
g Message - Since the Department of Defense launched the first Global Positioning System satellite in 1978, GPS technology has matured into a highly valued, national resource used for a virtually limitless variety of applications involving location, navigation, tracking, mapping and timing. Despite the amazing variety of uses of the technology, there is one application that the creators of GPS surely never could have imagined: seeking to detect the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life. See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
g Cosmicus - Two astronauts, one space plane and NASA’s shuttle era began this week in 1981 as the Columbia orbiter launched into the morning skies above Cape Canaveral, Fla. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site to help students learn about constellations: “Sky Maps.” The site helps students find out which constellations are visible in the night sky during the year as the Earth revolves around our sun. The maps are set for 9 p.m. in the Northern Hemisphere around mid-month. January and July maps are larger so you can compare winter and summer skies. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read H.G. Wells’ short story "In the Abyss," published in the August 1896 issue of Pearson's Magazine.
g Aftermath - Scientists and governments are vigorously searching for signs of life in the universe. Will their efforts meet with success? Award-winning author Paul Davies, an eminent scientist who writes like a science fiction novelist, explores the ramifications of that success in his fascinating book, “Are We Alone? Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life.” "The discovery of a single extraterrestrial microbe," he writes, "would drastically alter our world view and change our society as profoundly as the Copernican and Darwinian revolutions. It could truly be described as the greatest scientific discovery of all time." Though a decade old, the book still is a great read. See reviews.
Read this blogger’s books
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Star exploding within another’s atmosphere, why our world is brown and arriving at Venus
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 nova that lights up in the sky every 20 years is the result of a small star exploding repeatedly inside the outer atmosphere of a larger star. See article.
g Abodes - Ecologists have long asked, Why is the world green? In other words, why aren't herbivores, such as insects and grazing animals, more successful at eating the world's green leaves, also known as plant biomass? In the May issue of American Naturalist, a scientist asks the same questions a different way: Why is the ground brown? Why don't the organisms that break down the carbon in the soil consume it all? See article.
g Life - When it comes to love among worms, there's more than one way for a gal to leave her lover and still keep the worm population booming. See article.
g Intelligence - Different areas of the brain react differently when recognizing others, depending on the emotions attached to the memory, a team of Cornell University research psychologists has found.
g Message - When NASA's Voyager spacecraft left the boundaries our solar system last year, it carried a golden record with greetings from our civilization for posterity - or for eventual discovery by space archaeologists from another civilization. The golden record was a beacon to the future. The idea of our own civilization using its probes as surrogate representatives prompts the question: Can we probe for such beacons in our own solar system? See article. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - Venus received a visitor from its sister planet this morning when a European space probe completed a five-month interplanetary cruise and swooped into orbit to begin the first comprehensive scientific survey of its sultry atmosphere. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site for finding your way around the galaxy: “3D Universe.” 3D Universe takes the Hipparcos data and presents them in an accessible manner. Although many 3D star maps exist out there, most are either (a) non-stereo renditions (i.e., simple 2D maps with no depth information), or (b) based on pre-Hipparcos data. By contrast, 3D Universe takes you through the new Hipparcos data, showing you directly what the space near Earth - and, in many cases, hundreds of light-years away from Earth - looks like. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Ian Watson’s short story "Now! You Can Banish Embarrassing Foot Odor Forever! The Ultimate One-Word First contact Story," published in “Alien Encounters” (edited by Jan Finder).
g Aftermath - Book alert: “When SETI succeeds: The impact of high-information contact,” edited by Allen Tough, gives the intriguing proceedings of a seminar on the cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact (held in conjunction with Bioastronomy '99) plus eleven additional in-depth papers. Topics include the practical information and the answers to major questions that we might gain from another civilization, the likely changes in our view of ourselves, the role of the social sciences in SETI, cosmic humanity, the age of ET, cultural aspects of astrobiology, and what next. Published in 2000, the book is available from the Foundation For the Future. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - A nova that lights up in the sky every 20 years is the result of a small star exploding repeatedly inside the outer atmosphere of a larger star. See article.
g Abodes - Ecologists have long asked, Why is the world green? In other words, why aren't herbivores, such as insects and grazing animals, more successful at eating the world's green leaves, also known as plant biomass? In the May issue of American Naturalist, a scientist asks the same questions a different way: Why is the ground brown? Why don't the organisms that break down the carbon in the soil consume it all? See article.
g Life - When it comes to love among worms, there's more than one way for a gal to leave her lover and still keep the worm population booming. See article.
g Intelligence - Different areas of the brain react differently when recognizing others, depending on the emotions attached to the memory, a team of Cornell University research psychologists has found.
g Message - When NASA's Voyager spacecraft left the boundaries our solar system last year, it carried a golden record with greetings from our civilization for posterity - or for eventual discovery by space archaeologists from another civilization. The golden record was a beacon to the future. The idea of our own civilization using its probes as surrogate representatives prompts the question: Can we probe for such beacons in our own solar system? See article. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - Venus received a visitor from its sister planet this morning when a European space probe completed a five-month interplanetary cruise and swooped into orbit to begin the first comprehensive scientific survey of its sultry atmosphere. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site for finding your way around the galaxy: “3D Universe.” 3D Universe takes the Hipparcos data and presents them in an accessible manner. Although many 3D star maps exist out there, most are either (a) non-stereo renditions (i.e., simple 2D maps with no depth information), or (b) based on pre-Hipparcos data. By contrast, 3D Universe takes you through the new Hipparcos data, showing you directly what the space near Earth - and, in many cases, hundreds of light-years away from Earth - looks like. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Ian Watson’s short story "Now! You Can Banish Embarrassing Foot Odor Forever! The Ultimate One-Word First contact Story," published in “Alien Encounters” (edited by Jan Finder).
g Aftermath - Book alert: “When SETI succeeds: The impact of high-information contact,” edited by Allen Tough, gives the intriguing proceedings of a seminar on the cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact (held in conjunction with Bioastronomy '99) plus eleven additional in-depth papers. Topics include the practical information and the answers to major questions that we might gain from another civilization, the likely changes in our view of ourselves, the role of the social sciences in SETI, cosmic humanity, the age of ET, cultural aspects of astrobiology, and what next. Published in 2000, the book is available from the Foundation For the Future. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Earths near hot Jupiters, why humans differ from chimps and return to Venus
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 - Rings of debris formed in the aftermath of stellar explosions could fuel the birth of new, rocky planets around dead stars. They could also provide an alternative way to make black holes. See article.
g Abodes - Habitable, Earth-like planets can form even after giant planets have barrelled through their birthplace on epic migrations towards their host stars, new computer simulations suggest. The finding contradicts early ideas of how planets behave and suggests future space missions should search for terrestrial planets near known "hot Jupiters". See article.
g Life - Fossils found in southern Utah five years ago are a new dinosaur that resembled a brightly colored, 7-foot tall turkey which could run at speeds up to 25 mph when it roamed the Earth about 75 million years ago. See article.
g Intelligence - The vast differences between humans and chimpanzees are due more to changes in gene regulation than differences in individual genes themselves. See article.
g Message - Here’s an interesting interview of Jill Tarter, the director of the SETI Institute, by The Montreal Mirror from 2002. See article.
g Cosmicus - It was on Nov. 9 that ESA's Venus Express spacecraft lifted off from the desert of Kazakhstan onboard a Soyuz-Fregat rocket. Now, after having traveled 400 million kilometers in only about five months, the spacecraft is about to reach its final destination. The rendezvous is due to take place today. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site about extinction, “Put Extinction on Paws”, created by elementary school students for fellow students.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Hugh Walters’ short story, “First Contact?” published by Nelson in 1971.
g Aftermath - How to predict reactions to receipt of evidence for an otherworldly intelligence? Some scientists argue that any unpredictable outcomes can only be judged against our own history. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - Rings of debris formed in the aftermath of stellar explosions could fuel the birth of new, rocky planets around dead stars. They could also provide an alternative way to make black holes. See article.
g Abodes - Habitable, Earth-like planets can form even after giant planets have barrelled through their birthplace on epic migrations towards their host stars, new computer simulations suggest. The finding contradicts early ideas of how planets behave and suggests future space missions should search for terrestrial planets near known "hot Jupiters". See article.
g Life - Fossils found in southern Utah five years ago are a new dinosaur that resembled a brightly colored, 7-foot tall turkey which could run at speeds up to 25 mph when it roamed the Earth about 75 million years ago. See article.
g Intelligence - The vast differences between humans and chimpanzees are due more to changes in gene regulation than differences in individual genes themselves. See article.
g Message - Here’s an interesting interview of Jill Tarter, the director of the SETI Institute, by The Montreal Mirror from 2002. See article.
g Cosmicus - It was on Nov. 9 that ESA's Venus Express spacecraft lifted off from the desert of Kazakhstan onboard a Soyuz-Fregat rocket. Now, after having traveled 400 million kilometers in only about five months, the spacecraft is about to reach its final destination. The rendezvous is due to take place today. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site about extinction, “Put Extinction on Paws”, created by elementary school students for fellow students.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Hugh Walters’ short story, “First Contact?” published by Nelson in 1971.
g Aftermath - How to predict reactions to receipt of evidence for an otherworldly intelligence? Some scientists argue that any unpredictable outcomes can only be judged against our own history. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
Monday, April 10, 2006
Interstellar dust knots, paleoclimate melts and Ice Age dancing blues
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 - The yearly ritual of spring cleaning clears a house of dust as well as dust "bunnies," those pesky dust balls that frolic under beds and behind furniture. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has photographed similar dense knots of dust and gas in our Milky Way Galaxy. This cosmic dust, however, is not a nuisance. It is a concentration of elements that are responsible for the formation of stars in our galaxy and throughout the universe. See article.
g Abodes - If a large asteroid such as the recently identified 2004 VD17 about 500 m in diameter with a mass of nearly 1000 million tons - collides with the Earth it could spell disaster for much of our planet. As part of ESA s Near-Earth Object deflecting mission Don Quijote, three teams of European industries are now carrying out studies on how to prevent this. See article.
g Life - Scientists from The University of Tokyo announce today that gibbons, arboreal primates that inhabit the jungles of Southeast Asia, do not carry a major obesity gene that is present in the genomes of all other primates, including humans. This omission is due to a genetic mis-shuffling event that occurred approximately 25 million years ago. Their results are reported in the April issue of the scientific journal Genome Research. See article.
g Intelligence - Some people are naturally graceful on the dance floor, while others seem burdened by two inept left feet. Blame it on the Ice Age. See article.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See article.
g Cosmicus - The artificial gravity generator is probably the science-fictional pseudo-science device most disliked by physicists. Used as a plot device as early as 1930 by Olaf Stapleton, artificially produced gravity fields make space flight a lot easier and more bearable for everyone. But it's impossible, right? See article.
g Learning - How is the scientific method used in archeology? Here’s a primer.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Harry Turtledove’s novel, “Noninterference,” published by Del Rey in 1988.
g Aftermath - The chances are there's life out there, but any messages could be thousands of years old and indecipherable. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - The yearly ritual of spring cleaning clears a house of dust as well as dust "bunnies," those pesky dust balls that frolic under beds and behind furniture. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has photographed similar dense knots of dust and gas in our Milky Way Galaxy. This cosmic dust, however, is not a nuisance. It is a concentration of elements that are responsible for the formation of stars in our galaxy and throughout the universe. See article.
g Abodes - If a large asteroid such as the recently identified 2004 VD17 about 500 m in diameter with a mass of nearly 1000 million tons - collides with the Earth it could spell disaster for much of our planet. As part of ESA s Near-Earth Object deflecting mission Don Quijote, three teams of European industries are now carrying out studies on how to prevent this. See article.
g Life - Scientists from The University of Tokyo announce today that gibbons, arboreal primates that inhabit the jungles of Southeast Asia, do not carry a major obesity gene that is present in the genomes of all other primates, including humans. This omission is due to a genetic mis-shuffling event that occurred approximately 25 million years ago. Their results are reported in the April issue of the scientific journal Genome Research. See article.
g Intelligence - Some people are naturally graceful on the dance floor, while others seem burdened by two inept left feet. Blame it on the Ice Age. See article.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See article.
g Cosmicus - The artificial gravity generator is probably the science-fictional pseudo-science device most disliked by physicists. Used as a plot device as early as 1930 by Olaf Stapleton, artificially produced gravity fields make space flight a lot easier and more bearable for everyone. But it's impossible, right? See article.
g Learning - How is the scientific method used in archeology? Here’s a primer.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Harry Turtledove’s novel, “Noninterference,” published by Del Rey in 1988.
g Aftermath - The chances are there's life out there, but any messages could be thousands of years old and indecipherable. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
Read this blogger’s books
Sunday, April 09, 2006
High-energy gamma ray bursts, studying Mars via Earth and how the brain encodes memories
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - Almost 40 years have passed since top secret nuclear weapon warning satellites accidentally discovered bursts of high energy gamma rays coming from space. Although many thousands of gamma ray bursts have since been detected, the origin and nature of these bursts is still not well understood. See article.
g Abodes - Nathalie Cabrol will never get to Mars, but the 42-year-old NASA planetary scientist is doing the next best thing. She's climbed almost 20,000 feet into the thin air of an Andes mountain peak, dived into some of the world's highest lakes and sent a robot across a windswept Chilean desert -all to learn how life once might have existed, or may still exist, on the Red Planet. See article.
g Life - Much of what scientists learn about the evolution of Earth's first animals will have to be gleaned from spherical embryos fossilized under very specific conditions, according to a new study by Indiana University Bloomington and University of Bristol researchers in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. See article.
g Intelligence - Through a clever experimental design, Carnegie Mellon University neuroscientists have validated decades of experiments to show how learning and memory may be encoded in a living animal. The research, published in the March issue of Neuron, identifies for the first time the specific neural connections that strengthen as an animal's brain responds to new experiences. See article. For related story, see “Conscious And Unconscious Memory Linked In Storing New Information”.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? Here’s a good primer for those looking to get a basic overview.
g Cosmicus - A robotic space plane was dropped today at high altitude, touching down under autonomous control, but encountered difficulties on landing and rolled off the end of a runway. See article.
g Learning - There may be numerous intelligent civilizations on planets throughout our galaxy. That's the hypothesis driving SETI research. We seek evidence of extraterrestrial technology using optical and radio telescopes to search for signals that emanate from other civilized worlds. These places are far, far away. But, when discussing the search with school children, they often simply ask, "Why don't we just go there?" This can be a teachable moment. See article. Note: This article is from Dec. 2003.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Dorothy Guin Tompkins’s short story "Gift," anthologized in “Alien Encounters” (edited by Jan Finder).
g Aftermath - Clearly, if we are not alone in the universe, there are some unavoidable theological and philosophical consequences. We should reflect on the consequences of a positive result of either finding extraterrestrial microorganisms, or receiving a radio message form an extraterrestrial source: When such discovery occurs, the implications are likely to have an impact on our culture requiring adjustments possibly more radical than those arising form the evidence that humans descend from microorganisms. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - Almost 40 years have passed since top secret nuclear weapon warning satellites accidentally discovered bursts of high energy gamma rays coming from space. Although many thousands of gamma ray bursts have since been detected, the origin and nature of these bursts is still not well understood. See article.
g Abodes - Nathalie Cabrol will never get to Mars, but the 42-year-old NASA planetary scientist is doing the next best thing. She's climbed almost 20,000 feet into the thin air of an Andes mountain peak, dived into some of the world's highest lakes and sent a robot across a windswept Chilean desert -all to learn how life once might have existed, or may still exist, on the Red Planet. See article.
g Life - Much of what scientists learn about the evolution of Earth's first animals will have to be gleaned from spherical embryos fossilized under very specific conditions, according to a new study by Indiana University Bloomington and University of Bristol researchers in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. See article.
g Intelligence - Through a clever experimental design, Carnegie Mellon University neuroscientists have validated decades of experiments to show how learning and memory may be encoded in a living animal. The research, published in the March issue of Neuron, identifies for the first time the specific neural connections that strengthen as an animal's brain responds to new experiences. See article. For related story, see “Conscious And Unconscious Memory Linked In Storing New Information”.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? Here’s a good primer for those looking to get a basic overview.
g Cosmicus - A robotic space plane was dropped today at high altitude, touching down under autonomous control, but encountered difficulties on landing and rolled off the end of a runway. See article.
g Learning - There may be numerous intelligent civilizations on planets throughout our galaxy. That's the hypothesis driving SETI research. We seek evidence of extraterrestrial technology using optical and radio telescopes to search for signals that emanate from other civilized worlds. These places are far, far away. But, when discussing the search with school children, they often simply ask, "Why don't we just go there?" This can be a teachable moment. See article. Note: This article is from Dec. 2003.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Dorothy Guin Tompkins’s short story "Gift," anthologized in “Alien Encounters” (edited by Jan Finder).
g Aftermath - Clearly, if we are not alone in the universe, there are some unavoidable theological and philosophical consequences. We should reflect on the consequences of a positive result of either finding extraterrestrial microorganisms, or receiving a radio message form an extraterrestrial source: When such discovery occurs, the implications are likely to have an impact on our culture requiring adjustments possibly more radical than those arising form the evidence that humans descend from microorganisms. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Searching for life in the solar system, modern humans evolving and
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers based at Jodrell Bank Observatory have discovered a giant bridge of methyl alcohol, spanning approximately 288 billion miles, wrapped around a stellar nursery. The gas cloud could help our understanding of how the most massive stars in our galaxy are formed. See article.
g Abodes - Ice sheets across both the Arctic and Antarctic could melt more quickly than expected this century, according to two studies that blend computer modeling with paleoclimate records. See article.
g Life - Cancer in dinosaurs and illnesses in other animals are being studied in a groundbreaking new program that combines medical school with the study of natural history. See article.
g Intelligence - A comprehensive scan of the human genome finds that hundreds of our genes have undergone positive natural selection during the past 10,000 years of human evolution. See article.
g Message - Should we be looking for extraterrestrial civilizations, rather than just listening for them, as we do in the SETI project? That is the suggestion of a French astronomer, Luc Arnold, in his paper “Transit Lightcurve Signatures of Artificial Objects.” He believes that the transit of large artificial objects in front of a sun could be a used for the emission of attention-getting signals. See article.
g Cosmicus - Here’s a great personal essay from an astronomer: “Why the United States and NASA need astrobiology”.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site for young kids, courtesy of NASA: Space Place. It offers games, animations, projects, and fun facts about Earth, space and technology.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Theodore Sturgeon’s "Affair With A Green Monkey,” anthologized in “A Touch of Strange” (edited by Sturgeon, published by Doubleday in 1958).
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.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - Astronomers based at Jodrell Bank Observatory have discovered a giant bridge of methyl alcohol, spanning approximately 288 billion miles, wrapped around a stellar nursery. The gas cloud could help our understanding of how the most massive stars in our galaxy are formed. See article.
g Abodes - Ice sheets across both the Arctic and Antarctic could melt more quickly than expected this century, according to two studies that blend computer modeling with paleoclimate records. See article.
g Life - Cancer in dinosaurs and illnesses in other animals are being studied in a groundbreaking new program that combines medical school with the study of natural history. See article.
g Intelligence - A comprehensive scan of the human genome finds that hundreds of our genes have undergone positive natural selection during the past 10,000 years of human evolution. See article.
g Message - Should we be looking for extraterrestrial civilizations, rather than just listening for them, as we do in the SETI project? That is the suggestion of a French astronomer, Luc Arnold, in his paper “Transit Lightcurve Signatures of Artificial Objects.” He believes that the transit of large artificial objects in front of a sun could be a used for the emission of attention-getting signals. See article.
g Cosmicus - Here’s a great personal essay from an astronomer: “Why the United States and NASA need astrobiology”.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site for young kids, courtesy of NASA: Space Place. It offers games, animations, projects, and fun facts about Earth, space and technology.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Theodore Sturgeon’s "Affair With A Green Monkey,” anthologized in “A Touch of Strange” (edited by Sturgeon, published by Doubleday in 1958).
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.
Read this blogger’s books
Friday, April 07, 2006
Habitable planets for man, experiencing microgravity
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - The solar system's up-and-down motion across our galaxy's disc periodically exposes it to higher doses of dangerous cosmic rays, new calculations suggest. The effect could explain a mysterious dip in the Earth's biodiversity every 62 million years. See article.
g Abodes - New computer simulations of Mercury's formation show the fate of material blasted out into space when a large proto-planet collided with a giant asteroid 4.5 billion years ago. The simulations, which track the material over several million years, shed light on why Mercury is denser than expected and show that some of the ejected material would have found its way to the Earth and Venus. See article.
g Life - How many genes does life need? By removing or ‘knocking out’ genes in bacteria, scientists hope to determine the minimal number of genes that are essential for survival. But according to a new study in the journal Nature, this knock out approach is the wrong strategy. See article.
g Intelligence - Distinct regions of the human brain are activated when people are faced with ambiguous choices versus choices involving only risk, Duke University Medical Center researchers have discovered. 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 Cosmicus - On this type of flight, cocktail peanuts would fly right out of passengers' hands. As would everything else. But transportation – and snacking – isn't the purpose of this microgravity flight or the reason four University of Illinois students made a spring break trip to Houston to hop onboard. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity: “Samples of the Future.” In this exercise, which reinforces creative thinking and the scientific method, kids build their own toy spacecraft from assorted household materials. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Marti Steussy’s novel, “Forest of the Night,” published by Del Rey in 1987.
g Aftermath - In a cross-cultural study conducted several years ago, to scientists looked at the attitudes of college students towards the possibility that extraterrestrial life might exist, and if it does, what it might be like for people to learn that it exists. See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - The solar system's up-and-down motion across our galaxy's disc periodically exposes it to higher doses of dangerous cosmic rays, new calculations suggest. The effect could explain a mysterious dip in the Earth's biodiversity every 62 million years. See article.
g Abodes - New computer simulations of Mercury's formation show the fate of material blasted out into space when a large proto-planet collided with a giant asteroid 4.5 billion years ago. The simulations, which track the material over several million years, shed light on why Mercury is denser than expected and show that some of the ejected material would have found its way to the Earth and Venus. See article.
g Life - How many genes does life need? By removing or ‘knocking out’ genes in bacteria, scientists hope to determine the minimal number of genes that are essential for survival. But according to a new study in the journal Nature, this knock out approach is the wrong strategy. See article.
g Intelligence - Distinct regions of the human brain are activated when people are faced with ambiguous choices versus choices involving only risk, Duke University Medical Center researchers have discovered. 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 Cosmicus - On this type of flight, cocktail peanuts would fly right out of passengers' hands. As would everything else. But transportation – and snacking – isn't the purpose of this microgravity flight or the reason four University of Illinois students made a spring break trip to Houston to hop onboard. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity: “Samples of the Future.” In this exercise, which reinforces creative thinking and the scientific method, kids build their own toy spacecraft from assorted household materials. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Marti Steussy’s novel, “Forest of the Night,” published by Del Rey in 1987.
g Aftermath - In a cross-cultural study conducted several years ago, to scientists looked at the attitudes of college students towards the possibility that extraterrestrial life might exist, and if it does, what it might be like for people to learn that it exists. See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
Read this blogger’s books
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Saturn’s rings, altruistic chimps and Optical SETI
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - The Swift satellite observations show that the Tempel 1 comet grew brighter and brighter in X-ray light after last year’s NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft impact, with the X-ray outburst lasting a total of 12 days. See article.
g Abodes - New observations of propeller-shaped disturbances in Saturn's A ring indicate the presence of four small, embedded moons - and most likely millions more. The discovery could lead to a better understanding of the origin and formation of Saturn's rings and the solar system as a whole. See article.
g Life - Infinitesimal clumps of bacteria cells gently falling into our atmosphere from 25 miles above the surface of the Earth could be the first recorded instance of a life form from outer space having arrived on our planet. See article.
g Intelligence - A new experiment indicates chimps can be altruistic, a quality many scientists thought only humans possessed. See article.
g Message - After 20 years of listening for signs of life elsewhere in the universe, The Planetary Society is now ready to watch the skies. On April 11, 2006, the Society will dedicate a brand new optical telescope at an observatory in Harvard, Massachusetts, designed solely to search for light signals from alien civilizations - a search known as Optical SETI. See article.
g Cosmicus - With Crew Exploration Vehicle proposals finally in hand, NASA is expected to decide by early fall whether it will be Lockheed Martin or the team of Northrop Grumman and Boeing that helps the U.S. space agency design and build the key element of its next human space transportation system. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity: “Chores on the International Space Station”. Students discover what astronauts do to keep the station running – and who has to take out the trash.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Dean Wesley Smith’s short story "Ambassador to the Promised Land," anthologized in “First Contact” (edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Larry Segriff and published by DAW in 1997).
g Aftermath - Among scientists involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, it’s quite common to be focused on the future, ever mindful that it could take years, or even decades, to find a signal from otherworldly intelligence. But if historian Steve Dick has his way, astronomers will also turn their attention toward the past as they search for life beyond Earth — to discover the aftereffects of contact between two intelligent cultures. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - The Swift satellite observations show that the Tempel 1 comet grew brighter and brighter in X-ray light after last year’s NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft impact, with the X-ray outburst lasting a total of 12 days. See article.
g Abodes - New observations of propeller-shaped disturbances in Saturn's A ring indicate the presence of four small, embedded moons - and most likely millions more. The discovery could lead to a better understanding of the origin and formation of Saturn's rings and the solar system as a whole. See article.
g Life - Infinitesimal clumps of bacteria cells gently falling into our atmosphere from 25 miles above the surface of the Earth could be the first recorded instance of a life form from outer space having arrived on our planet. See article.
g Intelligence - A new experiment indicates chimps can be altruistic, a quality many scientists thought only humans possessed. See article.
g Message - After 20 years of listening for signs of life elsewhere in the universe, The Planetary Society is now ready to watch the skies. On April 11, 2006, the Society will dedicate a brand new optical telescope at an observatory in Harvard, Massachusetts, designed solely to search for light signals from alien civilizations - a search known as Optical SETI. See article.
g Cosmicus - With Crew Exploration Vehicle proposals finally in hand, NASA is expected to decide by early fall whether it will be Lockheed Martin or the team of Northrop Grumman and Boeing that helps the U.S. space agency design and build the key element of its next human space transportation system. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity: “Chores on the International Space Station”. Students discover what astronauts do to keep the station running – and who has to take out the trash.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Dean Wesley Smith’s short story "Ambassador to the Promised Land," anthologized in “First Contact” (edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Larry Segriff and published by DAW in 1997).
g Aftermath - Among scientists involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, it’s quite common to be focused on the future, ever mindful that it could take years, or even decades, to find a signal from otherworldly intelligence. But if historian Steve Dick has his way, astronomers will also turn their attention toward the past as they search for life beyond Earth — to discover the aftereffects of contact between two intelligent cultures. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
Read this blogger’s books
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Giant star factories, bleach-blonde planets and astrobiology budget cutbacks
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers have produced the clearest map to date of giant star factories in our Milky Way. See article.
g Abodes - Some may be surprised to learn that bleach-blondes and the enabler of life elsewhere in our solar system have something in common. It is, in fact, hydrogen peroxide. See article.
g Life - Blowing bubbles is child's play, showing how easily soap molecules can assemble into a sheet and curl around to form a bubble. To David Deamer, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and acting chair of biomolecular engineering at UCSC, the formation of a soap bubble is no mere curiosity - it illustrates an essential property of the kinds of molecules that compose the membranes of all living cells. See article.
g Intelligence - Fighting with the one you love can leave you broken-hearted, a feeling that now appears to be more than just figurative. Marital spats and dominating behavior are related to hardening of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. Clogged arteries raise the risk of a heart attack. See article.
g Message - Recent discussions within the SETI community have thoroughly explored the issue of whether people with access to radio telescopes should send powerful signals to alien civilizations without some process of prior international consultation. In particular, those exchanges have focused on the question of "Active SETI." See article.
g Cosmicus - Sunrise may never come for some of NASA's most important space missions. Budget cutbacks are shelving some major projects and programs. See article.
g Learning - Stargazing is an exciting hobby. If you have the right aptitude, you could even make it your career. The universe would then be your playground. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Clifford D. Simak’s novel “Way Station,” published by Doubleday in 1963.
g Aftermath - Here’s a fascinating idea: A group of serious scientists, writers, military leaders and others discussing how to establish a constructive dialogue between humanity and ETI, once contact is made. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - Astronomers have produced the clearest map to date of giant star factories in our Milky Way. See article.
g Abodes - Some may be surprised to learn that bleach-blondes and the enabler of life elsewhere in our solar system have something in common. It is, in fact, hydrogen peroxide. See article.
g Life - Blowing bubbles is child's play, showing how easily soap molecules can assemble into a sheet and curl around to form a bubble. To David Deamer, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and acting chair of biomolecular engineering at UCSC, the formation of a soap bubble is no mere curiosity - it illustrates an essential property of the kinds of molecules that compose the membranes of all living cells. See article.
g Intelligence - Fighting with the one you love can leave you broken-hearted, a feeling that now appears to be more than just figurative. Marital spats and dominating behavior are related to hardening of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. Clogged arteries raise the risk of a heart attack. See article.
g Message - Recent discussions within the SETI community have thoroughly explored the issue of whether people with access to radio telescopes should send powerful signals to alien civilizations without some process of prior international consultation. In particular, those exchanges have focused on the question of "Active SETI." See article.
g Cosmicus - Sunrise may never come for some of NASA's most important space missions. Budget cutbacks are shelving some major projects and programs. See article.
g Learning - Stargazing is an exciting hobby. If you have the right aptitude, you could even make it your career. The universe would then be your playground. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Clifford D. Simak’s novel “Way Station,” published by Doubleday in 1963.
g Aftermath - Here’s a fascinating idea: A group of serious scientists, writers, military leaders and others discussing how to establish a constructive dialogue between humanity and ETI, once contact is made. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Cannibal stars, planet formation and losing an unacknowledged space race
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - The European Space Agency's XMM-Newton observatory has seen vast clouds of superheated gas, whirling around miniature stars and escaping from being devoured by the stars' enormous gravitational fields - giving a new insight into the eating habits of the galaxy's "cannibal" stars. See article.
g Abodes - For scientists who spend time thinking about how planets form, life would be simpler if gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn didn’t exist. See article.
g Life - The microbes that inhabit deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments may be relics of the earliest life on Earth. Yet very little is known about these organisms, because it is so technically challenging to study them. Chris Scholin of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute plans to take on that challenge, in a project that may some day help scientists search for life on Mars or Europa. See article.
g Intelligence - A study from the April issue of Current Anthropology explores the evolution of handedness, one of few firm behavioral boundaries separating humans from other animals. As researchers find new cultural behaviors among chimpanzees and other primates, language is the only other characteristic accepted to be unique to humans, and both language and handedness appear to relate to the separation of functions between the two halves of the human brain, also known as lateralization. See article.
g Message - Since the invention of the radio, humans have been broadcasting signals into outer space. Other civilizations in our galaxy might be doing the same. They might even be deliberately sending out signals to find other civilizations. Someone out there may even be beaming a signal directly at the Earth. See article.
g Cosmicus - Some congressmen believe the United States and China are in an unacknowledged space race that this country could lose if it doesn't spend more money on the civilian space program. See article.
g Learning - Scientists and a select group of teachers are coming to Fairbanks this summer to prepare for a mission to Mars. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Robert Silverberg’s novel “Collision Course,” published by Avalon in 1961.
g Aftermath - Here’s an intriguing paper published just last month and translated from German for Astrosociology.com: “Futurological Reflections on the Confrontation of Mankind with an Extraterrestrial Civilization”.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - The European Space Agency's XMM-Newton observatory has seen vast clouds of superheated gas, whirling around miniature stars and escaping from being devoured by the stars' enormous gravitational fields - giving a new insight into the eating habits of the galaxy's "cannibal" stars. See article.
g Abodes - For scientists who spend time thinking about how planets form, life would be simpler if gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn didn’t exist. See article.
g Life - The microbes that inhabit deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments may be relics of the earliest life on Earth. Yet very little is known about these organisms, because it is so technically challenging to study them. Chris Scholin of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute plans to take on that challenge, in a project that may some day help scientists search for life on Mars or Europa. See article.
g Intelligence - A study from the April issue of Current Anthropology explores the evolution of handedness, one of few firm behavioral boundaries separating humans from other animals. As researchers find new cultural behaviors among chimpanzees and other primates, language is the only other characteristic accepted to be unique to humans, and both language and handedness appear to relate to the separation of functions between the two halves of the human brain, also known as lateralization. See article.
g Message - Since the invention of the radio, humans have been broadcasting signals into outer space. Other civilizations in our galaxy might be doing the same. They might even be deliberately sending out signals to find other civilizations. Someone out there may even be beaming a signal directly at the Earth. See article.
g Cosmicus - Some congressmen believe the United States and China are in an unacknowledged space race that this country could lose if it doesn't spend more money on the civilian space program. See article.
g Learning - Scientists and a select group of teachers are coming to Fairbanks this summer to prepare for a mission to Mars. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Robert Silverberg’s novel “Collision Course,” published by Avalon in 1961.
g Aftermath - Here’s an intriguing paper published just last month and translated from German for Astrosociology.com: “Futurological Reflections on the Confrontation of Mankind with an Extraterrestrial Civilization”.
Read this blogger’s books
Monday, April 03, 2006
Cosmic safari, oxygen’s gift and what killed the dinosaurs
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have conducted a cosmic safari to seek out a rare galactic species. Their specimens - clusters of galaxies in the very distant universe - are few and far between, and have hardly ever been detected beyond a distance of 7 billion light-years from Earth. See article.
g Abodes - It's common knowledge that humans and other animals couldn't survive without oxygen. But scientists are now learning a good deal more about the extent of our evolutionary debt to a substance that was once a deadly poison. See article.
gLife - The ancient asteroid that slammed into the Gulf of Mexico and purportedly ended the reign of the dinosaurs occurred 300,000 years too early, according to a controversial new analysis of melted rock ejected from the impact site. See article.
g Intelligence - Among chimpanzees and most human populations that subsist on wild resources, hunting is a predominantly male activity, and researchers have long tried to locate the advantage that hunting, a dangerous and tiring activity, brings to men. Though some have argued that good hunters have longer-lasting ties to mates and better-fed offspring, other research suggests that hunting provides an opportunity to garner social attention and increase one's mating prospects, also known as the "showoff hypothesis." See article.
g Message - Whenever the director of SETI research presents a public lecture, she can almost guarantee that “What If everybody is listening and nobody is transmitting?” will be one of the questions the audience asks. See article.
g Cosmicus - Several of the internet's pioneers have recently become space exploration pioneers as well. Paul Allen, cofounder of Microsoft, funded the company that created SpaceShipOne and is financing the construction of the Allen Telescope Array, which will provide dedicated radio telescopes to SETI researchers. Elon Musk, cofounder of PayPal, started SpaceX to develop a series of low-cost expendable rockets. Amazon's Jeff Bezos and id Software's John Carmack are both working on vehicles for space tourism at Blue Origin and Armadillo Aerospace. Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Thawte and the Ubuntu Foundation, also became the first African in space and the second space tourist when he visited the International Space Station in 2002. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site in which Monica Grady, head of petrology and meteoritics in the department of mineralogy at the Natural History Museum, presents a comprehensive introduction to astrobiology.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Josepha Sherman’s "A Game of Mehen," anthologized in “First Contact” (edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff, published by DAW in 1997).
g Aftermath - Scientists such as the SETI Institute’s John Billingham and Jill Tarter have taken the lead in planning for the day we might receive a signal from life beyond Earth. Working with diplomats and space lawyers, they have helped develop protocols that guide the activities of SETI scientists who think they may have detected extraterrestrial intelligence. See article. Note: This story is a couple of years old.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have conducted a cosmic safari to seek out a rare galactic species. Their specimens - clusters of galaxies in the very distant universe - are few and far between, and have hardly ever been detected beyond a distance of 7 billion light-years from Earth. See article.
g Abodes - It's common knowledge that humans and other animals couldn't survive without oxygen. But scientists are now learning a good deal more about the extent of our evolutionary debt to a substance that was once a deadly poison. See article.
gLife - The ancient asteroid that slammed into the Gulf of Mexico and purportedly ended the reign of the dinosaurs occurred 300,000 years too early, according to a controversial new analysis of melted rock ejected from the impact site. See article.
g Intelligence - Among chimpanzees and most human populations that subsist on wild resources, hunting is a predominantly male activity, and researchers have long tried to locate the advantage that hunting, a dangerous and tiring activity, brings to men. Though some have argued that good hunters have longer-lasting ties to mates and better-fed offspring, other research suggests that hunting provides an opportunity to garner social attention and increase one's mating prospects, also known as the "showoff hypothesis." See article.
g Message - Whenever the director of SETI research presents a public lecture, she can almost guarantee that “What If everybody is listening and nobody is transmitting?” will be one of the questions the audience asks. See article.
g Cosmicus - Several of the internet's pioneers have recently become space exploration pioneers as well. Paul Allen, cofounder of Microsoft, funded the company that created SpaceShipOne and is financing the construction of the Allen Telescope Array, which will provide dedicated radio telescopes to SETI researchers. Elon Musk, cofounder of PayPal, started SpaceX to develop a series of low-cost expendable rockets. Amazon's Jeff Bezos and id Software's John Carmack are both working on vehicles for space tourism at Blue Origin and Armadillo Aerospace. Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Thawte and the Ubuntu Foundation, also became the first African in space and the second space tourist when he visited the International Space Station in 2002. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site in which Monica Grady, head of petrology and meteoritics in the department of mineralogy at the Natural History Museum, presents a comprehensive introduction to astrobiology.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Josepha Sherman’s "A Game of Mehen," anthologized in “First Contact” (edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff, published by DAW in 1997).
g Aftermath - Scientists such as the SETI Institute’s John Billingham and Jill Tarter have taken the lead in planning for the day we might receive a signal from life beyond Earth. Working with diplomats and space lawyers, they have helped develop protocols that guide the activities of SETI scientists who think they may have detected extraterrestrial intelligence. See article. Note: This story is a couple of years old.
Read this blogger’s books
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Neighboring brown dwarf, testing for extraterrestrial life and cultured apes
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers have discovered a unique "brown dwarf" right in our solar neighborhood. See article.
g Abodes - Book alert:” Looking for Life, Searching the Solar System,” by Paul Clancy, André Brack and Gerda Horneck examines how astrobiology is being done right here in our own galactic backyard. See article.
g Life - Researchers have identified a new test case that could be used for evaluating extraterrestrial samples for evidence of life. The new test could ultimately allow the use of simpler analytical instrumentation on future space missions. See article.
g Intelligence - They may not take in the opera or sip fine wines, but the verdict is in: Apes are cultured. See article.
g Message - Book alert: During a lunchtime conversation at Los Alamos more than 50 years ago, four world-class scientists agreed, given the size and age of the Universe, that advanced extraterrestrial civilizations had to exist. The sheer numbers demanded it. But one of the four, the renowned physicist and back-of-the-envelope calculator Enrico Fermi, asked the telling questions: If the extraterrestrial life proposition is true, he wondered, "Where is everybody?" In "Where Is Everybody?: Fifty Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life," Stephen Webb presents a detailed discussion of the 50 most cogent and intriguing answers to Fermi's famous question. See article.
g Cosmicus - Yet another experimental spaceplane may soon fly the skies over the Mojave, Calif., inland spaceport. See article.
g Learning - What textbooks are college students reading in “Astrobiology 101” courses around the nation? See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Carl Sagan’s novel “Contact,” published by in 1985.
g Aftermath - Scientists should pay greater attention to discussing the social implications of discovering extraterrestrial life — even though many researchers shy away from the subject because they don't consider it "hard" science. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
g Stars - Astronomers have discovered a unique "brown dwarf" right in our solar neighborhood. See article.
g Abodes - Book alert:” Looking for Life, Searching the Solar System,” by Paul Clancy, André Brack and Gerda Horneck examines how astrobiology is being done right here in our own galactic backyard. See article.
g Life - Researchers have identified a new test case that could be used for evaluating extraterrestrial samples for evidence of life. The new test could ultimately allow the use of simpler analytical instrumentation on future space missions. See article.
g Intelligence - They may not take in the opera or sip fine wines, but the verdict is in: Apes are cultured. See article.
g Message - Book alert: During a lunchtime conversation at Los Alamos more than 50 years ago, four world-class scientists agreed, given the size and age of the Universe, that advanced extraterrestrial civilizations had to exist. The sheer numbers demanded it. But one of the four, the renowned physicist and back-of-the-envelope calculator Enrico Fermi, asked the telling questions: If the extraterrestrial life proposition is true, he wondered, "Where is everybody?" In "Where Is Everybody?: Fifty Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life," Stephen Webb presents a detailed discussion of the 50 most cogent and intriguing answers to Fermi's famous question. See article.
g Cosmicus - Yet another experimental spaceplane may soon fly the skies over the Mojave, Calif., inland spaceport. See article.
g Learning - What textbooks are college students reading in “Astrobiology 101” courses around the nation? See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Carl Sagan’s novel “Contact,” published by in 1985.
g Aftermath - Scientists should pay greater attention to discussing the social implications of discovering extraterrestrial life — even though many researchers shy away from the subject because they don't consider it "hard" science. See article.
Read this blogger’s books
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Quasar ignition switch, bottom of the ocean habitats and balanced NASA space exploration
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers have spotted what they think is evidence for the ignition switch that turns on super-bright galaxies called quasars. See http://space.com/scienceastronomy/060323_quasars.html.
g Abodes - Most plants do their growing during the rainy season and stall out when it's dry. But in much of the Amazon rainforest, dry spells bring on growth spurts. See http://www.livescience.com/environment/060321_green_growth.
html.
g Life - The largest habitats on Earth are located in the vast, dark plains at the bottom of the ocean. Yet because of their remoteness, many aspects of this mostly unexplored world remain mysterious. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060328225208.htm.
g Intelligence - Psychologists have recently handed the keys to happiness to the public, but many people cling to gloomy ways out of habit, experts say. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/
060227_happiness_keys.html.
g Message - In late 1997, after almost 40 years of operation, the Ohio State University Radio Observatory and its "Big Ear" radio telescope — which picked up the famous “Wow!” signal — ceased operation. The land on which the observatory was sitting (owned by the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio) was sold in 1983 to land developers who later claimed their rights to develop the property. The telescope was destroyed in early 1998. For a Web page memorial to Big Ear, see http://www.bigear.org/.
g Cosmicus - NASA and Congress need to develop a balanced program of space exploration that has adequate funding to achieve the Vision of Space Exploration. When the Apollo Missions went to the Moon, we were amazed. Today, if we are to achieve more than simply getting to the Moon before the Chinese, NASA's science programs need to be as valued as human space exploration. See http://space.com/searchforlife/060330_seti_thursday.html.
g Learning - Once relegated to the quacks and hacks of astronomy, the search for alien life has become a legitimate area of study. See http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.htmlid=deaf722
d9f8f4696bc91de6de1cb1f46&k=95733.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Mary Doria Russell’s novel, “The Sparrow,” published by Villard in 1996.
g Aftermath - Reactions to the announcement that scientists had found evidence for primitive life in a meteorite from Mars have been intense. Some concerned the scientific evidence, some the implications of extraterrestrial life, especially if intelligent. Underlying these reactions are assumptions, or beliefs, which often have a religious grounding. The two divergent beliefs, for and against the plurality of life in the universe, are examined historically and through religious traditions, particularly the Judeo-Christian. This examination guides the formulation of the right relation between science and religion as one that respects the autonomy of each discipline, yet allows for each to be open to the discoveries of the other. Based on this relationship, perspectives from scientific exploration are developed that can help individuals to respect and cope with the new phenomena that science brings, whether these imply that we might be alone in the universe or co-creatures of God with the ancient Martians. See http://www.aaas.org/spp/dser/cos
mos/perspectives/corbally.shtml.
g Stars - Astronomers have spotted what they think is evidence for the ignition switch that turns on super-bright galaxies called quasars. See http://space.com/scienceastronomy/060323_quasars.html.
g Abodes - Most plants do their growing during the rainy season and stall out when it's dry. But in much of the Amazon rainforest, dry spells bring on growth spurts. See http://www.livescience.com/environment/060321_green_growth.
html.
g Life - The largest habitats on Earth are located in the vast, dark plains at the bottom of the ocean. Yet because of their remoteness, many aspects of this mostly unexplored world remain mysterious. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060328225208.htm.
g Intelligence - Psychologists have recently handed the keys to happiness to the public, but many people cling to gloomy ways out of habit, experts say. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/
060227_happiness_keys.html.
g Message - In late 1997, after almost 40 years of operation, the Ohio State University Radio Observatory and its "Big Ear" radio telescope — which picked up the famous “Wow!” signal — ceased operation. The land on which the observatory was sitting (owned by the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio) was sold in 1983 to land developers who later claimed their rights to develop the property. The telescope was destroyed in early 1998. For a Web page memorial to Big Ear, see http://www.bigear.org/.
g Cosmicus - NASA and Congress need to develop a balanced program of space exploration that has adequate funding to achieve the Vision of Space Exploration. When the Apollo Missions went to the Moon, we were amazed. Today, if we are to achieve more than simply getting to the Moon before the Chinese, NASA's science programs need to be as valued as human space exploration. See http://space.com/searchforlife/060330_seti_thursday.html.
g Learning - Once relegated to the quacks and hacks of astronomy, the search for alien life has become a legitimate area of study. See http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.htmlid=deaf722
d9f8f4696bc91de6de1cb1f46&k=95733.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Mary Doria Russell’s novel, “The Sparrow,” published by Villard in 1996.
g Aftermath - Reactions to the announcement that scientists had found evidence for primitive life in a meteorite from Mars have been intense. Some concerned the scientific evidence, some the implications of extraterrestrial life, especially if intelligent. Underlying these reactions are assumptions, or beliefs, which often have a religious grounding. The two divergent beliefs, for and against the plurality of life in the universe, are examined historically and through religious traditions, particularly the Judeo-Christian. This examination guides the formulation of the right relation between science and religion as one that respects the autonomy of each discipline, yet allows for each to be open to the discoveries of the other. Based on this relationship, perspectives from scientific exploration are developed that can help individuals to respect and cope with the new phenomena that science brings, whether these imply that we might be alone in the universe or co-creatures of God with the ancient Martians. See http://www.aaas.org/spp/dser/cos
mos/perspectives/corbally.shtml.
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