Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Life - USC College computational biologist Peter Calabrese has developed a new model to simulate the evolution of so-called recombination hotspots in the genome. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/0703
19114440.htm.
g Intelligence - Whether you get stung by a bee or simply watch as a friend gets stung, you might start to run and hide every time a bee buzzes across your path. A new study reveals why you do this: It turns out the brain areas that respond when fear is learned through personal experience are also triggered when we see someone else afraid. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070320_fear_learning.html.
g Cosmicus - Researchers have developed a software tool for modeling interplanetary supply chains in order to better understand the requirements for establishing human bases on the Moon and beyond. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&
name=News&file=article&sid=2282mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Learning - High performance schools integrate the best in today's design strategies and building technologies. Even better, they make a difference in the way children learn. Research has shown that better buildings produce better student performance, reduce operating costs and increase average daily attendance. They also are more likely to maintain teacher satisfaction and retention and reduce liability exposure. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070319175809.htm.
g Imagining - A short entry on the early “Star Trek” alien Balok: Creatively speaking, this alien was a disappointment compared to the previously presented Alfa 117 canine and salt vampire. Balok only possesses two real visual differences from humans: He’s shorter and possesses more child-like features (teeth and facial). As to the first trait, of height, Balok may come from a planet with heavier gravity than Earth. Or perhaps there was shorter grass on the savanna (his hominid frame indicates a primate-styled path to intelligence), so height actually may be an evolutionary disadvantage on his world. Possibly his planet is slightly cooler, as that would encourage stockier traits, though the shapes of his nostrils don’t indicate his kind regularly breathes cold air, nor does the Enterprise crew note or physically show that they’re on a cold ship. As to the second trait, of child-like features, presumably it holds some evolutionary advantage (after all, adults even in smaller mammals appear much more angular in their faces than their infants), though not enough hints were provided to offer speculation. Any ideas out there?
g Aftermath - How might we characterize the political significance of any announcement of discovering extraterrestrial intelligence? How about using the Torino Scale, which characterizes asteroid impacts, as a model to assist the discussion and interpretation of any claimed discovery of ETI? See http://64.233.167.104/searchq=cache:
BuuaRaF64gUJ:www.konkoly.hu/staff/almar/almar_rio.doc+"Interpreting
+and+Reporting+on+a+SETI+discovery"&hl=en.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Milky Way’s history, plate tectonics at 3.8 billion B.C.E. and exopolitics
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers are using the chemical signatures of stars to determine which formation sites they have in common. The research will help unravel the history of the Milky Way and ultimately it can teach us about how galaxies form and evolve. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&
name=News&file=article&sid=2280mode=thread&order=
0&thold=0.
g Abodes - Identification of the oldest preserved pieces of Earth's crust in southern Greenland has provided evidence of active plate tectonics as early as 3.8 billion years ago, according to a report by an international team of geoscientists in the March 23 edition of Science magazine. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070322191123.htm.
g Life - Biologists at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Bonn in Germany have produced a global map of estimated plant species richness. Covering several hundred thousand species, the scientists say their global map is the most extensive map of the distribution of biodiversity on Earth to date. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070320191114.htm.
g Intelligence - Recent work in the study of dreaming indicates that more than just subconscious entertainment is going on. Sleep appears to help us work through and understand events of the day. Sleep also seems to provide a mechanism for impressing important memories on the brain, to make sure we have a long-term record of an event or concern. Sleep also seems to have a role in learning a skill; people who practiced a skill and then slept on it were more skillful than those who had not yet had a chance to sleep. See http://www.livescience.com/scienceoffiction/070323_robot_sleep.html.
g Message - Most SETI programs scan the sky looking for strong radio signals. Any signals that are deemed interesting are put on a list for follow-up observations weeks, months — even years later. Long delays in verification of potential ET signals sometimes generate tantalizing, but ultimately frustrating, stories. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_backus_rhythm_030320.html. Note: This article is from March 2003.
g Cosmicus - As NASA makes plans to send humans back to the moon, this time to live and work for extended periods of time, one of the most vexing problems they may be faced with is dust. To explore the potential problems, the NASA Engineering and Safety Center held a Lunar Dust Workshop. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&
name=News&file=article&sid=2281mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Although exobiology is of widespread interest to high school science students, it is not generally dealt with comprehensively in most textbooks. In addition, teachers often have inadequate resources available to prepare classroom presentations on how life may have begun on Earth and whether these processes might take place elsewhere in the solar system and the universe. Here’s a classroom teaching module suitable for use in both general and advanced high school biology courses: See http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/d&g/astro/html/Exobiology.html.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien anthropology and cultures? Scour your used bookstore or local library for Robert Holdstock’s “Eye Among the Blind” (1976), in which an anthropologist becomes identified with an alien culture.
g Aftermath - I offer the following Web site entry on “exopolitics” only as a basis for us to think about how people might react once we know an extraterrestrial civilization exists: http://www.loper.org/~george/trends/2004/Jun/950.html. Certainly many will give ufology more credence and make fantastical conclusions based upon images in the popular media. Question: How do we counteract this now? Obviously we want people discussing the topic of “exopolitics,” even if it’s in a vacuum. But how do we move beyond silly paranormal notions?
g Stars - Astronomers are using the chemical signatures of stars to determine which formation sites they have in common. The research will help unravel the history of the Milky Way and ultimately it can teach us about how galaxies form and evolve. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&
name=News&file=article&sid=2280mode=thread&order=
0&thold=0.
g Abodes - Identification of the oldest preserved pieces of Earth's crust in southern Greenland has provided evidence of active plate tectonics as early as 3.8 billion years ago, according to a report by an international team of geoscientists in the March 23 edition of Science magazine. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070322191123.htm.
g Life - Biologists at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Bonn in Germany have produced a global map of estimated plant species richness. Covering several hundred thousand species, the scientists say their global map is the most extensive map of the distribution of biodiversity on Earth to date. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070320191114.htm.
g Intelligence - Recent work in the study of dreaming indicates that more than just subconscious entertainment is going on. Sleep appears to help us work through and understand events of the day. Sleep also seems to provide a mechanism for impressing important memories on the brain, to make sure we have a long-term record of an event or concern. Sleep also seems to have a role in learning a skill; people who practiced a skill and then slept on it were more skillful than those who had not yet had a chance to sleep. See http://www.livescience.com/scienceoffiction/070323_robot_sleep.html.
g Message - Most SETI programs scan the sky looking for strong radio signals. Any signals that are deemed interesting are put on a list for follow-up observations weeks, months — even years later. Long delays in verification of potential ET signals sometimes generate tantalizing, but ultimately frustrating, stories. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_backus_rhythm_030320.html. Note: This article is from March 2003.
g Cosmicus - As NASA makes plans to send humans back to the moon, this time to live and work for extended periods of time, one of the most vexing problems they may be faced with is dust. To explore the potential problems, the NASA Engineering and Safety Center held a Lunar Dust Workshop. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&
name=News&file=article&sid=2281mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Although exobiology is of widespread interest to high school science students, it is not generally dealt with comprehensively in most textbooks. In addition, teachers often have inadequate resources available to prepare classroom presentations on how life may have begun on Earth and whether these processes might take place elsewhere in the solar system and the universe. Here’s a classroom teaching module suitable for use in both general and advanced high school biology courses: See http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/d&g/astro/html/Exobiology.html.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien anthropology and cultures? Scour your used bookstore or local library for Robert Holdstock’s “Eye Among the Blind” (1976), in which an anthropologist becomes identified with an alien culture.
g Aftermath - I offer the following Web site entry on “exopolitics” only as a basis for us to think about how people might react once we know an extraterrestrial civilization exists: http://www.loper.org/~george/trends/2004/Jun/950.html. Certainly many will give ufology more credence and make fantastical conclusions based upon images in the popular media. Question: How do we counteract this now? Obviously we want people discussing the topic of “exopolitics,” even if it’s in a vacuum. But how do we move beyond silly paranormal notions?
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Large brains and cool climates, good and bad news for science and ‘Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life’
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - In 2002, when astronomers first detected cosmic gamma rays — the most energetic form of light known — coming from the constellation Cygnus they were surprised and perplexed. The region lacked the extreme electromagnetic fields that they thought were required to produce such energetic rays. But now a team of theoretical physicists propose a mechanism that can explain this mystery and may also help account for another type of cosmic ray, the high-energy nuclei that rain down on Earth in the billions. See article.
g Abodes - In a David and Goliath story of Saturnian proportions, the little moon Enceladus is weighing down giant Saturn's magnetic field so much that the field is rotating slower than the planet. This phenomenon makes it nearly impossible to measure the length of the Saturn day using techniques that work at the other giant planets. See http://spaceflightnow.com/cassini/070322enceladus.html.
g Life - Why are male ungulate antlers and horns so large? Darwin, when proposing his theory of evolution and sexual selection, suggested that the size of male ungulate antlers and horns may reflect male individual quality, and thereby be used by conspecifics as an honest signal of male sexual vigor, health, strength, hierarchical status, or ability to fight. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070319114501.htm.
g Intelligence - Early humans developed larger brains as they adapted to colder climates, according to University at Albany researchers. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070322142633.htm.
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 Learning - People in the United States know more about basic science today than they did two decades ago, good news that researchers say is tempered by an unsettling growth in the belief in pseudoscience such as astrology and visits by extraterrestrial aliens. See http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-02-18-science-smarts_x.htm?POE=TECISVA.
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. For reviews, see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0465004199/104-0950202-4931164?v=glance.
g Stars - In 2002, when astronomers first detected cosmic gamma rays — the most energetic form of light known — coming from the constellation Cygnus they were surprised and perplexed. The region lacked the extreme electromagnetic fields that they thought were required to produce such energetic rays. But now a team of theoretical physicists propose a mechanism that can explain this mystery and may also help account for another type of cosmic ray, the high-energy nuclei that rain down on Earth in the billions. See article.
g Abodes - In a David and Goliath story of Saturnian proportions, the little moon Enceladus is weighing down giant Saturn's magnetic field so much that the field is rotating slower than the planet. This phenomenon makes it nearly impossible to measure the length of the Saturn day using techniques that work at the other giant planets. See http://spaceflightnow.com/cassini/070322enceladus.html.
g Life - Why are male ungulate antlers and horns so large? Darwin, when proposing his theory of evolution and sexual selection, suggested that the size of male ungulate antlers and horns may reflect male individual quality, and thereby be used by conspecifics as an honest signal of male sexual vigor, health, strength, hierarchical status, or ability to fight. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070319114501.htm.
g Intelligence - Early humans developed larger brains as they adapted to colder climates, according to University at Albany researchers. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070322142633.htm.
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 Learning - People in the United States know more about basic science today than they did two decades ago, good news that researchers say is tempered by an unsettling growth in the belief in pseudoscience such as astrology and visits by extraterrestrial aliens. See http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-02-18-science-smarts_x.htm?POE=TECISVA.
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. For reviews, see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0465004199/104-0950202-4931164?v=glance.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Why 2003 EL61 matters, earliest example of limb loss and signaling across space
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - NASA released on Wednesday never-before-seen images that show the sun's magnetic field is much more turbulent and dynamic than previously known. The international spacecraft Hinode, formerly known as Solar B, took the images. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/21hinode/.
g Abodes - In the outer reaches of the solar system, there is an object known as 2003 EL61 that looks like and spins like a football being drop-kicked over the proverbial goalpost of life. New findings could make it one of the most important of the Kuiper-belt objects for understanding the workings of the solar system. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/17kbo/.
g Life - It wouldn't have been the easiest way to get around. A University of Alberta paleontologist has helped discover the existence of a 95 million-year-old snakelike marine animal, a finding that provides not only the earliest example of limb loss in lizards but also the first example of limb loss in an aquatic lizard. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070322132848.htm.
g Intelligence - While as recently as 20 years ago, scientists considered it taboo to describe animal behavior in the same terms as human thoughts and emotions, however, recent studies suggest that chimps and other primates have the ability to show empathy. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.phpfeed=Science&article=UPI-1-20070323-15471700-bc-us-chimps.xml.
g Message - When it comes to signaling across space, power is paramount. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_targeted_040401.html. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Learning - Scientists have, for the first time, induced difficulties with mathematics (dyscalculia) in subjects who normally find math easy. The study, which finds that the right parietal lobe is responsible for dyscalculia, potentially has implications for diagnosis and management through remedial teaching. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070322132931.htm.
g Aftermath - Book alert: As many Earthlings already know —including more than 2 million computer users with firsthand experience — our best hope for finding extraterrestrial intelligence might just lie with an ingenious little screensaver. So it's not surprising that Brian McConnell’s “Beyond Contact: A Guide to SETI and Communicating with Alien Civilizations,” an introduction to searching for and communicating with intelligent life, begins with some of the details behind the University of California-Berkeley's groundbreaking, massively distributed SETI@home project, which processes intergalactic noise for pennies on the teraflop. But that's just the start of the story. Inventor and software developer McConnell continues with an overview of whether and why we might find something out there, who's doing what to look for it (including the folks at Berkeley), and — once some ET picks up on the other end — what we might say and how we might say it.
g Stars - NASA released on Wednesday never-before-seen images that show the sun's magnetic field is much more turbulent and dynamic than previously known. The international spacecraft Hinode, formerly known as Solar B, took the images. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/21hinode/.
g Abodes - In the outer reaches of the solar system, there is an object known as 2003 EL61 that looks like and spins like a football being drop-kicked over the proverbial goalpost of life. New findings could make it one of the most important of the Kuiper-belt objects for understanding the workings of the solar system. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/17kbo/.
g Life - It wouldn't have been the easiest way to get around. A University of Alberta paleontologist has helped discover the existence of a 95 million-year-old snakelike marine animal, a finding that provides not only the earliest example of limb loss in lizards but also the first example of limb loss in an aquatic lizard. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070322132848.htm.
g Intelligence - While as recently as 20 years ago, scientists considered it taboo to describe animal behavior in the same terms as human thoughts and emotions, however, recent studies suggest that chimps and other primates have the ability to show empathy. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.phpfeed=Science&article=UPI-1-20070323-15471700-bc-us-chimps.xml.
g Message - When it comes to signaling across space, power is paramount. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_targeted_040401.html. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Learning - Scientists have, for the first time, induced difficulties with mathematics (dyscalculia) in subjects who normally find math easy. The study, which finds that the right parietal lobe is responsible for dyscalculia, potentially has implications for diagnosis and management through remedial teaching. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070322132931.htm.
g Aftermath - Book alert: As many Earthlings already know —including more than 2 million computer users with firsthand experience — our best hope for finding extraterrestrial intelligence might just lie with an ingenious little screensaver. So it's not surprising that Brian McConnell’s “Beyond Contact: A Guide to SETI and Communicating with Alien Civilizations,” an introduction to searching for and communicating with intelligent life, begins with some of the details behind the University of California-Berkeley's groundbreaking, massively distributed SETI@home project, which processes intergalactic noise for pennies on the teraflop. But that's just the start of the story. Inventor and software developer McConnell continues with an overview of whether and why we might find something out there, who's doing what to look for it (including the folks at Berkeley), and — once some ET picks up on the other end — what we might say and how we might say it.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Beneath the Martian soil, interplanetary supply chain and free Astrobiology Education Poster
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - There's a lot of ice beneath the surface of Mars, and some believe there could be liquid water as well. NASA and European Space Agency spacecraft are now using ground-penetrating radar to peek under the Martian soil. In this interview, Jeff Plaut discusses the latest findings of ESA’s MARSIS radar. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name
=News&file=article&sid=2274mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Message - During the early 1980s, David Brin offered an explanation for Fermi’s Paradox, which asked why if extraterrestrial life existed it wasn’t on Earth. Brin’s answer: The Zoo Hypothesis. Here’s a copy of that groundbreaking paper, “The 'Great Silence': The Controversy Concerning Extraterrestrial Life “ at http://brin-l.stock-consulting.com/downloads/silence.pdf.
g Cosmicus - If you think shipping freight from Cincinnati to El Paso is challenging, imagine trying to deliver an oxygen generation unit from the Earth to a remote location on the moon. By 2020, NASA plans to establish a long-term human presence on the moon, potentially centered on an outpost to be built at the rim of the Shackleton crater near the lunar South Pole. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/22supplychain/.
g Learning - NASA’s free Astrobiology Education Poster illustrates in words and pictures the fundamental questions addressed by astrobiology: What is life? Where is it? How do you find it? Three activities have been developed to explore these themes. It’s great for teachers — or parents looking to spend some quality time with their children. See http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/poster/index.cfm.
g Aftermath - How might we characterize the political significance of any announcement of discovering extraterrestrial intelligence? How about using the Torino Scale, which characterizes asteroid impacts, as a model to assist the discussion and interpretation of any claimed discovery of ETI? See http://64.233.167.104/searchq=cache:
BuuaRaF64gUJ:www.konkoly.hu/staff/almar/almar_rio.doc+"Interpret
ing+and+Reporting+on+a+SETI+discovery"&hl=en.
g Abodes - There's a lot of ice beneath the surface of Mars, and some believe there could be liquid water as well. NASA and European Space Agency spacecraft are now using ground-penetrating radar to peek under the Martian soil. In this interview, Jeff Plaut discusses the latest findings of ESA’s MARSIS radar. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name
=News&file=article&sid=2274mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Message - During the early 1980s, David Brin offered an explanation for Fermi’s Paradox, which asked why if extraterrestrial life existed it wasn’t on Earth. Brin’s answer: The Zoo Hypothesis. Here’s a copy of that groundbreaking paper, “The 'Great Silence': The Controversy Concerning Extraterrestrial Life “ at http://brin-l.stock-consulting.com/downloads/silence.pdf.
g Cosmicus - If you think shipping freight from Cincinnati to El Paso is challenging, imagine trying to deliver an oxygen generation unit from the Earth to a remote location on the moon. By 2020, NASA plans to establish a long-term human presence on the moon, potentially centered on an outpost to be built at the rim of the Shackleton crater near the lunar South Pole. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/22supplychain/.
g Learning - NASA’s free Astrobiology Education Poster illustrates in words and pictures the fundamental questions addressed by astrobiology: What is life? Where is it? How do you find it? Three activities have been developed to explore these themes. It’s great for teachers — or parents looking to spend some quality time with their children. See http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/poster/index.cfm.
g Aftermath - How might we characterize the political significance of any announcement of discovering extraterrestrial intelligence? How about using the Torino Scale, which characterizes asteroid impacts, as a model to assist the discussion and interpretation of any claimed discovery of ETI? See http://64.233.167.104/searchq=cache:
BuuaRaF64gUJ:www.konkoly.hu/staff/almar/almar_rio.doc+"Interpret
ing+and+Reporting+on+a+SETI+discovery"&hl=en.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Quark star, Enceladus’ geysers and living laboratory for astrobiologists
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - A decade-long mystery has been solved using data from ESA's X-ray observatory XMM-Newton. The brightest member of the so-called “magnificent seven” has been found to pulsate with a period of seven seconds. The discovery casts some doubt on the recent interpretation that this object is a highly exotic celestial object known as a quark star. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/11neutronstars/.
g Abodes - A hot start billions of years ago might have set into motion the forces that power geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/12enceladus/.
g Life - Cuatro Cienegas, a butterfly-shaped valley in Mexico’s Chihuahua desert, is a living laboratory for astrobiologists. By studying this unique and endangered ecosystem, they hope to learn more about the earliest life on Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2277mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Message - Book alert: The father-son team of David E. Fisher and Marshall Jon Fisher brings the study of extraterrestrial life down to earth in “Strangers in the Night: Brief History of Life on Other Worlds,” an informative and entertaining book. In the anecdotal style that is their hallmark, the Fishers trace humankind’s attempts to discover life on other worlds. This informative and entertaining book tells the story of humankind’s attempts throughout history to discover extraterrestrial life. See http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1887178872
/boggysgeologylin/20292899029087057.
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.rtf.
g Aftermath - Could religions survive contact with extraterrestrials? The Medieval Church didn't think so, as the discovery would challenge mankind's central role in the cosmos. Today such ideas are considered old fashioned, and many theologians welcome the discovery of life — even intelligent life — among the stars. But if scientists were to find microscopic Martians or a signal from another world, would established religions really take it in stride? For a discussion, check out this past program of SETI’s “Are We Alone?” at http://www.seti.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter2.aspc=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=
289154. Note: An mp3 player is required to play the audio files; you can download one at the site for free.
g Stars - A decade-long mystery has been solved using data from ESA's X-ray observatory XMM-Newton. The brightest member of the so-called “magnificent seven” has been found to pulsate with a period of seven seconds. The discovery casts some doubt on the recent interpretation that this object is a highly exotic celestial object known as a quark star. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/11neutronstars/.
g Abodes - A hot start billions of years ago might have set into motion the forces that power geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/12enceladus/.
g Life - Cuatro Cienegas, a butterfly-shaped valley in Mexico’s Chihuahua desert, is a living laboratory for astrobiologists. By studying this unique and endangered ecosystem, they hope to learn more about the earliest life on Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2277mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Message - Book alert: The father-son team of David E. Fisher and Marshall Jon Fisher brings the study of extraterrestrial life down to earth in “Strangers in the Night: Brief History of Life on Other Worlds,” an informative and entertaining book. In the anecdotal style that is their hallmark, the Fishers trace humankind’s attempts to discover life on other worlds. This informative and entertaining book tells the story of humankind’s attempts throughout history to discover extraterrestrial life. See http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1887178872
/boggysgeologylin/20292899029087057.
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.rtf.
g Aftermath - Could religions survive contact with extraterrestrials? The Medieval Church didn't think so, as the discovery would challenge mankind's central role in the cosmos. Today such ideas are considered old fashioned, and many theologians welcome the discovery of life — even intelligent life — among the stars. But if scientists were to find microscopic Martians or a signal from another world, would established religions really take it in stride? For a discussion, check out this past program of SETI’s “Are We Alone?” at http://www.seti.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter2.aspc=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=
289154. Note: An mp3 player is required to play the audio files; you can download one at the site for free.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Dwarf galaxy, magnetic reconnection and societal implications of astrobiology
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - An Australian scientist says a "giant" galaxy 140 million light years from Earth is actually a much closer "dwarf" galaxy. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.phpfeed=Science&article=UPI-1-20070316-22140200-bc-australia-astronomy.xml.
g Abodes - Plasma physicists have made an unprecedented measurement in their study of the Earth's magnetic field. Thanks to the European Space Agency's Cluster satellites they detected an electric field thought to be a key element in the process of “magnetic reconnection.” See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/14cluster/.
g Life - Fossil remains have revealed a new svelte, squirrel-like mammal that scurried around in the wee hours of the night snagging insects and worms about 125 million years ago. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070314_mammal_ear.html.
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 http://www.setileague.org/editor/actvseti.htm.
g Learning - "Teacher, why do I need to learn this?" "What’s it good for?" Students ask these questions when faced with content that seems unrelated to their lives. Motivating students is fundamental to promoting achievement in any classroom, even in science, which encompasses the entire natural world, the whole universe. Good questions and quality experiences support science learning for all students, not just those who are already science-friendly. The relatively new discipline of astrobiology asks great questions that intrigue students. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_devore_why_040408.html.
g Aftermath - What are the societal implications of astrobiology? A NASA workshop in 1999 set out to determine what they might be. Here’s their report: http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov/workshops/societal/.
g Stars - An Australian scientist says a "giant" galaxy 140 million light years from Earth is actually a much closer "dwarf" galaxy. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.phpfeed=Science&article=UPI-1-20070316-22140200-bc-australia-astronomy.xml.
g Abodes - Plasma physicists have made an unprecedented measurement in their study of the Earth's magnetic field. Thanks to the European Space Agency's Cluster satellites they detected an electric field thought to be a key element in the process of “magnetic reconnection.” See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/14cluster/.
g Life - Fossil remains have revealed a new svelte, squirrel-like mammal that scurried around in the wee hours of the night snagging insects and worms about 125 million years ago. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070314_mammal_ear.html.
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 http://www.setileague.org/editor/actvseti.htm.
g Learning - "Teacher, why do I need to learn this?" "What’s it good for?" Students ask these questions when faced with content that seems unrelated to their lives. Motivating students is fundamental to promoting achievement in any classroom, even in science, which encompasses the entire natural world, the whole universe. Good questions and quality experiences support science learning for all students, not just those who are already science-friendly. The relatively new discipline of astrobiology asks great questions that intrigue students. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_devore_why_040408.html.
g Aftermath - What are the societal implications of astrobiology? A NASA workshop in 1999 set out to determine what they might be. Here’s their report: http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov/workshops/societal/.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Vernal equinox arrives, first 3D visualization of a complete eukaryotic cell and a sign of alien intelligence
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
- Stars - A month ago, my daffodils began blooming, and I knew that spring was coming. But now it’s official. On March 21 at 00 07 UT (universal time), the Earth spins through the vernal equinox. It’s that special moment in our annual trek around the Sun that marks the beginning of spring. Seen from Earth, the Sun is crossing the celestial equator headed north. Here in the United States, it’s still March 20 at that moment, and so we’re celebrating the first day of spring on March 20, and you’re invited to celebrate “Sun-Earth Day.” See http://space.com/searchforlife/070315_seti_sun.html.
g Abodes - The Long Range Reconnaissance Imager on New Horizons captured another dramatic picture of Jupiter's moon Io and its volcanic plumes, 19 hours after the spacecraft's closest approach to Jupiter on Feb. 28. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/14iovolcano/.
g Life - Researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and the University of Colorado have now obtained the first 3D visualization of a complete eukaryotic cell at a resolution high enough to resolve the cytoskeleton's precise architectural plan in fission yeast. The image of this unicellular organism will be published in this week's issue of the journal Developmental Cell and reveals remarkable insights into the fine structure of the cytoskeleton as well as its interactions with other parts of the cell. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070306101110.htm.
g Message - What would be a sign of alien intelligence? Forget mathematics — try a simple, pure-tone radio signal. See http://
www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_artificiality_part2_030220.html.
g Cosmicus - NASA notified the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory last week that its contract to build a robotic lunar lander would be allowed to expire at the end of March and would not be renewed — at least not anytime soon. See http://space.com/news/060316_nasa_moonlander.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of NASA: “Interstellar Real Estate.” The lesson examines what makes Earth the perfect home for life as we know it as students explore the orbital characteristics a planetary home needs to support Earth-like life forms. See http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/Habitat/habitablezone.htm.
g Imagining - ke stories about alien anthropology and cultures? Then be sure to read James Blish’s classic novel “A Case of Conscience” (1958), in which he explores if original sin exists among the Lithians. See http://members.aol.com/firoane/blish.htm.
g Aftermath - Would should we say to an extraterrestrial? Try the World Wide Web. SETI astronomer Seth Shostak opines at http://www.seti.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=194993&ct=308803.
- Stars - A month ago, my daffodils began blooming, and I knew that spring was coming. But now it’s official. On March 21 at 00 07 UT (universal time), the Earth spins through the vernal equinox. It’s that special moment in our annual trek around the Sun that marks the beginning of spring. Seen from Earth, the Sun is crossing the celestial equator headed north. Here in the United States, it’s still March 20 at that moment, and so we’re celebrating the first day of spring on March 20, and you’re invited to celebrate “Sun-Earth Day.” See http://space.com/searchforlife/070315_seti_sun.html.
g Abodes - The Long Range Reconnaissance Imager on New Horizons captured another dramatic picture of Jupiter's moon Io and its volcanic plumes, 19 hours after the spacecraft's closest approach to Jupiter on Feb. 28. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/14iovolcano/.
g Life - Researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and the University of Colorado have now obtained the first 3D visualization of a complete eukaryotic cell at a resolution high enough to resolve the cytoskeleton's precise architectural plan in fission yeast. The image of this unicellular organism will be published in this week's issue of the journal Developmental Cell and reveals remarkable insights into the fine structure of the cytoskeleton as well as its interactions with other parts of the cell. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070306101110.htm.
g Message - What would be a sign of alien intelligence? Forget mathematics — try a simple, pure-tone radio signal. See http://
www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_artificiality_part2_030220.html.
g Cosmicus - NASA notified the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory last week that its contract to build a robotic lunar lander would be allowed to expire at the end of March and would not be renewed — at least not anytime soon. See http://space.com/news/060316_nasa_moonlander.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity courtesy of NASA: “Interstellar Real Estate.” The lesson examines what makes Earth the perfect home for life as we know it as students explore the orbital characteristics a planetary home needs to support Earth-like life forms. See http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/Habitat/habitablezone.htm.
g Imagining - ke stories about alien anthropology and cultures? Then be sure to read James Blish’s classic novel “A Case of Conscience” (1958), in which he explores if original sin exists among the Lithians. See http://members.aol.com/firoane/blish.htm.
g Aftermath - Would should we say to an extraterrestrial? Try the World Wide Web. SETI astronomer Seth Shostak opines at http://www.seti.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=194993&ct=308803.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Massive star’s death cry, water at Mars’ South Pole and how humanity might react when we receive our first interstellar phone call from ET
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Several times a week, astronomers detect the violent death cry of a massive star - an extraordinarily energetic release of gamma rays that takes place in just a matter of seconds to minutes, called a gamma-ray burst. The GRB's ejecta, which is thought to be beamed in narrow jets, slams into interstellar gas at near light speed. This violent collision shocks the material and produces a bright afterglow that can radiate brightly at X-ray and other wavelengths for several days, or even a few weeks. But a GRB observed by NASA's Swift satellite on July 29, 2006, generated an X-ray afterglow that remained detectable to the spacecraft's X-ray Telescope for an astonishing 125 days. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/11grbmagnetar/.
g Abodes - New measurements of Mars' south polar region indicate extensive frozen water. The polar region contains enough frozen water to cover the whole planet in a liquid layer approximately 36 feet deep. A joint NASA-Italian Space Agency instrument on the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft provided these data. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/15marsice/.
g Life - Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have determined the three-dimensional structure of an RNA enzyme, or "ribozyme," that carries out a fundamental reaction required to make new RNA molecules. Their results provide insight into what may have been the first self-replicating molecule to arise billions of years ago on the evolutionary path toward the emergence of life. See http://www.sciencedaily.com
/releases/2007/03/070315161035.htm.
g Intelligence - A good laugh may not only lift your mood, but can make you more cooperative and altruistic towards strangers, according to a new study. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070316_laugh_altruism.html.
g Message - To contact an alien civilization, humanity might want to consider a Bracewell probe — a hypothetical concept for an autonomous interstellar space probe dispatched for the express purpose of communication with (an) alien civilization(s). It was proposed by Ronald N. Bracewell in a 1960 paper, as an alternative to interstellar radio communication between widely separated civilizations. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracewell_probe.
g Cosmicus - Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., chair of the Senate subcommittee responsible for NASA funding, formally pledged Thursday to again work with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, to increase NASA funding by $1 billion. Mikulski also called for a space summit with the White House to ensure NASA gets the support and funding it needs. See http://space.com/news/060316_nasa_budget.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 stories about alien biologies/environments? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for Piers Anthony’s “Omnivore” (1968), which examines fungal life forms.
g Aftermath - How will humanity react when we receive our first interstellar phone call from ET? Though not a new piece, SETI astronomer Seth Shostak offers some intriguing thoughts at http://www.firstscience.com/site/articles/shostak.asp.
g Stars - Several times a week, astronomers detect the violent death cry of a massive star - an extraordinarily energetic release of gamma rays that takes place in just a matter of seconds to minutes, called a gamma-ray burst. The GRB's ejecta, which is thought to be beamed in narrow jets, slams into interstellar gas at near light speed. This violent collision shocks the material and produces a bright afterglow that can radiate brightly at X-ray and other wavelengths for several days, or even a few weeks. But a GRB observed by NASA's Swift satellite on July 29, 2006, generated an X-ray afterglow that remained detectable to the spacecraft's X-ray Telescope for an astonishing 125 days. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/11grbmagnetar/.
g Abodes - New measurements of Mars' south polar region indicate extensive frozen water. The polar region contains enough frozen water to cover the whole planet in a liquid layer approximately 36 feet deep. A joint NASA-Italian Space Agency instrument on the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft provided these data. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/15marsice/.
g Life - Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have determined the three-dimensional structure of an RNA enzyme, or "ribozyme," that carries out a fundamental reaction required to make new RNA molecules. Their results provide insight into what may have been the first self-replicating molecule to arise billions of years ago on the evolutionary path toward the emergence of life. See http://www.sciencedaily.com
/releases/2007/03/070315161035.htm.
g Intelligence - A good laugh may not only lift your mood, but can make you more cooperative and altruistic towards strangers, according to a new study. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070316_laugh_altruism.html.
g Message - To contact an alien civilization, humanity might want to consider a Bracewell probe — a hypothetical concept for an autonomous interstellar space probe dispatched for the express purpose of communication with (an) alien civilization(s). It was proposed by Ronald N. Bracewell in a 1960 paper, as an alternative to interstellar radio communication between widely separated civilizations. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracewell_probe.
g Cosmicus - Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., chair of the Senate subcommittee responsible for NASA funding, formally pledged Thursday to again work with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, to increase NASA funding by $1 billion. Mikulski also called for a space summit with the White House to ensure NASA gets the support and funding it needs. See http://space.com/news/060316_nasa_budget.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 stories about alien biologies/environments? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for Piers Anthony’s “Omnivore” (1968), which examines fungal life forms.
g Aftermath - How will humanity react when we receive our first interstellar phone call from ET? Though not a new piece, SETI astronomer Seth Shostak offers some intriguing thoughts at http://www.firstscience.com/site/articles/shostak.asp.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Thousand-plus supermassive black holes, the Great Silence and SpaceX launch
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - By casting a wide net, astronomers have captured an image of more than a thousand supermassive black holes. These results give astronomers a snapshot of a crucial period when these monster black holes are growing, and provide insight into the environments in which they occur. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/12blackholes/.
g Abodes - A menacing lump of rock and dust in space called 1999 RQ36 would barely be noticed except for two crucial facts: it's a treasure trove of organic material and it regularly crosses Earth's orbit, so it might impact us someday. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/16osiris/.
g Life - Giant Australian cuttlefish employ night camouflage to adapt quickly to a variety of microhabitats on temperate rock reefs. New research sheds light on the animal's remarkable visual system and nighttime predator/prey interactions. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070309141100.htm.
g Intelligence - While many scientists have considered masculine tendencies to be barriers to health and recovery, a small study of about 50 men suggests the opposite. The man-of-steel mentality, often associated with military men and those in other high-risk occupations, can boost and speed up a guy’s recovery from a serious and/or traumatic injury possibly. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070316_tough_guys.html.
g Message - During the early 1980s, David Brin offered an explanation for Fermi’s Paradox, which asked why if extraterrestrial life existed it wasn’t on Earth. Brin’s answer: The Zoo Hypothesis. Here’s a copy of that groundbreaking paper, “The 'Great Silence': The Controversy Concerning Extraterrestrial Life “ at http://brin-l.stock-consulting.com/downloads/silence.pdf.
g Cosmicus - The private launch firm Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is reviewing the results of a Thursday rocket engine test in preparations for the second test flight of its Falcon 1 booster. See http://space.com/missionlaunches/070317_spacex_enginetest.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site for science lovers: “Extremophiles: Can We Live Without Them?” Just 50 years ago tiny microorganisms were found living in environments that would kill all other microorganisms. The site provides an introduction to extremophiles and their unique qualities. See http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0212089/.
g Imagining - Can life ever be noncorporeal, as are Star Trek’s Organians? See http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/P/plasma-based_life.html.
g Stars - By casting a wide net, astronomers have captured an image of more than a thousand supermassive black holes. These results give astronomers a snapshot of a crucial period when these monster black holes are growing, and provide insight into the environments in which they occur. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/12blackholes/.
g Abodes - A menacing lump of rock and dust in space called 1999 RQ36 would barely be noticed except for two crucial facts: it's a treasure trove of organic material and it regularly crosses Earth's orbit, so it might impact us someday. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/16osiris/.
g Life - Giant Australian cuttlefish employ night camouflage to adapt quickly to a variety of microhabitats on temperate rock reefs. New research sheds light on the animal's remarkable visual system and nighttime predator/prey interactions. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070309141100.htm.
g Intelligence - While many scientists have considered masculine tendencies to be barriers to health and recovery, a small study of about 50 men suggests the opposite. The man-of-steel mentality, often associated with military men and those in other high-risk occupations, can boost and speed up a guy’s recovery from a serious and/or traumatic injury possibly. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070316_tough_guys.html.
g Message - During the early 1980s, David Brin offered an explanation for Fermi’s Paradox, which asked why if extraterrestrial life existed it wasn’t on Earth. Brin’s answer: The Zoo Hypothesis. Here’s a copy of that groundbreaking paper, “The 'Great Silence': The Controversy Concerning Extraterrestrial Life “ at http://brin-l.stock-consulting.com/downloads/silence.pdf.
g Cosmicus - The private launch firm Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is reviewing the results of a Thursday rocket engine test in preparations for the second test flight of its Falcon 1 booster. See http://space.com/missionlaunches/070317_spacex_enginetest.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat Web site for science lovers: “Extremophiles: Can We Live Without Them?” Just 50 years ago tiny microorganisms were found living in environments that would kill all other microorganisms. The site provides an introduction to extremophiles and their unique qualities. See http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0212089/.
g Imagining - Can life ever be noncorporeal, as are Star Trek’s Organians? See http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/P/plasma-based_life.html.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Martian soil sample, species evolution in warm climates and ‘In Cosmic Company’
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Whilst science fiction toys effortlessly with anti-matter, in reality it can be very hard to produce, so researchers around the world are celebrating a new break through in this area. For the first time, scientists using the BaBar experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center have observed the transition of one type of particle, the neutral D-meson, into its antimatter particle - a process known as “mixing.” The new observation will be used as a test of the Standard Model, the current theory that best describes the entire universe's luminous matter and its associated forces. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/14antimatter/.
g Abodes - Some bright Martian soil containing lots of sulfur and a trace of water intrigues researchers who are studying information provided by NASA's Spirit rover. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/14spiritsoil/.
g Life - University of British Columbia researchers have discovered that contrary to common belief, species do not evolve faster in warmer climates. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070315161122.htm.
g Intelligence - Female chimps manage how available they are, as a group, for sex. This leads males to fight over them, and when the best males win, the females are more likely to have fit offspring, new research shows. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/
070316_chimp_menstruation.html.
g Message - If extraterrestrials are out there, signals that would prove their existence are cascading over your body right now. Needless to say, you don’t notice. The challenge for SETI researchers is to build an instrument that will. Rising to the challenge, the SETI Institute and others are developing new search strategies and telescopes, encouraging some scientists to speculate that a signal detection will occur in the next decade or two. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_beingsure_010405.html.
g Cosmicus - Because we are planetary creatures, most people assume the first and most numerous space settlements must be on the Moon or Mars. In fact, we may live in orbit long before settling the Moon or Mars, and there may always be far more space settlers in orbit than on any planet or moon. Orbital settlements are huge spacecraft, big enough for many thousands to live in comfortably, that provide radiation protection, a breathable atmosphere, nearly self-sufficient life support, and that rotate to provide something that feels much like Earth-normal gravity at the rim. See http://space.com/adastra/070316_orbital.html.
g Learning - The space station's connecting module that will serve as the gateway to international science laboratories has been given a name - Harmony - following a nationwide contest for schoolchildren. See http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts120/070315harmony/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Richard F. Monteleone and David F. Bischoff’s novel, “Day of the Dragonstar,” published in 1983.
g Aftermath - Book alert: In their November 2003 book "In Cosmic Company: The Search for Life in the Universe," authors Seth Shostak and Alex Barnett ponder the possibility of alien life and the consequences of receiving a signal from the cosmos. They explain why scientists think sentient life might exist on other worlds, how we could discover it and what it might be like. Entertaining and informative, this hard cover book is lavishly illustrated. See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail//0521822335
/qid=1089658746/sr=81/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103999
37686867868?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 for reviews.
g Stars - Whilst science fiction toys effortlessly with anti-matter, in reality it can be very hard to produce, so researchers around the world are celebrating a new break through in this area. For the first time, scientists using the BaBar experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center have observed the transition of one type of particle, the neutral D-meson, into its antimatter particle - a process known as “mixing.” The new observation will be used as a test of the Standard Model, the current theory that best describes the entire universe's luminous matter and its associated forces. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/14antimatter/.
g Abodes - Some bright Martian soil containing lots of sulfur and a trace of water intrigues researchers who are studying information provided by NASA's Spirit rover. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/14spiritsoil/.
g Life - University of British Columbia researchers have discovered that contrary to common belief, species do not evolve faster in warmer climates. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070315161122.htm.
g Intelligence - Female chimps manage how available they are, as a group, for sex. This leads males to fight over them, and when the best males win, the females are more likely to have fit offspring, new research shows. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/
070316_chimp_menstruation.html.
g Message - If extraterrestrials are out there, signals that would prove their existence are cascading over your body right now. Needless to say, you don’t notice. The challenge for SETI researchers is to build an instrument that will. Rising to the challenge, the SETI Institute and others are developing new search strategies and telescopes, encouraging some scientists to speculate that a signal detection will occur in the next decade or two. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_beingsure_010405.html.
g Cosmicus - Because we are planetary creatures, most people assume the first and most numerous space settlements must be on the Moon or Mars. In fact, we may live in orbit long before settling the Moon or Mars, and there may always be far more space settlers in orbit than on any planet or moon. Orbital settlements are huge spacecraft, big enough for many thousands to live in comfortably, that provide radiation protection, a breathable atmosphere, nearly self-sufficient life support, and that rotate to provide something that feels much like Earth-normal gravity at the rim. See http://space.com/adastra/070316_orbital.html.
g Learning - The space station's connecting module that will serve as the gateway to international science laboratories has been given a name - Harmony - following a nationwide contest for schoolchildren. See http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts120/070315harmony/.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Richard F. Monteleone and David F. Bischoff’s novel, “Day of the Dragonstar,” published in 1983.
g Aftermath - Book alert: In their November 2003 book "In Cosmic Company: The Search for Life in the Universe," authors Seth Shostak and Alex Barnett ponder the possibility of alien life and the consequences of receiving a signal from the cosmos. They explain why scientists think sentient life might exist on other worlds, how we could discover it and what it might be like. Entertaining and informative, this hard cover book is lavishly illustrated. See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail//0521822335
/qid=1089658746/sr=81/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103999
37686867868?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 for reviews.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Seas on Titan, don’t see red during tests and sending ET a portrait of humanity
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - Instruments on NASA's Cassini spacecraft have found evidence for seas, likely filled with liquid methane or ethane, in the high northern latitudes of Saturn's moon Titan. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2271mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Blame those low SAT scores on the person sitting next to you wearing red, because just a glimpse at the color negatively affects test performance, according to a new study. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070305_red_performance.
html.
g Message - A “portrait of humanity” recently was taken by Simon Bell, a photographer from Toronto. It is half of a stereo pair, two images that when properly focused together, reveal the scene’s third dimension. The photograph was envisioned as part of a message for the Cassini mission to Saturn and its moon Titan, launched in late 1997. It would have been an artifact in the tradition of the Voyager Record and the “Visions of Mars” CD ROM. Unlike the Voyager Record it was not intended to leave the solar system to be found by the crew of an advanced starship. Unlike Visions it was not for humans in the next few centuries. Its fate would have been to remain on the surface of Saturn’s moon Titan, waiting for eons of time against the slim chance that life might someday appear on that strange world, or that some other space traveler might visit Titan and find it. The image, inscribed on a diamond wafer about the size of a coin, was intended to show an intelligent alien on Titan viewer a little about our bodies, about our relationships with each other, and about our planet. See article. For related story, see “How the world watched Huygens probe descend” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/060729huygens.html.
g Learning - Here’s a great educational tool for teaching astrobiology and various principles of science: COTI. COTI is an educational experiment in creation — students design an integrated world, alien life form and culture, and simulate contact with a future human society. One team constructs a solar system, a world and its ecology, an alien life form and its culture, basing each step on the previous one and utilizing the principles of science as a guide to imagination. The other team designs a future human colony, planetary or spacefaring, "creating and evolving" its culture as an exercise in cultural structure, dynamics and adaptation. Through a structured system of progressive revelation, the teams then simulate — and experience — contact between the two cultures in real time, exploring the problems and possibilities involved in inter-cultural encounters. See http://www.contact-conference.com/archive/educoti.html.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Jayge Carr’s "The Wonderous Works of His Hands," anthologized in “Alien Encounters” (edited by Jan Finder).
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Instruments on NASA's Cassini spacecraft have found evidence for seas, likely filled with liquid methane or ethane, in the high northern latitudes of Saturn's moon Titan. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2271mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Blame those low SAT scores on the person sitting next to you wearing red, because just a glimpse at the color negatively affects test performance, according to a new study. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070305_red_performance.
html.
g Message - A “portrait of humanity” recently was taken by Simon Bell, a photographer from Toronto. It is half of a stereo pair, two images that when properly focused together, reveal the scene’s third dimension. The photograph was envisioned as part of a message for the Cassini mission to Saturn and its moon Titan, launched in late 1997. It would have been an artifact in the tradition of the Voyager Record and the “Visions of Mars” CD ROM. Unlike the Voyager Record it was not intended to leave the solar system to be found by the crew of an advanced starship. Unlike Visions it was not for humans in the next few centuries. Its fate would have been to remain on the surface of Saturn’s moon Titan, waiting for eons of time against the slim chance that life might someday appear on that strange world, or that some other space traveler might visit Titan and find it. The image, inscribed on a diamond wafer about the size of a coin, was intended to show an intelligent alien on Titan viewer a little about our bodies, about our relationships with each other, and about our planet. See article. For related story, see “How the world watched Huygens probe descend” at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/060729huygens.html.
g Learning - Here’s a great educational tool for teaching astrobiology and various principles of science: COTI. COTI is an educational experiment in creation — students design an integrated world, alien life form and culture, and simulate contact with a future human society. One team constructs a solar system, a world and its ecology, an alien life form and its culture, basing each step on the previous one and utilizing the principles of science as a guide to imagination. The other team designs a future human colony, planetary or spacefaring, "creating and evolving" its culture as an exercise in cultural structure, dynamics and adaptation. Through a structured system of progressive revelation, the teams then simulate — and experience — contact between the two cultures in real time, exploring the problems and possibilities involved in inter-cultural encounters. See http://www.contact-conference.com/archive/educoti.html.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Jayge Carr’s "The Wonderous Works of His Hands," anthologized in “Alien Encounters” (edited by Jan Finder).
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, March 15, 2007
The lives of rocks, whale songs and why many common ideas about SETI just aren’t true
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - Scientists are refining a technique to pin down the dates of events in the lives of rocks, including the collisions of contents or a rock's journey through the crust of the Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2270mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - Using virtual robots that possess evolvable genomes, researchers have identified key factors that may play important roles in determining how communication arises in the evolution of social organisms. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2267mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Deep below the ocean's surface, blue whales are singing, and for the first time, scientists think they know why. Researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography recorded the sounds and say they offer new insight into the behavior of the passenger jet-sized animals. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070306_whale_whisperers.html.
g Message - Many common ideas about SETI just aren’t true, but that doesn't prevent them from popping up in popular articles, blogs, books, and even movies. Here are three of my favorite fallacies about SETI. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_three_myths_060622.html.
g Learning - How are key concepts of astrobiology treated in science fiction? See http://www.ibiblio.org/astrobiology/index.phppage=lesson05. Note: This article is from 2001 and intended to be used as part of a classroom lesson.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien anthropology/cultures? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for C.J. Cherryh’s series “The Foreigner Universe,” which includes “Foreigner” (1994), “Invader” (1995) and “Inheritor” (1996). The series traces our dealings with the proud Atevi from first contact, as the single ambassador they will allow on planet tries to prevent war.
g Abodes - Scientists are refining a technique to pin down the dates of events in the lives of rocks, including the collisions of contents or a rock's journey through the crust of the Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2270mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - Using virtual robots that possess evolvable genomes, researchers have identified key factors that may play important roles in determining how communication arises in the evolution of social organisms. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2267mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Deep below the ocean's surface, blue whales are singing, and for the first time, scientists think they know why. Researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography recorded the sounds and say they offer new insight into the behavior of the passenger jet-sized animals. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070306_whale_whisperers.html.
g Message - Many common ideas about SETI just aren’t true, but that doesn't prevent them from popping up in popular articles, blogs, books, and even movies. Here are three of my favorite fallacies about SETI. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_three_myths_060622.html.
g Learning - How are key concepts of astrobiology treated in science fiction? See http://www.ibiblio.org/astrobiology/index.phppage=lesson05. Note: This article is from 2001 and intended to be used as part of a classroom lesson.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien anthropology/cultures? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for C.J. Cherryh’s series “The Foreigner Universe,” which includes “Foreigner” (1994), “Invader” (1995) and “Inheritor” (1996). The series traces our dealings with the proud Atevi from first contact, as the single ambassador they will allow on planet tries to prevent war.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Enceladus’ organic brew, California’s pink slime and why you can’t hear aliens on your car radio
Enceladus’ organic brew, California’s pink slime and why you can’t hear aliens on your car radio
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - Deep inside Saturn's moon Enceladus may be an organic brew, a heat source, and liquid water - all the key ingredients for life. But where does the heat come from on a small body made of rock and ice? A new model suggests radioactive elements within Enceladus may have jump-started the heating of the moon's interior. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=
modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2269mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - Pink slime at the surface of water trickling through an old mine in California is proving to be a treasure for researchers in their quest to learn more about how bacterial communities exist in nature. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=
modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2266mode=thread&order=
0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Humans caught pubic lice, aka "the crabs," from gorillas roughly three million years ago, scientists now report. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070307_gorilla_lice.html.
g Message - For more than 80 years, we’ve been sending radio (and eventually television) transmissions into space, allowing anyone in space to hear war reports from London, “I Love Lucy” reruns and our latest election results. So wouldn’t hearing aliens be as simple as turning on the radio? Here’s why not: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20041206/alienmessage.html.
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. See http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/AlienSafari_launch_page.html.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Isaac Asimov’s “The Gods Themselves” (published by Ballentine in 1972).
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - Deep inside Saturn's moon Enceladus may be an organic brew, a heat source, and liquid water - all the key ingredients for life. But where does the heat come from on a small body made of rock and ice? A new model suggests radioactive elements within Enceladus may have jump-started the heating of the moon's interior. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=
modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2269mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - Pink slime at the surface of water trickling through an old mine in California is proving to be a treasure for researchers in their quest to learn more about how bacterial communities exist in nature. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=
modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2266mode=thread&order=
0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Humans caught pubic lice, aka "the crabs," from gorillas roughly three million years ago, scientists now report. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070307_gorilla_lice.html.
g Message - For more than 80 years, we’ve been sending radio (and eventually television) transmissions into space, allowing anyone in space to hear war reports from London, “I Love Lucy” reruns and our latest election results. So wouldn’t hearing aliens be as simple as turning on the radio? Here’s why not: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20041206/alienmessage.html.
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. See http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/AlienSafari_launch_page.html.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Isaac Asimov’s “The Gods Themselves” (published by Ballentine in 1972).
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Asteroid sample probe, ancient ocean creature discovered and ‘Life in the Universe’
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - In a mission called OSIRIS, NASA plans to take a sample of an asteroid and return it to Earth. "It's a treasure trove of organic material, so it holds clues to how Earth formed and life got started," said Joseph Nuth of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2268mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - Paleontologists have identified a new species from 11 complete fossils of a slug-like creature covered with prickly armor that likely scooted along the ocean floor with a muscular foot more than 500 million years ago. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070301_hairy_bugs.html.
g Intelligence - Two lovers, a thousand miles apart and yearning to be back in each other’s arms, may find a ray of comfort as they gaze upon the same Moon, knowing that they are bathing together in celestial light from the same source. See http://space.com/searchforlife/seti_moon_070308.html.
g Message - Looking for life elsewhere is a tough task for human or robot. The good news is that the scientific skill and tools to search for, detect and inspect extraterrestrial life are advancing rapidly. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/lifesigns_spots_020103.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat astrobiology lesson plan for teachers about “Life in the Universe,” courtesy the United Kingdom: www.nssc.co.uk/education/supportmaterials/PreVisitDocs/KS4
and5/Life%20in%20Universe.doc. It includes activities.
g Imagining - In Ridley Scott's 1979 slimy monster masterpiece "Alien," the extraterrestrial life form discovered by Sigourney Weaver and crew goes through two startlingly different phases after it hatches. Is such a change during the life of an animal mere sci fi license? Not really. In fact, many earthlings go through similar drastic changes in form. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=101. Note: This article is from March 2001.
g Abodes - In a mission called OSIRIS, NASA plans to take a sample of an asteroid and return it to Earth. "It's a treasure trove of organic material, so it holds clues to how Earth formed and life got started," said Joseph Nuth of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2268mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - Paleontologists have identified a new species from 11 complete fossils of a slug-like creature covered with prickly armor that likely scooted along the ocean floor with a muscular foot more than 500 million years ago. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070301_hairy_bugs.html.
g Intelligence - Two lovers, a thousand miles apart and yearning to be back in each other’s arms, may find a ray of comfort as they gaze upon the same Moon, knowing that they are bathing together in celestial light from the same source. See http://space.com/searchforlife/seti_moon_070308.html.
g Message - Looking for life elsewhere is a tough task for human or robot. The good news is that the scientific skill and tools to search for, detect and inspect extraterrestrial life are advancing rapidly. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/lifesigns_spots_020103.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat astrobiology lesson plan for teachers about “Life in the Universe,” courtesy the United Kingdom: www.nssc.co.uk/education/supportmaterials/PreVisitDocs/KS4
and5/Life%20in%20Universe.doc. It includes activities.
g Imagining - In Ridley Scott's 1979 slimy monster masterpiece "Alien," the extraterrestrial life form discovered by Sigourney Weaver and crew goes through two startlingly different phases after it hatches. Is such a change during the life of an animal mere sci fi license? Not really. In fact, many earthlings go through similar drastic changes in form. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=101. Note: This article is from March 2001.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Massive star’s explosive death, robot helps explain evolution, and plausibility of interstellar communication
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - The explosive death of a massive star has broken the record for longest-lived light show. Observations from NASA’s Swift satellite have revealed a so-called gamma-ray burst for which the afterglow remained visible for more than 125 days. See http://space.com/scienceastronomy/070308_swift_gammas.html.
g Life - A robot that slinks along the ground and winds through water like a salamander is helping scientists understand how animals walked from aquatic environments onto land millions of years ago. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070308_sala
mander_robot.html.
g Intelligence - Genetics could explain why some women are more ill tempered than others. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of lessons, designed for at-risk students: “The Plausibility of Interstellar Communication and Related Phenomena Depicted in Science Fiction Literature and the Movies.” The curriculum has four major objectives: first, to educate students to develop concepts about the proximity of our solar system in relation to other probable solar systems in the Milky Way Galaxy; second, to give students the opportunity to use these concepts to evaluate the plausibility of interstellar communication depicted in science fiction literature and movies; third, to create an opportunity for students not only to look out on the universe but to turn it inward to look at the world, their own society, and themselves as individuals; and fourth, an objective that will be integrated with all of the others is to give students to opportunity to learn and/or sharpen skills in: using the scientific method, research, reading, writing, collaboration, discussion and in critical thinking. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Carol Car and Karen Haber’s short story "First Contact, Sort of" appearing in the anthology “The Ultimate Alien” (edited by Keith R. A. DeCandido, John Betancourt and Byron Preiss; published by Dell in 1995).
g Stars - The explosive death of a massive star has broken the record for longest-lived light show. Observations from NASA’s Swift satellite have revealed a so-called gamma-ray burst for which the afterglow remained visible for more than 125 days. See http://space.com/scienceastronomy/070308_swift_gammas.html.
g Life - A robot that slinks along the ground and winds through water like a salamander is helping scientists understand how animals walked from aquatic environments onto land millions of years ago. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070308_sala
mander_robot.html.
g Intelligence - Genetics could explain why some women are more ill tempered than others. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of lessons, designed for at-risk students: “The Plausibility of Interstellar Communication and Related Phenomena Depicted in Science Fiction Literature and the Movies.” The curriculum has four major objectives: first, to educate students to develop concepts about the proximity of our solar system in relation to other probable solar systems in the Milky Way Galaxy; second, to give students the opportunity to use these concepts to evaluate the plausibility of interstellar communication depicted in science fiction literature and movies; third, to create an opportunity for students not only to look out on the universe but to turn it inward to look at the world, their own society, and themselves as individuals; and fourth, an objective that will be integrated with all of the others is to give students to opportunity to learn and/or sharpen skills in: using the scientific method, research, reading, writing, collaboration, discussion and in critical thinking. See article.
g Imagining - Like first contact stories? Then be sure to read Carol Car and Karen Haber’s short story "First Contact, Sort of" appearing in the anthology “The Ultimate Alien” (edited by Keith R. A. DeCandido, John Betancourt and Byron Preiss; published by Dell in 1995).
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Earth's magnetic field, what If everybody is listening and nobody is transmitting and
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Two professors have established that quantum information cannot be “hidden” in conventional ways. This result gives a surprising new twist to one of the great mysteries about black holes. See article.
g Abodes - Research recently conducted at Delft University of Technology marks an important step forward in understanding the origins of the Earth's magnetic field. The research findings are published this week in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070309103129.htm.
g Life - A secret long held by plants has been revealed by Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers. The new discovery, which builds on more than a decade of painstaking surveillance of cellular communication between different types of plant tissues, shows clearly for the first time how plants "decide" to grow. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070307152948.htm.
g Intelligence - Rats appear capable of reflecting on what they know and don't know, a complex form of thinking previously found only in humans and other primates. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070309_rat_thinkers.html.
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 http://space.com/searchforlife/seti_tarter_transmit_050421.html.
g Cosmicus - The urge to hug a departed loved one again or prevent atrocities are among the compelling reasons that keep the notion of time travel alive in the minds of many. While the idea makes for great fiction, some scientists now say traveling to the past is impossible. See http://www.livescience.com/scienceoffiction/070307_time_travel.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat lesson plan, “E.T. Can’t Phone Home,” that teaches some basic principles of astronomy: http://www.scpub.org/filelibrary/pdf/etact.pdf.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien biologies/environments? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for Harlan Ellison’s (ed.) “Medea: Harlan's World” (1985), a symposium on alien creation.
g Stars - Two professors have established that quantum information cannot be “hidden” in conventional ways. This result gives a surprising new twist to one of the great mysteries about black holes. See article.
g Abodes - Research recently conducted at Delft University of Technology marks an important step forward in understanding the origins of the Earth's magnetic field. The research findings are published this week in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070309103129.htm.
g Life - A secret long held by plants has been revealed by Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers. The new discovery, which builds on more than a decade of painstaking surveillance of cellular communication between different types of plant tissues, shows clearly for the first time how plants "decide" to grow. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070307152948.htm.
g Intelligence - Rats appear capable of reflecting on what they know and don't know, a complex form of thinking previously found only in humans and other primates. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070309_rat_thinkers.html.
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 http://space.com/searchforlife/seti_tarter_transmit_050421.html.
g Cosmicus - The urge to hug a departed loved one again or prevent atrocities are among the compelling reasons that keep the notion of time travel alive in the minds of many. While the idea makes for great fiction, some scientists now say traveling to the past is impossible. See http://www.livescience.com/scienceoffiction/070307_time_travel.html.
g Learning - Here’s a neat lesson plan, “E.T. Can’t Phone Home,” that teaches some basic principles of astronomy: http://www.scpub.org/filelibrary/pdf/etact.pdf.
g Imagining - Like stories about alien biologies/environments? Be sure to scour your favorite used bookstores for Harlan Ellison’s (ed.) “Medea: Harlan's World” (1985), a symposium on alien creation.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Sun’s affect of asteroid rotation, looking rather than listening for ET and microgravity science laboratory
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - For the first time, astronomers have witnessed how the Sun can affect the rotation of asteroids. Heating from the Sun, and the subsequent energy release from asteroids, can ultimately change their orbits and affect their potential for crossing the orbit of Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2265mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Abodes - Scientists using NASA satellites have discovered an extensive network of waterways beneath a fast-moving Antarctic ice stream that provide clues as to how "leaks" in the system impact sea level and the world's largest ice sheet. Antarctica holds about 90 percent of the world's ice and 70 percent of the world's reservoir of fresh water. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0702/24antarctica/.
g Life - Smithsonian scientists have discovered a biodiversity bounty in the Eastern Pacific — approximately 50 percent of the organisms found in some groups are new to science. The research team spent 11 days in the Eastern Pacific, a unique, understudied region off the coast of Panama. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070308121755.htm.
g Intelligence - Today’s time switch could shake up your biological clock, rattle your mood and give your bones and teeth an extra dose of vitamin D. See http://www.livescience.com/environment/070307
_daylight_savings.html.
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 http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/technovel_
ringworld_050415.html.
g Cosmicus - Over 60 scientists and technicians have taken up temporary residence in ESA's brand new microgravity science laboratory, where, for the coming days, they will rehearse procedures to prepare experiments for the Foton M3 mission later this year. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/05foton/.
g Learning - What textbooks are college students reading in “Astrobiology 101” courses around the nation? See http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/college_courses/resources.cfm.
g Stars - For the first time, astronomers have witnessed how the Sun can affect the rotation of asteroids. Heating from the Sun, and the subsequent energy release from asteroids, can ultimately change their orbits and affect their potential for crossing the orbit of Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2265mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Abodes - Scientists using NASA satellites have discovered an extensive network of waterways beneath a fast-moving Antarctic ice stream that provide clues as to how "leaks" in the system impact sea level and the world's largest ice sheet. Antarctica holds about 90 percent of the world's ice and 70 percent of the world's reservoir of fresh water. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0702/24antarctica/.
g Life - Smithsonian scientists have discovered a biodiversity bounty in the Eastern Pacific — approximately 50 percent of the organisms found in some groups are new to science. The research team spent 11 days in the Eastern Pacific, a unique, understudied region off the coast of Panama. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070308121755.htm.
g Intelligence - Today’s time switch could shake up your biological clock, rattle your mood and give your bones and teeth an extra dose of vitamin D. See http://www.livescience.com/environment/070307
_daylight_savings.html.
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 http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/technovel_
ringworld_050415.html.
g Cosmicus - Over 60 scientists and technicians have taken up temporary residence in ESA's brand new microgravity science laboratory, where, for the coming days, they will rehearse procedures to prepare experiments for the Foton M3 mission later this year. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/05foton/.
g Learning - What textbooks are college students reading in “Astrobiology 101” courses around the nation? See http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/college_courses/resources.cfm.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Universe's "pre-teen" years, search for extraterrestrial probes and lunar base
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - A massive project to generate an all-color map of the galaxies in a small area of sky, utilizing four satellite telescopes and four ground-based telescopes, is yielding new information about the universe's "pre-teen" years and the early evolution of galaxies and galaxy clusters. See article.
g Message - Interstellar spacecraft are superior to electromagnetic wave propagation for extrasolar exploration and communication. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence should include a search for extraterrestrial probes. See http://www.rfreitas.com/Astro/TheCaseForInterstellarProbes1983.htm. Note: This article is from 1983.
g Cosmicus - The SMART-1 spacecraft has investigated an area of the Moon that could be a good location to conduct future lunar science studies and to prepare humans for missions to Mars. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2264mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s a good introduction to learning about the characteristics of living things is to get the kids brainstorming as to what makes a living thing living: “Glue Critters.” See http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/168.html.
g Stars - A massive project to generate an all-color map of the galaxies in a small area of sky, utilizing four satellite telescopes and four ground-based telescopes, is yielding new information about the universe's "pre-teen" years and the early evolution of galaxies and galaxy clusters. See article.
g Message - Interstellar spacecraft are superior to electromagnetic wave propagation for extrasolar exploration and communication. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence should include a search for extraterrestrial probes. See http://www.rfreitas.com/Astro/TheCaseForInterstellarProbes1983.htm. Note: This article is from 1983.
g Cosmicus - The SMART-1 spacecraft has investigated an area of the Moon that could be a good location to conduct future lunar science studies and to prepare humans for missions to Mars. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop
=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2264mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s a good introduction to learning about the characteristics of living things is to get the kids brainstorming as to what makes a living thing living: “Glue Critters.” See http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/168.html.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Double-star explosions, the Search for Extraterrestrial Artifacts and astronauts’ bones
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Proof that certain double star systems can erupt in full-blown explosions and then continue to flare up with smaller bursts has been spotted by the ultraviolet eyes of NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/07galex/.
g Abodes - In the final part of this five-part lecture given at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Michael Brown answers questions from the audience. Questions include “Why did the name of Xena get changed to Eris?” and “Could there be another undiscovered planet in our solar system?” http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2263mode=thread&order=
0&thold=0.
g Message - The Search for Extraterrestrial Artifacts, or SETA, is about delineating between the artificial and the real. In the case of radio detection from other stellar systems, the artificial is what is labeled the real signal that intelligent communications are on-air. See http://seti.astrobio.net/news/article84.html. Note: This article is a couple of years old.
g Cosmicus - Are bigger bones stronger bones? Not necessarily, according to a recent NASA study that seeks to ensure healthy bones in astronauts. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/05spacebones/.
g Learning - Are we alone? Are humans unique in the universe, or is our existence the natural outcome of universal processes that produced complex life on Earth and elsewhere? As we observe the universe beyond Earth, we find that we are fundamentally a part of it. To understand the relationship of humanity to stardust requires understanding evolution in its broadest sense. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/devore_seti_010130.html. Note: This article on teaching evolution in schools is from January 2001.
g Stars - Proof that certain double star systems can erupt in full-blown explosions and then continue to flare up with smaller bursts has been spotted by the ultraviolet eyes of NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/07galex/.
g Abodes - In the final part of this five-part lecture given at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Michael Brown answers questions from the audience. Questions include “Why did the name of Xena get changed to Eris?” and “Could there be another undiscovered planet in our solar system?” http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2263mode=thread&order=
0&thold=0.
g Message - The Search for Extraterrestrial Artifacts, or SETA, is about delineating between the artificial and the real. In the case of radio detection from other stellar systems, the artificial is what is labeled the real signal that intelligent communications are on-air. See http://seti.astrobio.net/news/article84.html. Note: This article is a couple of years old.
g Cosmicus - Are bigger bones stronger bones? Not necessarily, according to a recent NASA study that seeks to ensure healthy bones in astronauts. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/05spacebones/.
g Learning - Are we alone? Are humans unique in the universe, or is our existence the natural outcome of universal processes that produced complex life on Earth and elsewhere? As we observe the universe beyond Earth, we find that we are fundamentally a part of it. To understand the relationship of humanity to stardust requires understanding evolution in its broadest sense. See http://www.space.com/searchforlife/devore_seti_010130.html. Note: This article on teaching evolution in schools is from January 2001.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Titan’s lakes, alien spectrometry and laser-guided asteroids
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - A new radar image, obtained by Cassini's radar instrument during a near-polar flyby on Feb. 22, 2007, shows a big island smack in the middle of one of the larger lakes imaged on Saturn's moon Titan. The image offers further evidence that the largest lakes are at the highest latitudes. See http://spaceflightnow.com/cassini/070228titanlakes.html.
g Message - The spectral approach is a universal tool of both astronomical observations and SETI. Furthermore, it has a clear physical meaning – a spectrometer finds the energy distribution of photons, in human sensing it is color and pitch. Under the hypothesis on identity of physical laws in our part of universe, it may be proposed that spectrometry also are using by those aliens, who know radio and lead theirs own SETI, too. See http://www.cplire.ru/html/ra&sr/irm/radio-signals.html.
g Cosmicus - A team of researchers is developing unique methods for characterizing and deflecting asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2262mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s a neat new set of afterschool activities for elementary school students: “Astrobiology.” This new resource guide from the American Museum of Natural History brings astrobiology activities to the afterschool arena. As part of an 18-month project, AMNH collected NASA materials originally developed for the formal education setting, and adapted them for use in afterschool programs for participants aged 5-12. Members of NAI's NASA Ames Research Center Lead Team served as science advisors to the guide. See http://www.amnhafterschool.pdf/.g Imagining - The first step in imagining what a real alien might look like is to forget you ever watched the "The X-Files." They won't be the sinister grays Fox Mulder pursues, little green men or even jolly old E.T. And most assuredly they won't look like us. See http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/1282526.html?page=2&c=y. Note: This article is from 1999.
g Abodes - A new radar image, obtained by Cassini's radar instrument during a near-polar flyby on Feb. 22, 2007, shows a big island smack in the middle of one of the larger lakes imaged on Saturn's moon Titan. The image offers further evidence that the largest lakes are at the highest latitudes. See http://spaceflightnow.com/cassini/070228titanlakes.html.
g Message - The spectral approach is a universal tool of both astronomical observations and SETI. Furthermore, it has a clear physical meaning – a spectrometer finds the energy distribution of photons, in human sensing it is color and pitch. Under the hypothesis on identity of physical laws in our part of universe, it may be proposed that spectrometry also are using by those aliens, who know radio and lead theirs own SETI, too. See http://www.cplire.ru/html/ra&sr/irm/radio-signals.html.
g Cosmicus - A team of researchers is developing unique methods for characterizing and deflecting asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2262mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s a neat new set of afterschool activities for elementary school students: “Astrobiology.” This new resource guide from the American Museum of Natural History brings astrobiology activities to the afterschool arena. As part of an 18-month project, AMNH collected NASA materials originally developed for the formal education setting, and adapted them for use in afterschool programs for participants aged 5-12. Members of NAI's NASA Ames Research Center Lead Team served as science advisors to the guide. See http://www.amnhafterschool.pdf/.g Imagining - The first step in imagining what a real alien might look like is to forget you ever watched the "The X-Files." They won't be the sinister grays Fox Mulder pursues, little green men or even jolly old E.T. And most assuredly they won't look like us. See http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/1282526.html?page=2&c=y. Note: This article is from 1999.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Plunge into world’s deepest sinkhole, searching for alien life from home and ‘Alien Life’ word find
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - NASA is preparing an underwater robot for a plunge into Earth's deepest sinkhole. The mission will be used to map the Zacatón sinkhole, and also to develop technologies that could be used to explore below the icy crust of Europa. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2261mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Message - Here’s a nice primer on the SETI@home project plus some information about how to download the program: http://www.impactsites2000.com/tekreview/SETI2004.htm.
g Learning - Here’s something fun for the kids: An “Alien Life” word find (http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040922/wordfind. asp). It’s based on the Science for Kids article at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040922/Feature1.asp.
g Abodes - NASA is preparing an underwater robot for a plunge into Earth's deepest sinkhole. The mission will be used to map the Zacatón sinkhole, and also to develop technologies that could be used to explore below the icy crust of Europa. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2261mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Message - Here’s a nice primer on the SETI@home project plus some information about how to download the program: http://www.impactsites2000.com/tekreview/SETI2004.htm.
g Learning - Here’s something fun for the kids: An “Alien Life” word find (http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040922/wordfind. asp). It’s based on the Science for Kids article at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040922/Feature1.asp.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Io’s Tvashtar volcano and Arizona cave millipede
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - A new image of Io provides the best view yet of the enormous 180-mile high plume from the volcano Tvashtar. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/01io/.
g Life - A new genus of millipede living in Arizona caves was recently discovered by a Northern Arizona University doctoral student and a Bureau of Land Management researcher. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070302171352.htm.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity that examines if yeast, a common yet tenacious microbe, can survive boiling water, salt, UV radiation and citric acid? Students find out for themselves by creating "Planets in a Bottle" which illustrate extreme conditions on other worlds. See articles.
g Abodes - A new image of Io provides the best view yet of the enormous 180-mile high plume from the volcano Tvashtar. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/01io/.
g Life - A new genus of millipede living in Arizona caves was recently discovered by a Northern Arizona University doctoral student and a Bureau of Land Management researcher. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070302171352.htm.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity that examines if yeast, a common yet tenacious microbe, can survive boiling water, salt, UV radiation and citric acid? Students find out for themselves by creating "Planets in a Bottle" which illustrate extreme conditions on other worlds. See articles.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Mission to Europa, SETI history and introduction to astrobiology
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - Jupiter's moon Europa could harbor a subsurface ocean and maybe even life, so some researchers feel it should be a primary target of NASA's next 'flagship' mission to the outer solar system. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2257mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Message - Want to get a sense of SETI’s history and varying projects? Jodrell Bank Observatory offers an easy to follow yet informative primer at http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/research/seti/.
g Cosmicus - The construction site of the Soyuz launch base in French Guiana was officially opened last week.
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: http://www.fathom.com/course/10701047/index.html/.
g Abodes - Jupiter's moon Europa could harbor a subsurface ocean and maybe even life, so some researchers feel it should be a primary target of NASA's next 'flagship' mission to the outer solar system. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2257mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Message - Want to get a sense of SETI’s history and varying projects? Jodrell Bank Observatory offers an easy to follow yet informative primer at http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/research/seti/.
g Cosmicus - The construction site of the Soyuz launch base in French Guiana was officially opened last week.
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: http://www.fathom.com/course/10701047/index.html/.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Dwarf planet Eris, ancient solar observatory and plausibility of interstellar communication
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Scientists were startled when they discovered in 2004 that the center of our galaxy is emitting gamma rays with energies in the tens of trillions of electronvolts. Now astrophysicists have found a mechanism that might produce these high-energy rays. The black hole at the center of our Milky Way could be working like a cosmic particle accelerator, revving up protons that smash at incredible speeds into lower energy protons and creating high-energy gamma rays. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/02blackhole/.
g Abodes - In this lecture, Michael Brown talks about his discovery of the dwarf planet, Eris. He also explains how scientists take a tiny point of light in the night sky and figure out how big it really is. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2256mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Archeologists from Yale and the University of Leicester have identified an ancient solar observatory at Chankillo, Peru as the oldest in the Americas with alignments covering the entire solar year, according to an article in the March 2 issue of Science. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070302082441.htm.
g Cosmicus - Small devices for continually monitoring radiation risk and exposure will help ensure the safety of astronauts on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. See http://www.astrobio
.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article
&sid=2258mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of lessons, designed for at-risk students: “The Plausibility of Interstellar Communication and Related Phenomena Depicted in Science Fiction Literature and the Movies.” The curriculum has four major objectives: first, to educate students to develop concepts about the proximity of our solar system in relation to other probable solar systems in the Milky Way Galaxy; second, to give students the opportunity to use these concepts to evaluate the plausibility of interstellar communication depicted in science fiction literature and movies; third, to create an opportunity for students not only to look out on the universe but to turn it inward to look at the world, their own society, and themselves as individuals; and fourth, an objective that will be integrated with all of the others is to give students to opportunity to learn and/or sharpen skills in: using the scientific method, research, reading, writing, collaboration, discussion and in critical thinking. See http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1998/6/98.06.02.x.html.
g Stars - Scientists were startled when they discovered in 2004 that the center of our galaxy is emitting gamma rays with energies in the tens of trillions of electronvolts. Now astrophysicists have found a mechanism that might produce these high-energy rays. The black hole at the center of our Milky Way could be working like a cosmic particle accelerator, revving up protons that smash at incredible speeds into lower energy protons and creating high-energy gamma rays. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0703/02blackhole/.
g Abodes - In this lecture, Michael Brown talks about his discovery of the dwarf planet, Eris. He also explains how scientists take a tiny point of light in the night sky and figure out how big it really is. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2256mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Archeologists from Yale and the University of Leicester have identified an ancient solar observatory at Chankillo, Peru as the oldest in the Americas with alignments covering the entire solar year, according to an article in the March 2 issue of Science. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070302082441.htm.
g Cosmicus - Small devices for continually monitoring radiation risk and exposure will help ensure the safety of astronauts on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. See http://www.astrobio
.net/news/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article
&sid=2258mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
g Learning - Here’s a neat set of lessons, designed for at-risk students: “The Plausibility of Interstellar Communication and Related Phenomena Depicted in Science Fiction Literature and the Movies.” The curriculum has four major objectives: first, to educate students to develop concepts about the proximity of our solar system in relation to other probable solar systems in the Milky Way Galaxy; second, to give students the opportunity to use these concepts to evaluate the plausibility of interstellar communication depicted in science fiction literature and movies; third, to create an opportunity for students not only to look out on the universe but to turn it inward to look at the world, their own society, and themselves as individuals; and fourth, an objective that will be integrated with all of the others is to give students to opportunity to learn and/or sharpen skills in: using the scientific method, research, reading, writing, collaboration, discussion and in critical thinking. See http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1998/6/98.06.02.x.html.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Galaxy ripped to shreds, molecules in exoplanets’ atmospheres and development of Orion crew spacecraft
Galaxy ripped to shreds, molecules in exoplanets’ atmospheres and development of Orion crew spacecraft
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers are watching a galaxy rip to shreds, a finding that could help reveal how galaxies go from stellar riches to rags. See http://space.com/scienceastronomy/070302_galaxy_rip.html.
g Abodes - NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has for the first time captured enough light from exoplanets to identify signatures of molecules in their atmospheres. The feat is a significant step toward being able to identify life beyond our solar system. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2250mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - It’s food scarcity, not dietary preferences, that motivates birds to migrate thousands of miles back and forth between breeding and non-breeding areas each year, new research shows. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070302_hungry_birds.html.
g Cosmicus - NASA Administrator Mike Griffin told a Senate panel Wednesday that development of Orion crew spacecraft and the Ares launch vehicle will be delayed four to six months, pushing the first operational flight of the new system into 2015. See http://space.com/news/070301_orion_delay.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.
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Stars - Astronomers are watching a galaxy rip to shreds, a finding that could help reveal how galaxies go from stellar riches to rags. See http://space.com/scienceastronomy/070302_galaxy_rip.html.
g Abodes - NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has for the first time captured enough light from exoplanets to identify signatures of molecules in their atmospheres. The feat is a significant step toward being able to identify life beyond our solar system. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2250mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - It’s food scarcity, not dietary preferences, that motivates birds to migrate thousands of miles back and forth between breeding and non-breeding areas each year, new research shows. See http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070302_hungry_birds.html.
g Cosmicus - NASA Administrator Mike Griffin told a Senate panel Wednesday that development of Orion crew spacecraft and the Ares launch vehicle will be delayed four to six months, pushing the first operational flight of the new system into 2015. See http://space.com/news/070301_orion_delay.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.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Martian water, SuperBot and are you a future SETI scientist?
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - New data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is changing our understanding of water on Mars and is helping scientists narrow the search for signs of life on the Red Planet. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2251mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Familiarity breeds more than contempt. It can also lead to communication snafus. See http://www.livescience.com/
humanbiology/070228_crossed_wires.html.
g Cosmicus - One of the most challenging issues for human-centered long-range space exploration is performing complex tasks in environments that are not human-friendly.... the traditional approach of building separate robots for separate tasks (such as the CanadaArm and surface rovers) may no longer be adequate for affordable space exploration as the required robotic tasks become diverse and the need to pack many functionalities into a single launch volume increases. Enter SuperBot. See http://space.com/business
technology/070301_technovel_superbot.html.
g Learning - Are you a future SETI scientist? See http://www.space
.com/searchforlife/devore_seti_sleuths_010228.html. Note: This article is from Feb. 2001.
g Abodes - New data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is changing our understanding of water on Mars and is helping scientists narrow the search for signs of life on the Red Planet. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2251mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - Familiarity breeds more than contempt. It can also lead to communication snafus. See http://www.livescience.com/
humanbiology/070228_crossed_wires.html.
g Cosmicus - One of the most challenging issues for human-centered long-range space exploration is performing complex tasks in environments that are not human-friendly.... the traditional approach of building separate robots for separate tasks (such as the CanadaArm and surface rovers) may no longer be adequate for affordable space exploration as the required robotic tasks become diverse and the need to pack many functionalities into a single launch volume increases. Enter SuperBot. See http://space.com/business
technology/070301_technovel_superbot.html.
g Learning - Are you a future SETI scientist? See http://www.space
.com/searchforlife/devore_seti_sleuths_010228.html. Note: This article is from Feb. 2001.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Finding life's molecular building blocks on Mars and bored students
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - In this lecture, Michael Brown talks about the discovery of Pluto in 1930, and explains how scientists today find other distant objects in the Kuiper Belt. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2253mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - NASA-funded researchers are refining a tool that could not only check for the faintest traces of life's molecular building blocks on Mars, but could also determine whether they have been produced by anything alive. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2255mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - People see what they believe, not vice versa, when it comes to social injustice. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070228_moral_outrage.html.
g Learning - School can be a real yawn. Two out of three high-school students in a large survey say they are bored in class every single day. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070228_bored_students.html.
g Abodes - In this lecture, Michael Brown talks about the discovery of Pluto in 1930, and explains how scientists today find other distant objects in the Kuiper Belt. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2253mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Life - NASA-funded researchers are refining a tool that could not only check for the faintest traces of life's molecular building blocks on Mars, but could also determine whether they have been produced by anything alive. See http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.phpop=modload
&name=News&file=article&sid=2255mode=thread&order
=0&thold=0.
g Intelligence - People see what they believe, not vice versa, when it comes to social injustice. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070228_moral_outrage.html.
g Learning - School can be a real yawn. Two out of three high-school students in a large survey say they are bored in class every single day. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070228_bored_students.html.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
‘Breathing’ alien air, inner workings of the brain and students explore limits of life on Earth
Welcome! “Alien Life” tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; Career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here’s today’s news:
g Abodes - NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured for the first time enough light from planets outside our solar system, known as exoplanets, to identify signatures of molecules in their atmospheres. The landmark achievement is a significant step toward being able to detect life on rocky exoplanets and comes years before astronomers had anticipated. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0702/21exoplanets/.
g Intelligence - The inner workings of the brain aren’t as organized as once thought. According to a new study, it’s mayhem up there. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070227_brain_chaos.html.
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/
ExtremeEnvironments.doc.
g Abodes - NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured for the first time enough light from planets outside our solar system, known as exoplanets, to identify signatures of molecules in their atmospheres. The landmark achievement is a significant step toward being able to detect life on rocky exoplanets and comes years before astronomers had anticipated. See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0702/21exoplanets/.
g Intelligence - The inner workings of the brain aren’t as organized as once thought. According to a new study, it’s mayhem up there. See http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070227_brain_chaos.html.
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/
ExtremeEnvironments.doc.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
