Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - What is a coronal mass ejection – an explosion equal to 1 billion hydrogen bombs that regularly strikes the Earth? See article.
g Abodes - Scientists who mapped one of the most enigmatic mountain ranges on Earth have given a first glimpse of their data. See article.
g Intelligence - One group of birds - the corvids - has astonished scientists with extraordinary feats of memory, an ability to employ complex social reasoning and, perhaps most strikingly, a remarkable aptitude for crafting and using tools. See article.
g Aftermath - Quote of the Day: "He, who through vast immensity can pierce,/See worlds on worlds compose one universe,/Observe how system into system runs,/What other planets circle other suns,/What varied Being peoples every star,/May tell why Heaven has made us as we are." — Alexander Pope
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Sunday, December 20, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Planet only 2.7 times size of Earth discovered and searching for alien probes
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Scientists have reported the detection of signals that could indicate the presence of dark matter. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers have discovered a 'super-Earth' orbiting a distant star using off-the-Shelf, amateur technology. The finding shows how low-cost technologies can aid in the search for habitable worlds. The planet, GJ1214b, has a radius only 2.7 times that of Earth and may contain water and a gaseous atmosphere. See article.
g Intelligence - An octopus and its coconut-carrying antics have surprised scientists. See article.
g Message - Just as our own robots reach out beyond the solar system, searching for life elsewhere may well involve hailing some kind of space artifact in our own neighborhood. At least one style of life search is about looking for the technological evidence of life, rather than its wet biology. See article. Note: This article is from July 2004.
g Learning - David Morrison is upset. According to British newspaper, The Independent, Dr. Morrison, a respected astronomer in NASA’s Astrobiology Institute, admitted to receiving up to 1,000 enquiries and e-mails concerning the end of the world. See article.
g Aftermath - Quote of the Day: "The possibility of intelligent life beyond Earth … . Few important subjects are so data-poor, so subject to unwarranted and biased extrapolations - and so caught up in mankind's ultimate destiny - as is this one." — David Brin
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g Stars - Scientists have reported the detection of signals that could indicate the presence of dark matter. See article.
g Abodes - Astronomers have discovered a 'super-Earth' orbiting a distant star using off-the-Shelf, amateur technology. The finding shows how low-cost technologies can aid in the search for habitable worlds. The planet, GJ1214b, has a radius only 2.7 times that of Earth and may contain water and a gaseous atmosphere. See article.
g Intelligence - An octopus and its coconut-carrying antics have surprised scientists. See article.
g Message - Just as our own robots reach out beyond the solar system, searching for life elsewhere may well involve hailing some kind of space artifact in our own neighborhood. At least one style of life search is about looking for the technological evidence of life, rather than its wet biology. See article. Note: This article is from July 2004.
g Learning - David Morrison is upset. According to British newspaper, The Independent, Dr. Morrison, a respected astronomer in NASA’s Astrobiology Institute, admitted to receiving up to 1,000 enquiries and e-mails concerning the end of the world. See article.
g Aftermath - Quote of the Day: "The possibility of intelligent life beyond Earth … . Few important subjects are so data-poor, so subject to unwarranted and biased extrapolations - and so caught up in mankind's ultimate destiny - as is this one." — David Brin
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, December 18, 2009
How photosynthesis developed and how Jodie Foster would know that she’s listening to ETI
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Astronomers have discovered as many as six low-mass planets around two nearby, sun-like stars. The findings indicate that low-mass planets could be common around nearby stars. See article.
g Life - Many scientists believe that photosynthesis is responsible for oxygenating Earth's atmosphere and, ultimately, allowing for the evolution of complex organisms. New research is beginning to help scientists understand just how photosynthesis developed by studying extremophiles that perform the process in harsh environments. See article.
g Message - Picture Jodie Foster, her eyes closed and a mildly bored look on her face. She’s wearing earphones and listening to the dull roar of the cosmos. Now imagine Jodie 20 seconds later, when she hears something sounding like an unpleasant accident in the Boston Pops’ percussion section. Jodie knows she’s scored big: The aliens are on the air. Still, how can she be sure she’s picked up intelligence, and not just the cosmic gurgle of a completely natural object? How can she know she’s not merely harkening to the ticking beat of a pulsar, the whoosh of a quasar, or perhaps the lasing bray of a molecular gas cloud? See article.
g Aftermath - Quote of the Day: "We would be foolish and negligent if we did not try to anticipate such reactions (of first contact) and make careful preparations." — Albert Harrison
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g Abodes - Astronomers have discovered as many as six low-mass planets around two nearby, sun-like stars. The findings indicate that low-mass planets could be common around nearby stars. See article.
g Life - Many scientists believe that photosynthesis is responsible for oxygenating Earth's atmosphere and, ultimately, allowing for the evolution of complex organisms. New research is beginning to help scientists understand just how photosynthesis developed by studying extremophiles that perform the process in harsh environments. See article.
g Message - Picture Jodie Foster, her eyes closed and a mildly bored look on her face. She’s wearing earphones and listening to the dull roar of the cosmos. Now imagine Jodie 20 seconds later, when she hears something sounding like an unpleasant accident in the Boston Pops’ percussion section. Jodie knows she’s scored big: The aliens are on the air. Still, how can she be sure she’s picked up intelligence, and not just the cosmic gurgle of a completely natural object? How can she know she’s not merely harkening to the ticking beat of a pulsar, the whoosh of a quasar, or perhaps the lasing bray of a molecular gas cloud? See article.
g Aftermath - Quote of the Day: "We would be foolish and negligent if we did not try to anticipate such reactions (of first contact) and make careful preparations." — Albert Harrison
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
Super-Earths discovered around Sun-like stars and sending interstellar messages to ETI
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - An international team of planet hunters has discovered as many as six low-mass planets around two nearby Sun-like stars, including two "super-Earths" with masses 5 and 7.5 times the mass of Earth. See article.
g Life - The sequences of nonsense DNA that interrupt genes could be far more important to the evolution of genomes than previously thought. See article.
g Message - Interstellar communication took a giant leap forward in 2003 when a Ukrainian space center sent several messages across the cosmos hoping to reach extraterrestrials 30-40 light years away. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
g Learning - Over and over again, science teachers at a recent convention remarked that their students are always asking about SETI and astronomy. Kids have a keen interest in astronomy, space sciences, and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. What's out there? Are we alone? Ironically, this interest is not uniformly reflected in the state science education standards across the USA and these state standards drive textbook content. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
g Aftermath - Quote of the Day: "If we ever establish contact with extraterrestrial life, it will reveal to us our true place in the universe, and with that comes the beginnings of wisdom." — Isaac Asimov
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g Abodes - An international team of planet hunters has discovered as many as six low-mass planets around two nearby Sun-like stars, including two "super-Earths" with masses 5 and 7.5 times the mass of Earth. See article.
g Life - The sequences of nonsense DNA that interrupt genes could be far more important to the evolution of genomes than previously thought. See article.
g Message - Interstellar communication took a giant leap forward in 2003 when a Ukrainian space center sent several messages across the cosmos hoping to reach extraterrestrials 30-40 light years away. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
g Learning - Over and over again, science teachers at a recent convention remarked that their students are always asking about SETI and astronomy. Kids have a keen interest in astronomy, space sciences, and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. What's out there? Are we alone? Ironically, this interest is not uniformly reflected in the state science education standards across the USA and these state standards drive textbook content. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
g Aftermath - Quote of the Day: "If we ever establish contact with extraterrestrial life, it will reveal to us our true place in the universe, and with that comes the beginnings of wisdom." — Isaac Asimov
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Protoplanetary discs of the Orion Nebula and the psychology of interstellar communication
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A collection of 30 never-before-released images of embryonic planetary systems in the Orion Nebula are the highlight of the longest single Hubble Space Telescope project ever dedicated to the topic of star and planet formation. Also known as proplyds, or protoplanetary discs, these modest blobs surrounding baby stars are shedding light on the mechanism behind planet formation. See article.
g Life - A team of researchers from the Astrobiology Centre has shown that hydrogen cyanide, urea and other substances considered essential to the formation of the most basic biological molecules can be obtained from the salt Prussian blue. See article.
g Cosmicus - Quote of the Day: “Realizing that outside your spacecraft or spacesuit you would not survive more than 15 seconds, you sense the extreme hostility of most of the universe towards life. Seeing the thinness of our atmosphere and realizing that this is all that separates us from the hostility of space, you may feel a new regard for the fragility of life on our planet.” – Jeffrey Hoffman, NASA space shuttle astronaut
g Imagining - Looking for some classic science fiction alien movies? Here’s a fairly exhaustive list, with brief explanations of each. Now in how each one the aliens really are just mythical monsters that play on human psychology (specifically fear or revulsion). Such films really say less about the evolution of potential extraterrestrial lifeforms and civilizations than about the evolution of human beings and our culture.
g Aftermath - If we establish communication with a civilization even as close as 100 light years from Earth, the round-trip time for a message and its reply is 200 years. What will be the psychology of a civilization that can engage in a meaningful conversation with this sort of delay? How is such a conversation to be established? What should the content of such a conversation be? These are the questions which motivate our title: "Minds and Millennia: The Psychology of Interstellar Communication." See article.
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g Abodes - A collection of 30 never-before-released images of embryonic planetary systems in the Orion Nebula are the highlight of the longest single Hubble Space Telescope project ever dedicated to the topic of star and planet formation. Also known as proplyds, or protoplanetary discs, these modest blobs surrounding baby stars are shedding light on the mechanism behind planet formation. See article.
g Life - A team of researchers from the Astrobiology Centre has shown that hydrogen cyanide, urea and other substances considered essential to the formation of the most basic biological molecules can be obtained from the salt Prussian blue. See article.
g Cosmicus - Quote of the Day: “Realizing that outside your spacecraft or spacesuit you would not survive more than 15 seconds, you sense the extreme hostility of most of the universe towards life. Seeing the thinness of our atmosphere and realizing that this is all that separates us from the hostility of space, you may feel a new regard for the fragility of life on our planet.” – Jeffrey Hoffman, NASA space shuttle astronaut
g Imagining - Looking for some classic science fiction alien movies? Here’s a fairly exhaustive list, with brief explanations of each. Now in how each one the aliens really are just mythical monsters that play on human psychology (specifically fear or revulsion). Such films really say less about the evolution of potential extraterrestrial lifeforms and civilizations than about the evolution of human beings and our culture.
g Aftermath - If we establish communication with a civilization even as close as 100 light years from Earth, the round-trip time for a message and its reply is 200 years. What will be the psychology of a civilization that can engage in a meaningful conversation with this sort of delay? How is such a conversation to be established? What should the content of such a conversation be? These are the questions which motivate our title: "Minds and Millennia: The Psychology of Interstellar Communication." See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
‘Aliens’ from Earth’s deep set and rethinking plans for managing first contact
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - ESA's Mars Express orbiter has captured the first image to show Mars' moons Phobos and Deimos together in a single frame. The image will help scientists refine orbit models of the two moons. See article.
g Life - Astrobiologists have not yet found alien life on other planets. But the fossil record has evidence of aliens of another sort: the Ediacarans that lived on Earth millions of years ago. See article.
g Message - In 1974, astronomers sent the "Arecibo message," a binary-coded signal that decodes to a graphic illustrating some basic characteristics of Earth. The message was intended more to demonstrate the power of the telescope than to contact distant civilizations. Cornell's 25th anniversary announcement includes a decoded explanation and more information about what the scientists were thinking. See article. Note: This article is from 1999.
g Aftermath - Astrobiology is more than an esteemed partner conducting routine grunt work to increase our confidence that SETI will lead to a confirmed detection. Advances in astrobiology force us to rethink our search strategies and our plans for managing contact and its aftermath. See article.
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g Abodes - ESA's Mars Express orbiter has captured the first image to show Mars' moons Phobos and Deimos together in a single frame. The image will help scientists refine orbit models of the two moons. See article.
g Life - Astrobiologists have not yet found alien life on other planets. But the fossil record has evidence of aliens of another sort: the Ediacarans that lived on Earth millions of years ago. See article.
g Message - In 1974, astronomers sent the "Arecibo message," a binary-coded signal that decodes to a graphic illustrating some basic characteristics of Earth. The message was intended more to demonstrate the power of the telescope than to contact distant civilizations. Cornell's 25th anniversary announcement includes a decoded explanation and more information about what the scientists were thinking. See article. Note: This article is from 1999.
g Aftermath - Astrobiology is more than an esteemed partner conducting routine grunt work to increase our confidence that SETI will lead to a confirmed detection. Advances in astrobiology force us to rethink our search strategies and our plans for managing contact and its aftermath. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, December 14, 2009
Determining potential for habitable environments on giant giants’ moons and how the Drake Equation stacks up today
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Astronomers have spotted a potential Type Ia supernova in our own galaxy, a ticking time bomb about 25,000 light years away. See article.
g Abodes - Two new studies have shed some light on a centuries-old mystery surrounding Saturn's moon Iapetus. The studies also provide new information about the Saturn system and how the moons and rings of the giant planet interact. This is important in determining the potential for habitable environments on moons around giant planets. See article.
g Message - In 1961 the Drake Equation launched the search for other civilizations among the stars. How does it look today? What is the chance of finding aliens? See article.
g Aftermath - What are the theological implications of a universe willed with many intelligent beings from many other worlds? See article.
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g Stars - Astronomers have spotted a potential Type Ia supernova in our own galaxy, a ticking time bomb about 25,000 light years away. See article.
g Abodes - Two new studies have shed some light on a centuries-old mystery surrounding Saturn's moon Iapetus. The studies also provide new information about the Saturn system and how the moons and rings of the giant planet interact. This is important in determining the potential for habitable environments on moons around giant planets. See article.
g Message - In 1961 the Drake Equation launched the search for other civilizations among the stars. How does it look today? What is the chance of finding aliens? See article.
g Aftermath - What are the theological implications of a universe willed with many intelligent beings from many other worlds? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Origins of photosynthesis and video course on astrobiology
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Astrobiology Magazine's climate blog, The Hot Zone, discusses issues surrounding the UN climate conference happening in Copenhagen. See article.
g Life - ‘Extreme’ genes are shedding light on the origins of photosynthesis. See article.
g Message - Here’s an interesting paper, “The Temporal Aspect of the Drake Equation and SETI”, which critically investigate some evolutionary aspects of the famous Drake equation. Note: This paper is from 2003.
g Learning - NASA research scientist Lynn Rothschild and several guest speakers discuss issues of astrobiology and space exploration in this neat video course from Stanford University. See course.
g Aftermath - The Fire Officer’s Guide to Disaster Control, used to train Firefighter’s at the National Fire Academy in Maryland, contains a chapter on what firefighters should do if they encounte a crashed extraterrestrial craft.
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g Abodes - Astrobiology Magazine's climate blog, The Hot Zone, discusses issues surrounding the UN climate conference happening in Copenhagen. See article.
g Life - ‘Extreme’ genes are shedding light on the origins of photosynthesis. See article.
g Message - Here’s an interesting paper, “The Temporal Aspect of the Drake Equation and SETI”, which critically investigate some evolutionary aspects of the famous Drake equation. Note: This paper is from 2003.
g Learning - NASA research scientist Lynn Rothschild and several guest speakers discuss issues of astrobiology and space exploration in this neat video course from Stanford University. See course.
g Aftermath - The Fire Officer’s Guide to Disaster Control, used to train Firefighter’s at the National Fire Academy in Maryland, contains a chapter on what firefighters should do if they encounte a crashed extraterrestrial craft.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Saturn’s hexagon reappears and looking for ET using near-infrared laser communications
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - After waiting years for the sun to illuminate Saturn's north pole again, cameras aboard NASA's Cassini spacecraft have captured the most detailed images yet of the intriguing hexagon shape crowning the planet. See article.
g Message - What are the advantages of looking for ET using near-infrared laser communications? There’s a good explanation at a University of Kentucky Web site.
g Cosmicus - Quote of the Day: “Being in space evokes a sense of profound awe, in the deepest sense of the word … It is not dissimilar to what many people feel on high mountains, when you have to work hard in an unforgiving environment and take certain risks to gain the summit. On the high ground, your view is expanded. Your mind is cleared.” – Jeffrey Hoffman, NASA space shuttle astronaut
g Learning - A Los Altos, Calif., student spent her summer immersed in hands-on learning as she worked side-by-side with NASA researchers. See article.
g Aftermath - In the absence of knowledge of physical and cultural clues, communication between two species can be almost impossible — almost. See article. Note: This article is from 1999.
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g Abodes - After waiting years for the sun to illuminate Saturn's north pole again, cameras aboard NASA's Cassini spacecraft have captured the most detailed images yet of the intriguing hexagon shape crowning the planet. See article.
g Message - What are the advantages of looking for ET using near-infrared laser communications? There’s a good explanation at a University of Kentucky Web site.
g Cosmicus - Quote of the Day: “Being in space evokes a sense of profound awe, in the deepest sense of the word … It is not dissimilar to what many people feel on high mountains, when you have to work hard in an unforgiving environment and take certain risks to gain the summit. On the high ground, your view is expanded. Your mind is cleared.” – Jeffrey Hoffman, NASA space shuttle astronaut
g Learning - A Los Altos, Calif., student spent her summer immersed in hands-on learning as she worked side-by-side with NASA researchers. See article.
g Aftermath - In the absence of knowledge of physical and cultural clues, communication between two species can be almost impossible — almost. See article. Note: This article is from 1999.
Get your SF book or manuscript edited
Friday, December 11, 2009
New star discovered in Big Dipper and clues left by extinct alien races
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Astrophysicists discovered a red dwarf star orbiting one of the illuminated bodies in the Big Dipper constellation. See article.
g Abodes - Sinuous channels on the Martian surface may be evidence of relatively recent rainfall. Researchers plan to test this hypothesis by studying sinuous streams on Earth. See article.
g Life - Ancient DNA retrieved from extinct horse species from around the world has challenged one of the textbook examples of evolution - the fossil record of the horse family Equidae over the past 55 million years. See article.
g Intelligence - U.S. researchers have found a drug-free way to block fearful memories, opening up the possibility of new treatment approaches for problems such as post traumatic stress disorder. See article.
g Message - SETI isn’t just an American endeavor. The Southern SERENDIP project is using the Parkes radio telescope in Australia to search for signals from extraterrestrial civilizations. Click here for an overview and additional links.
g Cosmicus - Florida's space economy is threatened by the space shuttle's end, civic leaders say. See article.
g Aftermath - How might explorers determine what happened to an extinct alien race based on the clues they left behind on their home planet? See article.
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g Stars - Astrophysicists discovered a red dwarf star orbiting one of the illuminated bodies in the Big Dipper constellation. See article.
g Abodes - Sinuous channels on the Martian surface may be evidence of relatively recent rainfall. Researchers plan to test this hypothesis by studying sinuous streams on Earth. See article.
g Life - Ancient DNA retrieved from extinct horse species from around the world has challenged one of the textbook examples of evolution - the fossil record of the horse family Equidae over the past 55 million years. See article.
g Intelligence - U.S. researchers have found a drug-free way to block fearful memories, opening up the possibility of new treatment approaches for problems such as post traumatic stress disorder. See article.
g Message - SETI isn’t just an American endeavor. The Southern SERENDIP project is using the Parkes radio telescope in Australia to search for signals from extraterrestrial civilizations. Click here for an overview and additional links.
g Cosmicus - Florida's space economy is threatened by the space shuttle's end, civic leaders say. See article.
g Aftermath - How might explorers determine what happened to an extinct alien race based on the clues they left behind on their home planet? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Martian methane not from meteors and ‘Detectability of Extraterrestrial Technological Activities’
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Scientists have ruled out the possibility that methane is delivered to Mars by meteorites, raising fresh hopes that the gas might be generated by life on the red planet. See article.
g Life - In a laboratory set up to simulate conditions in space, NASA scientists were able to produce a key component of RNA, which is found in the genetic makeup of all living organisms on Earth. See article.
g Message - “If we want to find evidence for the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations, we must work out an observational strategy for detecting this evidence in order to establish the various physical quantities in which it involves,” according to the paper “Detectability of Extraterrestrial Technological Activities”. “This information must be carefully analyzed so that it is neither over-interpreted nor overlooked and can be checked by independent researchers.” Read the entire paper online. Note: This paper was presented in 1992.
g Cosmicus - Most of the light from stars and other objects like planets in the universe is doubly invisible. It comes in the form of infrared, or heat radiation, with wavelengths too long for our eyes to pick up. Moreover, most infrared wavelengths do not penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere to get to our unseeing eyes. So to take a proper inventory of cosmic shenanigans, astronomers have had to take to space. On Friday, they will get a little more help when the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is scheduled to launch the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California as early as 9:09 a.m., Eastern time. See article.
g Learning - Here’s something neat: an online seminar that is an introduction to astrobiology.
g Aftermath - If some day we decide to transmit intentional messages to the stars, rather than solely listen as current SETI programs do, what would we say? What sort of first impression would we want to give our celestial correspondents? See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
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g Abodes - Scientists have ruled out the possibility that methane is delivered to Mars by meteorites, raising fresh hopes that the gas might be generated by life on the red planet. See article.
g Life - In a laboratory set up to simulate conditions in space, NASA scientists were able to produce a key component of RNA, which is found in the genetic makeup of all living organisms on Earth. See article.
g Message - “If we want to find evidence for the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations, we must work out an observational strategy for detecting this evidence in order to establish the various physical quantities in which it involves,” according to the paper “Detectability of Extraterrestrial Technological Activities”. “This information must be carefully analyzed so that it is neither over-interpreted nor overlooked and can be checked by independent researchers.” Read the entire paper online. Note: This paper was presented in 1992.
g Cosmicus - Most of the light from stars and other objects like planets in the universe is doubly invisible. It comes in the form of infrared, or heat radiation, with wavelengths too long for our eyes to pick up. Moreover, most infrared wavelengths do not penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere to get to our unseeing eyes. So to take a proper inventory of cosmic shenanigans, astronomers have had to take to space. On Friday, they will get a little more help when the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is scheduled to launch the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California as early as 9:09 a.m., Eastern time. See article.
g Learning - Here’s something neat: an online seminar that is an introduction to astrobiology.
g Aftermath - If some day we decide to transmit intentional messages to the stars, rather than solely listen as current SETI programs do, what would we say? What sort of first impression would we want to give our celestial correspondents? See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
Get your SF book or manuscript edited
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Shape of our solar system and social and political issues that will arise once we make contact with extraterrestrials
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - New results from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have overturned a decades-old belief about the shape of our solar system. The findings yield important information about the fundamental traits of our solar system. See article.
g Message - Here are some moving excerpts from the written testimony submitted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Department of Astrophysics and Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History, to the "Life in the Universe" hearings held by the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics in 2001.
g Cosmicus - Members of NASA’s IceBite team are studying the only spot on Earth where the terrain resembles that of the Phoenix landing site on Mars. The place: a mile above sea level in Antarctica’s McMurdo Dry Valleys. Click the Ask a Scientist button above to ask questions of the science team in the field. See article.
g Aftermath - For some provocative reading, pick up “Sharing the Universe,” by Seth Shostak, at your local bookstore. SETI scientist Shostak almost single-handedly is outlining social and political issues that will arise once we make contact with extraterrestrials. See reviews.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - New results from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have overturned a decades-old belief about the shape of our solar system. The findings yield important information about the fundamental traits of our solar system. See article.
g Message - Here are some moving excerpts from the written testimony submitted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Department of Astrophysics and Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History, to the "Life in the Universe" hearings held by the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics in 2001.
g Cosmicus - Members of NASA’s IceBite team are studying the only spot on Earth where the terrain resembles that of the Phoenix landing site on Mars. The place: a mile above sea level in Antarctica’s McMurdo Dry Valleys. Click the Ask a Scientist button above to ask questions of the science team in the field. See article.
g Aftermath - For some provocative reading, pick up “Sharing the Universe,” by Seth Shostak, at your local bookstore. SETI scientist Shostak almost single-handedly is outlining social and political issues that will arise once we make contact with extraterrestrials. See reviews.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
First commercial suborbital spaceship up close and linguistic issues of contact with ETI
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - NASA's Dawn spacecraft is making progress through the solar system toward the dwarf planets Vesta and Ceres. By studying these mysterious worlds, Dawn will unlock secrets about the formation of the solar system. The information will help astrobiologists understand how Earth became a habitable world for life as we know it. See article.
g Message - Phoning home intergalactically may have one natural prerequisite if a civilization is hoping to connect: timing their precursor signal or 'ring' so that we might know that they're broadcasting. Dr. Robin Corbet, of the Universities' Space Research Association, discusses his research findings on Synchronized SETI here. Note: This article is from 2002.
g Cosmicus - Hundreds of paying space tourists and travel agents, rocket geeks and glitterati have gathered in the California desert town of Mojave to see what's likely to be the first commercial suborbital spaceship up close. See article.
g Aftermath - Epicurus, in the fourth century BC, believed that the universe contained other worlds like our own, and since his time there has been considerable debate whether extraterrestrial life exists and might communicate with us. In the last quarter of the twentieth century, an international social movement — Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence — has emerged which advocates an attempt to achieve communication with extraterrestrial intelligence, and many of its most active members have been leading scientists. Modest efforts to detect radio signals from intelligent extraterrestrials already have been made, both under government aegis and privately funded, and the technical means for a more vigorous search have been developed. If a CETI project were successful, linguists would suddenly have one or more utterly alien languages to study, and some consideration of linguistic issues is a necessary preparation for it. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - NASA's Dawn spacecraft is making progress through the solar system toward the dwarf planets Vesta and Ceres. By studying these mysterious worlds, Dawn will unlock secrets about the formation of the solar system. The information will help astrobiologists understand how Earth became a habitable world for life as we know it. See article.
g Message - Phoning home intergalactically may have one natural prerequisite if a civilization is hoping to connect: timing their precursor signal or 'ring' so that we might know that they're broadcasting. Dr. Robin Corbet, of the Universities' Space Research Association, discusses his research findings on Synchronized SETI here. Note: This article is from 2002.
g Cosmicus - Hundreds of paying space tourists and travel agents, rocket geeks and glitterati have gathered in the California desert town of Mojave to see what's likely to be the first commercial suborbital spaceship up close. See article.
g Aftermath - Epicurus, in the fourth century BC, believed that the universe contained other worlds like our own, and since his time there has been considerable debate whether extraterrestrial life exists and might communicate with us. In the last quarter of the twentieth century, an international social movement — Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence — has emerged which advocates an attempt to achieve communication with extraterrestrial intelligence, and many of its most active members have been leading scientists. Modest efforts to detect radio signals from intelligent extraterrestrials already have been made, both under government aegis and privately funded, and the technical means for a more vigorous search have been developed. If a CETI project were successful, linguists would suddenly have one or more utterly alien languages to study, and some consideration of linguistic issues is a necessary preparation for it. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, December 07, 2009
Giant bands of iron and the link between anthropocentrism and belief in ETI
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Astronomers have spied a distant black hole in the act of creating the galaxy that will eventually become its home. See article.
g Abodes - No one knows why massive formations of banded iron — some ultimately hundreds of kilometers long, like a sleeping giant’s suspenders — mysteriously began precipitating on Earth’s surface about 3.5 billion years ago. Or why, almost 2 billion years later, the precipitation ceased. See article.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? Here’s a good primer for those looking to get a basic overview.
g Learning - It's time for a holiday telescope buying guide. See article.
g Aftermath - The more anthropocentric a person is, the less likely he is to believe that life exists beyond Earth. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - Astronomers have spied a distant black hole in the act of creating the galaxy that will eventually become its home. See article.
g Abodes - No one knows why massive formations of banded iron — some ultimately hundreds of kilometers long, like a sleeping giant’s suspenders — mysteriously began precipitating on Earth’s surface about 3.5 billion years ago. Or why, almost 2 billion years later, the precipitation ceased. See article.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? Here’s a good primer for those looking to get a basic overview.
g Learning - It's time for a holiday telescope buying guide. See article.
g Aftermath - The more anthropocentric a person is, the less likely he is to believe that life exists beyond Earth. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, December 06, 2009
First direct detection of a planet-like object orbiting a sun-like star and looking for Bracewell probes
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Astronomers have made the first direct detection of a planet-like object orbiting a sun-like star. The finding is a step forward for scientists searching for habitable worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Abodes - Astrobiology Magazine's climate blog, The Hot Zone, discusses the recent set of email messages sent by the Director of the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit that were hacked and uploaded to a public Web site. The emails have sparked a great deal of debate concerning climate change. See article.
g Message - To contact an alien civilization, humanity might want to consider a Bracewell probe — a hypothetical concept for an autonomous interstellar space probe dispatched for the express purpose of communication with (an) alien civilization(s). It was proposed by Ronald N. Bracewell in a 1960 paper, as an alternative to interstellar radio communication between widely separated civilizations. See article.
g Aftermath - It was not suggested outside of science fiction — and there only after the 1890s — that extraterrestrials might come to Earth, except for a few believers in interplanetary spirit travel by mortals (an idea now well established among occultists). Among these was the well-known Belgian writer Maurice Maeterlinck, who, in what was perhaps the earliest conception of ETs as “gods from outer space,” reasoned that since no beings from other worlds have used their advanced science to abolish suffering on Earth, “Is there not reason to fear that we are forever alone in the universe, and that no other world has ever been more intelligent or better than our own?” But this, the first serious “Where are they?” argument, was not known to the general public and in any case would not have carried weight, since it depended on the concept of disembodied spirits. Physical contact between worlds was not thought possible outside of fiction. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - Astronomers have made the first direct detection of a planet-like object orbiting a sun-like star. The finding is a step forward for scientists searching for habitable worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Abodes - Astrobiology Magazine's climate blog, The Hot Zone, discusses the recent set of email messages sent by the Director of the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit that were hacked and uploaded to a public Web site. The emails have sparked a great deal of debate concerning climate change. See article.
g Message - To contact an alien civilization, humanity might want to consider a Bracewell probe — a hypothetical concept for an autonomous interstellar space probe dispatched for the express purpose of communication with (an) alien civilization(s). It was proposed by Ronald N. Bracewell in a 1960 paper, as an alternative to interstellar radio communication between widely separated civilizations. See article.
g Aftermath - It was not suggested outside of science fiction — and there only after the 1890s — that extraterrestrials might come to Earth, except for a few believers in interplanetary spirit travel by mortals (an idea now well established among occultists). Among these was the well-known Belgian writer Maurice Maeterlinck, who, in what was perhaps the earliest conception of ETs as “gods from outer space,” reasoned that since no beings from other worlds have used their advanced science to abolish suffering on Earth, “Is there not reason to fear that we are forever alone in the universe, and that no other world has ever been more intelligent or better than our own?” But this, the first serious “Where are they?” argument, was not known to the general public and in any case would not have carried weight, since it depended on the concept of disembodied spirits. Physical contact between worlds was not thought possible outside of fiction. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Food on Titan and why SETI prefers radio
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Astronomers have found a super-duper supernova. See article.
g Abodes - New calculations have suggested that Saturn’s moon Titan’s hydrocarbon lakes are loaded with acetylene, a chemical some scientists say could serve as food for cold-resistant organisms. See article.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See article. Note: This article is from 1996.
g Aftermath - While most depictions of extraterrestrials are confined to science fiction, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that some form of alien life exists somewhere in the universe, according to a new survey. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - Astronomers have found a super-duper supernova. See article.
g Abodes - New calculations have suggested that Saturn’s moon Titan’s hydrocarbon lakes are loaded with acetylene, a chemical some scientists say could serve as food for cold-resistant organisms. See article.
g Message - While advanced civilizations might be tempted to use optical means such as lasers to send information between the stars, there are some good reasons that nearly all the major Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence experiments are looking for radio waves instead. See article. Note: This article is from 1996.
g Aftermath - While most depictions of extraterrestrials are confined to science fiction, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that some form of alien life exists somewhere in the universe, according to a new survey. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, December 04, 2009
Returning Martian soil samples to Earth and how the Muslim faith would react to ETI
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Researchers have suggested that Saturn's orbit around the Sun may be responsible for the uneven distribution of methane and ethane lakes over the polar regions of the planet's moon, Titan. The process resulting from Saturn's orbit may be similar to “astronomical forcing” of Earth's climate, which drives ice-age cycles. See article.
g Message - Is there any good reason to look for intelligently generated extraterrestrial emissions in the spectrum at Pi GHz or 3.141...GHz. See article.
g Learning - Looking for star maps? Here are some neat, free sites: 3D map of major stars out to 27 light years; Site for developing 3D maps with variety of 2D maps (mainly from science fiction); 2D map for nearby star systems with planets; 2D map for nearby star systems (though I’ve seen NASA maps that are better); Celestia (Not so much a map but a tour through the universe - it’s very cool and complete). Happy exploring!
g Cosmicus - When robotic spacecraft bring a sample of Mars back to Earth, scientists will need specially-designed facilities to study the samples and prevent them from escaping to the outside world. See article.
g Aftermath - How would believers in the Muslim faith generally react to an announcement that we’ve made contact with an extraterrestrial civilization? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Researchers have suggested that Saturn's orbit around the Sun may be responsible for the uneven distribution of methane and ethane lakes over the polar regions of the planet's moon, Titan. The process resulting from Saturn's orbit may be similar to “astronomical forcing” of Earth's climate, which drives ice-age cycles. See article.
g Message - Is there any good reason to look for intelligently generated extraterrestrial emissions in the spectrum at Pi GHz or 3.141...GHz. See article.
g Learning - Looking for star maps? Here are some neat, free sites: 3D map of major stars out to 27 light years; Site for developing 3D maps with variety of 2D maps (mainly from science fiction); 2D map for nearby star systems with planets; 2D map for nearby star systems (though I’ve seen NASA maps that are better); Celestia (Not so much a map but a tour through the universe - it’s very cool and complete). Happy exploring!
g Cosmicus - When robotic spacecraft bring a sample of Mars back to Earth, scientists will need specially-designed facilities to study the samples and prevent them from escaping to the outside world. See article.
g Aftermath - How would believers in the Muslim faith generally react to an announcement that we’ve made contact with an extraterrestrial civilization? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Super Earths better for life and Educate to Innovate initiative
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Super Earths are named for their size, but these planets – which range from about 2 to 10 Earth masses – could be superior to the Earth when it comes to sustaining life. They could also provide an answer to the ‘Fermi Paradox’: Why haven’t we been visited by aliens? See article.
g Message - 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 “Beyond Contact: A Guide to SETI and Communicating with Alien Civilizations (by Brian S. McConnell), an introduction to searching for and communicating with intelligent life, begins with some of the details behind UC 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 Brian 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 Learning - In his latest bid to spotlight science education, President Obama last week kicked off an “Educate to Innovate” campaign to help boost US students from middle-of-the- pack mediocrity internationally in science and math achievement to the head of the class over the next decade. See article.
g Aftermath - An intriguing conference is being held at NASA Ames: “Contact: Culture of the Imagination”. Contact is a unique interdisciplinary conference that brings together some of the foremost international social and space scientists, science fiction writers and artists to exchange ideas, stimulate new perspectives and encourage serious, creative speculation about humanity's future ... onworld and offworld.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Super Earths are named for their size, but these planets – which range from about 2 to 10 Earth masses – could be superior to the Earth when it comes to sustaining life. They could also provide an answer to the ‘Fermi Paradox’: Why haven’t we been visited by aliens? See article.
g Message - 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 “Beyond Contact: A Guide to SETI and Communicating with Alien Civilizations (by Brian S. McConnell), an introduction to searching for and communicating with intelligent life, begins with some of the details behind UC 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 Brian 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 Learning - In his latest bid to spotlight science education, President Obama last week kicked off an “Educate to Innovate” campaign to help boost US students from middle-of-the- pack mediocrity internationally in science and math achievement to the head of the class over the next decade. See article.
g Aftermath - An intriguing conference is being held at NASA Ames: “Contact: Culture of the Imagination”. Contact is a unique interdisciplinary conference that brings together some of the foremost international social and space scientists, science fiction writers and artists to exchange ideas, stimulate new perspectives and encourage serious, creative speculation about humanity's future ... onworld and offworld.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Astrobiology and sustainability; how proof of ETI would affect humanity’s ‘world’ view
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - We live in a cosmic shooting gallery. In Phil Plait's “Death from the Skies”, he lays out the dangers of a massive impact: destructive shockwaves, tsunamis, flash fires, atmospheric darkening … The scenario isn't pretty should a big one come our way. Fortunately, we may have a silent guardian: Jupiter. See article.
g Life - Scientists have reexamined the 1996 finding that a meteorite contains evidence that life may have existed on ancient Mars. The study argues that life remains the most plausible explanation for the materials and structures found in the meteorite. See article.
g Intelligence - Life on a global biosphere basis is substantiated in the form of organics and organisms, and defined as the intermediate forms (briefly expressed as CH2O) hovering between the reduced (CH4, methane) and (CO2, carbon dioxide) ends, different from the classical definition of life as a complex organization maintaining ordered structure and information. Both definitions consider sustenance of life meant as protection of life against chaos through an input of external energy. The CH2O-life connection is maintained as long as the supply of H and O lasts, which is in turn are provided by the splitting of the water molecule H2O. Water is split by electricity, as well-known from school-level experiments, and by solar radiation and geothermal heat on a global scale. In other words, the Sun’s radiation and the Earth’s heat as well as radioactivity split water to supply H and O for continued existence of life on the Earth. These photochemical, radiochemical and geothermal processes have influences on the evolution and current composition of the Earth’s atmosphere, compared with those of Venus and Mars, and influences on the planetary climatology. This view of life may be applicable to the “search-for-life in space” and to sustainability assessment of astrobiological habitats. See paper.
g Message - When it comes to signaling across space, power is paramount. See article. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Learning - The scientific community today needs professionals who can effectively work across the traditional boundaries of academic disciplines. See article.
g Aftermath - How would proof of extraterrestrial intelligence affect humanity’s “world” view? Astronomer Steve Dick discusses the matter in this transcribed Smithsonian Institute lecture, from 1999.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - We live in a cosmic shooting gallery. In Phil Plait's “Death from the Skies”, he lays out the dangers of a massive impact: destructive shockwaves, tsunamis, flash fires, atmospheric darkening … The scenario isn't pretty should a big one come our way. Fortunately, we may have a silent guardian: Jupiter. See article.
g Life - Scientists have reexamined the 1996 finding that a meteorite contains evidence that life may have existed on ancient Mars. The study argues that life remains the most plausible explanation for the materials and structures found in the meteorite. See article.
g Intelligence - Life on a global biosphere basis is substantiated in the form of organics and organisms, and defined as the intermediate forms (briefly expressed as CH2O) hovering between the reduced (CH4, methane) and (CO2, carbon dioxide) ends, different from the classical definition of life as a complex organization maintaining ordered structure and information. Both definitions consider sustenance of life meant as protection of life against chaos through an input of external energy. The CH2O-life connection is maintained as long as the supply of H and O lasts, which is in turn are provided by the splitting of the water molecule H2O. Water is split by electricity, as well-known from school-level experiments, and by solar radiation and geothermal heat on a global scale. In other words, the Sun’s radiation and the Earth’s heat as well as radioactivity split water to supply H and O for continued existence of life on the Earth. These photochemical, radiochemical and geothermal processes have influences on the evolution and current composition of the Earth’s atmosphere, compared with those of Venus and Mars, and influences on the planetary climatology. This view of life may be applicable to the “search-for-life in space” and to sustainability assessment of astrobiological habitats. See paper.
g Message - When it comes to signaling across space, power is paramount. See article. Note: This article is from 2004.
g Learning - The scientific community today needs professionals who can effectively work across the traditional boundaries of academic disciplines. See article.
g Aftermath - How would proof of extraterrestrial intelligence affect humanity’s “world” view? Astronomer Steve Dick discusses the matter in this transcribed Smithsonian Institute lecture, from 1999.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Particle accelerator sets energy record (and we’re still here) and a slow diplomatic pouch to ETI
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Our Milky Way Galaxy is unusual in that it is one of the most massive galaxies in the nearby universe. Our Solar System also seems to have qualities that make it rather unique. According to astronomy professor Guillermo Gonzalez, these qualities make the Sun one of the few stars in the Galaxy capable of supporting complex life. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Abodes - Quote of the Day: “The modern Earth may be the worst template we could use in searching for life elsewhere.” – Caleb Scharf
g Message - Chances are, there is life beyond Earth. But if anyone makes contact, the messages may be thousands of years old and indecipherable. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
g Cosmicus - This weekend the CERN tweeted that the LHC had reached an energy of 1.18TeV, a record for Earth-bound particle accelerators — and we are all still here. So, when are we going to see some physics? See article.
g Learning - Hopefully you received (or gave!) some great astronomy gifts this holiday season. Astronomy.com offers a nice collection of articles introducing newcomers to the field, such as how to read star maps and how to use that new telescope. See article.
g Aftermath - For the last million years or so, mankind's principal diplomatic interest has been to handle social intercourse on his own planet. Interaction with other worlds’ societies was the province of science fiction. That soon may change. Modern science and technology suggest that a transmutation of past fiction to present reality could be imminent. If so, the dynamics of interaction will surely be far different than the alien encounters routinely portrayed in the cinema and on television. The ideas developed more than a century ago by European novelists such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, while imaginative, were not prescient. The aliens won't come here, and we won't go there. Our interaction will be a distant one, conducted by the electronic equivalent of very slow diplomatic pouch. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - Our Milky Way Galaxy is unusual in that it is one of the most massive galaxies in the nearby universe. Our Solar System also seems to have qualities that make it rather unique. According to astronomy professor Guillermo Gonzalez, these qualities make the Sun one of the few stars in the Galaxy capable of supporting complex life. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Abodes - Quote of the Day: “The modern Earth may be the worst template we could use in searching for life elsewhere.” – Caleb Scharf
g Message - Chances are, there is life beyond Earth. But if anyone makes contact, the messages may be thousands of years old and indecipherable. See article. Note: This article is from 2005.
g Cosmicus - This weekend the CERN tweeted that the LHC had reached an energy of 1.18TeV, a record for Earth-bound particle accelerators — and we are all still here. So, when are we going to see some physics? See article.
g Learning - Hopefully you received (or gave!) some great astronomy gifts this holiday season. Astronomy.com offers a nice collection of articles introducing newcomers to the field, such as how to read star maps and how to use that new telescope. See article.
g Aftermath - For the last million years or so, mankind's principal diplomatic interest has been to handle social intercourse on his own planet. Interaction with other worlds’ societies was the province of science fiction. That soon may change. Modern science and technology suggest that a transmutation of past fiction to present reality could be imminent. If so, the dynamics of interaction will surely be far different than the alien encounters routinely portrayed in the cinema and on television. The ideas developed more than a century ago by European novelists such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, while imaginative, were not prescient. The aliens won't come here, and we won't go there. Our interaction will be a distant one, conducted by the electronic equivalent of very slow diplomatic pouch. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, November 30, 2009
Past climate of Mars and the Rio Scale for ETI detection
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Scientists recently used an innovative computer program to produce a more detailed global map of valley networks on Mars. The results are consistent with past climate scenarios that include precipitation and an ocean in the Martian north. See article.
g Life - Scientists recently inventoried an astonishing abundance of deep sea species that have never known sunlight. These organisms have managed to live in frigid depths of up to 5,000 meters below the ocean. The study may help astrobiologists understand how life could survive in oceans on other worlds. See article.
g Message - What are the chances that an alien signal has been sent our way just at the right moment to splash upon our antennas during that brief interval? If the extraterrestrials beam their broadcasts to the whole galaxy (or at least a big chunk of it), the chances are 100 percent. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronomers studying pictures sent back by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), currently circling the Red Planet, say that an intriguing clump of depressions in the Martian soils could be the entries to an underground cave system. The underground refuges could be supporting microscopic life forms that were driven away from the surface when the planet lost its water, billions of years ago. In the future, as space agencies ponder manned explorations to the planet, these underground caverns could prove to be a wonderful refuge in which astronauts could take shelter from the harsh conditions on the surface of Mars. See article.
g Aftermath - A SETI detection will have important consequences for society. So at the International Astronautics Federation’s annual get-together in Rio de Janeiro a few years ago, Hungarian astronomer Ivan Almar and SETI Institute researcher Jill Tarter proposed the Rio Scale for ranking both the importance and credibility of claims that evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence has been found. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Scientists recently used an innovative computer program to produce a more detailed global map of valley networks on Mars. The results are consistent with past climate scenarios that include precipitation and an ocean in the Martian north. See article.
g Life - Scientists recently inventoried an astonishing abundance of deep sea species that have never known sunlight. These organisms have managed to live in frigid depths of up to 5,000 meters below the ocean. The study may help astrobiologists understand how life could survive in oceans on other worlds. See article.
g Message - What are the chances that an alien signal has been sent our way just at the right moment to splash upon our antennas during that brief interval? If the extraterrestrials beam their broadcasts to the whole galaxy (or at least a big chunk of it), the chances are 100 percent. See article.
g Cosmicus - Astronomers studying pictures sent back by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), currently circling the Red Planet, say that an intriguing clump of depressions in the Martian soils could be the entries to an underground cave system. The underground refuges could be supporting microscopic life forms that were driven away from the surface when the planet lost its water, billions of years ago. In the future, as space agencies ponder manned explorations to the planet, these underground caverns could prove to be a wonderful refuge in which astronauts could take shelter from the harsh conditions on the surface of Mars. See article.
g Aftermath - A SETI detection will have important consequences for society. So at the International Astronautics Federation’s annual get-together in Rio de Janeiro a few years ago, Hungarian astronomer Ivan Almar and SETI Institute researcher Jill Tarter proposed the Rio Scale for ranking both the importance and credibility of claims that evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence has been found. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Exoworld orbits in opposite direction of star and consequences of receiving a signal from the cosmos
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - New research shows that an unusual mix of stars at the center of our galaxy might be the remnants of a dwarf galaxy that merged with the Milky Way long ago. The findings could help astrobiolgists understand how galaxies evolve and, ultimately, the processes behind solar system and planet formation. See article.
g Abodes - The exoplanet HAT-P-7b has been observed to have a very curious orbit. It either has a highly tilted orbit – passing almost over the poles of its parent star, HAT-P-7 - or a retrograde orbit; that is, orbiting in the opposite direction of its parent star. See article.
g Life - For astrobiologists, it is very important to distinguish between living and inert beings. See article.
g Message - The search for extraterrestrial visitation is motivated not only by the writings of other authors on the subject of interstellar probes, but also by the awareness of the progression of our own probe technology. Included in this awareness are Earth's advancements in communication technology, growing understanding of exobiology and ongoing research of new possibilities to enable travel across vast distances. See article.
g Cosmicus - How we define "exploration" may set the success or failure of NASA's future. See article.
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 reviews.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - New research shows that an unusual mix of stars at the center of our galaxy might be the remnants of a dwarf galaxy that merged with the Milky Way long ago. The findings could help astrobiolgists understand how galaxies evolve and, ultimately, the processes behind solar system and planet formation. See article.
g Abodes - The exoplanet HAT-P-7b has been observed to have a very curious orbit. It either has a highly tilted orbit – passing almost over the poles of its parent star, HAT-P-7 - or a retrograde orbit; that is, orbiting in the opposite direction of its parent star. See article.
g Life - For astrobiologists, it is very important to distinguish between living and inert beings. See article.
g Message - The search for extraterrestrial visitation is motivated not only by the writings of other authors on the subject of interstellar probes, but also by the awareness of the progression of our own probe technology. Included in this awareness are Earth's advancements in communication technology, growing understanding of exobiology and ongoing research of new possibilities to enable travel across vast distances. See article.
g Cosmicus - How we define "exploration" may set the success or failure of NASA's future. See article.
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 reviews.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Extreme exoworlds and impact of advanced ETI on humanity
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Of the planets discovered beyond our solar system to date, here are five of the most extreme. See article.
g Intelligence - Astrobiology Magazine's climate blog, The Hot Zone, recently spoke with Professor Brigitte Nerlich about aspects of climate change related to human behavior. The future of life on Earth may truly be in the hands of humankind - yet our actions are sometimes hard to predict or understand. See article.
g Message - Some people sit in the tub, yell "Eureka", and come up with a brand new view of matter. Others can be riding a trolley home and at the sight of a clock initiate a whole new concept of time. Yet another more pedantic method is to follow government procedures to resolve riddles. Steven Dick and James Strick in their book, “The Living Universe - NASA and the development of Astrobiology”, narrate how this occurred for the new academic field of astrobiology. Though perhaps not as film-worthy as instantaneous flashes, the four decades of meetings, workshops and programs described therein show that this distinct academic area had an eventful and exciting coming of age.
g Cosmicus - Since 1995, astronomers have found more than 400 planets orbiting other stars. And yet not one of them has a formal name, other than their orginal scientific designation such as MOA-2008-BLG-310-L b, (a sub-Saturnian mass planet recently detected in the Galactic Bulge). How come? See article.
g Aftermath - If we hear from ET, not only can we expect his civilization to be an old one with a great time lag in correspondence, a SETI astronomer says. Could this limit the impact of extraterrestrial contact upon humanity? See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Of the planets discovered beyond our solar system to date, here are five of the most extreme. See article.
g Intelligence - Astrobiology Magazine's climate blog, The Hot Zone, recently spoke with Professor Brigitte Nerlich about aspects of climate change related to human behavior. The future of life on Earth may truly be in the hands of humankind - yet our actions are sometimes hard to predict or understand. See article.
g Message - Some people sit in the tub, yell "Eureka", and come up with a brand new view of matter. Others can be riding a trolley home and at the sight of a clock initiate a whole new concept of time. Yet another more pedantic method is to follow government procedures to resolve riddles. Steven Dick and James Strick in their book, “The Living Universe - NASA and the development of Astrobiology”, narrate how this occurred for the new academic field of astrobiology. Though perhaps not as film-worthy as instantaneous flashes, the four decades of meetings, workshops and programs described therein show that this distinct academic area had an eventful and exciting coming of age.
g Cosmicus - Since 1995, astronomers have found more than 400 planets orbiting other stars. And yet not one of them has a formal name, other than their orginal scientific designation such as MOA-2008-BLG-310-L b, (a sub-Saturnian mass planet recently detected in the Galactic Bulge). How come? See article.
g Aftermath - If we hear from ET, not only can we expect his civilization to be an old one with a great time lag in correspondence, a SETI astronomer says. Could this limit the impact of extraterrestrial contact upon humanity? See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, November 27, 2009
Planet that rains rocks and naming exoworlds
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - On Earth, strange things, including frogs and fish, sometimes fall from the sky, but on a distant extrasolar planet, the weather could be even weirder: When a front moves in, small rocks rain down on the surface, a new study suggests. See article.
g Intelligence - Given the Great Silence, and knowing what we may be capable of in the future, we can start to make some fairly confident assumptions about the developmental characteristics of advanced civilizations, a Canadian futurist argues. See article.
g Message - A new paper argues that Fermi's paradox (or the "Great Silence" problem), not only arguably the oldest and crucial problem for the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence, but also a conundrum of profound scientific, philosophical and cultural importance. See paper.
g Cosmicus - A planet formation expert has decided he's not happy with the International Astronomical Union's insistence that exoplanets will be known solely by their "assigned scientific designation", and has come up with names for the 403 such bodies discovered to date. See article.
g Aftermath - Even if the public seems less than awestruck by the prospect that alien life is a bunch of microscopic bugs, astrobiologists say unequivocal discovery of microbial life beyond Earth will change human society in profound ways, some unfathomable today. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
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g Abodes - On Earth, strange things, including frogs and fish, sometimes fall from the sky, but on a distant extrasolar planet, the weather could be even weirder: When a front moves in, small rocks rain down on the surface, a new study suggests. See article.
g Intelligence - Given the Great Silence, and knowing what we may be capable of in the future, we can start to make some fairly confident assumptions about the developmental characteristics of advanced civilizations, a Canadian futurist argues. See article.
g Message - A new paper argues that Fermi's paradox (or the "Great Silence" problem), not only arguably the oldest and crucial problem for the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence, but also a conundrum of profound scientific, philosophical and cultural importance. See paper.
g Cosmicus - A planet formation expert has decided he's not happy with the International Astronomical Union's insistence that exoplanets will be known solely by their "assigned scientific designation", and has come up with names for the 403 such bodies discovered to date. See article.
g Aftermath - Even if the public seems less than awestruck by the prospect that alien life is a bunch of microscopic bugs, astrobiologists say unequivocal discovery of microbial life beyond Earth will change human society in profound ways, some unfathomable today. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
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Thursday, November 26, 2009
New evidence for fossils in Martian meteorite and sending music to ETI
Happy Thanksgiving! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has contributed to the discovery of the youngest brown dwarf ever observed - a finding that, if confirmed, may solve an astronomical mystery about how these cosmic misfits are formed. See article.
g Abodes - Compelling new data that chemical and fossil evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars was carried to Earth in a Martian meteorite is being elevated to a higher plane by the same NASA team which made the initial discovery 13 years ago. See article.
g Life - Scientists have revealed new information about a period of time spanning three of Earth's largest mass extinctions. The study shows how different marine environments - from oceans to seas that once covered large portions of the continents - respond differently to agents of mass extinction. See article.
g Message - Put yourself in the situation of the aliens, out there somewhere in the galaxy. They surmise that Earth looks promising for the emergence of intelligent life one day, but they have no idea when. There would be little point in beaming radio messages in this direction for eons in the vague hope that one day radio technology would be developed here and someone would decide to tune in, says one astrobiologist. See article. Note: this article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - The U.S. Air Force has released new images of its experimental new X-37B space plane as the secretive mission's launch date next April draws near. See article.
g Aftermath - The structure of terrestrial music might provide clues to creating interstellar messages that could be understood by extraterrestrial intelligence, an American composer suggests. In the process, he suggests that music may provide a means of communicating "something of our consciousness that is essentially human, regardless of the civilization from which it emerges." See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
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g Stars - NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has contributed to the discovery of the youngest brown dwarf ever observed - a finding that, if confirmed, may solve an astronomical mystery about how these cosmic misfits are formed. See article.
g Abodes - Compelling new data that chemical and fossil evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars was carried to Earth in a Martian meteorite is being elevated to a higher plane by the same NASA team which made the initial discovery 13 years ago. See article.
g Life - Scientists have revealed new information about a period of time spanning three of Earth's largest mass extinctions. The study shows how different marine environments - from oceans to seas that once covered large portions of the continents - respond differently to agents of mass extinction. See article.
g Message - Put yourself in the situation of the aliens, out there somewhere in the galaxy. They surmise that Earth looks promising for the emergence of intelligent life one day, but they have no idea when. There would be little point in beaming radio messages in this direction for eons in the vague hope that one day radio technology would be developed here and someone would decide to tune in, says one astrobiologist. See article. Note: this article is from 2004.
g Cosmicus - The U.S. Air Force has released new images of its experimental new X-37B space plane as the secretive mission's launch date next April draws near. See article.
g Aftermath - The structure of terrestrial music might provide clues to creating interstellar messages that could be understood by extraterrestrial intelligence, an American composer suggests. In the process, he suggests that music may provide a means of communicating "something of our consciousness that is essentially human, regardless of the civilization from which it emerges." See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
First contact with a microbe and NASA/ESA plan joint Mars exploration
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Much of Earth's mineral wealth was deposited billions of years ago when chemical cycles on our planet were very different than today's. Recently, scientists used geochemical data from minerals to yield surprising information about conditions on the ancient Earth. See article.
g Life - For many years, paleobiological researchers interested in the history of biodiversity have focused on charting the many ups (evolutionary radiations) and downs (mass extinctions) that punctuate the history of life. Because the preserved record of marine (sea-dwelling) animals is unusually extensive in comparison, say, to that of terrestrial animals such as dinosaurs, it's been easier to accurately calibrate the diversity and extinction records of marine organisms. See article.
g Message - When scientists get together to talk about extraterrestrial life, they certainly don't imagine little green men. In fact, our first contact with life beyond our planet probably will involve a microbe. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Cosmicus - NASA and the European Space Agency have signed a statement of intent for the Mars Exploration Joint Initiative (MEJI), a proposed string of cooperative Martian lander and orbiter missions intended to prepare the way for a sample return. See article.
g Aftermath - Movie aliens often are like distant relatives: They resemble us in an unpleasant sort of way. This is hardly a surprise. Hollywood creates characters that audiences can identify with, and that’s why its aliens are so anthropomorphic (and why Donald Duck looks more like a human than a duck.) But appearances aside, cinema aliens have another implausible attribute: they’re nearly always at our level of technical sophistication. We frequently trade gunfire with them or chase them around in dogfights. This is silly, of course. Any beings capable of bridging the vast distances between the stars would be able to clean our clock when it comes to science and engineering. Visitors from other worlds — should any appear — would be enormously ahead of us from a technological viewpoint. See article. Note: This article is from 2000.
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g Abodes - Much of Earth's mineral wealth was deposited billions of years ago when chemical cycles on our planet were very different than today's. Recently, scientists used geochemical data from minerals to yield surprising information about conditions on the ancient Earth. See article.
g Life - For many years, paleobiological researchers interested in the history of biodiversity have focused on charting the many ups (evolutionary radiations) and downs (mass extinctions) that punctuate the history of life. Because the preserved record of marine (sea-dwelling) animals is unusually extensive in comparison, say, to that of terrestrial animals such as dinosaurs, it's been easier to accurately calibrate the diversity and extinction records of marine organisms. See article.
g Message - When scientists get together to talk about extraterrestrial life, they certainly don't imagine little green men. In fact, our first contact with life beyond our planet probably will involve a microbe. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
g Cosmicus - NASA and the European Space Agency have signed a statement of intent for the Mars Exploration Joint Initiative (MEJI), a proposed string of cooperative Martian lander and orbiter missions intended to prepare the way for a sample return. See article.
g Aftermath - Movie aliens often are like distant relatives: They resemble us in an unpleasant sort of way. This is hardly a surprise. Hollywood creates characters that audiences can identify with, and that’s why its aliens are so anthropomorphic (and why Donald Duck looks more like a human than a duck.) But appearances aside, cinema aliens have another implausible attribute: they’re nearly always at our level of technical sophistication. We frequently trade gunfire with them or chase them around in dogfights. This is silly, of course. Any beings capable of bridging the vast distances between the stars would be able to clean our clock when it comes to science and engineering. Visitors from other worlds — should any appear — would be enormously ahead of us from a technological viewpoint. See article. Note: This article is from 2000.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Oceans show past/future of planet and could we understand ETI’s language?
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A new study that reconstructed ocean temperatures from millions of years ago could provide new insight into how the Earth responds to climate change. See article.
g Life - A census of the ocean depths reveals hundreds of new species. See article.
g Message - Want to help SETI discover alien life? If you haven’t already done so, download the free SETI at Home software. Using Internet-connected computers, the program downloads and analyzes radio telescope data on your desktop when it is idle. The program has been so successful in plowing through data that other scientific researchers, especially in medicine, are adopting it to their fields. Click here for the program.
g Cosmicus - Scientists could begin garnering information on the origins of the universe in the coming months as the world's biggest particle collider starts moving to full power next year See article.
g Learning - Are we alone? That's the primary question incoming researchers will be asking as participants of the newly created Canadian Astrobiology Training Program. See article.
g Aftermath - If we encountered an intelligent species on another planet, could we understand them? In turn, could extrasolar species decipher one of our 8,000 terrestrial languages in use today? See article. Note: This article is from June 2004.
g Abodes - A new study that reconstructed ocean temperatures from millions of years ago could provide new insight into how the Earth responds to climate change. See article.
g Life - A census of the ocean depths reveals hundreds of new species. See article.
g Message - Want to help SETI discover alien life? If you haven’t already done so, download the free SETI at Home software. Using Internet-connected computers, the program downloads and analyzes radio telescope data on your desktop when it is idle. The program has been so successful in plowing through data that other scientific researchers, especially in medicine, are adopting it to their fields. Click here for the program.
g Cosmicus - Scientists could begin garnering information on the origins of the universe in the coming months as the world's biggest particle collider starts moving to full power next year See article.
g Learning - Are we alone? That's the primary question incoming researchers will be asking as participants of the newly created Canadian Astrobiology Training Program. See article.
g Aftermath - If we encountered an intelligent species on another planet, could we understand them? In turn, could extrasolar species decipher one of our 8,000 terrestrial languages in use today? See article. Note: This article is from June 2004.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Would ETI act in an alien manner and helping NASA explore Mars at your desktop
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Intelligence - It is wrong to think that if there are aliens out there, they necessarily have to act in an alien manner. See article.
g Message - George Dvorsky’s ongoing series on the Fermi Paradox, which appears on his Sentient Developments site, is drawn from a recent conference presentation about the implications of Fermi’s question. ‘Where are they?’ indeed, and what factors could explain our inability to find other sentient life forms? See article. Note: This article is from 2007.
g Learning - NASA and Microsoft have created the new “Be a Martian” Web site, which allows citizen scientists to participate in projects such as improving Martian maps and assisting Mars science teams. Now the public can help astrobiologists determine the past habitability of Mars. See article.
g Aftermath - A Penn State professor recently had the opportunity to visit the Vatican to participate in a conference one wouldn’t normally associate with the Catholic authority: a three-and-a-half-day discussion of extraterrestrial life. See article.
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g Intelligence - It is wrong to think that if there are aliens out there, they necessarily have to act in an alien manner. See article.
g Message - George Dvorsky’s ongoing series on the Fermi Paradox, which appears on his Sentient Developments site, is drawn from a recent conference presentation about the implications of Fermi’s question. ‘Where are they?’ indeed, and what factors could explain our inability to find other sentient life forms? See article. Note: This article is from 2007.
g Learning - NASA and Microsoft have created the new “Be a Martian” Web site, which allows citizen scientists to participate in projects such as improving Martian maps and assisting Mars science teams. Now the public can help astrobiologists determine the past habitability of Mars. See article.
g Aftermath - A Penn State professor recently had the opportunity to visit the Vatican to participate in a conference one wouldn’t normally associate with the Catholic authority: a three-and-a-half-day discussion of extraterrestrial life. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Active SETI and commercial travel to outer space routine by 2012
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Prevailing theoretical models attempting to explain the formation of the solar system have assumed it to be average in every way. Now a new study by Northwestern University astronomers, using recent data from the 300 exoplanets discovered orbiting other stars, turns that view on its head. See article.
g Abodes - The search for Earth-like life on other worlds should focus on solar systems with Jupiter-like planets, a University of Arizona scientist reports. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
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 editorial.
g Cosmicus - Routine commercial travel to outer space may be the norm as soon as 2012, as the next generation of spacecraft — designed by private sector firms like Virgin Galactic, Orbital Sciences Corp., Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and others — transport adventure-seeking civilians into low-Earth orbit. See article.
g Aftermath - The search for extraterrestrial life grips the human imagination because it tells us about ourselves. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
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g Stars - Prevailing theoretical models attempting to explain the formation of the solar system have assumed it to be average in every way. Now a new study by Northwestern University astronomers, using recent data from the 300 exoplanets discovered orbiting other stars, turns that view on its head. See article.
g Abodes - The search for Earth-like life on other worlds should focus on solar systems with Jupiter-like planets, a University of Arizona scientist reports. See article. Note: This article is from 2001.
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 editorial.
g Cosmicus - Routine commercial travel to outer space may be the norm as soon as 2012, as the next generation of spacecraft — designed by private sector firms like Virgin Galactic, Orbital Sciences Corp., Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and others — transport adventure-seeking civilians into low-Earth orbit. See article.
g Aftermath - The search for extraterrestrial life grips the human imagination because it tells us about ourselves. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Terraforming Mars and is the Vatican ready to welcome ETI into the church?
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Astrobiology Magazine's climate blog, The Hot Zone, recently discussed how receding glaciers could have catastrophic consequences for Earth's climate. Increasing loss of glacial ice will lead to increasing water levels in the oceans. Ultimately, these changes could profoundly affect the biosphere. See article.
g Intelligence - According to a recent study by UCLA psychologists, looking at a photo, holding the hand or even just thinking of a loved one will reduce pain. See article.
g Message - What if we examined how to communicate with extraterrestrials from a telecommunication engineer’s point of view? That’s the approach of Brian McConnell’s book, “Beyond Contact: A Guide to SETI and Communicating with Alien Civilizations.” Though the book has been out a few years now, it’s still worth a read if you haven’t already delved into it. For more about the book and an interview with McConnell, see article.
g Cosmicus - Here’s a neat Web site: The Terraforming Information pages, an exhaustive look at terraforming by one of the world's leading experts on terraforming. Highly recommended.
g Aftermath - Is the Vatican ready to welcome aliens into the church? According to Jesuit Father Jose Funes, Papal Astronomer and Director of the Vatican Observatory, "Christians should consider alien life as an 'extraterrestrial brother and a part of God's creation." See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Astrobiology Magazine's climate blog, The Hot Zone, recently discussed how receding glaciers could have catastrophic consequences for Earth's climate. Increasing loss of glacial ice will lead to increasing water levels in the oceans. Ultimately, these changes could profoundly affect the biosphere. See article.
g Intelligence - According to a recent study by UCLA psychologists, looking at a photo, holding the hand or even just thinking of a loved one will reduce pain. See article.
g Message - What if we examined how to communicate with extraterrestrials from a telecommunication engineer’s point of view? That’s the approach of Brian McConnell’s book, “Beyond Contact: A Guide to SETI and Communicating with Alien Civilizations.” Though the book has been out a few years now, it’s still worth a read if you haven’t already delved into it. For more about the book and an interview with McConnell, see article.
g Cosmicus - Here’s a neat Web site: The Terraforming Information pages, an exhaustive look at terraforming by one of the world's leading experts on terraforming. Highly recommended.
g Aftermath - Is the Vatican ready to welcome aliens into the church? According to Jesuit Father Jose Funes, Papal Astronomer and Director of the Vatican Observatory, "Christians should consider alien life as an 'extraterrestrial brother and a part of God's creation." See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
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