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 twin GRAIL spacecraft were intentionally crashed into a mountain near the Moon's north pole in Dec. 2012. The cloud of gas and dust it generated was observed by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, providing new data about the Moon's composition. See article.
g Life - Paleontologists in Japan have unearthed the jaw of a primitive mammal from the early Cretaceous period. See article.
g Message - How do we search for life in the universe? From sending probes to the planets to discovering new worlds, find out how we are looking for alien life. See article.
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Friday, April 19, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Contacting ETI via sunlight
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A new study shows that the Moon has more in common with large asteroids than previously believed. The research could shed light on a period early in Earth's history when our planet was bombarded by impacts. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that DNA molecules can be transcribed into a molecule known as TNA, and then reverse transcribed back to DNA with the aid of commercially available enzymes. See article.
g Message - A pair of U.S. astrobiologists have come up with a cunningly simply way of attracting the attention of alien lifeforms - just cover half the Moon's surface with mirrors to throw back some extra sunlight in ET's direction. See article.
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g Abodes - A new study shows that the Moon has more in common with large asteroids than previously believed. The research could shed light on a period early in Earth's history when our planet was bombarded by impacts. See article.
g Life - A new study shows that DNA molecules can be transcribed into a molecule known as TNA, and then reverse transcribed back to DNA with the aid of commercially available enzymes. See article.
g Message - A pair of U.S. astrobiologists have come up with a cunningly simply way of attracting the attention of alien lifeforms - just cover half the Moon's surface with mirrors to throw back some extra sunlight in ET's direction. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Layer of liquefied molten rock in Earth's mantle discovered
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Scientists have discovered a layer of liquefied molten rock in Earth's mantle. This magma layer could act as a lubricant for our planet's tectonic plates. See article.
g Life - Scientists have uncovered new information about Earth's early oceans during a period of time that was critical to the evolution of complex life. See article.
g Message - An idea to send radar signal with Morse code to the Venus and to receive echo in order to test and to demonstrate the first Evpatoria Planetary Radar was suggested and implemented in 1962 by three scientists from Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics in the former Soviet Union. While this transmission was not proper Interstellar Radio Message, it was its forerunner. See article. For related article, see “Report on Cosmic Call 1999”.
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g Abodes - Scientists have discovered a layer of liquefied molten rock in Earth's mantle. This magma layer could act as a lubricant for our planet's tectonic plates. See article.
g Life - Scientists have uncovered new information about Earth's early oceans during a period of time that was critical to the evolution of complex life. See article.
g Message - An idea to send radar signal with Morse code to the Venus and to receive echo in order to test and to demonstrate the first Evpatoria Planetary Radar was suggested and implemented in 1962 by three scientists from Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics in the former Soviet Union. While this transmission was not proper Interstellar Radio Message, it was its forerunner. See article. For related article, see “Report on Cosmic Call 1999”.
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Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Habitable zones around different star types
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 - In part three of The Great Exoplanet Debate, the panel discusses our broadening view of the habitable zone around different star types, and our preconceptions of what makes a habitable environment. See article.
g Abodes - Curiosity's ChemCam has identified what might be chemical similarities on the surface of very different martian rocks. Could the chemical signatures be attributed to dust that settled on the rocks... or might it be something else? See article.
g Message - We’ve all heard of SETI, bit what about METI — “Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” or sending both scientific and artistic messages to the stars? See article.
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g Stars - In part three of The Great Exoplanet Debate, the panel discusses our broadening view of the habitable zone around different star types, and our preconceptions of what makes a habitable environment. See article.
g Abodes - Curiosity's ChemCam has identified what might be chemical similarities on the surface of very different martian rocks. Could the chemical signatures be attributed to dust that settled on the rocks... or might it be something else? See article.
g Message - We’ve all heard of SETI, bit what about METI — “Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” or sending both scientific and artistic messages to the stars? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, April 15, 2013
Volcanic eruptions linked to extinctions
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - By studying locations as widespread as New Jersey and North Africa, a team of scientists has found a link between one of Earth's largest mass extinctions and gigantic volcanic eruptions. The study could hint at how sudden climate shifts could affect life's future on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - Many lines of evidence indicate that schizophrenia is a disorder of neurodevelopment. For example, genes implicated in the heritable risk for schizophrenia are also implicated in the development of nerve cells and their connections. Numerous findings in brain imaging studies describe the changes in brain structure and function associated with schizophrenia as emerging early in the course of the disorder. Some early brain imaging studies even found little or no evidence of progression of structural deficits. See article.
g Aftermath - The statement that extraterrestrial intelligence exists or doesn’t can have the parallel statement that God exists or doesn’t. Some people say there’s already sufficient evidence of existence for both. If you set aside abductions and miracles, it’s true that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence for either. However, if and when humanity ever detects evidence of an extraterrestrial intelligence, it will break the symmetry of these two statements and, in fact, that evidence will be inconsistent with the existence of God or at least organized religions. See article. Note: This article is from 2004.
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g Abodes - By studying locations as widespread as New Jersey and North Africa, a team of scientists has found a link between one of Earth's largest mass extinctions and gigantic volcanic eruptions. The study could hint at how sudden climate shifts could affect life's future on Earth. See article.
g Intelligence - Many lines of evidence indicate that schizophrenia is a disorder of neurodevelopment. For example, genes implicated in the heritable risk for schizophrenia are also implicated in the development of nerve cells and their connections. Numerous findings in brain imaging studies describe the changes in brain structure and function associated with schizophrenia as emerging early in the course of the disorder. Some early brain imaging studies even found little or no evidence of progression of structural deficits. See article.
g Aftermath - The statement that extraterrestrial intelligence exists or doesn’t can have the parallel statement that God exists or doesn’t. Some people say there’s already sufficient evidence of existence for both. If you set aside abductions and miracles, it’s true that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence for either. However, if and when humanity ever detects evidence of an extraterrestrial intelligence, it will break the symmetry of these two statements and, in fact, that evidence will be inconsistent with the existence of God or at least organized religions. See article. Note: This article is from 2004.
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Sunday, April 14, 2013
Could science fiction alien Balok exist?
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A new study shows that activity beneath the Earth's surface could have been responsible for ancient sea level rise and global warming at the Earth's surface. See article.
g Life - A new University of Florida study of nearly 5,000 Haiti bird fossils shows contrary to a commonly held theory, human arrival 6,000 years ago didn't cause the island's birds to die simultaneously. See article.
g Imagining - A short entry on the early “Star Trek” alien Balok: Creatively speaking, this alien was a disappointment compared to the previously presented Alfa 117 canine and salt vampire. Balok only possesses two real visual differences from humans: He’s shorter and possesses more child-like features (teeth and facial). As to the first trait, of height, Balok may come from a planet with heavier gravity than Earth. Or perhaps there was shorter grass on the savanna (his hominid frame indicates a primate-styled path to intelligence), so height actually may be an evolutionary disadvantage on his world. Possibly his planet is slightly cooler, as that would encourage stockier traits, though the shapes of his nostrils don’t indicate his kind regularly breathes cold air, nor does the Enterprise crew note or physically show that they’re on a cold ship. As to the second trait, of child-like features, presumably it holds some evolutionary advantage (after all, adults even in smaller mammals appear much more angular in their faces than their infants), though not enough hints were provided to offer speculation. Any ideas out there?
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g Abodes - A new study shows that activity beneath the Earth's surface could have been responsible for ancient sea level rise and global warming at the Earth's surface. See article.
g Life - A new University of Florida study of nearly 5,000 Haiti bird fossils shows contrary to a commonly held theory, human arrival 6,000 years ago didn't cause the island's birds to die simultaneously. See article.
g Imagining - A short entry on the early “Star Trek” alien Balok: Creatively speaking, this alien was a disappointment compared to the previously presented Alfa 117 canine and salt vampire. Balok only possesses two real visual differences from humans: He’s shorter and possesses more child-like features (teeth and facial). As to the first trait, of height, Balok may come from a planet with heavier gravity than Earth. Or perhaps there was shorter grass on the savanna (his hominid frame indicates a primate-styled path to intelligence), so height actually may be an evolutionary disadvantage on his world. Possibly his planet is slightly cooler, as that would encourage stockier traits, though the shapes of his nostrils don’t indicate his kind regularly breathes cold air, nor does the Enterprise crew note or physically show that they’re on a cold ship. As to the second trait, of child-like features, presumably it holds some evolutionary advantage (after all, adults even in smaller mammals appear much more angular in their faces than their infants), though not enough hints were provided to offer speculation. Any ideas out there?
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Voyager 1 leaves the heliosphere
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 - Billions of years ago, the site on Mars where Curiosity analyzed its first rock sample had the conditions necessary to support life on Mars. John Grotzinger, project scientist for the mission, spoke with Astrobiology Magazine about the mission and the new results. See article.
g Cosmicus - After thirty-five years of traveling, the Voyager 1 spacecraft appears to have left the heliosphere. See article.
g Imagining - Psychologist Frederick Malmstrom, currently a visiting scholar at the U.S. Air Force Academy, believes that “visions” of space aliens are actually the image of the prototypical female face that is hardwired into every baby human's brain. When Malmstrom altered a picture of a woman in a way consistent with the characteristics of a newborn's vision (astigmatism and a shallow focal plane), the result looked very much like a big-eyed alien. See article.
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g Abodes - Billions of years ago, the site on Mars where Curiosity analyzed its first rock sample had the conditions necessary to support life on Mars. John Grotzinger, project scientist for the mission, spoke with Astrobiology Magazine about the mission and the new results. See article.
g Cosmicus - After thirty-five years of traveling, the Voyager 1 spacecraft appears to have left the heliosphere. See article.
g Imagining - Psychologist Frederick Malmstrom, currently a visiting scholar at the U.S. Air Force Academy, believes that “visions” of space aliens are actually the image of the prototypical female face that is hardwired into every baby human's brain. When Malmstrom altered a picture of a woman in a way consistent with the characteristics of a newborn's vision (astigmatism and a shallow focal plane), the result looked very much like a big-eyed alien. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, April 12, 2013
505 million-year-old fossil discovered
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - Scientists have used date from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to create a 3-D reconstruction of ancient water channels below the surface of the red planet. See article.
g Life - A major discovery of a fossil in 505 million year-old shale could push the fossil record back 200 million years. See article.
g Message - In late 1997, after almost 40 years of operation, the Ohio State University Radio Observatory and its "Big Ear" radio telescope — which picked up the famous “Wow!” signal — ceased operation. The land on which the observatory was sitting (owned by the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio) was sold in 1983 to land developers who later claimed their rights to develop the property. The telescope was destroyed in early 1998. See the Web page memorial to Big Ear.
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g Abodes - Scientists have used date from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to create a 3-D reconstruction of ancient water channels below the surface of the red planet. See article.
g Life - A major discovery of a fossil in 505 million year-old shale could push the fossil record back 200 million years. See article.
g Message - In late 1997, after almost 40 years of operation, the Ohio State University Radio Observatory and its "Big Ear" radio telescope — which picked up the famous “Wow!” signal — ceased operation. The land on which the observatory was sitting (owned by the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio) was sold in 1983 to land developers who later claimed their rights to develop the property. The telescope was destroyed in early 1998. See the Web page memorial to Big Ear.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Oldest light in the universe
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - The Planck space mission has released the most accurate and detailed map ever made of the oldest light in the universe, revealing new information about its age, contents and origins. See article.
g Abodes - When Curiosity drilled into a mudstone rock, the rover found evidence that past environmental conditions on Mars could have been favorable for life. New data from Curiosity shows that these conditions extended beyond the site of the drilling. See article.
g Aftermath - Could humanity ever relate to an alien species? Consider the questioning context of these online speculations about why "Star Trek is human centered?" The latter is an interesting question, possibly creating a situation dealing with a prejudice on the behalf of the writers and producers. However, would a series completely dedicated to another species, such as the Romulans, be successful in a television market? Is it possible that the reasons it wouldn’t be might indicate humanity might care little about an alien species other than as a potential threat? See article.
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g Stars - The Planck space mission has released the most accurate and detailed map ever made of the oldest light in the universe, revealing new information about its age, contents and origins. See article.
g Abodes - When Curiosity drilled into a mudstone rock, the rover found evidence that past environmental conditions on Mars could have been favorable for life. New data from Curiosity shows that these conditions extended beyond the site of the drilling. See article.
g Aftermath - Could humanity ever relate to an alien species? Consider the questioning context of these online speculations about why "Star Trek is human centered?" The latter is an interesting question, possibly creating a situation dealing with a prejudice on the behalf of the writers and producers. However, would a series completely dedicated to another species, such as the Romulans, be successful in a television market? Is it possible that the reasons it wouldn’t be might indicate humanity might care little about an alien species other than as a potential threat? See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Current concepts of planet habitability
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - In part two of The Great Exoplanet Debate, the panel discusses current concepts of habitability and how they are changing. This debate comes from a plenary session hosted by Astrobiology Magazine at the 2012 Astrobiology Science Conference. See article.
g Life - Scientists have announced scientific results from an expedition to one of the most inaccessible places on Earth. The team found that a highly active community of bacteria survives in sediment at the bottom of the Mariana Trench - nearly 11 km below sea level. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In “Are We Alone? Scientists Search for Life in Space,” a rare combination of engaging narrative and factual information, Gloria Skurzynski uses techniques she's developed as a fiction writer to energize her science writing. This book not only brings the reader into the world of extra-terrestrial science, but is also very much about the hopes and dreams of real people. She lends a strong personal voice to the narrative, drawing the reader deep into the world of extraterrestrial study. Humans have always been fascinated with extraterrestrial life, and the book traces that interest, including the origination of the term "flying saucer." Sloan also explains why scientists don't buy it. See reviews.
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g Abodes - In part two of The Great Exoplanet Debate, the panel discusses current concepts of habitability and how they are changing. This debate comes from a plenary session hosted by Astrobiology Magazine at the 2012 Astrobiology Science Conference. See article.
g Life - Scientists have announced scientific results from an expedition to one of the most inaccessible places on Earth. The team found that a highly active community of bacteria survives in sediment at the bottom of the Mariana Trench - nearly 11 km below sea level. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In “Are We Alone? Scientists Search for Life in Space,” a rare combination of engaging narrative and factual information, Gloria Skurzynski uses techniques she's developed as a fiction writer to energize her science writing. This book not only brings the reader into the world of extra-terrestrial science, but is also very much about the hopes and dreams of real people. She lends a strong personal voice to the narrative, drawing the reader deep into the world of extraterrestrial study. Humans have always been fascinated with extraterrestrial life, and the book traces that interest, including the origination of the term "flying saucer." Sloan also explains why scientists don't buy it. See reviews.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Determining age of the ‘Methuselah Star’
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 are a step closer to timing the birth of the oldest known star with a well-determined age. This "Methuselah Star" could be as old as 14.5 billion years, which is a dilemma considering the calculated age of the Universe is only 13.8 billion years. See article.
g Abodes - A new analysis of data shows that molten rock may have been present on the Moon more recently and for longer periods than previously thought. Differentiation — a settling out of rock layers as liquid rock cools — would require thousands of years and a fluid rock sea at least six miles deep. See article.
g Message - Could humans be the only intelligent beings in all the vastness of the universe? Or are we just one humble race, a member of a vast intergalactic fraternity of advanced civilizations? SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, is the scientific quest to answer these great unknowns. See article.
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g Stars - Astronomers are a step closer to timing the birth of the oldest known star with a well-determined age. This "Methuselah Star" could be as old as 14.5 billion years, which is a dilemma considering the calculated age of the Universe is only 13.8 billion years. See article.
g Abodes - A new analysis of data shows that molten rock may have been present on the Moon more recently and for longer periods than previously thought. Differentiation — a settling out of rock layers as liquid rock cools — would require thousands of years and a fluid rock sea at least six miles deep. See article.
g Message - Could humans be the only intelligent beings in all the vastness of the universe? Or are we just one humble race, a member of a vast intergalactic fraternity of advanced civilizations? SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, is the scientific quest to answer these great unknowns. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, April 08, 2013
Little margin for error to supporting life as we know it
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 made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-size exoplanet. Their accomplishment could have implications in the search for habitable worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Life - In a new study on how elements of carbon and oxygen form, scientists have found that the universe leaves very little margin for error when it comes to supporting life as we know it. 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. This article is from 1996.
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g Abodes - Scientists have made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-size exoplanet. Their accomplishment could have implications in the search for habitable worlds around distant stars. See article.
g Life - In a new study on how elements of carbon and oxygen form, scientists have found that the universe leaves very little margin for error when it comes to supporting life as we know it. 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. This article is from 1996.
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Sunday, April 07, 2013
Studying an exoplanet’s atmosphere
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A team of international scientists including a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory astrophysicist has made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-size like planet beyond our solar system. See article.
g Intelligence - For the first time, scientists have transplanted neural cells derived from a monkey's skin into its brain and watched the cells develop into several types of mature brain cells, according to the authors of a new study. See article.
g Message - Researchers writing in an issue of Nature from a couple of years ago argue that radio signals are not the most efficient way of alerting an extraterrestrial intelligence to our existence — and that anyone out there who is trying to send out a similar message is likely to have reached the same conclusion. Here’s a downloadable NPR report on the conclusions. Note: The radio report is from 2004.
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g Abodes - A team of international scientists including a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory astrophysicist has made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-size like planet beyond our solar system. See article.
g Intelligence - For the first time, scientists have transplanted neural cells derived from a monkey's skin into its brain and watched the cells develop into several types of mature brain cells, according to the authors of a new study. See article.
g Message - Researchers writing in an issue of Nature from a couple of years ago argue that radio signals are not the most efficient way of alerting an extraterrestrial intelligence to our existence — and that anyone out there who is trying to send out a similar message is likely to have reached the same conclusion. Here’s a downloadable NPR report on the conclusions. Note: The radio report is from 2004.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, April 06, 2013
New technique unveils 10 exoplanets
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 - Thanks to a new high-tech gadget, astronomers have observed four planets orbiting a star relatively close to the sun in unprecedented detail, revealing the roughly 10 Jupiter-mass planets to be among the most exotic ones known. See article.
g Life - Researchers in northeastern Spain say they've uncovered hundreds of dinosaur egg fossils, including four kinds that had never been found before in the region. The eggs likely were left behind by sauropods millions of years ago. See article.
g Aftermath - Alien life has been one of the staples of science fiction since the origins of the genre, and Star Trek, one of its best-known examples, has hardly shied away from it. Yet, while the line above—taken from a memorable (if annoying) parody of the original series—has been indelibly linked to the Star Trek franchise, it is hardly representative of the life forms seen in its various incarnations on the big and small screen. For every unusual alien, be it a vaporous cloud or the silicon-based Horta, Star Trek featured dozens, if not hundreds, of humanoid aliens, differing from humans only through some combination of forehead ridges, crumpled noses, or pointed ears (and almost all speaking flawless English, of course.) Such are the limitations of the makeup and special effects budgets of a TV series, one might argue. Yet even the Star Wars epics, with budgets far larger than any television series, feature a menagerie of aliens not so dissimilar that they could not socialize together at the Mos Eisley cantina. See article.
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g Abodes - Thanks to a new high-tech gadget, astronomers have observed four planets orbiting a star relatively close to the sun in unprecedented detail, revealing the roughly 10 Jupiter-mass planets to be among the most exotic ones known. See article.
g Life - Researchers in northeastern Spain say they've uncovered hundreds of dinosaur egg fossils, including four kinds that had never been found before in the region. The eggs likely were left behind by sauropods millions of years ago. See article.
g Aftermath - Alien life has been one of the staples of science fiction since the origins of the genre, and Star Trek, one of its best-known examples, has hardly shied away from it. Yet, while the line above—taken from a memorable (if annoying) parody of the original series—has been indelibly linked to the Star Trek franchise, it is hardly representative of the life forms seen in its various incarnations on the big and small screen. For every unusual alien, be it a vaporous cloud or the silicon-based Horta, Star Trek featured dozens, if not hundreds, of humanoid aliens, differing from humans only through some combination of forehead ridges, crumpled noses, or pointed ears (and almost all speaking flawless English, of course.) Such are the limitations of the makeup and special effects budgets of a TV series, one might argue. Yet even the Star Wars epics, with budgets far larger than any television series, feature a menagerie of aliens not so dissimilar that they could not socialize together at the Mos Eisley cantina. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, April 05, 2013
A new third-closest star system
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Scientists have reported that a newly discovered binary star system is the third-closest star system to the Sun. In fact, the brown dwarf stars are the closest star system discovered since 1916. See article.
g Abodes - Mysterious dense bodies outside the Solar System which have puzzled astronomers for quite a while may in fact be remnants of Neptune-like planets which went too close to their Sun and got compressed. See article.
g Message - Could intelligent beings in another solar system have hidden their sun by knocking their planets apart and using the pieces to build a hollow ball around their sun? Find out more about “Dyson Spheres”.
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g Stars - Scientists have reported that a newly discovered binary star system is the third-closest star system to the Sun. In fact, the brown dwarf stars are the closest star system discovered since 1916. See article.
g Abodes - Mysterious dense bodies outside the Solar System which have puzzled astronomers for quite a while may in fact be remnants of Neptune-like planets which went too close to their Sun and got compressed. See article.
g Message - Could intelligent beings in another solar system have hidden their sun by knocking their planets apart and using the pieces to build a hollow ball around their sun? Find out more about “Dyson Spheres”.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Number of potentially habitable planets greater than previously thought
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A new study shows that the number of potentially habitable planets in the universe is greater than previously thought. The study focuses on Earth-sized planets in the habitable zones of low-mass stars. See article.
g Life - Dinosaur-era climate change study suggests reasons for turtle disappearance. See article.
g Aftermath - Here’s a neat set of lessons, designed for at-risk students: “The Plausibility of Interstellar Communication and Related Phenomena Depicted in Science Fiction Literature and the Movies.” The curriculum has four major objectives: first, to educate students to develop concepts about the proximity of our solar system in relation to other probable solar systems in the Milky Way Galaxy; second, to give students the opportunity to use these concepts to evaluate the plausibility of interstellar communication depicted in science fiction literature and movies; third, to create an opportunity for students not only to look out on the universe but to turn it inward to look at the world, their own society, and themselves as individuals; and fourth, an objective that will be integrated with all of the others is to give students to opportunity to learn and/or sharpen skills in: using the scientific method, research, reading, writing, collaboration, discussion and in critical thinking. See article.
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g Abodes - A new study shows that the number of potentially habitable planets in the universe is greater than previously thought. The study focuses on Earth-sized planets in the habitable zones of low-mass stars. See article.
g Life - Dinosaur-era climate change study suggests reasons for turtle disappearance. See article.
g Aftermath - Here’s a neat set of lessons, designed for at-risk students: “The Plausibility of Interstellar Communication and Related Phenomena Depicted in Science Fiction Literature and the Movies.” The curriculum has four major objectives: first, to educate students to develop concepts about the proximity of our solar system in relation to other probable solar systems in the Milky Way Galaxy; second, to give students the opportunity to use these concepts to evaluate the plausibility of interstellar communication depicted in science fiction literature and movies; third, to create an opportunity for students not only to look out on the universe but to turn it inward to look at the world, their own society, and themselves as individuals; and fourth, an objective that will be integrated with all of the others is to give students to opportunity to learn and/or sharpen skills in: using the scientific method, research, reading, writing, collaboration, discussion and in critical thinking. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Key features in proteins needed for life to function on Mars
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - A new study shows that the Earth is warmer today than it has been during 70 to 80 percent of the last 11,300 years. The findings could help astrobiologists understand what's in store for the future of life on our planet. See article.
g Life - New research has revealed key features in proteins needed for life to function on Mars and other extreme environments. Scientists found subtle but significant differences between the core proteins in ordinary organisms and organisms that survive in the extreme conditions of Antarctica. 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.
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g Abodes - A new study shows that the Earth is warmer today than it has been during 70 to 80 percent of the last 11,300 years. The findings could help astrobiologists understand what's in store for the future of life on our planet. See article.
g Life - New research has revealed key features in proteins needed for life to function on Mars and other extreme environments. Scientists found subtle but significant differences between the core proteins in ordinary organisms and organisms that survive in the extreme conditions of Antarctica. 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, April 02, 2013
Evidence that ancient Mars could have supported living microbes
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 analysis of a rock sample collected by NASA's Curiosity rover shows ancient Mars could have supported living microbes. The sample came from sedimentary rock near an ancient stream bed and contained some of the key chemical ingredients for life. See article.
g Life - Last week, reports began to emerge that scientists had discovered a previously unknown bacteria in samples from Antarctica’s Lake Vostok. Word quickly spread throughout the blogosphere, but the bacteria in question is likely just a contaminant. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In “Is Anyone Out There?”, by Frank Drake, Dava Sobel, University of California astronomy and astrophysics professor Drake, aided by science journalist Sobel, responds to the title's classic question with an account of his career-long quest to gamer hard scientific data that might point to some answers. One of America's pioneer radio astronomers, Drake provides firsthand descriptions of breakthrough moments in the past 30 years of astrophysics - no encounters of any kind, just straightforward astrophysics with inconclusive experimental results. Drake's medium is science, his theory technical and his slightly anthropocentric conclusions more modest than those of the average UFO abductee.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - An analysis of a rock sample collected by NASA's Curiosity rover shows ancient Mars could have supported living microbes. The sample came from sedimentary rock near an ancient stream bed and contained some of the key chemical ingredients for life. See article.
g Life - Last week, reports began to emerge that scientists had discovered a previously unknown bacteria in samples from Antarctica’s Lake Vostok. Word quickly spread throughout the blogosphere, but the bacteria in question is likely just a contaminant. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In “Is Anyone Out There?”, by Frank Drake, Dava Sobel, University of California astronomy and astrophysics professor Drake, aided by science journalist Sobel, responds to the title's classic question with an account of his career-long quest to gamer hard scientific data that might point to some answers. One of America's pioneer radio astronomers, Drake provides firsthand descriptions of breakthrough moments in the past 30 years of astrophysics - no encounters of any kind, just straightforward astrophysics with inconclusive experimental results. Drake's medium is science, his theory technical and his slightly anthropocentric conclusions more modest than those of the average UFO abductee.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, April 01, 2013
Higgs Boson particle discovered
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - Physicists say they believe they have discovered the subatomic particle predicted nearly a half-century ago, which will go a long way toward explaining what gives electrons and all matter in the universe size and shape. See article.
g Abodes - Airborne geophysical surveys have been used to identify a 470-million-year-old meteorite crater near Decorah, Iowa in the United States. See article.
g Message - Since the beginning of astronomical observation, science has been viewing light on a curve. In a galaxy filled with thousands of eclipsing binary stars, we've refined our skills by measuring the brightness or intensity of so-called variable star as a function of time. The result is known as a "light curve." Through this type of study, we've discovered size, distance and orbital speed of stellar bodies and refined our ability to detect planetary bodies orbiting distant suns. Here on Earth, most of the time it's impossible for us to resolve such small objects even with the most powerful of telescopes, because their size is less than one pixel in the detector. But new research should let us determine the shape of an object... like a ringed planet, or an orbiting alien space station. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - Physicists say they believe they have discovered the subatomic particle predicted nearly a half-century ago, which will go a long way toward explaining what gives electrons and all matter in the universe size and shape. See article.
g Abodes - Airborne geophysical surveys have been used to identify a 470-million-year-old meteorite crater near Decorah, Iowa in the United States. See article.
g Message - Since the beginning of astronomical observation, science has been viewing light on a curve. In a galaxy filled with thousands of eclipsing binary stars, we've refined our skills by measuring the brightness or intensity of so-called variable star as a function of time. The result is known as a "light curve." Through this type of study, we've discovered size, distance and orbital speed of stellar bodies and refined our ability to detect planetary bodies orbiting distant suns. Here on Earth, most of the time it's impossible for us to resolve such small objects even with the most powerful of telescopes, because their size is less than one pixel in the detector. But new research should let us determine the shape of an object... like a ringed planet, or an orbiting alien space station. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Expanding the habitable zone
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 - At the 2012 Astrobiology Science Conference, Astrobiology Magazine hosted a plenary session titled: “Expanding the Habitable Zone. The Hunt for Exoplanets Now and Into the Future.” See article.
g Life - When it comes to life across the cosmos, the universe might just be an "awful waste of space" after all. See article.
g Message - Several big hunts are seeking radio and laser emissions from other civilizations. From Project Phoenix to SETI@home, here's a complete rundown of all the searches now under way or recently conducted. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - At the 2012 Astrobiology Science Conference, Astrobiology Magazine hosted a plenary session titled: “Expanding the Habitable Zone. The Hunt for Exoplanets Now and Into the Future.” See article.
g Life - When it comes to life across the cosmos, the universe might just be an "awful waste of space" after all. See article.
g Message - Several big hunts are seeking radio and laser emissions from other civilizations. From Project Phoenix to SETI@home, here's a complete rundown of all the searches now under way or recently conducted. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Life thriving in acid
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Life - Scientists are trying to understand how a single-celled alga can thrive in different extreme environments using multiple strategies to survive. The organism uses photosynthesis when living in the hot springs of Yellowstone, but feeds on bacteria when inhabiting dark, caustic mineshaft drainage. See article.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? Here’s a good primer for those looking to get a basic overview.
g Cosmicus - On April 17, scientists will venture to Washington D.C. to present research as part of NASA's Technology Day on the Hill. One project focuses on protecting the Earth from asteroids using a 'one-two' nuclear punch. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Life - Scientists are trying to understand how a single-celled alga can thrive in different extreme environments using multiple strategies to survive. The organism uses photosynthesis when living in the hot springs of Yellowstone, but feeds on bacteria when inhabiting dark, caustic mineshaft drainage. See article.
g Message - Just how does SETI work? Here’s a good primer for those looking to get a basic overview.
g Cosmicus - On April 17, scientists will venture to Washington D.C. to present research as part of NASA's Technology Day on the Hill. One project focuses on protecting the Earth from asteroids using a 'one-two' nuclear punch. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, March 29, 2013
How gas giants form
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 theoretical model is providing clues to how the gas giant planets in our solar system - Jupiter and Saturn - might have formed and evolved. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In “Are We Alone in the Cosmos? The Search for Alien Contact in the New Millenium,” edited by Byron Preiss and Ben Bova, major scientists involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, explain their work and reveal their thoughts. Joining them are some of the best speculative thinkers, from Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov to Gregory Benford, who address the major philosophical questions involved. See reviews.
g Cosmicus - Comet 2013 A1 (Siding Spring) will make a very close approach to Mars in October 2014. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - A new theoretical model is providing clues to how the gas giant planets in our solar system - Jupiter and Saturn - might have formed and evolved. See article.
g Message - Book alert: In “Are We Alone in the Cosmos? The Search for Alien Contact in the New Millenium,” edited by Byron Preiss and Ben Bova, major scientists involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, explain their work and reveal their thoughts. Joining them are some of the best speculative thinkers, from Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov to Gregory Benford, who address the major philosophical questions involved. See reviews.
g Cosmicus - Comet 2013 A1 (Siding Spring) will make a very close approach to Mars in October 2014. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Best chance of picking up ETI signals
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Life - Researchers have uncovered important genetic clues about the history of archaea and the origins of life itself. The new study may indicate that the ability to make DNA formed late in life's evolution on Earth. See article.
g Message - Our best chance of picking up a broadcast from intelligent aliens is when the Earth is closest to being directly between our Sun and the transmitting alien star. See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
g Cosmicus - The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is one of the most powerful available to astronomers, but sometimes it too needs a helping hand. This comes in the form of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Life - Researchers have uncovered important genetic clues about the history of archaea and the origins of life itself. The new study may indicate that the ability to make DNA formed late in life's evolution on Earth. See article.
g Message - Our best chance of picking up a broadcast from intelligent aliens is when the Earth is closest to being directly between our Sun and the transmitting alien star. See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
g Cosmicus - The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is one of the most powerful available to astronomers, but sometimes it too needs a helping hand. This comes in the form of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Where we’re likely to find ET
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Stars - A variety of new findings point to the "habitable zones" where we're likely to find extraterrestrials. See article.
g Life - A new experiment simulating conditions in deep space reveals that the complex building blocks of life could have been created on icy interplanetary dust and then carried to Earth, jump-starting life. See article.
g Message - In 1967, a small group of radio astronomers in the United Kingdom had stumbled upon clock-precision radio pulses coming from deep space. The signal was unlike anything ever seen before or even predicted in astronomy. In the absence of a natural explanation, the researchers pondered, for three long weeks, whether this was really a “hello” from an extraterrestrial civilization. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Stars - A variety of new findings point to the "habitable zones" where we're likely to find extraterrestrials. See article.
g Life - A new experiment simulating conditions in deep space reveals that the complex building blocks of life could have been created on icy interplanetary dust and then carried to Earth, jump-starting life. See article.
g Message - In 1967, a small group of radio astronomers in the United Kingdom had stumbled upon clock-precision radio pulses coming from deep space. The signal was unlike anything ever seen before or even predicted in astronomy. In the absence of a natural explanation, the researchers pondered, for three long weeks, whether this was really a “hello” from an extraterrestrial civilization. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Europa’s salty ocean
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 using data from the W. M. Keck Observatory have found the strongest evidence yet that salty water from the vast liquid ocean beneath Europa’s frozen exterior actually makes its way to the surface. See article.
g Intelligence - A study published in the February 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that children and adolescents with major depression or subthreshold forms of bipolar disorder - and who had at least one first-degree relative with bipolar disorder - responded better to a 12-session family-focused treatment than to a briefer educational treatment. See article.
g Message - Here’s a classic essay on SETI: Carl Sagan’s “The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence”.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Scientists using data from the W. M. Keck Observatory have found the strongest evidence yet that salty water from the vast liquid ocean beneath Europa’s frozen exterior actually makes its way to the surface. See article.
g Intelligence - A study published in the February 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that children and adolescents with major depression or subthreshold forms of bipolar disorder - and who had at least one first-degree relative with bipolar disorder - responded better to a 12-session family-focused treatment than to a briefer educational treatment. See article.
g Message - Here’s a classic essay on SETI: Carl Sagan’s “The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence”.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Monday, March 25, 2013
How solar systems evolve
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 are uncovering new information about how the Solar System evolved by studying the origins of different isotope ratios among the elements that make up objects like planets and moons in our system. See article.
g Intelligence - The discovery and analysis of an extremely rare African American Y chromosome pushes back the time of the most recent common ancestor for the Y chromosome lineage tree to 338,000 years ago. This time predates the age of the oldest known anatomically modern human fossils. See article.
g Message - In 1961, astronomer Frank Drake wrote the equation that put the search for alien civilizations on a scientific footing and launched the modern SETI movement. How do the numbers look today? See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Scientists are uncovering new information about how the Solar System evolved by studying the origins of different isotope ratios among the elements that make up objects like planets and moons in our system. See article.
g Intelligence - The discovery and analysis of an extremely rare African American Y chromosome pushes back the time of the most recent common ancestor for the Y chromosome lineage tree to 338,000 years ago. This time predates the age of the oldest known anatomically modern human fossils. See article.
g Message - In 1961, astronomer Frank Drake wrote the equation that put the search for alien civilizations on a scientific footing and launched the modern SETI movement. How do the numbers look today? See article. Note: This article is from 2002.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Exomoon habitability
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 - Exomoons – moons of alien planets – have many hurdles to habitability, such as eclipses and tidal heating, that are different from the planets they orbit. See article.
g Life - New research examines how primitive cells could have evolved without structures like protein machinery or cell walls. The study could shed light on how the earliest forms of cellular life on Earth may have replicated. See article.
g Message - Here’s a neat Web site: “Interstellar Messaging.” You’ll find discussion, history and real-world examples of mankind's methods and ongoing attempts to communicate with extraterrestrials. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Exomoons – moons of alien planets – have many hurdles to habitability, such as eclipses and tidal heating, that are different from the planets they orbit. See article.
g Life - New research examines how primitive cells could have evolved without structures like protein machinery or cell walls. The study could shed light on how the earliest forms of cellular life on Earth may have replicated. See article.
g Message - Here’s a neat Web site: “Interstellar Messaging.” You’ll find discussion, history and real-world examples of mankind's methods and ongoing attempts to communicate with extraterrestrials. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Swinging rocky exoplanets
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 - Rocky extrasolar planets thought to be half frozen and half scorched might instead rock back and forth, creating large swaths of twilight with temperatures suitable for life. See article.
g Intelligence - New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. A team at the University of Copenhagen have tracked down a genetic mutation which took place 6-10,000 years ago and is the cause of the eye colour of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today. See article.
g Cosmicus - A proposed space-junk removal system would hop from one piece of debris to the next without burning much fuel, potentially making a de-clutter mission economically feasible with current technologiy. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - Rocky extrasolar planets thought to be half frozen and half scorched might instead rock back and forth, creating large swaths of twilight with temperatures suitable for life. See article.
g Intelligence - New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. A team at the University of Copenhagen have tracked down a genetic mutation which took place 6-10,000 years ago and is the cause of the eye colour of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today. See article.
g Cosmicus - A proposed space-junk removal system would hop from one piece of debris to the next without burning much fuel, potentially making a de-clutter mission economically feasible with current technologiy. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Friday, March 22, 2013
Atmospheric changes caused Snowball Earth
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g Abodes - New research might help explain how Earth sprung back after a period of extensive glaciation known as Snowball Earth. The key may have been significant changes in the atmospheric conditions on the planet. See article.
g Intelligence - The interplay between an infection during pregnancy and stress in puberty plays a key role in the development of schizophrenia, as behaviourists from ETH Zurich demonstrate in a mouse model. However, there is no need to panic. See article.
g Imagining - Book alert: What would life on other planets look like? Forget the little green men, alien life is likely to be completely unrecognizable - we haven’t even discovered all the life on our own planet. The visionary “Evolving the Alien: The Science of Extraterrestrial Life,” by Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart, offers some of the most radical but scientifically accurate thinking on the possibility of life on other planets ever conceived. Using broad principles of Earthly biology and expanding on them laterally, Cohen and Stewart examine what could be out there. Redefining our whole concept of what ‘life’ is, they ask whether aliens could live on the surface of a star, in the vacuum of space or beneath the ice of a frozen moon. And whether life could exist without carbon or DNA – or even without matter at all. They also look at ‘celebrity aliens’ from books and films – most of which are biologically impossible. Jack Cohen is an ‘alien consultant’ to many writers, advising what an alien could and couldn’t look like. (E.T. go home – you do not pass the test). But this book is as much about the latest discoveries in Earthly biology as well as life on other planets. It’s a serious yet entertaining science book. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - New research might help explain how Earth sprung back after a period of extensive glaciation known as Snowball Earth. The key may have been significant changes in the atmospheric conditions on the planet. See article.
g Intelligence - The interplay between an infection during pregnancy and stress in puberty plays a key role in the development of schizophrenia, as behaviourists from ETH Zurich demonstrate in a mouse model. However, there is no need to panic. See article.
g Imagining - Book alert: What would life on other planets look like? Forget the little green men, alien life is likely to be completely unrecognizable - we haven’t even discovered all the life on our own planet. The visionary “Evolving the Alien: The Science of Extraterrestrial Life,” by Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart, offers some of the most radical but scientifically accurate thinking on the possibility of life on other planets ever conceived. Using broad principles of Earthly biology and expanding on them laterally, Cohen and Stewart examine what could be out there. Redefining our whole concept of what ‘life’ is, they ask whether aliens could live on the surface of a star, in the vacuum of space or beneath the ice of a frozen moon. And whether life could exist without carbon or DNA – or even without matter at all. They also look at ‘celebrity aliens’ from books and films – most of which are biologically impossible. Jack Cohen is an ‘alien consultant’ to many writers, advising what an alien could and couldn’t look like. (E.T. go home – you do not pass the test). But this book is as much about the latest discoveries in Earthly biology as well as life on other planets. It’s a serious yet entertaining science book. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Thursday, March 21, 2013
‘Contact: Culture of the Imagination’ conference
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 model suggests that inhospitable hydrodgen-sulphide rich waters could have delayed the spread of complex life forms in ancient oceans. The research, published online this week in the journal Nature Communications, considers the composition of the oceans from 550 million to 700 million years ago and shows that oxygen-poor toxic conditions, which may have delayed the establishment of complex life, were controlled by the biological availability of nitrogen. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity that examines if yeast, a common yet tenacious microbe, can survive boiling water, salt, UV radiation and citric acid? Students find out for themselves by creating "Planets in a Bottle" which illustrate extreme conditions on other worlds. See articles.
g Aftermath - An intriguing conference begins today 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. See http://www.contact-conference.com/.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
g Abodes - A new model suggests that inhospitable hydrodgen-sulphide rich waters could have delayed the spread of complex life forms in ancient oceans. The research, published online this week in the journal Nature Communications, considers the composition of the oceans from 550 million to 700 million years ago and shows that oxygen-poor toxic conditions, which may have delayed the establishment of complex life, were controlled by the biological availability of nitrogen. See article.
g Learning - Here’s a neat classroom activity that examines if yeast, a common yet tenacious microbe, can survive boiling water, salt, UV radiation and citric acid? Students find out for themselves by creating "Planets in a Bottle" which illustrate extreme conditions on other worlds. See articles.
g Aftermath - An intriguing conference begins today 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. See http://www.contact-conference.com/.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
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