Planetary Formation In The Early Solar System And Would There Be Wars Between Extraterrestrial Civilizations

Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here's today's news:

g ABODES -By comparing the composition of meteorites and planets like Earth and Mars, scientists are providing clues about planetary formation in the early solar system. The study also reveals how some of Earth's rarest metals may have come from space. See article.

g LIFE - Tons, perhaps tens of tons, of carbon molecules in dust particles and meteorites fall on Earth daily. Meteorites are especially valuable to astronomers because they provide relatively big chunks of carbon molecules that are easily analyzed in the laboratory. In the past few years, researchers have noticed that most meteorite carbon are molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are very stable compounds and are survivors. See article.

g MESSAGE -A 12-inch gold plated copper disk containing recorded sounds and images representing human cultures and life on Earth - intended for extraterrestrial eyes and ears - is traveling about the galaxy. See article. Note; This article is from 1996.

g COSMICUS -Three Chinese astronauts landed safely back on earth on Sunday after a 68-hour voyage and space walk that showcased the country's technological mastery and were hailed as a major victory by its leaders. See article.

g IMAGINING -Would there be wars between extraterrestrial civilizations? Here's one common man's thoughts and a string of responses in a forum.

g AFTERMATH - Let's presume we have detected an extraterrestrial intelligence. We cannot tell for sure if the message was intended for us, or what it means. What should we do? Here are some speculations.