g STARS - In January 2002, a dull star in an obscure constellation suddenly became the brightest star in our Milky Way galaxy. The mysterious star's three-dimensional structure of dust-shells provided the Hubble telescope with a glimpse of an aging star's 15 minutes of fame. See article. Note: This article is from 2003.
g ABODES - New research found that phytoplankton population and size can change dramatically due to the physical processes associated with the climate phenomena known as El Ni~no and La Ni~na. In turn, these changes not only affect ocean ecology, but also influence our climate by impacting carbon storage in the ocean. See article.
g LIFE - A parrot has grasped the concept of zero, something humans can't do until at least the toddler phase, researchers say. See article.
g INTELLIGENCE - Children who use "baby talk" for too long may be showing signs of language delay, one expert warns. See article.
g MESSAGE - Book alert: Scour your used book store shelves for "Life Beyond Earth," by Timothy Ferris. Rock-solid science writer Ferris has covered this ground before. In the two-hour PBS documentary that he wrote and narrated - which shares the title, text, and many of the images of this generously illustrated book - Ferris tackles two age-old questions about the potentially universal nature of life: Are we alone, and, if not, is anybody listening? See reviews.
g COSMICUS - If you are serious about seeing humanity become a spacefaring civilization, please join The Planetary Society - the largest nonprofit, nongovernmental space advocacy group on the planet. See website.
g LEARNING - Here's a neat classroom activity: "Building a Droid." Inspired by the science fiction classics "Star Wars" and "Star Trek," NASA scientists are building a robotic helper for astronauts; in this lesson, students learn about the latest droid research. See activity.
g IMAGINING - Like stories about alien biologies/environments? Be sure to read A.E. VanVogt's "Voyage of the Space Beagle" (1939;1950), which include classic encounters with BEMs. See reviews.
g AFTERMATH - What are the challenges to comprehension in initiating and maintaining strategic dialogue in highly uncertain situations - such as with extraterrestrials? See article.
