New Planets Discovered And Strangers In The Night

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

g STARS - What is the habitable zone for the nearby star GJ 1061?

g ABODES - There is a lot of new territory out there in the cosmos, but nothing you would want to pitch camp on - yet. See article.

g MESSAGE - Book alert: The father-son team of David E. Fisher and Marshall Jon Fisher brings the study of extraterrestrial life down to earth in "Strangers in the Night: Brief History of Life on Other Worlds," an informative and entertaining book. In the anecdotal style that is their hallmark, the Fishers trace humankind's attempts to discover life on other worlds. This informative and entertaining book tells the story of humankind's attempts throughout history to discover extraterrestrial life. See article.

g LEARNING - A Vatican cardinal in 2005 said the faithful should listen to what secular modern science has to offer, warning that religion risks turning into "fundamentalism' if it ignores scientific reason. See article.

g IMAGINING - Like stories about alien anthropology and cultures? Then be sure to read James Blish's classic novel "A Case of Conscience" (1958), in which he explores if original sin exists among the Lithians. See article.

g AFTERMATH - Though an older Web posting, "After Contact, Then What?" shows how little we've thought about this question.

Categories: aliens, islam: empire of faith, reptiloid