Tag Archives: Alien Life

Extremophiles: life finds a way

Posted on April 28, 2023 by 7smessier45

I remember first learning about extremophiles back in the sixth grade. Back then, I was fascinated by life’s ability to find a way to survive even in the ‘worst’ conditions. Now that I’m older, I am no less fascinated by these amazing organisms, their ability to thrive, and their connection to astronomy. (I only recently […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Extremophiles: life finds a way

Life on Europa?

Posted on May 4, 2021 by connorrobbwilcox

There is life in all forms throughout the world. Even in the most remote places with the most extreme conditions we have seen life not only survive but thrive. This makes us wonder, could there be life on possible habitable worlds? NASA put this to the test by conducting an infrared (IR) signature of oneContinue reading “Life on Europa?” Continue reading →

Posted in Aliens, Class | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Life on Europa?

Life on Earth

Posted on May 4, 2021 by lauryn28

In my last blog post I would like to discuss some of the things I’ve found most interesting in the course of the semester. As this class has come to an end, I’ve found myself more and more astounded by how our Solar System formed than ever before, specifically the ability of Earth to sustainContinue reading “Life on Earth” Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Life on Earth

The Fermi Paradox and the Great Filter

Posted on May 4, 2021 by lauryn28

According to Kardashev scale, proposed by astronomer Nikolai Kardashev, there are three types of civilizations. Type I has the ability to use the energy of their planet, Type II can use the energy of their host star and Type III can access an amount of power comparable to an entire galaxy. Based on the extremely largeContinue reading “The Fermi Paradox and the Great Filter” Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Fermi Paradox and the Great Filter

Exoplanet HD 189733b

Posted on April 10, 2016 by chasejaeger

Around 63 light years away form Earth sits the exoplanet HD 189733b. The planet has a mass of 1.13 Jupiter masses and orbits its star closer than Mercury orbits the Sun. Seen from afar, this planet is blue in color and has bands of white haze in its atmosphere that resemble clouds. Though HD 189733b […] Continue reading →

Posted in Exoplanets | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Exoplanet HD 189733b

New Horizon’s Approaches Pluto: So What?

Posted on April 28, 2015 by agiantchicken

NASA’s New Horizon’s spacecraft is only three months approaching Pluto, and for the first time, we have a true color picture of the Pluto/Charon dwarf planet system. As I sit here typing this, I say, “so what?” Well, it turns out that this is the first time that any spacecraft has traveled so long and […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Exoplanets | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on New Horizon’s Approaches Pluto: So What?

NASA’s NExSS Project to Lead the Way for the Search for Alien Life

Posted on April 28, 2015 by agiantchicken

NASA is currently assembling a group that it plans to call the Nexus for Exoplanet System Science (NExSS), which will be a group of specialists from various scientific fields in hopes to study the nature of exoplanets and figure out if some might be suitable for life. Currently the project has garnered support among planetary and […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Exoplanets | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on NASA’s NExSS Project to Lead the Way for the Search for Alien Life

Europa Report

Posted on April 27, 2015 by conorastr201

This past weekend, I watched a movie on Netflix called Europa Report. The movie was a detailed the gripping journey of six people on their trip Europa with the sole mission of confirming or denying the existence of life on Jupiter’s moon Europa. Not only was this a great, well done film, but it also touched on […] Continue reading →

Posted in Aliens | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Europa Report

The deep blue under the crust

Posted on March 16, 2015 by farhannshabab

NASA’s Cassini mission scientists announced recently that Saturn’s sixth-largest moon, Enceladus, has a warm ocean at its southern pole. The ocean is 9.7 km deep and resides under the moon’s icy crust of about 40 km. Tiny grains of rock were detected by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft near Saturn. This indicates that there may be hydrothermal […] Continue reading →

Posted in Aliens | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The deep blue under the crust