What is Life?

http://www.astrobio.net/news/article2176.html

At the Astrobiology Science Conference last March, Astrobiology Magazine
organized a debate about alien life. Using Peter Ward’s book, “Life As We Do Not
Know It” as a launching pad, the participants debated everything from how to
define “life” to what kind of strange aliens we can expect to find in our
explorations. In part three of this seven-part series, Pam Conrad touches on the
practical aspects of searching for life, while Carol Cleland takes a more
philosophical approach.

A Resilient Robot

http://www.astrobio.net/news/article2174.html

Researchers have developed an advanced robot that can adapt when damaged or when
its environment changes. The technology could prove useful on future space
exploration missions.

Answering Darwin's Dilemma

http://www.astrobio.net/news/article2173.html

Scientists have found that the appearance of large animals in the Earth's
history may coincide with a huge increase of oxygen in the world's oceans. The
research yields further clues about how life has interacted with and evolved
alongside the planet's changing environment.

Archaea, the Bug Next Door?

http://www.astrobio.net/news/article2172.html

From hot springs to rice farms, scientists reveal new insights into the secret
lives of archaea. Certain archaea can inhabit some of the harshest environments
on Earth and provide insights into how life might survive on other planets.

Friday, December 15

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