April 2006

April 2006

Water, water every where...

Well, maybe not everywhere, but the possibility of liquid water - with its potential for past and/or present life - is being discovered in our galactic backyard: right here in our own solar system. Mars, Europa, and now Saturn's moon Enceladus have direct or indirect evidence of the wet stuff that could allow life to flourish.

Missions of discovery to these worlds are threatened by proposed cuts to NASA's space sciences budget.

FAQtoids

What is Astrobiology?

It is the science that drives space exploration.

Astrobiology addresses three fundamental questions:

How does life begin and evolve?
Does life exist elsewhere in the universe?
What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?

Research Highlights

"Habstars" - the most likely suns to host extraterrestrial life. Margaret Turnbull (Carnegie Institute of Washington) has chosen the top 5 candidate stars for a SETI search. Her research distills the "HabCat", a list of over 17,000 possible habitable stars published in 2003 by Turnbull and Jill Tarter. The top star? Beta CVn, a sun-like star about 26 light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici-the Hound Dogs.

Friedemann Freund is featured in a news report on earthquake prediction.

Sightings

April 7, 2006
Commonwealth Club - Friedemann Freund presents "When the Earth Speaks - the Story of Pre-Earthquake Signals".

April 10, 2006
San Jose State University - Seminar with Nathalie Cabrol

April 10-14, 2006
Conference on World Affairs - Seth Shostak participates in several panel discussions.

April 26, 2006
Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series - Ron Marzke from San Francisco State University speaks on News from the Distant Past: How Galaxies Tell Their Stories

April 29, 2006
Bruce Museum of Arts and Sciences - Nathalie Cabrol lectures on Exploring the Limits of Life in the Highest Lakes on Earth.

May 1, 2006
University of Delaware - Seth Shostak talks about SETI and I.D.

May 2, 2006
Naperville Astronomical Association - Jill Tarter lectures on SETI

May 3, 2006
Fermilab - Jill Tarter speaks about SETI for the Colloquium Series

May 4-5, 2006
Williams College - a variety of talks are given by Seth Shostak

May 4-7, 2006
International Space Development Conference

May 6, 2006
California Academy of Sciences - Jill Tarter is featured on Astronomy Day

May 6, 2006
Exploration Place - Peter Backus celebrates Astronomy Day

May 21-25, 2006
American Society for Microbiology - Rocco Mancinelli participates

For more information about these and other events, check out the SETI Institute Events Calendar

Are We Alone? - the SETI Insitute's Science Radio Show

Upcoming shows:
Aliens Ready for Their Close-Up
LIfe Back Then
Robot Uprising

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The SETI Institute is the foremost scientific research institution focused on life in the universe in all of its possible forms. Show your support for astrobiology research and become a member today!

Links

Astrobiology in the U.S. - Map	Europa
Astrobiology Information	Freund Earthquake Video
Beta Canum Venaticorum (Beta CVn)	Habstars
"Cold Faithful" - Enceladus Geyser Video	Mars Exploration
8 Worlds Where Life Might Exist	NASA Budget
Enceladus

SETI Institute Quick Links

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Events Calendar	Center for SETI Research
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