Fw: Latest News from the Astrobiology Magazine

[LARRY KLAES]

----- Original Message ----- From: Astrobiology Magazine To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 5:34 AM Subject: Latest News from the Astrobiology Magazine The Origins Umbrella http://www.astrobio.net/news/article1414.html In Part One in the series on stellar and terrestrial evolution, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Director of the Hayden Planetarium and host of the PBS/NOVA Series "Origins", describes the origin and evolution of astrobiology and its public interpretations. Does Titan Rain Methane? http://www.astrobio.net/news/article1413.html As director of the Planetary Science Laboratory in the University of Michigan College of Engineering, Professor Sushil Atreya discusses the fate of carbon-based transformations on Titan. In this initial interview, Atreya describes why methane on Mars means different things to what might be happening on Titan. Floating Planets Put in their Place http://www.astrobio.net/news/article1412.html According to new results from a powerful southern sky telescope, astronomers may have overestimated the number of young "brown dwarfs" and "free floating" extrasolar planets. Brown dwarfs are objects 75 times more massive than Jupiter but not massive enough to burn as stars. If young objects identified as brown dwarfs are twice as massive as has been thought, many actually are low mass stars. Objects recently identified as 'free-floating' planets are in turn likely just low mass brown dwarfs. Clockwork Orange Planet http://www.astrobio.net/news/article1411.html As the MER rovers blow out the candle on their one-year anniversary, they continue to make new discoveries on the Red Planet. How long they'll keep running is an open question, but NASA has several programs in the works for an encore. Wednesday, January 26 ------------------------ For more astrobiology news, visit http://www.astrobio.net To unsubscribe, send subject UNSUBSCRIBE to [EMAIL PROTECTED]