This is good reading
 |
| You are being lied to |
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
The First Ones
There’s a lot of potentially habitable worlds in the Universe, and yet we haven’t found any evidence of intelligent civilizations other than our own. Why is that? Lot’s of ideas have been proposed, such as the idea that aliens are being intentionally silent, or that intelligent life kills itself off in a short time. But another idea is simply that we’re the first civilization to appear.
Someone has to be first, so why not us?
It’s generally thought that the existence of intelligent life should become more likely over time. As the Universe evolves, more heavy elements are created and become available, and stellar systems with heavy elements (like our solar system) are more likely to form. Life also takes time to arise and evolve, and over time it has a greater chance of achieving the complexity necessary for intelligence. So it seems reasonable that the odds of sentient life increase with cosmic age. Of course, after trillions of years star production will have died off, and even small red dwarfs will start to cool and fade, meaning that the likelihood of life arising at that point is basically zero. So somewhere between the big bang and the ends of time there should be a period of time where intelligent life is most likely to evolve.
A new paper looks at just when this “peak sentience” might occur. In this work they formulate an equation calculating the probability for life to form on a potentially habitable planet in a particular volume of space. It’s similar to the Drake equation, and includes similar factors such as the number of stars, and the number of habitable planets, but looks at how the overall probability changes over time. All things being equal (and only assuming life similar to that on Earth) the equation predicts that life is most likely to arise about 10 trillion years from now around small red dwarfs. In the grand scheme of things, the appearance of life on Earth occurred quite early, so we might just be the first civilization to arise. All that said, there are reasons not to take this work too seriously.
Key to the conclusion is the idea that all things are equal. Specifically that potentially habitable planets around small red dwarfs are just as likely to have life than Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars. That skews the data a bit, because small red dwarfs are much, much more common than stars like our Sun. But red dwarfs are also known to have large solar flares that could seriously harm any life on a close planet, and red dwarfs are so cool that habitable worlds would need to be very close to the star. So close that they would likely be tidally locked, with one side always facing toward the star.
It’s quite likely that red dwarfs aren't very life friendly, so they really shouldn't be included in the tally. If you just include Sun-like stars, then the peak occurs roughly around now, which would mean life on Earth could be rather typical, and arose at a pretty typical time. So this work doesn't answer the question of where life is out there as much as it raises an interesting question about the origin of life over time. Still, it’s fun to imagine that trillions of years from now an alien species might find remnants of a great intergalactic civilization they refer to as the first ones, never knowing that we called ourselves human. Brian Koberlein
 |
| The first ones |
A new paper looks at just when this “peak sentience” might occur. In this work they formulate an equation calculating the probability for life to form on a potentially habitable planet in a particular volume of space. It’s similar to the Drake equation, and includes similar factors such as the number of stars, and the number of habitable planets, but looks at how the overall probability changes over time. All things being equal (and only assuming life similar to that on Earth) the equation predicts that life is most likely to arise about 10 trillion years from now around small red dwarfs. In the grand scheme of things, the appearance of life on Earth occurred quite early, so we might just be the first civilization to arise. All that said, there are reasons not to take this work too seriously.
Key to the conclusion is the idea that all things are equal. Specifically that potentially habitable planets around small red dwarfs are just as likely to have life than Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars. That skews the data a bit, because small red dwarfs are much, much more common than stars like our Sun. But red dwarfs are also known to have large solar flares that could seriously harm any life on a close planet, and red dwarfs are so cool that habitable worlds would need to be very close to the star. So close that they would likely be tidally locked, with one side always facing toward the star.
It’s quite likely that red dwarfs aren't very life friendly, so they really shouldn't be included in the tally. If you just include Sun-like stars, then the peak occurs roughly around now, which would mean life on Earth could be rather typical, and arose at a pretty typical time. So this work doesn't answer the question of where life is out there as much as it raises an interesting question about the origin of life over time. Still, it’s fun to imagine that trillions of years from now an alien species might find remnants of a great intergalactic civilization they refer to as the first ones, never knowing that we called ourselves human. Brian Koberlein
Alien Megastructure In Space Theory Reignited
The first signs of this space oddity came from NASA’s planet-hunting Kepler space telescope, which continually watched the star’s region of the sky between 2009 and 2013. Most planet-hosting stars show small, regular dips in light when their planets pass in front of them. But Tabby’s star dipped erratically throughout the four years, sometimes losing as much as 20 per cent of its brightness.
In September 2015, a team led by Tabetha Boyajian of Yale University, who lends the star its informal name, tried to make sense of this unusual signal. Ultimately they determined that dust from a large cloud of comets was the best explanation.
A month later, the star made headlines across the globe thanks to a paper by Jason Wright of Pennsylvania State University and his colleagues, who suggested that “alien megastructures”, such as satellites designed to collect light from the star, could be responsible for the signal.
While the prospect of aliens was first launched by Penn State astronomer Jason Wright, almost everyone in the astronomy community agreed that the chances that this was the case were "very low."
Now, the latest investigations into this strange star by Louisiana State University astronomer Bradley Schaefer have reignited the alien theory, New Scientist reported.
Now Bradley Schaefer of Louisiana State University has discovered that the mystery goes even further. When Boyajian’s team studied the star, they looked at data from a Harvard University archive of digitally scanned photographic plates of the sky from the past century or so to see if the star had behaved unusually in the past, but found nothing.
Schaefer decided this unusual star deserved a second look. He averaged the data in five-year bins to look for slow, long-term trends, and found that the star faded by about 20 per cent between 1890 and 1989. “The basic effect is small and not obvious,” he says.
To confirm the fade was real, Schaefer went to Harvard to look at the original photographic plates and inspected them by eye for changes, a skill few astronomers possess these days. “Since no one uses photographic plates any more, it’s basically a lost art,” says Wright. “Schaefer is an expert at this stuff.”
Schaefer saw the same century-long dimming in his manual readings, and calculated that it would require 648,000 comets, each 200 kilometres wide, to have passed by the star – completely implausible, he says.
In September 2015, a team led by Tabetha Boyajian of Yale University, who lends the star its informal name, tried to make sense of this unusual signal. Ultimately they determined that dust from a large cloud of comets was the best explanation.
A month later, the star made headlines across the globe thanks to a paper by Jason Wright of Pennsylvania State University and his colleagues, who suggested that “alien megastructures”, such as satellites designed to collect light from the star, could be responsible for the signal.
 |
| Dyson Sphere |
Now Bradley Schaefer of Louisiana State University has discovered that the mystery goes even further. When Boyajian’s team studied the star, they looked at data from a Harvard University archive of digitally scanned photographic plates of the sky from the past century or so to see if the star had behaved unusually in the past, but found nothing.
Schaefer decided this unusual star deserved a second look. He averaged the data in five-year bins to look for slow, long-term trends, and found that the star faded by about 20 per cent between 1890 and 1989. “The basic effect is small and not obvious,” he says.
To confirm the fade was real, Schaefer went to Harvard to look at the original photographic plates and inspected them by eye for changes, a skill few astronomers possess these days. “Since no one uses photographic plates any more, it’s basically a lost art,” says Wright. “Schaefer is an expert at this stuff.”
Schaefer saw the same century-long dimming in his manual readings, and calculated that it would require 648,000 comets, each 200 kilometres wide, to have passed by the star – completely implausible, he says.
 |
| Reignited Dyson sphere |
Is this the mythical chupacabra? Mysterious ‘man-like creature’ is filmed roaming through Portuguese desert
The myth of the chupacabara first began in Puerto Rico, after farmers found their goats drained of blood.
However, new footage claims to have caught moving images of the beast on camera as it wanders through the Portuguese desert.
In the short clip, the mysterious creature is seen to pace slowly through the wasteland on two legs, while stooping its head.
The bizarre man-like beast neatly blends in with its muted surroundings, while birds are heard to chirp eerily in the distance. However, the creature doesn't stay in view for long, as it swiftly disappears behind a large bush. The camera then pans out to show the rest of the desert - exposing a parked car and other forms of life, which had been blissfully unaware of the unfolding drama.
However, when it zooms back in, the animal appears to have gone. The footage was first posted online over a month ago and has already racked up an impressive 200,000 views. However, the internet is now torn as to what the animal might be. Some users have said it could be a chupacabra - a legendary Central and South American goat sucker and Big Foot's hispanic cousin.
While others have argued that it could be Big Foot himself. However, other more cynical citizens believe that the conveniently filmed footage may be completely fake. One user, said: 'Extremely poor camera quality. I don't believe it..' While another added: 'Funny how you can never get a clear picture of these so-called alien sightings. Hard for anyone to believe them when it happens all the time.'
The camera pans out to show the rest of the desert - exposing a parked car and other forms of life
 |
| Puerto Rican Creature |
- Footage shows unknown beast walk slowly through wasteland.
- Tall creature has stooped back and swiftly hides behind a bush.
- Viewers believe it could be the chupacabara - Big Foots Hispanic cousin.
- The story of El chupacabra began in Puerto Rico when farmers found their goats dead and drained of all their blood.
 |
| Walking upright creature |
The bizarre man-like beast neatly blends in with its muted surroundings, while birds are heard to chirp eerily in the distance. However, the creature doesn't stay in view for long, as it swiftly disappears behind a large bush. The camera then pans out to show the rest of the desert - exposing a parked car and other forms of life, which had been blissfully unaware of the unfolding drama.
However, when it zooms back in, the animal appears to have gone. The footage was first posted online over a month ago and has already racked up an impressive 200,000 views. However, the internet is now torn as to what the animal might be. Some users have said it could be a chupacabra - a legendary Central and South American goat sucker and Big Foot's hispanic cousin.
 |
| Monster of Puerto Rica |
 |
| Close up of creature |
While others have argued that it could be Big Foot himself. However, other more cynical citizens believe that the conveniently filmed footage may be completely fake. One user, said: 'Extremely poor camera quality. I don't believe it..' While another added: 'Funny how you can never get a clear picture of these so-called alien sightings. Hard for anyone to believe them when it happens all the time.'
 |
| Alarm bells ring out |
The camera pans out to show the rest of the desert - exposing a parked car and other forms of life
Two Cylinder UFOs Over California During Sunset, July 31, 2016, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: July 31, 2016Location of sighting: Cheticamp, California, USA
News source: MUFON #78448
These UFOs were caught during sunset which makes them easier to see. They are both cylinder shaped and following one another. This is an amazing catch, and clearly they are both similar objects, as you see from the close ups.
These look similar to UFOs that have been reported over Vegas and Denver over the last few years. Scott C. Waring www.ufosightingsdaily.com
Eyewitness states: On July 31st, I was taking pictures of the sunset. Right after I've noticed behind me when I turned these 2 objects moving without making a sound, no trail behind them like a jet. They were moving fast. I took of few pictures. these objects were moving at the same speed and about 2 miles apart and kept that distance until disappearing behind the mountain. My car starter stopped working. I could not unlock my car with the remote, then it started working well 2 days after. My cell phone was still working.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)