3 worlds that may have life on themOctober 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have come up with a new index to measure a world's fitness for life, and have decided upon three names that are most likely to harbor life. According to a report in National Geographic News, known as the Standard Microbial Habitability index, the system rates worlds on a scale of 0 to 1 as to how suitable they are for microscopic life-forms like those on Earth.
How water on Moon may be 'harvested' in future to propel missions to MarsSeptember 26th, 2009 LONDON - With an instrument aboard India's Chandryaan discovering water molecules on the Moon, scientists are now all the more confident of harvesting water from the lunar surface in the future, which could help sustain lunar astronauts and even propel missions to Mars. Three spacecraft - India's Chandrayaan-1 and NASA's Cassini and Deep Impact probes - have detected the absorption of infrared light at a wavelength that indicates the presence of either water or hydroxyl, a molecule made up of a hydrogen and an oxygen atom.
Scientists find key to unlock oxygen from moon's surface, raising hopes of space outpost in futureSeptember 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Following the discovery of water on the Moon by an instrument aboard India's recently ended Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, researchers from NASA and Case Western Reserve University have found a key to unlocking oxygen from the surface of the moon, which would help make a space outpost possible in the future. Scientists from NASA and Case Western Reserve are designing and testing components of an oxygen generator that would extract the element from silicon dioxide and metal oxides in the ground.
Indian scientists rejoice as Chandrayaan-1 traces 'water' in moonSeptember 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - As news trickled out about Indian maiden lunar mission tracing water molecules on the moon's surface, scientists rejoiced at the discovery and hope that it will pave the way for growing vegetation in the earth's natural satellite in future. I am really very happy to know that the the NASA payload on Chandrayaan-1 has traced water.
Earth-sized moons may orbit around 'hot Jupiters'September 12th, 2009 SYDNEY - In a new study, scientists have determined that giant gas planets like Jupiter, which orbit close to their parent star, could harbour moons the size of Earth. According to a report by ABC News, the study was led by graduate student Tim Cassidy from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, US.
Ancient oceans yield clues to the origins of animal life on EarthSeptember 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Analysis of a rock type found only in the world's oldest oceans has shed new light on how large animals first got a foothold on the Earth. By analysing the isotopes of chromium in iron-rich sediments formed in the ancient oceans, a scientific team, led by Professor Robert Frei at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, has found that a rise in atmospheric oxygen levels 580 million years ago was closely followed by the evolution of animal life.
Why our red blood turns blue after entering veinsAugust 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Ever imagined why our blood, which is actually red in colour turns blue in veins? Well, it's because of the oxygen. According to experts, heart pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen.
Fusing of ancient microbes reveals new pathway for evolution of life on EarthAugust 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - NASA-funded research has found that humans not might be walking on Earth today if not for the ancient fusing of two microscopic, single-celled organisms called prokaryotes 2.5 billion years ago, which reveals a new pathway for the evolution of life on Earth. By comparing proteins present in more than 3000 different prokaryotes - a type of single-celled organism without a nucleus - molecular biologist James A.
Lunar science probe sends back moon shots less than week after launch, another orbiting moonJune 24th, 2009 NASA's new moon probe sends back moon shotsCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's new lunar probe launched less than a week ago has already sent back some shots of the moon.
Planets too have "fat days"June 21st, 2009 LONDON - Humans are not the only ones cribbing over weight issues, some planets too go through a "fat" stage that swells their waistlines temporarily. "Astronomers have found a lot of planets whose sizes cannot be explained by standard theory," says Laurent Ibgui of Princeton University.
Solar system's most volcanically active body will one day become dormantJune 18th, 2009 London, June 18 (ANI): A new study, with an analysis of more than 100 years of observations, has suggested that the Jupiter's moon Io, which is the solar system's most volcanically active body, will one day become dormant. Io, which is about the size of Earth's moon and is Jupiter's closest large satellite, is covered with lava flows and dozens of active volcanoes.
Increasing CO2 in oceans will make it harder for deep-sea animals to "breathe"April 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has suggested that increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) and decreasing oxygen in the oceans will make it harder for deep-sea animals to "breathe". The study, by marine chemists at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), US, suggests that low-oxygen "dead zones" in the ocean could expand significantly over the next century.
Alligators reveal how dinos survived low oxygen levelsApril 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have studied alligators to analyze what life may have been like for dinosaurs at low oxygen levels of 12 percent during pre-historic times. The scientists chose the alligator as a test subject for the study because they are believed to be the modern relatives of the dinosaurs.
Microbes in deep-sea mud volcanoes may yield clues to alien lifeApril 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have completed the first study of microbes that live within the plumbing of deep-sea mud volcanoes in the Gulf of Mexico, where conditions may resemble those in extraterrestrial environments and early Earth. The study, which was partially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), was conducted in an area where clusters of seafloor vents spew mud, oil, brine and gases that support food chains independently of the Sun.
NASA, Europeans plan new missions to Jupiter, SaturnFebruary 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US space agency NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) would conduct missions to Jupiter, Saturn and many moons that circle the planets, the agencies announced. The missions include sending multiple spacecraft to the Jupiter and Saturn systems to explore the planets and their unique satellites, such as Jupiter's ice-covered Europa and Saturn's shrouded moon Titan.
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