The NAI is offering 3 scholarships to graduate students or postdocs, studying in the US, to attend the 2008 MedILS Summer School on Life in Extreme Conditions. This session, held from August 3 - 9 in Split, Croatia, will provide a venue to share current knowledge and develop new ideas and research projects around the topic of life in extreme conditions. The main focus of the school is on the evolution and maintenance of life in habitats such as eternal ice, hydrothermal vents, the bottom of the ocean, salt lakes, or other planets. Leading international lecturers will inform the participants about the latest developments and theories.

This summer school is open to PhD and Master students as well as postdoctoral fellows working in the fields of biology, ecology, astrobiology, chemistry, or physics (or any discipline combined from or related to these). Application documents should include a 1 page letter of motivation (highlighting your interest and prior knowledge in the school topic), a CV, and a letter of recommendation from your advisor to: Andrew Pohorille, pohorill@raphael.arc.nasa.gov

For more information see: www.medils.hr/summerschool2008

[Source: NAI newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As part of its celebration of the 50th anniversary of its founding, the Space Studies Board (SSB) has expanded the scope of the Space Policy Intern program it has operated since 1992 by initiating the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internships. The goal of the program is to provide promising undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to work in the area of civil space research policy in the Nation's capital, under the aegis of the SSB.

Established in 1958 to serve as the focus of the interests and responsibilities in space research for the National Academies, the Board provides an independent, authoritative forum for information and advice on all aspects of space science and applications, and it serves as the focal point within the National Academies for activities on space research. It oversees advisory studies and program assessments, facilitates international research coordination, and promotes communications on space science and science policy between the research community, the federal government, and the interested public. The SSB also serves as the U.S. National Committee for the International Council for Science (ICSU) Committee on Space Research (COSPAR).

The Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internships are offered twice annually. The deadline for applications to the autumn 2008 program (open to undergraduate and graduate students) is June 16, 2008. The deadline for applications to the summer 2009 program (open to undergraduates only) is February 2, 2009. Full details can be found at http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ssb/Berkner_Space_Policy_Internships.html

[Source: NAI newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yuri's Night is an international celebration held on April 12 every year to commemorate the launch of the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space and the launch of the first U.S. Space Shuttle. NAI Central staff, along with several Astrobiology graduate students who were in town for AbSciCon, co-hosted an exhibit with Electronic Arts (EA) at Yuri's Night 2008 at Ames Research Center, which drew a crowd of over 7,000 people.

Highlighting both the soon-to-be-released electronic game "Spore" and the science of astrobiology, the exhibit had a steady stream of visitors throughout the event, which began at 2pm on April 12 and ended at 2am the next morning. Spore is an astrobiology-based game that is described by EA as "an epic journey that takes you from the origin and evolution of life through the development of civilization and technology and eventually all the way into the deepest reaches of outer space."

[Source: NAI newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• The Transit Light Curve Project. IX. Evidence for a Smaller Radius of the Exoplanet XO-3b, astro-ph
• The Successful Prediction of the Extrasolar Planet HD 74156 d, astro-ph
• Evidence of molecular adaptation to extreme environments and applicability to space environments, astro-ph
• On disc protoplanet interactions in a non-barotropic disc with thermal diffusion, astro-ph
• The nature of mid-infrared excesses from hot dust around Sun-like stars, astro-ph
• HD 75289Ab revisited - Searching for starlight reflected from a hot Jupiter, astro-ph
• The Peculiar Volatile Composition of Comet 8P/Tuttle: A Contact Binary of Chemically Distinct Cometesimals?, astro-ph

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Challenges for asteroseismic analysis of Sun-like stars, astro-ph
• Life-Probing Instrument Preparing for Mission to Mars, UCSD
• Like Martian Water for Chocolate
• Scientists make chemical cousin of DNA for use as new nanotechnology building block
• Before fossil fuels, Earth's minerals kept CO2 in check

Posted by Keith Cowing at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Mars Photos Appear to Show Dry Hot Springs
• Warming the early Earth - CO2 reconsidered, astro-ph

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Radio Emission from Exoplanets, astro-ph
• The Alpha Centauri Binary System: Atmospheric Parameters and Element Abundances, astro-ph

Posted by Keith Cowing at 9:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Solar system could go haywire before the Sun dies, New Scientist
• The potential impact of groove modes on Type II planetary migration, astro-ph
• Towards planetesimals: dense chondrule clumps in the protoplanetary nebula, astro-ph
• Detecting transits from Earth-sized planets around Sun-like stars, astro-ph

Posted by Keith Cowing at 9:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Resonances of low orders in the planetary system around the star HD37124, astro-ph
• A Code to Compute High Energy Cosmic Ray Effects on Terrestrial Atmospheric Chemistry, astro-ph
• Beyond the Iron Peak: r- and s-process Elemental Abundances in Stars with Planets, astro-ph

Posted by Keith Cowing at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Dead Zone Accretion Flows in Protostellar Disks, astro-ph
• A peculiarity of metal-poor stars with planets ?, astro-ph
• Critical Test of the Self-Similar Cosmological Paradigm: Anomalously Few Planets Orbiting Low-Mass Red Dwarf Stars, astro-ph
• Astronomy Picture of the Day: Bacteriophages: The Most Common Life-Like Form on Earth

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Closure Phase Signatures of Planet Transit Events, astro-ph

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• The Transit Light Curve Project. VIII. Six Occultations of the Exoplanet TrES-3, astro-ph
• Modeling the interstellar aromatic infrared bands with co-added spectra of PAHs, astro-ph

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Is there anybody out there?
• Stellar Birth in the Galactic Wilderness
• Study heats up 'snowball Earth' debate
• Missions to Mars: GSI Will Investigate Radiation Risks for Astronauts

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Space Radiation May Cause Prolonged Cellular Damage to Astronauts

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• On the Binary Nature of Dust-encircled BD+20 307, astro-ph
• On the Dynamical Stability of the Solar System, astro-ph

Posted by Keith Cowing at 2:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Astronomers discovered the coldest brown dwarf star ever observed
• New rocky planet found in constellation Leo

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Report: Managing Space Radiation Risk in the New Era of Space Exploration

"For astronauts, however, there is one danger in space that does not end when they step out of their spacecraft. The radiation that permeates space-- unattenuated by Earth's atmosphere and magnetosphere--may damage or kill cells within astronauts' bodies, resulting in cancer or other health consequences years after a mission ends."

Drug protects mice, monkeys from radiation damage, Reuters

"An experimental drug helped protect mice and monkeys from the damaging effects of radiation, researchers said on Thursday, in a finding that may lead to less toxic cancer treatments or an emergency treatment for radiation exposure."

An Agonist of Toll-Like Receptor 5 Has Radioprotective Activity in Mouse and Primate Models, Science (subscription)

"... Supported by grants CA75179 and AI066497 from NIH and grants from NASA (U.S. National Aeronuautics and Space Administration)"

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• The Astrobiology Science Conference, 2008
• H2O2-H2O Hypothesis for Life on Mars with the TEGA Instrument on the Phoenix Lander
• Analysis of Underivatized Amino Acids in Geological Samples Using Ion-Pairing Liquid Chromatography and Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry
• On the Survivability and Detectability of Terrestrial Meteorites on the Moon
• Glycine Identification in Natural Jarosites Using Laser Desorption Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry: Implications for the Search for Life on Mars
• A Quantitative Evaluation of the Iron-Sulfur World and Its Relevance to Life's Origins
• Rate Measurements of the Hydrolysis of Complex Organic Macromolecules in Cold Aqueous Solutions: Implications for Prebiotic Chemistry on the Early Earth

Posted by Keith Cowing at 6:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Santa Clara, California, April 14–17, 2008

The 5th Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon08), hosted by the SETI Institute, brings together a community of scholars, students, and educators that is as vigorous and intellectually diverse as ever. These qualities are reflected in the content of this volume, which includes 647 abstracts involving 1,683 authors from 28 countries. These abstracts are organized into 38 topical sessions and 6 plenary sessions that were developed around the three major themes of the conference: the astrophysical and planetary context for life; the origin and evolution of life; and the search for life in our Solar System and beyond. An astounding range of subjects is covered--from prebiotic chemistry to cosmology, with stops at virology, Precambrian geochemistry, and Mars exploration, among other subjects, along the way. Presenta- tions on engaging students, teachers, and the public in astrobiology thread throughout the conference, reflecting its broad appeal. Clearly, the community is healthy and poised for a vibrant future!

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about AbSciCon08 is that the intellectual breadth of this conference no longer seems so unusual, particularly to an emerging generation of scientists who grew up as students, postdocs, and young faculty alongside the now-decade-old NASA Astrobiology Institute. To those of us in that cohort, it is amusing--and revealing--to look back at the 1st Astrobiology Science Conference, held at NASA Ames Research Center in 2000. That such an event would take place at all was seen as so novel and unusual that it was covered as a noteworthy news event by Science Magazine (v. 288, p. 603). "Every talk, it seemed, touched on a new discipline", wrote the reporter with a note of amazement, further marveling at how "disciplinary walls teetered" and deeming it noteworthy that a planetary geologist (Bruce Jakosky) would say, "I now talk to microbiologists on a regular basis. That's something new"!

Of course, in 2000, astrobiology was something new, or at least something extremely unusual. Not so today. True, such conversations still take place less frequently and with more cross-disciplinary awkwardness than they should. But there are few better measures of the maturation of this young field than the fact that such conversations are now unexceptional and, in some quarters, even expected. May the abstracts in this volume stimulate more such conversations, beyond the confines of the Santa Clara Convention Center and the month of April, 2008. Astrobiology is growing, and has an exciting and inspiring future.

The Astrobiology Science Conference, 2008
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 289-290.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1407

AbSciCon 2008 Plenary Events
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 291-295.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1225

Session 2. Advances in Astrobiological Instrumentation Development
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 296-301.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1226

Session 3. Approaches and Technologies to Detect Life on Mars
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 302-305.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1227

Session 4. Astrobiology and Lunar Exploration
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 306-309.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1228

Session 5. Astrobiology and the Human Exploration of Mars
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 310-312.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1229

Session 6. Astrobiology Missions on Small Satellites, Sounding Rockets, and Balloons
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 313-315.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1230

Session 7. Astrovirology
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 316-318.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1231

Session 8. Biological and Environmental Signatures in Archean Rocks
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 319-326.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1232

Session 9. Certified Organic: Astrobiology and the Latest Developments in Organic Geochemistry, Biochemistry, and Organic Assays
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 327-330.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1233

Session 10. Chemical and Biological Determinants of Habitability Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 331-334. http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1234

Session 11. Chemical Constraints on the Formation and Evolution of Habitable Worlds
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 335-338.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1235

Session 12. Comets and Primitive Asteroids: Their Role in Supplying Water and Prebiotic Organics to Early Earths
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 339-343.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1236

Session 13. The Deep Cold Biosphere? Interior Processes of Icy Satellites and Dwarf Planets
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 344-346.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1237

Session 14. Earth Analog Studies for Astobiology: ASTEP and Beyond
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 347-355.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1238

Session 15. The Evolution of the Biogeochemical Cycling of Phosphorus and Other Bioessential Elements
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 356-361.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1239

Session 16. Extraterrestrial Organic Chemistry—Biological, Pre-Biological, and Abiological
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 362-371.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1240

Session 17. Formation, Composition, and Detection of Habitable Extrasolar Planets
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 372-377.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1241

Session 18. Functional Complexity of Modern Stromatolites and Microbial Mats
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 378-383.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1242

Session 19. Future SETI: Technologies, Techniques, and Strategies
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 384-388.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1243

Session 20. Getting Smarter About Intelligence
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 389-391.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1244

Session 21. The Habitable Galaxy: Variation in Space and Time
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 392-393.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1245

Session 22. Habitability of Super-Earths
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 394-396.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1246

Session 23. Laboratory Analogue Environments for Studying Geochemical and Biological Processes on Planetary Surfaces
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 397-402.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1247

Session 24. Inorganic and Organic Biosignatures in Minerals
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 403-417.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1248

Session 25. Is the Universe Optimally Right for Life?
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 418-419.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1249
Session 26. Mars Sample Return Planning Issues
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 420-421.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1250

Session 27. Methane and Life?
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 422-426.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1251

Session 28. Microbial Life in Terrestrial Arid Environments
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 427-430.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1252

Session 29. The New Mars: Habitability of a Neighbor World
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 431-436.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1253

Session 30. Planetary Protection Constraints for Future Exobiology Missions
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 437-441.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1254

Session 31. Spectra of Asteroid Belts, Kuiper Belts, and Giant Planets
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 442-443.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1255

Session 32. Stardust: Organic Matter in Comet 81P/Wild 2
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 444-446
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1256

Session 33. Subsurface Microorganisms in Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Environments
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 447-452.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1257

Session 34. Synthetic Cells and Life's Origins
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 453-455.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1258

Session 35. Teaching Astrobiology to Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 456-460.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1259

Session 36. Water and Life: Redefining the Habitable Zone of Terrestrial Planets
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 461-463.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1260

Session 37. Origin of Life
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 464-467.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1261

Session 38. Evolution
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 468-471.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1262

Session 39. Life in Extreme Environments
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 472-475.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1263

Author—Abstract Number Index
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 476-485.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1264

AbSciCon08 Abstract Number Index
Astrobiology April 1, 2008, 8(2): 486-488.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.1265

Posted by Keith Cowing at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Predicting the Yields of Photometric Surveys for Transiting Extrasolar Planets
• Large excess of heavy nitrogen in both hydrogen cyanide and cyanogen from comet 17P/Holmes

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Meteorites delivered the 'seeds' of Earth's left-hand life

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• For the paper trail of life on Mars or other planets, find cellulose
• Mars, Earth and Moon from 'unique planetary nursery'

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• The Structure of the DoAr 25 Circumstellar Disk
• `Tail-end' Bondi-Hoyle accretion in young star clusters: Implications for disks, planets, and stars

Posted by Keith Cowing at 7:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Composition of Ices in Low-Mass Extrasolar Planets, astro-ph

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

• The (Super)Wasp Factory Finds 10 New Planets In The Last 6 Months
• Astronomers Find Embryonic Planet
• Discovery of Abundant Cellulose Microfibers Encased in 250 Ma Permian Halite: A Macromolecular Target in the Search for Life on Other Planets

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)