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Crawford and Schulze-Makuch ask a blunt question in the title of their paper in Nature Astronomy: ”Is the apparent absence of extraterrestrial technological civilizations down to the zoo hypothesis or nothing?” The zoo hypothesis posits that we are being studied by beings that for reasons of their own avoid contact. David Brin referred in his classic…
While the exact composition of these worlds remains unclear, estimates of their surface temperatures from previous studies point them being significantly colder than Earth. They’re also each less dense than Earth, despite being roughly the same size as our planet. “Our analyses predict that these 17 worlds may have ice-covered surfaces but receive enough internal heating…
On November 8th, NASA’s Curiosity Rover paused its incessant science work and just watched the day unfold on Mars. The rover used its black-and-white Hazard-Avoidance Cameras (Hazcams) to watch an entire 12-hour day on Mars as the shifting Sun cast shadows across the Martian landscape. NASA chose this day because of the Mars solar conjunction…
The more I see a lack of success in the SETI field, the more I feel our own bio-chem chauvinism is getting the in way… Our own planet teaches us that life is weirdly untethered from our surface dwelling norms. Astrobiologists hunting for the first definitive signs of life outside of Earth often target planets…
In summary, the Zoo Hypothesis predicts that we shall never find them because they do not want to be found, and they have the technological ability to ensure this. This theory is similar to the Planetarium Hypothesis, which also posits that advanced civilizations have the means to elude detection from our instruments. Unlike the Planetarium Hypothesis,…
I concluded my talk encouraging people to do good things with LLMs but to not believe the conceit that their existence means we are on the verge of Artificial General Intelligence.
Aptly named the Adaptable THruster based on Electrospray powered by Nanotechnology, or ATHENA, the compact unit relies on micro and nanotechnology to produce a silicon wafer featuring seven emitter arrays, fitted with a combined total of more than 500 of the tiny emitters that fire a spray of ions that are accelerated by an electrostatic field…
Driven by the hackerspace movement and the broader community, we, Libre Space Foundation, are actively building our own satellites, space technologies, sharing knowledge and resources, and pushing the boundaries of space exploration. Our mission is to democratize space, making it available to everyone, regardless of background or resources. This emerging movement faces unique challenges, including…
Dream Chaser’s maiden flight next year will be a collaboration between flight and ground controllers at the Dream Chaser Mission Control Center in Louisville, Colorado, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Texas. During this flight, Tenacity will conduct a myriad of in-flight tests after launch and prior to docking with the…
Welcome to Edition 6.24 of the Rocket Report! This will be the final edition of this newsletter until January 4—hey, space enthusiasts need a holiday break too! And given all that’s expected to happen in 2024 in the world of launch, a bit of a recharge seems like a smart move. Stephen and I wish…
Dave5 