Friday, June 30, 2006
Recollection of Salman Hameed's lecture on "Search for Life in the Universe", 26 June 2006
So far, we only know one planet, in the entire Universe that has life. Search for life in the Universe is an extremely difficult task first, because we have only one example that can tell us what life is. Second, the Universe is a huge place, hundreds of billions of light years across, having billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars.
The first planet outside of our own solar system was confirmed a decade ago by using a technique that detects subtle movements of a star. Over 150 exoplanets have been detected so far.
Since water is essential for life, as we know it, astronomers mostly try to detect liquid water on other planets as the first clue of detecting any biological life there. This range in a solar system where water can sustain in liquid form, is called the "Habitable Zone".
Mars orbiting satellites and Mars Rovers, very recently, have confirmed the presence of liquid water in the sub-surface of planet Mars. Astronomers are not expecting highly evolved life forms at Mars. Even if we would find microbial life form anywhere outside our own planet, this would change our world forever.
Another good candidate is a moon of the planet Jupiter, Europa. It has a liquid water ocean under kilometers thick sheet of ice. There are plans to send robotic landers which will drill through the ice sheet to get into the liquid water.
Last, astronomers have been trying to receive radio signals of any potential intelligent life forms from outer space for decades now, without any success so far. Astronomers are attempting new ways for SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) and the search continues.
Umair Asim
Executive Member KSS
So far, we only know one planet, in the entire Universe that has life. Search for life in the Universe is an extremely difficult task first, because we have only one example that can tell us what life is. Second, the Universe is a huge place, hundreds of billions of light years across, having billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars.
The first planet outside of our own solar system was confirmed a decade ago by using a technique that detects subtle movements of a star. Over 150 exoplanets have been detected so far.
Since water is essential for life, as we know it, astronomers mostly try to detect liquid water on other planets as the first clue of detecting any biological life there. This range in a solar system where water can sustain in liquid form, is called the "Habitable Zone".
Mars orbiting satellites and Mars Rovers, very recently, have confirmed the presence of liquid water in the sub-surface of planet Mars. Astronomers are not expecting highly evolved life forms at Mars. Even if we would find microbial life form anywhere outside our own planet, this would change our world forever.
Another good candidate is a moon of the planet Jupiter, Europa. It has a liquid water ocean under kilometers thick sheet of ice. There are plans to send robotic landers which will drill through the ice sheet to get into the liquid water.
Last, astronomers have been trying to receive radio signals of any potential intelligent life forms from outer space for decades now, without any success so far. Astronomers are attempting new ways for SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) and the search continues.
Umair Asim
Executive Member KSS
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Second IEEE International Conference on Emerging Technologies (ICET 2006)
Peshawar, N-W.F.P, Pakistan,
November 13 ~V 14, 2006,
URL: www.icet2006.org
Peshawar, N-W.F.P, Pakistan,
November 13 ~V 14, 2006,
URL: www.icet2006.org
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