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Hot Topic
Deep Space
Cosmic Evolution
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Generating Giant Galaxies
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
04/14/09 |
| A new finding indicates that not all massive, luminous galaxies formed shortly after the Big Bang. The study could yield new information about the origin and evolution of galaxies. |
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Cool Star Chemicals
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
04/11/09 |
| Life is thought to have arisen from a hot soup of chemical ingredients. Could such a life-giving broth exist on planets around distant stars as well? A new study using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope indicates that a different mixture of life-forming chemicals may exist on planets that orbit stars cooler than our sun. |
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Living with a Red Dwarf
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
04/09/09 |
| Not astrobiologists' first choice, red dwarf stars have now gained acceptance as potential hosts for habitable planets. They may not be great to live by in the first couple billion years, but they eventually settle down into relatively pleasant stars. |
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Galactic Dust Bunnies Contain Stuff of Life
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
03/14/09 |
| Astronomers have found evidence that carbon-rich stars may form at the center of the Milky Way. The research is helping astrobiologists understand how elements necessary for life are formed and distributed through the Universe. |
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The Case of the Missing Asteroids
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
03/01/09 |
| Scientists have determined that the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter should contain more asteroids that we actually observe today. The missing asteroids may be evidence of an event that occurred as the giant planets migrated to their present positions. |
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Rocking the Cosmic Cradle
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
02/15/09 |
| New research tools are yielding information about the formation of planets and the production of complex molecules in interstellar space. The data will not only help astronomers understand how distant solar systems form, but also whether or not these systems contain important chemical precursors for life. |
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Double Star Disks
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
01/20/09 |
| A new study suggests that planets may easily form around binary star systems. The finding is helping astronomers narrow down the best locations in the Universe to search for extrasolar planets. |
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Dead Stars Tell of Planet Birth
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
01/06/09 |
| Astronomers are now studying the evolution of planets by studying dead stars. These stars are littered with the remnants of asteroids – providing information about the building materials of planets. |
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Planets Form in the Eye of a Storm
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
12/16/08 |
| New research shows that turbulence in protoplanetary disks plays a key role in the birth of planet. The finding may alter theories on how planets form from dust and debris around distant stars. |
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The Sweet Taste of Alien Life
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| Topic: Cosmic Evolution |
11/28/08 |
| Scientists have detected a basic sugar molecule directly linked to the origin of life in a star-forming region of the Milky Way galaxy where habitable planets might exist. |
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