コンデンセート超新星
Supernova Condensate is a blog about our place in the Universe. Of astronomy, chemistry and life in the big bad bubble of academia.
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Invader Xan is a molecular astrophysicist and part-time alien invader, who spends life looking at very small things on very large scales, and trying to better understand the chemistry of interstellar space.
DFTBA ♥
我々はすべての星の塵で作られています。
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Writing this blog is a labour of love, and I'm presently a poor unemployed scientist (and struggling writer). If you like what I write, the best way to show your gratitude would be to fuel my caffeine addiction and buy me a coffee to say thank you. All coffee donations are gratefully accepted!
Category Archives: astrobiology
Acid drop
Anyone who’s been reading this blog for a while will know that Venus is my favourite planet in our solar system. Yes, I know it’s basically a big pressure cooker wrapped in lethally corrosive acid, but I love it all … Continue reading
How “habitable” is our solar system anyway?
If you take a look around our solar system, it’s sometimes enough to make you feel slightly lonely. As far as we know, the only planet with any kind of life on it is ours. We certainly haven’t seen any … Continue reading
The Oldest Fossils in the World Life has existed on planet Earth for a long time. Precisely how long, however, is a question which many are still searching for an answer to. The most recently discovered piece in that puzzle … Continue reading
Alien Planet – Full Documentary
For anyone who found my musings about Darwin IV in the Starfish Aliens astrotrope interesting, the whole Alien Planet documentary is available to watch on YouTube. It’s an hour and a half long though, so you may want to get … Continue reading
Posted in astrobiology, astrotropes
1 Comment
Astrotropes: Starfish Aliens
Inspired in no small way by recent ponderings at Centauri Dreams concerning how alien an alien might be, let’s continue the Astrotropes series with the concept of starfish aliens. In stark contrast with the humanoid aliens I looked at previously, … Continue reading
Posted in astrobiology, astrotropes
3 Comments
Life’s first drink – Cold soup or warm soda?
It’s safe to say that we all know the phrase “primordial soup.” An idea originally put forward by J.B.S. Haldane in 1929, writers have been waxing lyrical about this proverbial soup from which life arose, for decades now. The phrase … Continue reading
Mysterious Mars
Remember that puzzle about the martian methane? No? Well, if you’d like a refresher, you may be interested to take a glance at my latest article over on Australian Science. On methane, Mars, and more… Image: Arabia Terra, Mars – ESA/DLR/FU … Continue reading
Mushroom Kingdom!
Over a century ago, a gigantic fossil was discovered in Saudi Arabia. Gigantic and mysterious, because no one had any idea what exactly it had once been. With a thick trunk, it was similar to petrified trees, but this didn’t … Continue reading
Astrotropes: Humanoid Aliens
This trope is used all the time. It’s incredibly rare for it not to be used, in fact. And I must say, it’s one thing which I frequently find disappointing about sci fi. I am, of course, talking about the … Continue reading
Posted in astrobiology, astrotropes, Sci Fi
6 Comments
Milkshake lake
Because we’re all surrounded by plants, we tend to have the association between photosynthesis and green things. While this is certainly true for most phototrophic life on Earth, it isn’t always the case. Every now and again, you find something … Continue reading
