The 365 Days of Astronomy Travelers in the Night Eps. 347E & 348E: Life's Parts & 2 Headed Space Worm
Nov 9, 2025
Explore groundbreaking discoveries from ALMA that detect prebiotic molecules around young stars, hinting at the building blocks of life beyond Earth. Delve into the intriguing effects of reduced gravity on human organ regeneration, as researchers observe flatworms in space showcasing unexpected changes. A rare two-headed worm emerges from space, raising questions about the potential impacts of long-term space travel on human biology. Get ready for a thought-provoking journey into the future of space colonies!
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ALMA Finds Life's Building Blocks Nearby
- ALMA detects millimeter-wave spectral patterns that reveal complex, prebiotic molecules near infant sun-like stars about 400 light-years away.
- Finding sugars and peptide precursors in typical star-forming cocoons implies life's ingredients were likely common in young planetary systems.
Kepler's Count Boosts Habitability Odds
- Kepler has found roughly 50 Earth-sized planets in a tiny fraction of the sky within their stars' habitable zones over four years.
- Coupled with ALMA's discoveries, this raises the likelihood that life-friendly chemistry existed on many young planets.
Space-Flown Flatworm Grew Two Heads
- Tufts researchers sent planaria to the International Space Station and compared them with Earth controls to study regeneration in low gravity.
- One space-flown amputated fragment grew into a permanent, extremely rare double-headed worm after returning to Earth.