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The building blocks of life found orbiting another star
Looks like NASA's Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan may have over-estimated how long it would take to find extraterrestrial organisms. For the first time in the history of astronomy, scientists have discovered two complex organic molecules, which is vital to the formation of life as we know it, outside of our solar system. Researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts actually found three forms of cyanide -- specifically hydrogen cyanide (HCN), methyl cyanide (CH3CN), and cyanoacetylene (HC3N) -- circling a star known as MWC 480. These are the same sorts of chemicals (and in the same concentrations!) that were present in comets orbiting our own solar system back when life here got its start. And while cyanide is super-duper toxic to living organisms, it's absolutely necessary for life's formation. In short, this discovery is a huge deal because it means that the seeds of life aren't confined to Sol alone.
EdX expands range of institutions that can offer free online courses
EdX's open online education system has drawn a lot of interest -- enough interest that the non-profit has just loosened up its membership structure to allow for more participants. The revamp lets 12 additional organizations offer free internet-based courses, including schools as well as non-academic outlets like the International Monetary Fund, the Linux Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution. Details of the new programs aren't available beyond the Linux Foundation's plans for an introductory Linux course, but edX's move is bound to improve the diversity of things you can learn without spending a dime on tuition. [Image credit: TU Delft, Flickr]
Smithsonian's Spark!Lab gives big ups to robots
We've seen them scoop up oozy goop, shake their moneymakers, and even give birth, but it's rare for us to land solid face time with the robotic superstars we admire so much. If you're in DC over the next few weeks, however, the Smithsonian's offering you the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the most influential automatons in robotics history. In honor of National Robotics week, the museum is dedicating its Spark!Lab to our mechanical counterparts, allowing you to play Simon with DARPA's Autonomous Robotic Manipulator (ARM), invent a robotic arm of your own, or feast your eyes on the likes of ELECTRO the robo dog. The museum has also announced that it is now accepting donations "relating to the development of autonomous mobile robots in the United States." So, throw one back for your favorite robots this week, because -- you know -- they can't. Full PR after the break.
