Daniel Brady Mills
@DanBMills
Geobiologist and postdoctoral researcher @LMU_Muenchen; affiliate member @PSETI_Center
For those, like me, who are fascinated by our place in time, this new study challenges the idea that Earth’s biosphere has just a Gyr left. arxiv.org/abs/2409.10714
Excited to see Dan Mills' paper up on the arXiv! @AdamFrank4, @jmacalad, and I had a great time helping him put it all together. Dan takes a hard, critical look at the "Hard Steps" model (and the Great Filter) and finds it's not well supported. arxiv.org/abs/2408.10293
More Oncocerida from Gotland, the vid is up on my youtube! #paleoart #paleontology #3danimation #blender3d #nautiloid #silurian #oncocerid #cephalopod
#ICYMI: In this week's #SETILive, @allplanets chatted with Dr. Dan Mills about how his team's alternative to the "hard steps" evolutionary model increases the likelihood of intelligent life evolving in our galaxy... it all depends on how abundant Earth-like planets are. Full…
Next #SETILive: Is Intelligent Life Easy? TODAY, Thursday, Apr 24, 2025 11:00 AM PDT / 1:00 PM EDT Human-Like Life Probably Evolves "Right on Time" A recent study proposes a new model for the evolution of intelligent life, which challenges the long-standing "hard steps"…
Did Earth’s long evolutionary timeline delay the rise of intelligent life, or are we the first technological civilization—at least the first to survive? In a new paper, Hard Steps and the Timing of Evolution on Earth, @DanBMills explores what rethinking the Hard Steps model…
One week left to register! Check out our awesome line up of talks and panels below:
🦠GEOBIOLOGY 2025🦠 Our official program is coming together nicely for Geobiology 2025: cms.eas.ualberta.ca/geobiology2025… ⛰️Reminder: deadline for registrations closes March 31st!⛰️ ⚡️Abstract submissions for Lightning Talks will be open after this date⚡️ RT and share to geobio pals!
Had a lot fun doing this!
There's a new scientific model that estimates the probability of there being extraterrestrial life—even intelligence—out there in the galaxy. Here my conversation with these scientists who think there are good reasons for optimism that we'll find life: skeptic.com/michael-sherme…
🦠GEOBIOLOGY 2025🦠 One month left until registration ends for Geobiology 2025! Dates: 20th-24th May 2025 Location : Banff, Alberta 🇨🇦 Registration deadline: 31st March 2025 Students/PDFs: $350 CAD Profs: $500 CAD Registration is open at: cms.eas.ualberta.ca/geobiology2025…
Isolated in just 3 years! (Much faster than the 12 years in our previous study). We cultured two strains from 'Hodarcaheales', proposed to be closest to our archaeal ancestors. biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
Ancient algae’s rise supported the emergence of modern marine food webs by accelerating the evolution of predatory microbes, suggests new research. scim.ag/4hIKdRO
Also happy to share the The Conversation article @jmacalad, @Astro_Wright, and I wrote summarizing our new paper.
Evolving intelligent life took billions of years − but it may not have been as unlikely as many scientists predicted theconversation.com/evolving-intel…
🦠EARLY BIRD DEADLINE EXTENDED🦠 It’s not too late to register for Geobiology 2025 - we have extended our early bird deadline to 31st January 2025! #Geobiology2025
🏔️GEOBIOLOGY 2025🏔️ Registration is now open at: cms.eas.ualberta.ca/geobiology2025… Students & PDFs: $300 CAD Professors & Professionals: $450 CAD Early Bird Deadline: 31st December 2024
Mark your calendars: The 3rd Penn State SETI Symposium dates are set! August 18-21, 2025, in State College PA. sites.psu.edu/setisymposium2… Hope to see you there!
🏔️GEOBIOLOGY 2025🏔️ Registration is now open at: cms.eas.ualberta.ca/geobiology2025… Students & PDFs: $300 CAD Professors & Professionals: $450 CAD Early Bird Deadline: 31st December 2024
"Hard Steps Model" for evolution of "human like" intelligence = standard approach in some quarters of astrobiology. It argues intelligence is rare cosmically. Its reasoning is deeply flawed. Dan Mills leads our newly submitted paper @Astro_Wright arxiv.org/abs/2408.10293