Most Attractive Film Aliens

Popular culture and UFO enthusiasts have generally led us to believe that space aliens are wan creatures with massive coke-bottle eyes. But in the movies, there are numerous examples of aliens that looks like, well, movie stars. The latest example is Alex Pettyfer, who is the "I" in this weekend's "I Am Number Four." We've put together a gallery of some other extra attractive extraterrestrials. Check it out.

Alien: Neytiri (Zoe Saldana)
Movie: Avatar (2009)
Planet of Origin: Pandora
Special Power: Can climb dizzying heights without breaking a sweat. Can use log into the internet using her dreadlocks. Can break you in two.

Alien: Gaila (Rachel Nichols)
Movie: Star Trek (2009)
Planet of Origin: Orion
Special Power: Defies the old saying that it's not easy being green.

Alien: Klaatu (Keanu Reeves)
Movie: The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
Planet of Origin: Unknown
Special Power: Has a way cool robot sidekick.

Alien: Leello (Milla Jovovich)
Movie: The Fifth Element (1997)
Planet of Origin: Earth, from Mondoshawan remains.
Special Power: Saving the universe while wearing little more than Band-Aids.

Alien: Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle)
Movie: Men in Black II (2002)
Planet of Origin: Kylothia
Special Power: Can shoot snake-like thingies out of her fingers.

Alien: Sil (Natasha Henstridge)
Movie: Species (1998)
Planet of Origin: Unknown
Special Power: Super strong. Amazing regenerative powers. Can turn from a blonde knockout to a hideous tenacled beast in the blink of an eye.

Alien: Alien Jumpsuit Chicks #1-5
Movie: Dude, Where's My Car? (2000)
Planet of Origin: Unknown
Special Power: Can morph into a game center trashing giant in a bikini.

Alien: Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie)
Movie: The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
Planet of Origin: Anthea
Special Power: Has a surprisingly good singing voice.

Alien: Celeste (Kim Basinger)
Movie: My Stepmother Is An Alien (1988)
Planet of Origin: Unknown
Special Power: Looks like Kim Basinger.

Alien: Kitty (Tahnee Welch)
Movie: Cocoon (1985)
Planet of Origin: Antarea
Special Power: Can make Wilford Brimley seem light-hearted and carefree.

Alien: General Zod (Terence Stamp)
Movie: Superman II (1980)
Planet of Origin: Krypton
Special Power: Can do everything Superman can, but with his underwear inside his pants.

Alien: Space Girl (Mathilda May)
Movie: Lifeforce (1985)
Planet of Origin: Wherever space vampires come from.
Special Power: Can suck the life force out of you and turn you into a zombie.

Alien: Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry)
Movie: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Galaxy of Origin: Transylvania
Special Power: Looks unnervingly good in fishnets. Can seduce anyone.
Read More: Yahoo

Behold the Solar Flare

On Thursday morning, you may be talking about what you watched on Wednesday night. But we're not talking about a TV show. Many parts of the U.S. could be treated to a rare but spectacular celestial event: The northern lights, the aurora borealis, may be on display. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasters estimate that there is a 45% chance of such "geomagnetic activity," according to SpaceWeather.com.
Why now? On Monday, the sun let loose its biggest solar flare in four years. NASA explains that a solar flare "occurs when magnetic energy that has built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released. Radiation is emitted across virtually the entire electromagnetic spectrum." NASA says that the "amount of energy released is the equivalent of millions of 100-megaton hydrogen bombs exploding at the same time."

It takes about a day or so for radiation from this flare to reach Earth's atmosphere, according to Space.com. And as the website How Stuff Works explains, the aurora borealis occurs when "when highly charged electrons from the solar wind interact with elements in the earth's atmosphere."
Web searches on "solar flare 2011" and "solar flare photos" have shot up at the speed of light. In just 24 hours, online lookups jumped 1,038% for solar flares. Folks in the northwest were particularly intrigued: Oregon, Washington, and Idaho provided some of the biggest buzz. And with good reason: States up north may have the best chance of viewing the flare's effect on Earth's atmosphere.
Read More: Yahoo