An Astrophysicist Explains the "Strongest Evidence Yet" of Alien Life

An Astrophysicist Explains the "Strongest Evidence Yet" of Alien Life

Last week, a team of astrophysicists from the University of Cambridge announced that they had discovered the “strongest indication” ever of extraterrestrial life. The source did not come from Mars or Venus or any nearby moon. It came from K2-18b, a massive planet some 120 light-years from Earth. If this finding checks out, it is, without question, one of the most important discoveries in the history of science. But many scientists think that ... well, it might not check out at all. Today’s guest is Sara Seager, a celebrated astrophysicist at MIT. Seager is a pioneer in the study of exoplanets and their atmospheres. She has done as much as practically anybody to develop the science of interpreting light from faraway stars to make inferences about planets. In today’s show, Seager and I slowly worked our way up to last week’s announcement by building a foundation of the basic science at play. What are exoplanets? How do we know that they’re there? How do we have any idea about the chemicals present on that planet if we can’t send probes to test their air? What does the K2-18b finding really tell us? And what larger philosophical questions about life and aliens are raised by this new science of exoplanet atmospheres? If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com. Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Sara Seager Producer: Devon Baroldi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episoder(348)

How the American Revolution Changed the World, With Ken Burns

How the American Revolution Changed the World, With Ken Burns

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The Problem With Sports Gambling

The Problem With Sports Gambling

Last week, an FBI investigation into gambling led to the arrest of several prominent basketball stars, raising questions about the state of legalized sports betting, which has enriched professional sp...

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Michael Lewis on How the Global Financial Crisis Explains Trump, Crypto, and Everything Else

Michael Lewis on How the Global Financial Crisis Explains Trump, Crypto, and Everything Else

Bestselling author Michael Lewis joins the show to talk about how bubbles happen, the legacy of 'The Big Short' and the global financial crisis, 'Moneyball' and how the data analytics revolution conqu...

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What Happens When AI Learns to Do Our Jobs

What Happens When AI Learns to Do Our Jobs

Today’s guest is Ethan Mollick. Ethan is a professor of management at Wharton, where he specializes in entrepreneurship and innovation. He is the author of the book 'Co-Intelligence: Living and Workin...

24 Okt 202554min

Can "Touch-Grass Populism" Save America?

Can "Touch-Grass Populism" Save America?

By some measures, the Democratic Party has never been so unpopular as a political brand. While this fact obviously reflects some difficult realities for the party, it also creates an opportunity for D...

21 Okt 202559min

Everybody Thinks AI Is a Bubble. What If They’re Wrong?

Everybody Thinks AI Is a Bubble. What If They’re Wrong?

Two weeks ago, in one of our most popular podcasts of the year, the investor and author Paul Kedrosky explained why he thinks AI is a bubble. In the last few days, practically everybody seems to agree...

17 Okt 202552min

The Future of Entertainment, Part 2: What’s the Matter With Broadway?

The Future of Entertainment, Part 2: What’s the Matter With Broadway?

In the second episode of our two-part miniseries on the future of entertainment, Derek goes from Hollywood to NYC to understand why Broadway musicals are in trouble. "With the cost of staging song-and...

14 Okt 202547min

The Future of Entertainment, Part 1: Is Hollywood's Business Model Broken?

The Future of Entertainment, Part 1: Is Hollywood's Business Model Broken?

The film and TV business has quietly—or, if you work in the industry, not so quietly—been in a depression for the past few years. Original TV work has plummeted. In 2024, Americans bought about 40 per...

10 Okt 202546min

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