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(371)

Five Reasons Everybody Is Wrong About a U.S. Recession—Including Me

Five Reasons Everybody Is Wrong About a U.S. Recession—Including Me

I feel like the theme of this podcast recently has been that everything is going off the rails: the Supreme Court, inflation, oil prices, air travel snafus. Take the economy, for example. My theory fo...

28 Jun 202237min

The End of Roe v. Wade Changes Everything

The End of Roe v. Wade Changes Everything

We react to the landmark Supreme Court decision and explain how it could affect the future of the court, national politics, fertility and family planning, state law, corporate policy, and more. To fur...

24 Jun 202242min

Why Air Travel Is a Hot Mess Right Now

Why Air Travel Is a Hot Mess Right Now

Lately, it feels like we’re surrounded by systems and industries that aren’t working the way they should. There's an oil shortage, and a baby formula shortage, and a used car shortage, and a microchip...

24 Jun 202242min

Why Gas Prices Are Skyrocketing—and an Ingenious Plan to Bring Them Down

Why Gas Prices Are Skyrocketing—and an Ingenious Plan to Bring Them Down

Expensive energy is an economic, psychological, and political scourge. Nominally, gas prices are at a record high. Adjusted for inflation, they could break the all-time record if they rise just anothe...

21 Jun 202245min

The Big Winners and Losers From the Remote Work Revolution

The Big Winners and Losers From the Remote Work Revolution

Most news is all about the immediate present. For instance, everything that is happening in the economy right now could be a historical anecdote in five years. But sometimes, norms change—and they sta...

17 Jun 202248min

The End of the Everything Boom (Plus: The Federal Reserve's Risky Move)

The End of the Everything Boom (Plus: The Federal Reserve's Risky Move)

This is a huge week for economic and finance news. On Wednesday afternoon, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.75 percentage points, its biggest move since 1994. Derek breaks down what this...

15 Jun 202240min

The Big Inflation FAQ: Why It’s So High, How Everyone Got It Wrong, and What's Next

The Big Inflation FAQ: Why It’s So High, How Everyone Got It Wrong, and What's Next

Inflation is the story that everybody keeps missing. In 2020, many people didn't expect inflation to rise. Wrong. In 2021, many expected inflation to be brief or "transitory." Wrong. Last month, many ...

13 Jun 202250min

California’s Elections Sent an Important Message. What Is It?

California’s Elections Sent an Important Message. What Is It?

Today’s episode is about two California elections and the message they sent to the rest of the country. In San Francisco, progressive district attorney Chesa Boudin was recalled by voters after years ...

10 Jun 202241min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
popradet
stopp-verden
dine-penger-pengeradet
nokon-ma-ga
det-store-bildet
rss-gukild-johaug
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
fotballpodden-2
hanna-de-heldige
aftenbla-bla
rss-ness
rss-espen-lee-usensurert
rss-dannet-uten-piano
rss-utenrikskomiteen-med-bogen-og-grasvik
frokostshowet-pa-p5
e24-podden