"The Quest for a Living World"
- Public Event
Presented By: Thirty Meter Telescope Project (TMT) and Discover Magazine
Astronomers have found more than 400 alien worlds orbiting distant stars. So far, nearly all of these exoplanets are bigger than Jupiter and hoter than Mercury – places that appear very unfriendly to life. But astronomers are now starting to identify smaller, more intriguing objects, including potential water worlds and so-called super-Earths. Next-generation telescopes may soon close in on the ultimate goal: Finding alien planets that resemble Earth and may share the same wet, warm cocktail of chemicals that gave rise to life here.
Join Discover magazine and author-blogger-astronomer Phil Plait (of Bad Astronomy fame) as they bring together the new breed of planet hunters to debate what's next in the search for earthlike worlds.
Panelists:
John A. Johnson
Assistant Professor of Astronomy, Caltech
Gibor Basri
Professor of Astronomy, UC Berkeley
Sara Seager
Professor of Planetary Science and Physics, MIT
Tori M. Hoehler
Senior Research Scientist, NASA Ames Research Center
If you plan on attending, please email [email protected] with the expected number in your party. This is a free, non-ticketed event and seating is on a first-come basis.
For more information see: http://discovermagazine.com/events/the-quest-for-a-living-world-event/