Super Earths, Ribbon Worlds, and Life in the Universe
(Room JW Grand Ballroom 9)
06 Jul 18
1:30 PM
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2:45 PM
Are we alone? This question is as old as humanity. Amazingly, its answer may now be within reach! We currently know of more than 3,000 confirmed planets around other stars and thousands more awaiting confirmation. These numbers are sufficient for us to characterize planetary systems within our galaxy and to confidently predict that almost every star has a planetary system. Do any of these contain life? Intelligent life? In parallel with the expansion of our knowledge of potentially habitable planets, biologists have made major strides in understanding the possible genesis of life and the conditions necessary for the formation and sustenance of living organisms. Join astrophysicist Tom Steiman-Cameron in exploring the diversity of newly discovered planets and learning how they fit into our search for life. We will learn why astrobiologists widely agree that life is abundant in the universe, while the abundance of intelligent life may be more problematic.