Planet hunting in the cosmos - with Lisa Kaltenegger

Is there life beyond our home planet? The answers may be hiding in the mysterious worlds orbiting foreign stars.

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This talk was recorded at the Ri on 1 May 2024.

The cosmic mystery of extraterrestrial life has captivated humanity for centuries. Now, with leading-edge technology, the quest for tangible answers begins. Lisa Kaltenegger, founding director of Cornell University's Carl Sagan Institute, has assembled a multidisciplinary team of experts to craft a specialised toolkit for extraterrestrial exploration.

Lisa takes us on an enthralling journey across the Universe, utilising her theory that Earth can be used as a Rosetta Stone to decode the potential for life on distant planets. In this talk, discover some of the most extraordinary exoplanets, from those veiled in oceans of lava to solitary nomads adrift in space to others basking under the light of multiple suns.

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Lisa Kaltenegger is the Director of the Carl Sagan Institute to Search for Life in the Cosmos at Cornell and Associate Professor in Astronomy. She is a pioneer and world-leading expert in modelling potential habitable worlds and their detectable spectral fingerprint. Her research focuses on rocky planets circling other stars, with a focus on potentially Earth-like exoplanets in the Habitable Zone. Lisa also serves among others on the National Science Foundation's Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC), and on NASA senior review of operating missions. She is a Science Team Member of NASA's TESS Mission as well as the NIRISS instrument on JWST. Named one of America’s Young Innovators by Smithsonian Magazine, an Innovator to Watch by TIME Magazine Lisa was selected as one of the European Commission’s Role Models for Women in Science and Research. She is part of the IMAX 3D movie "The Search for Life in Space" and gives public lectures, including at Aspen Ideas Festival, TED Youth, World Science Festival and the Kavli Foundation lecture at the Adler Planetarium which was live-streamed to 6 continents. Asteroid Kaltenegger7734 is named after her.

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[Prayukth]

So vivid and visual. Lisa is so fluent in imagination and her enthusiasm flows from every sentence she says. Wonder what it would be like to have coffee with her and just listen to her in person....dreamy. She is the perfect brand ambassador for science.

[hvrijsse]

I would not be surprised if an alien race in the Andromeda galaxy is looking at our galaxy, wondering if there could be life too.

[carolspencer]

Good evening RI and Lisa
Lovely to see/recognise the Team behind your explorations and research so far.
Super exciting stuff.
😀
💜

[Montycarlo]

Boy she sounds like bedtime stories to put you to sleep or maybe it’s the mic I don’t know but soothing voice

[claudesylvanshine]

Dr. Kaltenegger is an excellent lecturer.

[relwaretep]

Does my head in that when I was a kid, the idea that any other star *might* have a planet was still a thing, it seemed a reasonable conclusion yet absolutely no proof existed. What wonders await the children of today when they reach my age?
Thanks Lisa for this informative lecture, and again thanks RI for hosting.

[Mithrandir]

I was excited to see her as I had just watched an episode of "star Talk" with Neil DeGrasse Tyson that she was on. I only watched this about 3 days ago. Very interesting subject and an excellent approach to telling people about it. Keep it up Doc.

[GreyBirdKiki]

When I was in Astronomy 101 class in college in 1997 the textbook stated there were only 27 extrasolar planets found. Then and now what a difference in discovery 👍

[glennsimonsen]

May 2024? I gave her 16 minutes and felt as though I was watching something at least 10 years old.

[Shokkwavez]

I already knew all of this but I love a good bed time story

[tomsmith]

nice calm style. she reminds me of Ann Druyan

[AR_]

This was great and lovely speaking voice. Might be some ASMR in the future, I imagine I'll be re-watching this

[woooster]

If we consider the entire known universe….i believe it would be ‘harder’ for life, not to exist.. We are here, we exist, we are proof..

We cannot be a fluke. The universe is teeming with life. The problem is distance and time…

We are literally just taking our first steps on the mud when it comes to our knowledge gained so far and developed technology.

[giovangciccareli]

"To the makers of music, all worlds, all times"

[plar_bear]

This is like the 15th science video or lecture I've watched since that JRE episode with Terrance Howard and Eric Weinstein

[stoerenungeheuer]

WTF? This is so emotional, but she got me. Take me on this journey, please!

[JustSuperLightning]

I look at our sun sometimes and wonder if there is intelligent life in our galaxy anywhere.

[frinoffrobis]

im 62 i remember when we didnt believe in other planets anywhere

[trebell]

Light or life. Our Earth is the master of learning!

[dasarp]

RI, Are you planning to have Andrea Ghez for a talk?