This episode is all about...aliens. Or rather, alien planets and what sort of characteristics they possess, and whether they might be good places to look for life. We sit down with experts in exoplanets and exoplanet atmospheres to talk about what these distant planets are like, how we find them and study them, and how they are like and very unlike the planets in our Solar System.

Dr. Zach Berta-Thompson is a professor of astronomy and planetary science at CU Boulder with a specialty in studying exoplanets. His research ranges from mid-sized bodies and their atmospheres to small planets around small stars to what he calls “wonderfully complicated stars.” Within the student body, he is especially known for his stellar shoe collection, his love of arts and crafts, and his enthusiasm for teaching and advising students.

Jessica Libby-Roberts is a graduate student at CU Boulder working with Dr. Berta-Thompson on research regarding exoplanet atmospheres. She currently works on “super-puffs” planets with densities similar to cotton candy! Her research tries to understand how the low gravity of these puffy planets holds on to a substantial atmosphere and what that can tell us about planetary formation and dynamics.