SETI Live

The INVADER project researches ways to improve life detection in ocean worlds by studying alien worlds in Earth's deep ocean. We seek to understand how we can detect life in the deep ocean here on Earth with flight-ready instruments (e.g., can go on a space flight mission). The deep ocean is a testing ground to help us validate what data collected by these instruments could tell us about life if we deployed them to the seafloor of an ocean world. To this end, in 2021, Laura Rodriguez (LPI) and Pablo Sobron (SETI Institute) traveled to Axial Seamount in the Pacific Ocean to place some microbial traps at low temperature (~23 C) vents. These traps contained substrates and minerals relevant to materials we might find in ocean worlds to see which minerals are most attractive to life under hydrothermal conditions and whether we could reliably detect that life with our instruments. Postdoctoral Fellow Bonnie Teece went on a research cruise in 2023, collected these samples, and brought them back to the laboratory to find out what these data can tell us about life and rocks deep in our ocean world and apply that to what we might find on other ocean worlds. Join communications specialist Beth Johnson as she chats with Dr. Teece about her initial analysis of the microbial traps and what they could mean for our search for life beyond Earth, especially involving ocean worlds like Europa and Enceladus. (Recorded 23 May 2024.)

The SETI Institute is pleased to announce that Dr. Andrew Siemion will be honored with the prestigious 2024 Drake Award for his exceptional and pioneering contributions to SETI and radio astronomy and his leadership in the field. Siemion's distinguished career includes his role as the Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI at the SETI Institute, Principal Investigator for the Breakthrough Listen Initiative at the University of Oxford, along with holding an Honorary Professorship at the University of Manchester, an Adjunct Appointment at the University of Malta, and directing the Berkeley SETI Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley. His dedication to SETI science and funding has been crucial in advocating for the scientific validity and importance of the field. Ahead of the awards reception, communications specialist Beth Johnson talks with Dr. Siemion about his career so far, receiving the Drake Award, and his vision for the future of SETI research. (Recorded 16 May 2024.)

T Coronae Borealis, or T CrB, is a well-studied nova system in the constellation Corona Borealis. In fact, T CrB produces a recurring nova — one of only five known in our galaxy — that erupts approximately every 80 years, making this a once-in-a-lifetime event. Astronomers predict that the star will explode again within the coming year, likely before this September. When it does erupt, the rather dim T CrB could become as bright as our North Star. Observers with the SETI/Unistellar Network have been watching this star system since last summer and now monitor it daily through the Cosmic Cataclysms citizen science program.

Join communications specialist Beth Johnson as she talks to Dr. Tom Esposito, SETI researcher and Lead of the Cosmic Cataclysms program, about this exciting nova and the efforts to catch it! (Recorded 9 May 2024.)

In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers have identified an Earth-sized planet closer and younger than any previously known. Positioned remarkably close to both our planet (73 light-years away) and a Sun-like star, this newly found world offers a unique opportunity for scientists to study the evolution of planets. Catalogued as HD 63433 d, this hot exoplanet orbits its star in 4.2 days, making it one of the closest orbiting Earth-sized worlds. With its young age and proximity, HD 63433 d promises invaluable insights into planetary formation and evolution, unlocking mysteries about the processes shaping worlds beyond our own. A paper detailing the planet and its discovery was recently published in The Astronomical Journal.

Communications specialist Beth Johnson speaks with lead authors Melinda Soares-Furtado and Benjamin Capistrant about this amazing discovery and the implications for planetary formation studies. (Recorded 25 April 2024.)

The documentary short "Deep Sky" takes viewers on a breathtaking journey through space and time, showcasing stunning imagery captured by NASA's Webb Telescope on the giant IMAX® screen. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn and narrated by Michelle Williams, the film delves into the monumental effort behind the telescope's construction and launch, set to orbit a million miles from Earth. As it explores never-before-seen cosmic landscapes and newly discovered exoplanets, "Deep Sky" prompts timeless questions about our origins and the vastness of the universe. With Kahn's track record of award-winning documentaries, including "The Hunt for Planet B" and "My Architect," "Deep Sky" promises to immerse audiences in the beauty and mystery of space in a truly unforgettable cinematic experience.

Join communications specialist Beth Johnson in a special conversation with director Nathaniel Kahn about the telescope, the filmmaking process, and how we share science with the world.

A deeply eroded giant volcano, active from ancient through recent times and with possible remnants of glacier ice near its base, had been hiding near Mars' equator in plain sight. Its discovery points to an exciting new place to search for life, and a potential destination for future robotic and human exploration.

"We were examining the geology of an area where we had found the remains of a glacier last year when we realized we were inside a huge and deeply eroded volcano," said Dr. Pascal Lee, planetary scientist with the SETI Institute and the Mars Institute based at NASA Ames Research Center, and the lead author of the study announced at the 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference held in The Woodlands, Texas. Sourabh Shubham, a graduate student in the Department of Geology at the University of Maryland, is co-author of the discovery.

Join Dr. Lee as he talks with communications specialist Beth Johnson about the recent discovery and its potential impact on the search for life beyond Earth. (Recorded 11 April 2024.)

Press release: https://www.seti.org/press-release/giant-volcano-discovered-mars

A potential future space mission known as the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets (LIFE) could study terrestrial worlds in their stars' habitable zones (where water can be liquid) using spectral emissions in the mid-infrared. With only one known example of a world with life - Earth - scientists recently examined whether or not such a mission could determine if a planet was habitable. Published in The Astrophysical Journal, the results of a recent study concluded that yes, LIFE could find "signatures of crucial atmospheric species and [detect] the planet's temperate climate as well as surface conditions allowing for liquid water."

Co-author Björn S. Konrad joins senior planetary astronomer Franck Marchis from ETH Zurich for an engaging SETI Live on how they used remote sensing data to draw their conclusions and what the results mean for the search for life beyond Earth. (Recorded 4 April 2024.)

Press release: https://www.phys.ethz.ch/news-and-events/d-phys-news/2024/02/if-earth-were-an-exoplanet.html

Paper: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad198b

Join us for a live discussion with senior planetary astronomer Franck Marchis and planetary scientist Beth Johnson as they delve into the thrilling search for life on Saturn's icy moon, Enceladus. Drawing on recent findings highlighted by Universe Today and ESA, Franck and Beth will explore the significant implications of a single grain of ice potentially holding evidence of life and why Enceladus stands as a top target for future explorations by the European Space Agency.

Discover how ESA's ambitious mission plans aim to investigate the habitability of ocean worlds within our Solar System, focusing on the unique conditions of Enceladus. Learn about the intriguing characteristics that make this distant moon an ideal candidate for uncovering signs of life beyond Earth, including its watery plumes rich in organic compounds and the powerful source of chemical energy that may fuel living organisms. This engaging session promises to ignite curiosity and offer insights into the technological innovations and scientific quests that drive our search for extraterrestrial life.

Don't miss this opportunity to journey through the latest advancements and hypotheses that position Enceladus as a beacon of hope in the quest to answer one of humanity's most profound questions: Are we alone in the universe? (Recorded 28 March 2024.)

The TRAPPIST-1 planetary system has fascinated both scientists and the public since the discovery of the last five of its seven terrestrial worlds in 2017. With four of those planets in the so-called habitable zone, where water can be liquid, the system has become a favorite target of ground- and space-based telescopes alike, especially with regard to the potential for harboring life. However, TRAPPIST-1 is a red dwarf star, cooler and smaller than our own Sun, leading to concerns about the ability of these tidally locked worlds to develop and maintain their own atmospheres. Now, in new research published in The Astrophysical Journal, a team of researchers has discovered that TRAPPIST-1e's atmosphere is being stripped by strong electric currents, quashing some hopes that the world is habitable.

Communications specialist Beth Johnson is joined by co-author Dr. Cecilia Garraffo from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics to talk about this disappointing news and its impact on the search for life beyond Earth, as well as her work in establishing AstroAI, "a cutting-edge research institute dedicated to advancing astrophysics through the application of artificial intelligence." (Recorded 21 March 2024.)

Paper: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad206a

A tale of destiny and danger, The Asteroid Hunter chronicles firsthand the high-stakes OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission, narrated by Principal Investigator Dr. Dante Lauretta. It offers readers an intimate glimpse into the riveting exploits of the mission and Dr. Lauretta's wild, winding personal journey to Bennu and back. Peeling back the curtain on the wonders of the cosmos, this enthralling account promises a rare glimpse into the tightly woven fabric of scientific exploration, where technical precision converges with humanity's profound curiosity and indomitable spirit.

In anticipation of this exciting new release, communications specialist Beth Johnson chats with Dr. Lauretta about the book, the mission, and the future of asteroid science. (Recorded live 19 March 2024.)