David Charbonneau, "The Fast Track to Find an Inhabited Exoplanet"
October 2, 2012 | Adler Planetarium - Definiti Theater | 6:00 pm
David Charbonneau, Harvard University
David Charbonneau is a professor of astronomy at Harvard University. He led the first studies of the compositions of exoplanets and of their atmospheres, and he is a member of the NASA Kepler Mission to find Earth-like planets. Dr. Charbonneau has received numerous awards for his research, including the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement, and he was named Scientist of the Year by Discover Magazine.
2012 Brinson Lecture: "The Fast Track to Find an Inhabited Exoplanet"
Are there inhabited worlds other than our own? Although humans have pondered this for generations, this is the first time that we have the technological ability to answer it. In the past year astronomers have found the first Earth-sized worlds orbiting other Suns, and the first exoplanets with the right temperature for liquid water. If we can study the atmospheres of such planets, we can search for the telltale molecular fingerprints of life.
This event is co-sponsored by the University of Chicago and the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum.