TED Tech What the discovery of exoplanets reveals about the universe | Jessie Christiansen
Apr 14, 2023
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Early Exoplanet Hunting Story
- Jessie Christiansen began her exoplanet career spending years examining star brightness data with no success.
- Her breakthrough came on the Kepler mission, where she discovered thousands of exoplanets starting with her first find on day two.
Diverse Exoplanet Population
- There are likely tens of billions of exoplanets just in the Milky Way galaxy.
- Analysis revealed many exotic types, including common "super-Earths" unknown in our solar system.
Mapping Planet Formation Timeline
- Studying exoplanet data may illuminate the entire planetary formation process, from gas clouds to full planets.
- Finding planets at different stages could map the timeline of planetary development.