The Daily The Sunday Read: 'The Woman Who Might Find Us Another Earth'
Apr 19, 2020
In this engaging discussion, Sarah Seeger, an accomplished astrophysicist at MIT and MacArthur Fellow, shares her compelling journey in the search for exoplanets and extraterrestrial life. She reveals the challenges of detecting distant worlds amidst the vastness of space and personal loss. Listeners will be captivated by her insights into groundbreaking astronomical techniques and the emotional connection driving her quest. Seeger's story inspires hope and a deeper understanding of our place in the universe.
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Forgotten Phone
- Sarah Seeger, an astrophysicist, forgot her phone while commuting to MIT, causing a minor dilemma.
- She needed to coordinate her sons' soccer game ride and meet her friend, highlighting her reliance on technology.
Searching for Another Earth
- Sarah Seeger, a tenured professor at MIT, is a leading expert in exoplanets, planets orbiting stars other than our sun.
- Her ultimate goal is to find an Earth-like exoplanet that could potentially harbor life.
Light's Dual Nature
- Light is both Sarah Seeger's passion and her enemy in her search for exoplanets.
- The glare from Boston's city lights often disrupts her work at night, illustrating the challenge of finding faint light sources in the vastness of space.