Recorded Thursday 7 May, 2020.
This conversation focuses on the emergence of astrobiology as an important new cross-disciplinary field within the natural sciences, and its relevance for understanding life on earth.
- What does the fact that biological life emerged on earth from abiotic matter tell us about the likelihood that life is abundant across our galaxy?
- Can life emerge without the context of a planetary home?
- How have astronomers worked with earth systems scientists and others to devise the techniques for detecting earth-like exoplanets?
- What is the relevance of astrobiology for understanding climate change here on earth?
- If initiatives like Breakthrough Starshot are successful, and we discover life on a nearby planet such as Proxima Centauri b, what impact will this have for understanding the future of life on earth?
Professor Ed Turner is an astrophysicist at Princeton University and focuses on the future of the life. Working extensively in both theoretical and observational astrophysics, Professor Turner has published more than 240 research papers with particular concentrations on topics including binary galaxies, dark matter, quasars, exoplanets, astrobiology and the origin of life. Professor Turner is also a leader of the Breakthrough Starshot initative, which aims to develop a light-powered starship to journey to Proxima Centauri b, an exoplanet discovered in August 2016.
