The Formation of New Worlds and the Building Blocks of Life

Astronomers have recently discovered thousands of exoplanets in orbit around other stars. What are these different planets like? Are any hospitable to the development of life? Answering these questions leads us to delve into the rich chemistry that accompanies the formation of new solar systems. Powerful telescopes including JWST are now illuminating, in greater detail than ever before, the distinctive chemistry at play during planet formation. Complementing this, laboratory experiments that mimic the extreme conditions found in space can reveal how molecules behave in these exotic environments. The emerging view of planet formation chemistry is helping to explain the staggering diversity of planet types and compositions that can form - and to predict how newly formed planets can be seeded with the building blocks for life.

Speaker: Jenny Bergner, UC Berkeley