Astronomers like me, and those I work with at the Origins of Life Initiative at Harvard, are now using powerful telescopes to discover entirely new classes of planets orbiting other stars. These telescopes (and others currently under construction) allow us to detect the signatures of atmospheric gases from distant planets by analyzing their light in different colors. Among them, we are looking for one that could teach us about alternative geo-chemistries—and ultimately lead us to the discovery of biochemistry and life. We will only succeed if we manage to combine what we see remotely with our work in the lab.
Astronomers like me, and those I work with at the Origins of Life Initiative at Harvard, are now using powerful telescopes to discover entirely new classes of planets orbiting other stars. These telescopes (and others currently under construction) allow us to detect the signatures of atmospheric gases from distant planets by analyzing their light in different colors. Among them, we are looking for one that could teach us about alternative geo-chemistries—and ultimately lead us to the discovery of biochemistry and life. We will only succeed if we manage to combine what we see remotely with our work in the lab.