Yesterday, I joined Associate Editor Sarah Scoles, Discover Editor at Large Corey Powell, and Discover Associate Editor Bill Andrews for a Google Hangout discussion on everything you need to know about one of the hottest topics in astronomy right now, exoplanets.
Astronomers have found more than a thousand planets in other solar systems, and thousands more candidates await confirmation. While some members of the exoplanet zoo host liquid water and could be life-friendly, others boast rainstorms of molten glass and surface temperatures hot enough to melt steel. During our discussion, we covered the latest news from the American Astronomical Society conference going on now and answered questions from viewers, covering topics from how astronomers search for exoplanets, how we might find life beyond our solar system, the hunt for an Earth twin, and much more.
In case you missed the event, you and re-watch the discussion below. And stay tuned for news on future Google Hangouts coming in the next month.