Explore the mysterious world in ‘The Hunt for Planet B’
The mere thought can send you down a rabbit hole of existence. But I like to look at the universe and consider all the possibilities just waiting to be discovered.
Astronomers have yet to find a solar system like our own. And of the thousands of known alien planets, none coincide with the planet in our cosmic backyard. But scientists are just beginning to scratch the surface of planets outside the solar system. The next step is to look inside them.
If you’re intrigued by the exploration of other worlds, check out “The Hunt for Planet B,” which airs on CNN on Saturday, November 20 at 9 p.m. ET.
Follow scientists as they plan the launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the world’s most powerful space observatory.
Gravity defies
Webb is ready to help us understand the origins of the universe and begin to answer important questions about our existence, such as where we come from and whether we are alone in the universe. .
Another world
Oh, the places Webb is going! The telescope will look at different objects, like stars and galaxies in the distant universe and planets in our solar system, but many associate Webb with alien planets.
The observatory is expected to observe the TRAPPIST-1 system, which consists of seven Earth-sized planets orbiting a cool dwarf star about 40 light-years away.
But astronomers are also eager to investigate other mysterious alien planets, like those between the sizes of Earth and Neptune. No known planets like this exist in our solar system – but they are the most common exoplanets in our galaxy. Now, scientists want to know how they form.
In the universe
Scientists agree that for humanity, there is likely no Planet B. We must do everything we can to take care of the Earth because they say that world only for us.
But looking ahead, it’s a question astronomers are answering: If Planet B exists, what could it be like?
Some believe it will be an actual Earth twin, where life forms in the same way as here.
Others hope we will learn that life can be shaped in many different ways. When looking at the variety of exoplanets around different types of stars, that doesn’t seem too far-fetched.
Amazing creature
If you’re working from home during the pandemic, chances are your pet is used to more quality time – which makes separation anxiety that much more difficult when you’re back in the office.
Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas, a lecturer in animal-computer interaction at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, has set out to change that with DogPhone. Unlike other pet technologies, DogPhone allows dogs to call their owners.
Ocean secret
It’s time to go to the twilight zone – the region in the ocean. This region, before daylight gives way to the eternal darkness of the deep sea, is as mysterious to us as space.
The more researchers learn, the more they realize that the animals that live there play an important role in regulating Earth’s climate. Here, beautiful and peculiar creatures migrate up and down daily.
The area has a surprising backer: filmmaker James Cameron.
Discover
Look back: