Name: How spectroscopy could reveal alien life
Uploaded: 2009-10-01T09:21:00Z
Duration: 15 min 35 s
Description: Garik Israelian is a spectroscopist, studying the spectrum emitted by a star to figure out what it's made of and how it might behave. It's a rare and accessible look at this discipline, which may be coming close to finding a planet friendly to life.

Garik Israelian is a spectroscopist, studying the spectrum emitted by a star to figure out what it's made of and how it might behave. It's a rare and accessible look at this discipline, which may be coming close to finding a planet friendly to life.

How spectroscopy could reveal alien life

Spectroscopy, the study of light’s spectrum, reveals the composition and behavior of distant stars and planets. By examining faint signals, scientists have uncovered mysteries like stars swallowing planets, supernovae creating black holes, and the possible chemical fingerprints of life. Over 24,000 spectral lines appear in sunlight, with many still unidentified today. This precise science may soon help confirm life on exoplanets by detecting telltale molecules such as oxygen and methane.