How Close Are We To Finding Life On Another Planet?

In our galaxy alone there are hundreds of billions of planets, and the past few years have ushered in an explosion of new discoveries about our universe. MIT's Sara Seager speaks with TED Radio Hour about looking for the perfect planet in the "Goldilocks" zone — neither too hot nor too cold — that could support life.

Listen to this at NPR's TED Radio Hour

Sara Seager is an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at MIT. Her research, which focuses on exoplanetary science, has led to the first discovery of an exoplanet atmosphere. Seager received her PhD from Harvard University. She is a 2013 MacArthur "Genius" Fellow. In 2012, she was recognized in Time Magazine as one of the 25 Most Influential in Space.

Listen to the entire segment: Peering Deeper Into Space