Looks at the nature of planets that lie beyond our solar system.

Fiction writers have led the way in exploring the prospects of life beyond Earth. See how scientists are catching up, looking for extraterrestrial organisms using a variety of ingenious techniques. Learn how they are narrowing the search and which tantalizing clues have already turned up..

Beginning in 2009, the Kepler Space Telescope began staring intensively at a single patch of sky, about one quarter of one percent of the sky. Sift through the Kepler discoveries for planets with a variety of Earth-like features, including presence in a "habitable" zone, and learn why billions of Earth-like planets are estimated to exist in our galaxy.

Join the quest for life on exoplanets, focusing on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI)—a hunt for signals from alien civilizations inspired by a landmark paper in 1959. See how the famous Drake equation points to factors that determine how many such civilizations may exist..

In the two decades since the first planet outside of our solar system was discovered, "exoplanetology" has become the hottest specialty in astrophysics. To date, more than 1,000 exoplanets have been found, and this eBook explains the investigative techniques used and analyzes the strange and controversial discoveries in this exciting field.

In the two decades since astronomers first discovered the existence of a planet outside of our solar system, "exoplanetology" has become the hottest specialty in astrophysics. Scientists young and old, inspired by the thought of finding either another habitable world or the Holy Grail of space exploration-life itself-flocked to be part of this burgeoning field. With so much brainpower on hand, it's no wonder that investigative techniques advanced...

Learn about the planets that exist outside of our solar system, and the actions scientists are taking to learn more about them. --

Joshua Winn is professor of astrophysical sciences at Princeton University and a coinvestigator in NASA's ongoing Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite mission. In this audiobook, astrophysicist Joshua Winn provides an accessible introduction to exoplanets and explains the cutting-edge science behind recent discoveries For centuries, people have speculated about the possibility of planets orbiting distant stars, but only since the 1990s has technology...

Join host Emily Calandrelli as she explores the fascinating world of exoplanets.

Explore the theoretical limit of the smallest possible orbit for a planet, taking into consideration tidal stresses and other destructive processes. Then focus on Professor Winn's search for such objects, which found probable lava worlds-planets heated to rock-melting temperatures by their extreme closeness to their host stars.