SETI Live

Astronomers may have just witnessed the aftermath of a massive planetary collision in another star system—offering a rare glimpse into how worlds are destroyed… and possibly reborn. Join host Dr. Moiya McTier and guest Anastasios Tzanidakis (University of Washington) as they break down new evidence suggesting that two large planetary bodies recently crashed into each other. What does this tell us about how planets form and evolve? How common are these catastrophic events? And could collisions like this help explain the chaotic early history of our own solar system? From cosmic debris clouds to planetary recycling, we'll explore one of the most dramatic processes shaping worlds across the galaxy. Press release: https://www.washington.edu/news/2026/03/11/uw-astronomers-spot-planet-collision-evidence/ Paper: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ae3ddc (Recorded live 2 April 2026.)

As NASA prepares to return humans to the Moon with Artemis II, what does it really take to live and work on the lunar surface? Join host Simon Steel and planetary scientist Pascal Lee as they explore the science and strategy behind humanity's next giant leap. From cutting-edge spacesuit design and testing to the challenge of choosing where astronauts will land, this conversation dives into what comes next for lunar exploration. We'll also explore: - The mystery and importance of permanently shadowed regions - Evidence for water ice on the Moon—and why it matters - How Artemis is paving the way for future missions from the Moon to Mars Artemis II is more than a mission—it's a proving ground for the future of human exploration. Haughton Mars Project: https://www.marsinstitute.no/hmp (Recorded live 26 March 2026.)

How do scientists actually search for extraterrestrial intelligence? Astronomer, professor, and Drake Award winner Jason Wright joins host Beth Johnson on SETI Live to discuss his new textbook, The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Theory and Practice. The book brings together the science, methods, and history of SETI into a single framework for students and researchers. SETI has evolved dramatically in the past few decades—from early radio searches to modern investigations of technosignatures, including laser signals, infrared waste heat, and other possible evidence of advanced civilizations. In this conversation, we explore: Why SETI now deserves a full academic textbook The many ways scientists search for alien technology The history and philosophy behind the field What would actually count as a real detection How researchers are training the next generation of SETI scientists Learn more about The Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center: https://www.pseti.psu.edu/ Access the textbook: https://iopscience.iop.org/book/mono/978-0-7503-4796-9 (Recorded live 19 March 2026.)

Saturn's largest moon may have had a violent birth. New research led by SETI Institute scientist Matija Ćuk proposes that Titan formed when two earlier Saturnian moons collided and merged hundreds of millions of years ago. This dramatic event may explain several long-standing mysteries in the Saturn system—including Titan's unusual orbit, the origin of the strange tumbling moon Hyperion, and even the relatively young age of Saturn's iconic rings. Using computer simulations, researchers found that a once-stable Saturnian moon system may have become unstable, sending an outer moon on a collision course with Titan. The merger would have resurfaced Titan—erasing many ancient craters—and scattered debris that later formed Hyperion. The resulting changes to Titan's orbit could have destabilized smaller inner moons, triggering collisions that eventually created Saturn's rings. Join SETI Institute Social Media Manager Beth Johnson and planetary dynamicist Matija Ćuk as they explore this new model for the Saturn system's evolution, what clues led scientists to propose a moon-moon merger, and how future missions—like NASA's Dragonfly mission to Titan—might test this dramatic hypothesis. Could Titan really be the survivor of an ancient cosmic crash? 📄 Paper: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ae422c 📰 Press release: https://www.seti.org/news/saturns-moon-titan-could-have-formed-in-a-merger-of-two-old-moons/ (Recorded live 12 March 2026.)

Astronomers have unveiled a novel technique for detecting faint signals from stellar and exoplanetary systems — potentially opening new pathways in the search for extraterrestrial technology and natural astrophysical phenomena alike. In this episode of SETI Live, host Moiya McTier sits down with radio astronomer Cyril Tasse to explore the method described in Nature Astronomy. How does it work? Why is it different from traditional radio searches? And what kinds of signals could it reveal that we've been missing? Radio waves from distant stars and planets are incredibly faint and often buried in noise. This new approach rethinks how we process and interpret complex data, potentially improving sensitivity to subtle, structured signals. RIMS press release: https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/the-detection-of-radio-bursts.html RIMS paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02757-7 Stellar storm press release: https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/evidence-of-a-massive-stellar.html CME video: https://youtu.be/bHlOYFn0RUM (Recorded live 5 March 2026.)

Dr. Franck Marchis, Director of Citizen Science at the SETI Institute and co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of SkyMapper, and Dr. Lauren Sgro, Outreach Manager at the SETI Institute, update us about citizen science with the Unistellar network in partnership with the SETI Institute. They discuss making 15,000 observations in 2025, pending confirmation of a planet candidate, Comet 29P outbursting, observing rocket bodies, and preparing to observe Artemis II. They also answer your questions about our program and discuss recent highlights. (Recorded live 27 February 2026.)

Astronomers may have found the missing link in the story of the Milky Way's most common planets. In this SETI Live, host Moiya McTier is joined by exoplanet scientist John H. Livingston to explore a new discovery that helps connect the dots between small rocky worlds like Earth and the larger "sub-Neptunes" that dominate our galaxy. Using cutting-edge observations and statistical analysis, researchers have identified a population of planets that appears to bridge a long-standing gap in our understanding of planetary formation. For years, astronomers have known that planets of sizes between Earth and Neptune are incredibly common—but their origins and evolutionary paths have remained puzzling. This new result may finally clarify how these worlds form, evolve, and sometimes transform. What does this mean for: • How do planetary systems assemble? • Why does our Solar System look so unusual? • The search for habitable worlds beyond Earth? Join us as we break down the science, the methods, and the bigger implications for exoplanet research and the search for life. Press release: https://www.abc-nins.jp/en/2026/01/08/10010/ Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09840-z (Recorded live 26 February 2026.)

Our Cosmic Consciousness residency artists daniela brill estrada, Bart Kuipers, and Julie-Michèle Morin, discuss an art-science collaboration that imagines how language might emerge from alien worlds. Hosts: Bettina Forget and Cosmic Consciousness residency advisor Gregory Betts. Join SETI AIR program Director Bettina Forget for a conversation with Cosmic Consciousness artists in residence daniela brill estrada, Bart Kuipers, and Julie-Michèle Morin, joined by residency advisor Gregory Betts. Together, they will discuss Exoplanetary Poetry, an art-science collaboration that imagines how language might emerge from alien worlds. Using atmospheric data from real exoplanets, the team trains an artificial intelligence to write poems alongside human collaborators. The resulting texts are translated back into chemistry, forming multisensory installations where reactions generate visual forms, textures, and scent. How can molecules become metaphors? What does it mean to co-author with a nonhuman intelligence shaped by planetary science? And can poetry help us think differently about life beyond Earth? Exoplanetary Poetry: https://exoplanetarypoetry.space/ Sara Walker: https://search.asu.edu/profile/1731899 Learn more about the SETI AIR program: https://www.seti.org/air/ (Recorded live 19 February 2026.)