Searching for life on other planets with astrophysicist Sara Seager | ReThinking

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

February 21, 2026

Duration

27m

Channel

Re:Thinking with Adam Grant

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Sara Seager is an astrophysicist and planetary scientist whose research focuses on exoplanets—planets outside our solar system orbiting other stars. In this episode, Adam and Sara investigate the possibility of finding alien lifeforms in other solar systems or even on planets or moons closer to home, and Sara breaks down how scientists detect exoplanets and why this kind of science is so important for advancing discoveries here on Earth. They debate the likelihood of discovering intelligent alien life in our lifetime, and Sara reflects on the unique childhood circumstances that led to her groundbreaking work. Host & Guest Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/) Sara Seager (Instagram: | Website: https://www.saraseager.com/) Join us in person at a TED conference: https://tedtalks.social/events Become a TED Member to support our mission: https://ted.com/membership Subscribe to a TED newsletter: https://ted.com/newsletters Follow TED! X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts The TED Audio Collective is a collection of podcasts for the curious. The TED Audio Collective videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organiz...). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com.

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Sara Seager

  guest

  Astrophysicist at MIT known for exoplanet detection and the search for atmospheric biosignatures of life.

• Adam Grant

  host

  Organizational psychologist and Wharton professor who hosts the Re:Thinking podcast.

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Re:Thinking with Adam Grant, featuring Sara Seager and Adam Grant, Searching for life on other planets with astrophysicist Sara Seager | ReThinking explores astrophysicist Sara Seager on exoplanets, life detection, and humility Seager traces her path into astronomy to a childhood wonder about the night sky shaped by distrust of authority and openness to unconventional ideas.

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