The field of Exoplanet science is less than thirty years old, but in less than three decades, the discovery that there are planets orbiting around stars other than our Sun have revolutionized the way we see the Universe and our place in it. Since the first discovery of an exoplanet, almost 6000 exoplanets have been discovered. Thanks to new ambitious space missions and ground based search facilities in place, the number keeps rising with even smaller Earth like objects being detected. Facility space observatories, like the Hubble Space Telescope, which were not originally designed to study exoplanets, creatively exploited indirect techniques such as observing the exoplanets during their transits in front of the host star, to pioneer exoplanet atmosphere studies, obtaining the first atmospheric spectra and detecting key chemical elements such as water, methane.
When JWST came online, the exquisite combination of sensitivity and resolution coupled to state-of-the-art spectroscopic capabilities opened planetary physics studies to new dimensions. Complex molecules are being detected, and the study field has grown combining astrophysics with planetology and chemistry. The existential question on whether the Universe is full of life seems within reach of our technology and has galvanized researchers from different disciplines and research agencies. The next decades could mark a decisive one for the corresponding disciplines, potentially marking a key moment that will see spectacular progress in our understanding of the conditions and mechanisms for the origin of life.
With the thirty anniversary approaching of the discovery of 51 Pegasi b, with an array of missions already slated to fly in the next few years (ESA Plato, ESA Ariel, etc.), and with NASA unveiling ambitious plans to build a Habitable World Observatory in the next two decades, the time is ripe to take stock of the community and to actively discuss bold and ambitious future scientific programs.
This Breakthrough Workshop will be organized around big questions centered on the theme of “life in the Universe.”
What planetary environment should be considered as a potential cradle for life? Starting from our own planet Earth and our own Solar System, what are the conditions necessary for life? A large number of exoplanets have been found to have atmospheres and to be located in temperate zones that are potentially habitable. The recent discovery of Hycean exoplanets, with hydrogen rich atmosphere and oceans adds new context and interest to this question.How do we search for geological and biological signatures? JWST is enabling, for the first time, accurate spectroscopic measurements of isotopic composition of volatiles in the atmosphere of active asteroids and water rich satellites (see for example the measurements of deuterium and carbon-13 contents on dwarf planet Eris). Return of samples from asteroids such as Bennu and others will further inform the conversation on how best to explore geological signatures. The debate on what the term “biological signature” even means in the light of the new JWST results is quite heated right now, and will not be conclusively addressed without having astronomers, astro-chemists and astro-biologists being part of the conversation, together.
In a truly multidisciplinary fashion, this Breakthrough Workshop shall bring together experts from cognate disciplines, to interact and produce a corresponding paper on the current status of the community understanding, in relation to the questions above.
ISSI Breakthrough Workshops are specifically designed to address core questions in science, by gathering a diverse set of experts on the topic, invite them to spend a week in a neutral and welcoming environment, discuss the issues, and produce one high visibility peer reviewed paper to state the current understanding on the topic in question, to be submitted within three months from the completion of the Workshop. Participation at this ISSI Breakthrough Workshop is by invitation only. The format includes ample discussion time, and time to draft the final written product, hackathon style. The number of participants to a Breakthrough Workshop is capped at ~40 scientists, including a number of Early Career Scientists. Our goal is to provide an environment fostering the free and respectful exchange of ideas, to collectively advance the scientific knowledge on this topic.