MIT Professor Sara Seager: Love, Loss, & Life in the Cosmos (#144)

An MIT astrophysicist reinvents herself in the wake of tragedy and
discovers the power of connection on this planet, even as she
searches our galaxy for another Earth, in this “bewitching” memoir.
“Sara Seager’s exploration of outer and inner space makes for a
stunningly original memoir.”—Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting
for Stone. Sara Seager has always been in love with the stars: so
many lights in the sky, so much possibility. Now a pioneering
planetary scientist, she searches for exoplanets—especially that
distant, elusive world that sustains life. But with the unexpected
death of Seager’s husband, the purpose of her own life becomes hard
for her to see. Suddenly, at forty, she is a widow and the single
mother of two young boys. For the first time, she feels alone in
the universe. As she struggles to navigate her life after loss,
Seager takes solace in the alien beauty of exoplanets and the
technical challenges of exploration. At the same time, she
discovers earthbound connections that feel every bit as wondrous,
when strangers and loved ones alike reach out to her across the
space of her grief. Among them are the Widows of Concord, a group
of women offering advice on everything from home maintenance to
dating, and her beloved sons, Max and Alex. Thanks to our sponsors:
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http://betterhelp.com/impossible Get THE SMALLEST LIGHTS IN THE
UNIVERSE https://amzn.to/3ueRujJ 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:46 The story
of the title and cover. 00:07:53 Where did you find solace after
your family tragedies? How did your write about them? 00:12:42 What
gave you the confidence to write a memoir? 00:27:35 What got you
into astronomy? 00:35:22 Why look for life beyond earth? Isn't life
on earth enough? 00:45:21 What do you think about the academic
"hunger games"? Is being a PhD. oversold? Post Doc bloating.
00:49:00 What is your philosophy of mentorship? 01:00:00 The
controversial discovery of phosphine on Venus. 01:11:56 What do you
think of Avi Loeb's assertions and extreme reaction to it? 01:23:00
What would you put in your ethical will? 01:25:00 What would you
put on your monolith? 01:29:38 What have you done that you once
thought was impossible as advice to your younger self? Support the
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