The hunt for habitable exoplanets, and how a warming world could intensify urban air pollution

On this week’s show: Scientists are expanding the hunt for habitable exoplanets to bigger worlds, and why improvements in air quality have stagnated in Los Angeles, especially during summer, despite cleaner cars and increased regulations

Staff Writer Daniel Clery joins producer Meagan Cantwell to talk through the major contenders for habitable exoplanets—from Earth-like rocky planets to water worlds. Preliminary results from two rocky exoplanets have some researchers concerned about whether they will be able to detect atmospheres around planets orbiting turbulent stars.

Next, producer Ariana Remmel talks with Eva Pfannerstill, an atmospheric chemist at the Jülich Research Center, about how volatile organic compounds, mostly from plants, are causing an increase in air pollution during hot days in Los Angeles. 

This week’s episode was produced with help from Podigy.

This week’s episode was produced with help from Podigy.

About the Science Podcast

Authors: Daniel Clery; Meagan Cantwell; Arianna Remmel

Episode page: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.zxi