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

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

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.

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• 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?

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