NASA earlier this week declared the formation of an
interdisciplinary task force committed to inspecting the possibility of life
beyond our solar system. Known as the Nexus for Exoplanet System Science, or
"NExSS", the team will examine the habitability of the more than
1,000 exoplanets that have been recognized. Experts in the fields of earth
science, planetary science, astrophysics and heliophysics (the physics of the
Sun) will comprise the group. Jim Green, NASA's Director of Planetary Science,
said "This interdisciplinary endeavor connects top research teams and
provides a synthesized approach in the search for planets with the greatest
potential for signs of life. The hunt for exoplanets is not only a priority for
astronomers, it's of keen interest to planetary and climate scientists as
well."
NASA's own Natalie Batalha, Dawn Gelino and Anthony del Genio
will control the union. They will be combined by researchers from 12 different
universities and institutions. You can learn more about this here.
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