Relativity Seminar with Pete Worden
Feb
19
2026
Feb
19
2026
Description
Abstract
This lecture explores the enduring question of life beyond Earth, integrating recent scientific discoveries with visionary efforts to explore the cosmos. It begins with a survey of exoplanet research and the growing evidence that habitable worlds may be common, alongside signs of past or present life on ocean worlds like Europa and Enceladus.
The talk highlights private-sector-led efforts such as Breakthrough Listen and Starshot, Breakthrough Watch, and introduces the newly announced Lazuli mission by Schmidt Sciences - an advanced 3 meter space telescope to be launched in 2028 designed to study transients, cosmology and exo-planets.
Attention is also given to the atmosphere of Venus, where chemical anomalies like potential phosphine detections raise the possibility of microbial life in the planet's temperate cloud layers.
In parallel, the potential of synthetic biology to terraform Mars is discussed, focusing on engineered microbes that could gradually reshape its environment for future habitation.
Framed in the tradition of Arthur C. Clarke's visionary thinking, the lecture considers how the search tor he is not only a scientific pursuit, but also a profound cultural and philosophical journey - reshaping humanity's sense of its place in the cosmos.
Bio
Dr. S. "Pete" Worden, (Brig Gen, USAF, Ret, PhD) is Chairman of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation and Executive Director of the foundation's Breakthrough Initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Michigan and a PhD in Astronomy from the University of Arizona. After several US Air Force positions and a research professorship in astronomy at the University of Arizona, Dr. Worden was Director of NASA's Ames Research Center until retiring on March 31, 2015.
From 2017 to the present, Brigadier General Worden is an Advisor to the Luxembourg Space Agency and was appointed as a Knight-Commander of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in 2018 for his space services.