The Habitable Zone

35:13

EP 26: Signals From Elsewhere

The Habitable Zone ·

2026/08/25

In this episode, we explore two discoveries reshaping the search for habitable worlds beyond our Solar System. First, we examine LHS 1140 b, a rocky exoplanet in the habitable zone that has retained an atmosphere despite orbiting an active red dwarf, and how detecting escaping helium could help scientists understand its potential for habitability. Then, we investigate the hidden challenge of exozodiacal dust and how leftover cosmic dust can distort exoplanet spectra, mimic clouds, and p...

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28:27

EP 25: Worlds of Helium and Stellar Rebirth

The Habitable Zone ·

2026/07/17

In this episode, we explore two discoveries reshaping our understanding of the universe. First, we discuss rocky exoplanets with helium-dominated atmospheres and how these unusual worlds could remain habitable while becoming ideal targets for future telescopes. Then, we examine the first confirmed discovery of newborn stars and complex organic molecules inside a supernova remnant, challenging long-held ideas about how stellar explosions influence the formation of future stars, planets, and th...

en-us

34:36

EP 24: Searching the Cosmos, Rethinking Our Origins

The Habitable Zone ·

2026/07/17

In this episode, we will discuss NASA's upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and a new theory suggesting that life may have originated in land-based environments rather than deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Sources: Roman Space Telescope: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/ Wet-dry cycle: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15311074261434368 This Episode was Filmed and Edited by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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33:39

EP 23: When Worlds Change

The Habitable Zone ·

2026/06/10

In this episode, we will discuss how asteroid impacts may have helped early life evolve on Earth, and the discovery of a giant exoplanet with permanently cloudy mornings and clear evenings. Sources: Asteroid Impact Sites: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03206-7 WASP-94A b: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx5903 This Episode was Filmed and Edited by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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28:09

EP 22: Millenia of Nucleobases and Hours of Orbit

The Habitable Zone ·

2026/03/30

In this episode, we will discuss the existence of Nucleobases in the universe, and a new planet with an ultra-short period. Sources: Nucleobases: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-026-02824-7 TOI-4552 B: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2603.18233 This Episode was Filmed and Edited by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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23:30

EP 21: From Jupiter’s Icy Moons to Planets Beyond the...

The Habitable Zone ·

2026/03/07

In this episode, we will be covering new research suggesting Jupiter’s icy moons may have received the chemical building blocks for life during their formation, as well as a study searching for the first extragalactic exoplanets in the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy stream using data from the TESS space telescope. We will also explore what these discoveries mean for the origins of life and the possibility of planets beyond the Milky Way. Sources: Jupiter's Moon: https://doi.org/10.3847/psj/ae3559 h...

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6:35

EP 20: The Asteroid That Carried Life’s Ingredients

The Habitable Zone ·

2026/03/01

In this episode, we will be covering new findings from asteroid Bennu samples returned by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission and how they suggest that the building blocks of life may have formed in cold regions of space long before Earth existed. Sources: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2512461122 This Episode was Filmed and Edited by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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6:42

EP 19: Cosmic Chemical Factories

The Habitable Zone ·

2026/03/01

In this episode, we will be covering how the James Webb Space Telescope uncovered complex organic molecules inside a dust-hidden galaxy and what this discovery reveals about how chemistry forms in extreme cosmic environments. Sources: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02750-0 This Episode was Filmed and Edited by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

en-us

19:53

EP 18: From Ice-Cold Earths to Planetary Destruction

The Habitable Zone ·

2026/02/15

In this episode, we will be covering the discovery of a new earth-sized exoplanet candidate and circumbinary systems. Sources: Exoplanet: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adf06f Circumbinary system: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ae21d8 This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

en-us

10:14

EP 17: 5 Close Friends

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/12/22

In this episode, we will be covering the discovery of a new planet in the TOI-2267 Binary system. Source: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2512.10007 This will be the final episode of 2025. This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

en-us

28:30

EP 16: Suspiciously Earth-like

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/12/15

In this episode, we will be covering the presence of odd-z elements in supernovae and spider features on Europa. Sources: Odd-Z Elements: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02714-4 Spider fractures: https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae18a0 This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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14:23

EP 15: Complex Molecules in Space

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/12/06

In this episode, we will discuss the discoveries of Linear Propadienone in an interstellar cloud and complex organic molecules on Bennu. Original Sources: Linear Propadienone: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2511.19775 Bennu: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2512461122 This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

en-us

17:46

EP 14: Surprise Neptunes and Machine Learning

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/11/25

In this episode we will discuss discovery of a brand new planet, as well as the use of Machine Learning in the search for signs of life. DOIs: TOI-333b: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2511.13832 Machine Learning Model: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2514534122 This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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22:00

EP 13: Mass Ejections and Binding Energy Detections

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/11/24

In this episode, we will be exploring Massive Coronal Mass Ejections, and the small nuances of Binding Energy Distributions in Space. DOIs: Coronal Mass Ejections: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09715-3 Binding Energy Distributions: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ae064a This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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12:46

EP 12: What truly affects the solar cycle?

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/11/10

In this episode, We will be uncovering whether or not planets truly affect the solar cycle in a meaningful way. The period of Jupiter does seem to suspiciously line up with the length of the solar cycle... DOI: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2511.03889 (Do Planets Affect the Behavior of Long-term Solar Activity, Katsova) This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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21:03

EP 11: From Giants to Super-Earths

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/10/27

In this episode, we will be exploring the study and comparison of giants' atmospheres within and beyond our solar system. We will also unveil the newest Super-Earth, GJ-251c Original Sources: Study of Atmosphere: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2510.17926 GJ-251c: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ae0e20 This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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17:54

EP 10: A Wet Universe

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/10/20

In this episode, we will be discussing water in the astronomical community. Original Sources: Heavy Water: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02663-y HWO: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2510.07349 This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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7:28

EP 9: Hidden Oceans in the Clouds

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/10/20

In this episode, we will be discussing water in the Venus' clouds. Original Sources: https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JE008582 This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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21:59

EP 8: Molecules in Stars and Moons

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/10/06

In this episode, we will discuss the discoveries of phosphine on Wolf 1130C and sub-ice organic compounds on Enceladus. Original Sources: Wolf 1130C: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adu0401 Enceladus: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02655-y This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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19:13

EP 7: Where there's wind and water

The Habitable Zone ·

2025/09/29

In this episode, we will be discussing wind patterns on Titan as well as a planetesimal that is incredibly water-dense. Original Sources: Winds: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2509.16937 Planetesimal: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf1424 This Episode was Filmed by Aidan Chan and Vriddhi Mittal. Editing by Aidan Chan. Contact us at contactthehabitablezone@gmail.com

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