Professor Nathan Mayne | Life Beyond Earth

About this episode

Professor Nathan Mayne discusses the search for life beyond Earth and the conditions necessary for sustaining life on exoplanets.

For centuries, the idea of life beyond Earth has fascinated scientists, storytellers, and curious minds alike. We know that, within our solar system, all life needs water and a stable planetary atmosphere – but what about exoplanets in galaxies far, far away? As the search for evidence of extra-terrestrial life has entered a new era and is moving rapidly, Professor Nathan Mayne from the University of Exeter is inviting you to join a discussion that will explore distant planets. We look at human efforts to uncover those planets presenting with the conditions of sustaining other life forms. Do they meet our preconceptions and expectations? And ultimately, can they help us answer the mind-boggling question: Is it only us out here? This event is part of an event series on exoplanets and outer space. The second event will be Could There Be a Planet B? in November. NATHAN MAYNE Physics and Astronomy Department University of Exeter Nathan Mayne works in the Physics and Astronomy Department at the University of Exeter. There, he is a Professor of Astrophysics and Planetary Climates in the Astrophysics Group, researching the climate of Earth, our solar system, and exoplanets. Nathan is a…

People in this episode

Guest: Professor Nathan Mayne

Topics covered

• exoplanets
• astrophysics
• space exploration
• life beyond Earth
• climate research

Keywords

• extra-terrestrial life
• University of Exeter
• Astrophysics Group
• planetary atmosphere
• human efforts

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Could There Be a Planet B

Places: Earth

More episodes of Agile Rabbit

• Dame Ottoline Leyser | How Plants Decide What To Do : Thinking Like A Vegetable · May 29, 2026 · 41 min
• A History of Hip Hop · October 31, 2025 · 1h 0m
• Alan Puttock | Beavers on the River Otter · July 24, 2025 · 37 min
• Dr Thomas Smith | Understanding Wildfires · July 9, 2025 · 40 min
• Christina Lamb | Years of Living Dangerously · May 2, 2025 · 36 min
• Joshua Howgego | The Meteorite Hunters · March 10, 2025 · 35 min