Dr Benjamin Montet, Scientia Senior Lecturer at UNSW Sydney, is tackling one of humanity’s biggest questions: where should we search for life beyond Earth? Not all planetary systems are like our own, some planets orbit multiple stars or move on unusual, tilted paths. Understanding which kinds of systems are stable and life-friendly is key to identifying the best places to look.
Using data from space telescopes like Kepler and TESS, Dr Montet studies the light from distant stars to discover and analyse exoplanets, worlds orbiting other suns. His work has revealed dozens of new planets, including K2-18b, a planet in the habitable zone of its star where liquid water may exist. Molecules later detected in its atmosphere hint at biological processes, making it one of the most promising planets for the search for life.
He has also studied some of the galaxy’s most puzzling systems, including “Tabby’s Star,” whose strange, irregular dimming captured worldwide attention. Today, he continues to explore how stars and planets evolve together, focusing on surprising systems such as circumbinary planets that orbit two stars, like Tatooine in Star Wars. His research is shaping our understanding of which distant worlds might offer the best chance of finding life.