How to Form a Habitable Planet

Explore the fascinating process of planet formation in this 58-minute lecture from the Simons Foundation, where discover how planets emerge from dust and gas disks around young stars, inheriting their chemical makeup and reshaping their surroundings through gravitational forces. Learn about groundbreaking observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) that have transformed our understanding of planetary system development, examining both the relationship between disk structures and forming planets, and the effects of stellar flares on planetary habitability. Gain insights into the multi-wavelength observational techniques used to study planetary system evolution, and look ahead to how future far-infrared facilities will enhance our knowledge of water chemistry and other vital components necessary for life.