Raissa Estrela

2 March 2026

How exoplanets can save us: a chat with Dr Raissa Estrela

Dr Raissa Estrela from NASA's JPL explains how exoplanet observations reveal clues to Earth’s past and perfect balance. Your hosts, Jeni and Lorenzo, chat with Raissa about exoplanet spectra, through which scientists can decode the fingerprints of distant atmospheres, revealing chemical compositions, evolutionary stages, and even parallels to early Earth. These comparisons act as the perfect ‘textbook’ for understanding how planets form, change, and sustain life. Ultimately, Raissa’s message is clear: by studying other worlds, we learn the value and fragility of our own.