Carnegie Science Explores Planet Habitability

Planet Habitability: The Origin of Water Lecture (Photo – Carnegie Science)

Could there be another planet supporting life? Carnegie Science tackles the topic for the second of its free lectures: “Planetary Habitability: The Origin of Water” on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 7:00 pm, given by Dr. Anat Shahar, Vice President For Research, Carnegie Science.

By Melanie Hooks

Dr. Anat Shahar is the second of four speakers ready to share some of the most exciting topics in astronomy, including dark matter, the ancient universe, exoplanet interiors, and the origins of water on rocky planets.

Carnegie’s website details the March 16nd topic: “More than 6,000 planets beyond our Solar System have been discovered, sparking a fundamental question: could any of these distant worlds support life? A key ingredient for life as we know it is liquid water, and in this talk, Carnegie Science Vice President for Research Anat Shahar will explain her investigations into how water can form naturally during the earliest stages of a planet’s formative history. Many young planets are thought to be covered by vast oceans of molten rock called magma oceans and surrounded by thick atmospheres rich in hydrogen. Shahar’s theoretical and laboratory experiments show that when hydrogen in the atmosphere reacts with molten rock, large amounts of water can be produced. Remarkably, this process could have generated enough water to fill Earth’s oceans, as well as a comparable amount stored deep inside our planet. These findings suggest that water—and with it the potential for habitable conditions—may arise more easily on rocky planets than previously thought, improving the chances that some of the many known exoplanets could be capable of supporting life.”

The lectures are held in Rothenberg Hall at The Huntington. Doors will open at 6:30 pm, the program will begin with a brief musical performance at 7:00 pm, and the lectures will commence at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are free, but reservations are required, available here. Available beginning March 3rd, 10:00 am.

Reservations for each subsequent lecture will go online the morning after the prior evening’s talk. Each program will also be live streamed on Carnegie Science’s YouTube channel, along with previous lectures in the series.

The remaining series lectures scheduled are:

Monday, March 30, 7:00 pm
Shining a Light on Dark Matter
Andrew Robertson | Postdoctoral Fellow, Carnegie Science Observatories

Monday, April 13, 7:00 pm
How to Look Inside an Exoplanet
Shreyas Vissapragada | George Ellery Hale Distinguished Scholar, Carnegie Science Observatories

Carnegie Science Lecture
"Planetary Habitability: The Origin of Water"
Doors Open: 6:30 pm
Music: 7:00 pm
Lecture: 7:30 pm
Location
The Huntington
Rothenberg Hall
1151 Oxford Rd
San Marino, CA 91108