My parents gave me a small telescope, then I built my own, and one thing led to another. So that's how I ended up going from being a hobby astronomer to a professional astronomer. Dimitar Sasselov astronomerbuildend Change image and share on social
In science, it is rare that a transformational change occurs during our lifetimes. Dimitar Sasselov changelifetimeoccur Change image and share on social
Life and the universe compare to each other like a child and a parent, parent and offspring. Dimitar Sasselov childcomparelife Change image and share on social
When we discover New Earth - a planet we could call home - the question of the 'plurality of worlds' will come front and center, reminding us yet again that we are not the center of the universe. Dimitar Sasselov callcenterdiscover Change image and share on social
It feels great to discover a planet, just like any discovery in science, except that it has more of the feel of exploration - you can go back and look at it. However, I can never visit. Dimitar Sasselov backdiscoverdiscovery Change image and share on social
It's feasible that we'll meet other sentient life forms and conduct commerce with them. We don't now have the technology to physically travel outside our solar system for such an exchange to take place, but we are like Columbus centuries ago, learning fast how to get somewhere few think possible. Dimitar Sasselov agocenturycolumbus share on social