Short Wave

Could This Exoplanet Harbor Life?

December 12, 2025

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  • Recent research on the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1E suggests that, contrary to prior hopes, it likely lacks the necessary atmosphere (specifically CO2 and methane) to support life, potentially making habitable exoplanets rarer than previously thought. 
  • A new hypothesis suggests the Black Death pandemic may have been indirectly triggered by climate downturns caused by major volcanic eruptions in 1345, which led to crop failure and necessitated grain imports that carried the plague-bearing rodents to Italy. 
  • Infected ant pupae signal their sickness chemically, prompting worker ants to destroy them using formic acid to prevent the spread of infection, though future queen pupae do not signal and appear capable of fighting off infection independently. 

Segments

Public Media Support Appeal
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(00:00:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Federal funding for public media, including NPR and local stations, has been eliminated as of this fall, necessitating listener support.
  • Summary: Public media relies on listener support to deliver content focused on understanding the world and representing underrepresented communities. Federal funding for public media, including NPR and local stations, was eliminated in the fall. Listeners are encouraged to support the work through NPR Plus subscriptions.
Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1E Update
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(00:02:25)
  • Key Takeaway: New investigation of exoplanet TRAPPIST-1E, an Earth-sized world in the habitable zone, found no evidence of CO2 or methane, suggesting it may lack an atmosphere.
  • Summary: TRAPPIST-1E is an Earth-sized, rocky exoplanet orbiting in its star’s Goldilocks Zone, making it a prime target for life detection. Scientists analyze starlight passing through its atmosphere during eclipses to search for biosignatures like CO2 or methane. The recent study concluded that TRAPPIST-1E likely lacks these key atmospheric components, and many similar ’exotitans’ probably lack atmospheres entirely.
Black Death Volcanic Link
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(00:07:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Volcanic activity in 1345 may have caused climate downturns, leading to crop failure and subsequent grain trade that inadvertently brought the Black Death bacteria to Italy.
  • Summary: The Black Death, which killed a third to half of Europe’s population, was caused by a bacterium spread by fleas on rodents arriving in Italy in 1347 via grain trade reopening. A historian hypothesized that prior volcanic eruptions in 1345 caused extreme rainfall, flooding, and crop failure, creating the need for grain imports. Evidence supporting this includes analysis of ancient tree rings showing poor growth and ice cores showing high sulfate aerosols from volcanoes.
Sick Ants Self-Extermination
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(00:09:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Infected ant pupae emit chemical signals that cause worker ants to destroy them using formic acid to disinfect and kill the infection, preventing colony collapse.
  • Summary: Sick ant pupae release chemical messages signaling infection, prompting worker ants to peel off the cocoon and bite holes in the pupae, then secrete formic acid. This acid kills the fungus causing the infection but also kills the pupa, effectively achieving self-sacrifice for the colony’s good. Future queen pupae, however, do not release this signal and appear capable of fighting off infections independently.