The James Webb Space Telescope and the search for life in the universe

The James Webb space telescope, the most powerful telescope ever built, has gathered some extraordinary images since it was launched by Nasa just over a year ago. There have been shots of stars on the cusp of death, of stars violently colliding together, and even of ancient galaxies that have challenged our very understanding of the cosmos. But it’s the study of exoplanets – planets outside our solar system – that, for me, really justifies the telescope’s $10 billion price tag.

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James Webb space telescope full-scale model (NASA)

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James Webb space telescope mirror (NASA/Desiree Stover)

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Arianespace’s Ariane 5 rocket launches with James Webb space telescope onboard (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

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