Three DTM scientists are featured in the December issue of National Geographic in an article on extrasolar planet searches. The article, titled “Search for Other Earths,” is the cover story of this month’s issue and highlights the work of DTM astrophysicists Alan Boss, Paul Butler, and Sara Seager, among others working to explore distant stars in hopes of finding new information about the nature and development of extrasolar planets. Focused on the possibility of finding an Earth-analog, the author, Tim Appenzeller, interviews several scientists to chart the progress of extrasolar planet research and to explore the implications of finding other Earth-like planets.

On a lighter note, Mercedes Lopez-Morales, a postdoctoral fellow in the astronomy group, was prominently featured in an article in the Washington Post’s Metro Section on Saturday, November 27. The article discusses the growing popularity of Buy Nothing Day, a reaction to the oft-hyped shopping frenzy which typically takes place on the day after Thanksgiving. Mercedes is pictured on the front-page of the section, sitting in front of her laptop at a neighborhood coffee shop working on her analyses of star eclipse data as she tells the reporter about her response to the idea that she ought to be out buying things. Her remarks garnered the Post’s Quote of the Day.