Saturday Morning Physics | Surviving the Death of a Star: Life on Planets

U-M SATURDAY MORNING PHYSICS February 28, 2026 - 170 & 182 Weiser Hall Surviving the Death of a Star: Life on Planets Orbiting White Dwarfs Juliette Becker, Wisconsin Center for Origins Research (University of Wisconsin-Madison) When stars like the Sun die, they leave behind stellar remnants that we call white dwarfs. Usually, when we think about life in planetary systems, we think about it existing on planets orbiting stars like the Sun – but in this talk, I’ll explore how planets can survive the death of their stars and whether oceans (and potentially life) could exist on planets orbiting around white dwarfs. I’ll explain the physics of tidal heating, planetary migration, and how telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope could one day detect signs of life in these unlikely worlds. We celebrate the Pulikeshi Dayalu Family Astrophysics Fund this Saturday! Enjoy Saturday Morning Physics? Donations help to make Saturday Morning Physics possible. Thank you for your generous support. https://myumi.ch/XyzEZ About Saturday Morning Physics Physics is a fundamental science and provides the foundations for solving both cosmic mysteries and practical problems. In 1995, the University of Michigan Department of Physics began sharing the latest ideas in the field with the public through the Saturday Morning Physics lecture series. Designed for general audiences, the lectures are an opportunity to hear physicists discuss their work in easy-to-understand, non-technical terms. The multimedia presentations include hands-on demonstrations of the discussed principles, along with slides, videos, and computer simulations. More information is available at https://saturdaymorningphysics.org Would you like to be notified of upcoming Saturday Morning Physics talks? Just fill out the form available here: https://myumi.ch/bVzP2. Our mailing list is used only by our department. We send occasional updates about Saturday Morning Physics talks and special events of interest.