NASA Discovers 301 Exoplanets In One Go With Help From Artificial Intelligence
Using deep learning or artificial intelligence, NASA has discovered 301 exoplanets situated outside our solar system
Using a supercomputer, NASA has discovered over 300 exoplanets. With this, the total number of exoplanets discovered by humans has shot up to 4,569.
Exoplanets are any celestial bodies with planetary characteristics that are situated outside our own solar system. Any planet that orbits a star and is not part of our solar system is considered an exoplanet.
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Using artificial intelligence to discover exoplanets
The discovery is a giant leap, considering the first exoplanet was spotted by humans only in the mid-1990s. To find 301 exoplanets, NASA used its new network called "ExoMiner" which takes advantage of NASA's Pleiades Supercomputer. ExoMiner can effectively differentiate "false positives" from real exoplanets.
The whole method is dependent on machine learning, i.e., it learns how to spot exoplanet by being taught what exoplanets are and their most likely characteristics. With the right data, ExoMiner can find even more exoplanets outside our solar system.
NASA
Also read: ISRO Scientists Discover Exoplanet 1.4 Times Bigger Than Jupiter
Of course, scientists at NASA followed up on ExoMiner's data to ensure no non-planet is characterised as an exoplanet. The data for the discovery was gathered through NASA's Kepler spacecraft and it successor K2.
Space discoveries are just beginning!
The discovery of exoplanets is becoming more common than ever before. With so much buzz surrounding space and potential planets with Earth-like features, scientists are looking at space more than ever before, with better tech than ever before.
Also read: Upside Down Orbits Of Planets In Far Away Solar System Confusing Scientists
In fact, the James Webb Telescope is set to be launched in December by NASA. It will provide a glimpse into the past of our universe like humans have never seen before. If it works as expected, the James Webb Telescope could resolve a lot of conflicts that surround the birth of planet Earth and the universe in general, offering a glimpse into processes that formed the universe as we know it.
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