Alex Wolszczan, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, spoke at the Science and Engineering Building on Tuesday.  Wolszczan lectured about new discoveries pertaining to planets around evolved stars outside of our solar system.

Wolszczan, who holds a doctorate in physics, is the first man to co-discover extrasolar and pulsar planets with his colleague Dale Frail. Wolszcan also discovered a star system with two brown dwarf stars orbiting around each other, along with two planets orbiting them - it is the first star system discovered with two stars and planets.

Searches for planets and other life out there is so exciting. Alex Wolszczan, professor of physics at Pennsylvania State University

 "Searches for planets and other life out there is so exciting," said Wolszcan.

Through his studies he believes that there is the possibility of discovering another planet that can support life as we know it. Wolszczan also thinks that there is potential to find intelligent beings other than ourselves in the vast universe.

Throughout his lecture Wolszczan noted that his research, and that of his colleagues, was important in discovering other hospitable planets that we may someday be able to explore.

He also warned, "To understand planet evolution you really have to learn everything. You can't really get it from a snapshot."

According to Wolszczan, it takes years of looking at small snippets of a stars' spectral energy to even begin theorizing that a planet could be revolving around it.

His team has gathered data on over 1000 different stars, with normal stars being the main focus.

He also explained the process of creating a supernova and how, through the destruction of one star, a new one can be born. From the debris of such a massive star explosion, new planets can take shape and begin a process that takes millions of years all over again.