The Hidden Story of Our Solar System (Told by a Planetary Scientist)

We are all walking cosmic time capsules—made of atoms forged in stars and shaped by collisions billions of years ago. But how did our solar system form? Where did Earth's water come from? And could life have started... in space?

In this mind-expanding conversation, Paul sits down with Dr. Maria Valdez, a cosmochemist at the Field Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the University of Chicago, to trace the origin story of our solar system—not from myths or movies, but from meteorites, molecules, and micrometeorites hiding in your backyard.

From the late heavy bombardment to the real reason Pluto got kicked out of the planet club, this episode dives deep into the science of planetary formation, what it's like to do research in Antarctica, and how AI might help us find space dust on your roof.

If you’ve ever looked up at the night sky and wondered how all of this came to be—this one is for you.