Lucianne Walkowicz

Lucianne Walkowicz Ted Talk- Lets Not Use Mars As a Backup Planet

In the arena of astronomy, Lucianne Walkowicz is a nonbinary astronomer with the Adler Planetarium in Chicago who studies ethical concerns surrounding space exploration, like the topic of their recent Ted Talk, which concerns the need to shift focus away from Mars exploration as a “backup planet” for Earth. Likewise, they study the factors that come together to make planets suitable for life and star-related phenomena.

They are also one of the co-founders of the JustSpace Alliance, which is focused on ensuring an ethical and inclusive future for space exploration and travel. Walkowicz is also a performance and movement artist, incorporating music and visual art into their aerial movement performances.