You could think of the galaxy as a sort of stove with lots of pots on it, and the pots are the interstellar medium, like a chicken broth getting stronger with every reduction. Every time a supernova goes off and sends its heavy elements out into the interstellar medium, we cook up a stew that's better and better for solar systems and life.

Hubble is unique. Nothing else can do what it can do. Once it's gone, we're going to be paralyzed.

It's quite likely that planets and solar systems like ours could be forming in other galaxies in great numbers.

Sandra Faber Quotes