Stories by Seven Rasmussen

Seven Rasmussen is a professor at Tacoma Community College, where she teaches physics, astronomy and astrobiology. She is author of the forthcoming book Life in Seven Numbers: A Journey into Astrobiology and the Drake Equation (Princeton University Press, 2025).

Low angle photograph looking up at Sather Tower on the UC Berkeley campus (center of frame) as students walk by (left and right side of image frame)

OpinionApril 10, 2025

Scientists Need to Speak Out beyond the Classroom and the Lab

Science cannot operate like a black box and expect the trust of the public

Seven Rasmussen

Illustration of Earth on fire with a telescope pointing up at a flaming comet

OpinionMay 8, 2024

Has the Last Great Space Observatory Already Launched?

Astronomy’s future may be slipping away—one climate disaster at a time

Seven Rasmussen

7 exoplanets

OpinionSeptember 14, 2023

Nearby Worlds May Tell Us How Life Might Look in Our Galaxy

TRAPPIST-1 could make or break the extended push to make red dwarfs an astrobiological priority

Seven Rasmussen

Male and female coworkers are helping each other to climb up the mountain together

OpinionMay 19, 2023

An Inclusive Research Environment Starts at the Top

For academic research to be truly equitable, leadership, not just the scientists from underrepresented groups, must advocate for it

Seven Rasmussen