Got this in an email today and thought it was quite fascinating. Dr. Garik Israelian a spectroscopist discusses his profession, solar flares from stars just like our sun that are massive, and the search for earth like planets using the science of spectroscopy. You can find the talk in either link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPLGuwXomYQ http://www.oneminuteastronomer.com/2010/03/09/spectroscopy-detect-life/ Hope others enjoy it like I did.