This program is sponsored by the Kavli Prize, which honors scientists for breakthroughs in astrophysics,

nanoscience, and neuroscience.

The Kavli Prize is a partnership among the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and

research, and the U.S.-based Cobbly Foundation in Los Angeles, California. I'm Alan Alda, and this is clear and vivid conversations about connecting and communicating.

This morning, June 12th, the winners of the 2024 Convley Prize were announced.

There are eight winners in all and in this episode 24 Kavli Prize were announced.

There are eight winners in all and in this episode of Clear and Vivid, I'll be talking with two of them.

David Charbonneau is an astrophysicist searching for planets around other suns.

And he's a pioneer in developing a way to discover

if these exoplanets may support life.

Darist Tsau is a neuroscientist building on her work exploring the brain's ability to recognize

faces in order to understand how we recognize anything, including, as we'll find out, fire hydrants.

First, my conversation with David Sharbano.

You know, I'm very interested in how excitement spreads among scientists and propelled science forward.

Sarah Seiger has been a guest on our show and she's your fellow

Kaviliad.

Yes.

And I heard a story in which her excitement propelled you on your life's work.

It's absolutely true. Sarah and I knew each other since before I was an astronomer. She knew me when I was a teenager and I had just

started at the University of Toronto and we met because we were both very interested in hiking and canoeing in the Canadian wilderness.

And so we would organize trips for other students at the university who were interested in going out and exploring on the weekend.

And then I learned she was interested in mathematics and physics, and then several years later,

...