Rory Barnes

Rory Barnes is an American astrobiologist and planetary scientist who has made significant contributions to the field of astrobiology and planetary evolution. He is currently a research assistant professor at the University of Washington in the Department of Astronomy and a member of the Virtual Planetary Laboratory, part of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute.

Barnes specializes in the study of planetary habitability, particularly focusing on how planets evolve over time and the conditions that might support life. His research encompasses a wide range of topics including tidal evolution of planets and moons, the habitability of exoplanets, and the long-term evolution of planetary systems. He has been particularly interested in understanding how factors such as stellar evolution, orbital dynamics, and atmospheric processes affect a planet’s ability to maintain habitable conditions over geological timescales.

One of Barnes’ notable contributions to the field is his work on the VPLanet software package, a comprehensive tool for modeling planetary evolution that allows researchers to simulate how planets change over billions of years. This software has become an important resource for the astrobiology community, enabling scientists to better understand the complex interactions between stellar, atmospheric, and geological processes that determine planetary habitability.

Throughout his career, Barnes has published numerous peer-reviewed papers in prestigious scientific journals and has been involved in various NASA-funded research projects. His work has helped advance our understanding of potentially habitable worlds both within our solar system and among the thousands of exoplanets discovered in recent years. He is also known for his efforts in science communication and education, helping to make complex astrobiological concepts accessible to broader audiences.