Life on Earth is just one possible outcome in an infinite universe.

For billions of years, our planet’s unique conditions have shaped life as we know it. But what if life’s pathway had zigged, not zagged?

Proxima Kósmos is an experiment in planetary imagination. An interactive digital platform where scientific models, speculative design, and the philosophy of life converge, it explores worlds that could exist—but don’t (at least, as far as we know).

Developed in collaboration with planetary scientists, astrobiologists, speculative designers, and science-fiction writers, Proxima Kósmos challenges what we assume about habitability, evolution, and intelligence. It asks:

How might life arise under radically different conditions?
What stories, myths, and ecosystems could emerge from alien worlds?
What can these hypothetical planets teach us about Earth?

This project invites you to explore a universe of scientifically inspired, radically imagined alien worlds. Through science, simulation, and storytelling, we set off on a journey to answer one of humanity’s biggest questions:

Are we alone in the universe?

Alien Worlds Await

The Proxima Kósmos digital platform invites you on an interactive journey through a scientifically grounded, radically speculative solar system.
At proxima-kosmos.berggruen.org, you can:

• Traverse planetary surfaces using satellite and terrain views.
• Explore scientific insights into planetary formation, extreme environments, and alien ecologies.
• Immerse yourself in multimedia storytelling—featuring films, digital art, and interactive experiences.
• Discover original science-fiction narratives that expand the world-building of these imagined planets.
  

Contributors

Proxima Kósmos is a collaboration between leading scientists, researchers, and science-fiction writers exploring planetary futures, astrobiology, and speculative ecosystems.

Principal Investigators include Dr. Sara Seager, Professor of Planetary Science, Physics, and Aerospace Engineering at MIT; Dr. Iaroslav Iakubivskyi, Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT; Dr. Sam Kriegman, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern University; Dr. Leroy Cronin, Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow; Dr. Sara Walker, Professor at the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University; Dr. Penny Boston, Director at NASA Astrobiology Institute, NASA Ames; and Dr. Jaco de Swart, Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT.

Supporting their work are Research Assistants Estelle Janin, Ph.D. Candidate at Arizona State University, and Ranger Liu, MFA and Ph.D. Student at the University of Washington.

Expanding the project’s speculative narrative are Science-Fiction Writers Caroline Yoachim and S.B. Divya, who contributed original stories inspired by the speculative planets of Proxima Kósmos.

Press Inquiries & Updates

For media inquiries, please contact Emily Badgley