From Star Dust to Planets (and Back Again): Tracing Worlds Across a Lifetime

This white paper by Akke Corporaal examines how dust shapes planet formation and survival from a star’s birth to its late evolutionary stages. It highlights current limits in observing key dust-related processes and argues that next-generation infrared interferometry will be essential for resolving the tiny regions where planets form, migrate, and endure. The authors ultimately call for future facilities capable of mapping dusty environments at unprecedented resolution.