1 00:00:00,500 --> 00:00:29,620 [Music] 2 00:00:35,389 --> 00:00:32,540 greetings earthlings and welcome to ask 3 00:00:37,819 --> 00:00:35,399 an astrobiologist I'm your host dr. 4 00:00:41,270 --> 00:00:37,829 Graham Lau some of you know me online as 5 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:41,280 the Cosmo biologist and this show is 6 00:00:46,790 --> 00:00:43,170 brought to you by NASA Astrobiology 7 00:00:48,590 --> 00:00:46,800 program and second net I have an awesome 8 00:00:51,139 --> 00:00:48,600 guest for the show today so I'm kind of 9 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:51,149 giddy super excited but before we get to 10 00:00:55,910 --> 00:00:52,770 our guests we have to do our background 11 00:00:57,889 --> 00:00:55,920 quiz as those of you who are consistent 12 00:01:01,580 --> 00:00:57,899 audience members know every month we 13 00:01:03,410 --> 00:01:01,590 have a photo behind our host and we give 14 00:01:06,350 --> 00:01:03,420 you a chance then on Twitter before the 15 00:01:09,140 --> 00:01:06,360 next episode to give us a guess at what 16 00:01:11,390 --> 00:01:09,150 that is and maybe win some prizes so for 17 00:01:13,190 --> 00:01:11,400 instance our third-place winners they 18 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:13,200 win some of these really cool NASA 19 00:01:18,950 --> 00:01:15,570 stickers and our second-place winners 20 00:01:20,870 --> 00:01:18,960 when NASA stickers plus the astrobiology 21 00:01:22,789 --> 00:01:20,880 graphic histories and then our 22 00:01:25,039 --> 00:01:22,799 first-place winners they win both of 23 00:01:27,590 --> 00:01:25,049 those as well as a glass a drinking 24 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:27,600 glass from second net this month's 25 00:01:32,330 --> 00:01:29,970 winners from all the right responses we 26 00:01:32,660 --> 00:01:32,340 had on Twitter yesterday are in third 27 00:01:40,609 --> 00:01:32,670 place 28 00:01:43,219 --> 00:01:40,619 tardy grata which is an incredible name 29 00:01:45,380 --> 00:01:43,229 I do have to say Arief our third place 30 00:01:48,170 --> 00:01:45,390 winner you got the right location it is 31 00:01:50,780 --> 00:01:48,180 jezero crater on Mars the next landing 32 00:01:53,090 --> 00:01:50,790 site for Mars 2020 for our next big 33 00:01:55,819 --> 00:01:53,100 Rover however there is no instrument 34 00:01:58,639 --> 00:01:55,829 called the astrological telescope we do 35 00:02:01,459 --> 00:01:58,649 astronomy and the instrument was chrism 36 00:02:04,310 --> 00:02:01,469 in the context camera onboard of the 37 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:04,320 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter showing that 38 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:06,210 beautiful area around the next place 39 00:02:11,390 --> 00:02:08,810 we're landing a really big Rover on Mars 40 00:02:12,890 --> 00:02:11,400 so thank you very much for that for 41 00:02:13,580 --> 00:02:12,900 competing in our background quiz for 42 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:13,590 this month 43 00:02:17,630 --> 00:02:15,090 the picture behind me will be the 44 00:02:19,010 --> 00:02:17,640 background quiz for next month so if you 45 00:02:20,570 --> 00:02:19,020 have an idea of what it is now that's 46 00:02:23,809 --> 00:02:20,580 great but just wait until we announce 47 00:02:25,250 --> 00:02:23,819 the day before our next episode when we 48 00:02:26,870 --> 00:02:25,260 have the background quiz and you can 49 00:02:29,809 --> 00:02:26,880 then answer and try to win some of these 50 00:02:32,540 --> 00:02:29,819 awesome prizes from NASA Astrobiology 51 00:02:34,910 --> 00:02:32,550 and from Sagan so without too much 52 00:02:37,430 --> 00:02:34,920 further ado I'd love to get into today's 53 00:02:40,550 --> 00:02:37,440 conversation with our guests today we're 54 00:02:42,259 --> 00:02:40,560 speaking with dr. Jill tarter many of 55 00:02:43,839 --> 00:02:42,269 you know her for all of her years and 56 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:43,849 doing research with the SETI Institute 57 00:02:48,020 --> 00:02:45,450 the search for extraterrestrial 58 00:02:49,490 --> 00:02:48,030 intelligence she's been a huge proponent 59 00:02:52,370 --> 00:02:49,500 of speaking about the importance of 60 00:02:55,009 --> 00:02:52,380 asking that big question of are we alone 61 00:02:57,199 --> 00:02:55,019 and many of you also know that she was 62 00:02:59,660 --> 00:02:57,209 the basis for the character of Ellie 63 00:03:01,550 --> 00:02:59,670 Arroway and Carl Sagan's novel contact 64 00:03:03,259 --> 00:03:01,560 which was made into a film back in the 65 00:03:05,780 --> 00:03:03,269 90s starring Jodie Foster 66 00:03:08,809 --> 00:03:05,790 so Jill tarter thank you so much for 67 00:03:10,729 --> 00:03:08,819 being asking astrobiologists thanks for 68 00:03:13,039 --> 00:03:10,739 having me hopefully we won't have any 69 00:03:14,839 --> 00:03:13,049 technical difficulties yeah I know 70 00:03:16,009 --> 00:03:14,849 sometimes the connections can be a 71 00:03:17,270 --> 00:03:16,019 little weird when we're doing a show 72 00:03:19,190 --> 00:03:17,280 like this where we're connecting in from 73 00:03:21,740 --> 00:03:19,200 different places in the country and 74 00:03:23,210 --> 00:03:21,750 sometimes across the planet as much as 75 00:03:25,039 --> 00:03:23,220 we love technology it's done great 76 00:03:26,690 --> 00:03:25,049 things for us allowing us to put our ear 77 00:03:28,670 --> 00:03:26,700 to the heavens and see if there's 78 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:28,680 neighbors out there sometimes we still 79 00:03:34,789 --> 00:03:32,130 have some issues but that's okay let's 80 00:03:36,650 --> 00:03:34,799 just start chatting be kind of cool the 81 00:03:39,050 --> 00:03:36,660 first big question I'd love to the let's 82 00:03:41,569 --> 00:03:39,060 start off with is what got you 83 00:03:45,319 --> 00:03:41,579 interested in science and that that big 84 00:03:47,990 --> 00:03:45,329 question of are we alone well it was a 85 00:03:50,539 --> 00:03:48,000 really very fortunate accident for me 86 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:50,549 when I was a graduate student my first 87 00:03:56,270 --> 00:03:53,250 year I was supported to learn how to 88 00:04:00,590 --> 00:03:56,280 program the first desktop computer we 89 00:04:03,140 --> 00:04:00,600 ever had now this was the pdp-8 flash s 90 00:04:05,750 --> 00:04:03,150 I always thought the S was for stupid 91 00:04:08,259 --> 00:04:05,760 and it took two of us to put it up on 92 00:04:11,479 --> 00:04:08,269 the desk right but you could use it and 93 00:04:13,220 --> 00:04:11,489 there was no language so you had to 94 00:04:15,229 --> 00:04:13,230 program and then octal you had to set 95 00:04:17,319 --> 00:04:15,239 all the ones and zeros for the 11 96 00:04:20,390 --> 00:04:17,329 instructions that this machine could do 97 00:04:23,180 --> 00:04:20,400 and years later I was still a graduate 98 00:04:26,930 --> 00:04:23,190 student and this piece of equipment was 99 00:04:28,690 --> 00:04:26,940 surplus and to Stu Boyer annex 100 00:04:33,740 --> 00:04:28,700 astronomer who had a brilliant idea 101 00:04:36,290 --> 00:04:33,750 about how we could do SETI while the 102 00:04:39,260 --> 00:04:36,300 radio astronomers were using the Hat 103 00:04:41,750 --> 00:04:39,270 Creek telescope that was run by UC 104 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:41,760 Berkeley to do their studies we could 105 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:44,690 just make a copy of the signals being 106 00:04:51,260 --> 00:04:48,210 collected by the telescope and analyze 107 00:04:53,660 --> 00:04:51,270 them for engineered signals he hadn't 108 00:04:55,430 --> 00:04:53,670 any money he was looking for some ways 109 00:04:58,340 --> 00:04:55,440 to do it somebody gave him this old 110 00:05:02,720 --> 00:04:58,350 computer he came to me and I thought oh 111 00:05:04,670 --> 00:05:02,730 my gosh after millennia of asking 112 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:04,680 priests and philosophers what we should 113 00:05:10,490 --> 00:05:07,490 believe about the question are we alone 114 00:05:12,770 --> 00:05:10,500 suddenly their tools there's radio 115 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:12,780 telescopes there's computers and so 116 00:05:17,180 --> 00:05:14,730 scientists and astronomers can get 117 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:17,190 involved to try and find out what's out 118 00:05:20,060 --> 00:05:17,610 there 119 00:05:24,170 --> 00:05:20,070 rather than accept somebody's beliefs 120 00:05:25,910 --> 00:05:24,180 and so I said I'm in and that's how it 121 00:05:29,180 --> 00:05:25,920 started and I got hooked and I've never 122 00:05:30,380 --> 00:05:29,190 gotten unhooked that's awesome yeah they 123 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:30,390 think a lot of us you know we have those 124 00:05:33,230 --> 00:05:31,770 those ideas when we were young you know 125 00:05:35,810 --> 00:05:33,240 look at the stars at night in the 126 00:05:36,950 --> 00:05:35,820 heavens and we wonder if we're alone and 127 00:05:39,860 --> 00:05:36,960 it is really cool that we have these 128 00:05:43,100 --> 00:05:39,870 tools now I think a big question a lot 129 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:43,110 of people have is how SETI itself has 130 00:05:46,010 --> 00:05:44,010 changed 131 00:05:48,020 --> 00:05:46,020 over these last several decades of 132 00:05:50,630 --> 00:05:48,030 really help mom's better have those 133 00:05:54,650 --> 00:05:50,640 tools gotten and what big things have 134 00:05:59,030 --> 00:05:54,660 happened in SETI during your career well 135 00:06:02,560 --> 00:05:59,040 um in terms of ideas to enormous game 136 00:06:07,060 --> 00:06:02,570 changers over my career one exoplanets 137 00:06:10,430 --> 00:06:07,070 two extremophiles and then in terms of 138 00:06:14,270 --> 00:06:10,440 instrumentation we started out purely as 139 00:06:16,940 --> 00:06:14,280 a radio source a search we've added more 140 00:06:19,159 --> 00:06:16,950 computing that's gotten better we built 141 00:06:22,970 --> 00:06:19,169 our own telescopes so we can look all 142 00:06:25,850 --> 00:06:22,980 the time and then when the technologies 143 00:06:31,060 --> 00:06:25,860 became available we started doing an 144 00:06:33,140 --> 00:06:31,070 optical search and so our current 145 00:06:35,659 --> 00:06:33,150 instrumentation threshold I would say 146 00:06:38,930 --> 00:06:35,669 now is to be able to get some 147 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:38,940 sensitivity to transient signals 148 00:06:46,510 --> 00:06:41,250 we'd love to look at all the sky all the 149 00:06:48,170 --> 00:06:46,520 time at all wavelengths that's the next 150 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:48,180 instrumental challenge 151 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:51,250 whose door were trying to beat down 152 00:06:55,710 --> 00:06:53,530 okay that's interesting so so right now 153 00:06:58,050 --> 00:06:55,720 we're kind of limited to some window of 154 00:06:59,700 --> 00:06:58,060 radio a window and optical but not 155 00:07:02,700 --> 00:06:59,710 really looking through the entire AM 156 00:07:04,230 --> 00:07:02,710 spectrum yet but you did mention that we 157 00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:04,240 now have this this telescope that allows 158 00:07:07,350 --> 00:07:05,710 us to be looking all the time 159 00:07:10,140 --> 00:07:07,360 I imagine you mean the Allen telescope 160 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:10,150 array for our audience members in the 161 00:07:15,660 --> 00:07:13,510 end we're speaking of there yeah so so 162 00:07:18,060 --> 00:07:15,670 now the Allen telescope array is my 163 00:07:21,210 --> 00:07:18,070 knowledge the very first SETI dedicated 164 00:07:23,460 --> 00:07:21,220 telescope array is that correct that's 165 00:07:28,980 --> 00:07:23,470 right it's the first time that we built 166 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:28,990 a telescope on purpose as well as doing 167 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:32,110 radio astronomy and it's the first time 168 00:07:38,130 --> 00:07:34,810 we built a radio telescope as a large 169 00:07:39,870 --> 00:07:38,140 number of small dishes all hooked 170 00:07:43,770 --> 00:07:39,880 together with an enormous amount of 171 00:07:46,470 --> 00:07:43,780 computing and that looks like the way in 172 00:07:48,390 --> 00:07:46,480 the future continue to build ever bigger 173 00:07:52,890 --> 00:07:48,400 radio telescopes the Square Kilometre 174 00:07:56,159 --> 00:07:52,900 Array in South Africa and Western 175 00:08:00,240 --> 00:07:56,169 Australia will be built that way the 176 00:08:03,420 --> 00:08:00,250 next generation Very Large Array will be 177 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:03,430 built with smaller dishes and more of 178 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:06,490 them so this is a good idea and we've 179 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:08,770 proven that it can be done that's 180 00:08:12,659 --> 00:08:09,850 incredible that's awesome 181 00:08:15,719 --> 00:08:12,669 um I'm so glad we finally have some 182 00:08:17,159 --> 00:08:15,729 dedicated instruments just for SETI even 183 00:08:18,870 --> 00:08:17,169 though we have had other studied 184 00:08:21,930 --> 00:08:18,880 searches on things like the Arecibo 185 00:08:23,670 --> 00:08:21,940 radio telescope and also the fast 186 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:23,680 telescope now being developed in China 187 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:26,530 to my knowledge has a mission objective 188 00:08:30,630 --> 00:08:27,610 of the search for extraterrestrial 189 00:08:33,450 --> 00:08:30,640 intelligence if I can how do you feel 190 00:08:35,399 --> 00:08:33,460 about now other nations also getting 191 00:08:39,020 --> 00:08:35,409 interested in SETI and kind of forming 192 00:08:42,329 --> 00:08:39,030 their own SETI searches hey bring it on 193 00:08:44,130 --> 00:08:42,339 absolutely this is uh if there's a 194 00:08:45,690 --> 00:08:44,140 message out there it's coming to the 195 00:08:49,470 --> 00:08:45,700 planet right it's not coming to 196 00:08:51,810 --> 00:08:49,480 California or to China or to South 197 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:51,820 Africa it's coming to the planet and 198 00:08:57,270 --> 00:08:54,010 that information is the property of all 199 00:08:59,940 --> 00:08:57,280 humankind um I think that's actually one 200 00:09:02,940 --> 00:08:59,950 of the very best things about study as 201 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:02,950 we talk to people about what we're doing 202 00:09:07,019 --> 00:09:04,930 and try and get them 203 00:09:10,740 --> 00:09:07,029 stood in participating and supporting 204 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:10,750 the work we're actually expanding their 205 00:09:15,990 --> 00:09:14,050 perspective we're making them giving 206 00:09:19,950 --> 00:09:16,000 them the opportunity to see themselves 207 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:19,960 in a different way to see themselves as 208 00:09:27,990 --> 00:09:25,050 one species humans on one planet and 209 00:09:30,690 --> 00:09:28,000 said he kind of holds up a mirror to all 210 00:09:33,510 --> 00:09:30,700 of us on this planet and says 'i see all 211 00:09:35,850 --> 00:09:33,520 you guys you're all the same when 212 00:09:41,550 --> 00:09:35,860 compared to something else out there and 213 00:09:44,100 --> 00:09:41,560 so it it naturally reinforces this 214 00:09:46,410 --> 00:09:44,110 cosmic perspective and i think that's 215 00:09:49,350 --> 00:09:46,420 such a very important thing for our 216 00:09:52,740 --> 00:09:49,360 long-term survival we've got lots of 217 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:52,750 challenges on this planet and those 218 00:09:58,889 --> 00:09:56,170 challenges going to respect national 219 00:10:03,630 --> 00:09:58,899 boundaries we are gonna have to solve 220 00:10:05,940 --> 00:10:03,640 them globally systemically and if we get 221 00:10:09,290 --> 00:10:05,950 into the mindset of seeing ourselves as 222 00:10:12,390 --> 00:10:09,300 earthlings because of working with Ceti 223 00:10:16,130 --> 00:10:12,400 then maybe that's the first step in 224 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:16,140 getting together to work effectively to 225 00:10:23,780 --> 00:10:21,650 that's interesting you know having more 226 00:10:27,860 --> 00:10:23,790 of a global view through our cosmic 227 00:10:29,660 --> 00:10:27,870 perspective I love that I do have to ask 228 00:10:32,900 --> 00:10:29,670 so since you have acute files and 229 00:10:35,389 --> 00:10:32,910 exoplanets earlier you know this is 230 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:35,399 asking astrobiologist and most of our 231 00:10:38,509 --> 00:10:36,930 guests on the show previously have done 232 00:10:41,329 --> 00:10:38,519 more work in the realm of geochemistry 233 00:10:43,210 --> 00:10:41,339 and planetary science I'm wondering if 234 00:10:46,220 --> 00:10:43,220 you can speak for our audience maybe 235 00:10:51,829 --> 00:10:46,230 about how SETI itself really fits inside 236 00:10:56,049 --> 00:10:51,839 of astrobiology well most people think 237 00:11:00,350 --> 00:10:56,059 about astrobiology as looking for 238 00:11:04,220 --> 00:11:00,360 Institue biomarkers or remotely for bio 239 00:11:07,369 --> 00:11:04,230 signatures well think about it in a 240 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:07,379 parallel way that what we're trying to 241 00:11:14,049 --> 00:11:10,290 do is look remotely for techno 242 00:11:18,309 --> 00:11:14,059 signatures looking for evidence of 243 00:11:22,730 --> 00:11:18,319 civilizations that a lot of environments 244 00:11:25,579 --> 00:11:22,740 in ways that we might sense over the 245 00:11:27,019 --> 00:11:25,589 vast distances to the Stars sure we 246 00:11:28,999 --> 00:11:27,029 started out with electromagnetic 247 00:11:30,619 --> 00:11:29,009 radiation that's what we knew how to do 248 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:30,629 video telescopes 249 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:33,689 optical telescopes now think about it we 250 00:11:39,949 --> 00:11:35,730 are building or talking about building 251 00:11:44,170 --> 00:11:39,959 or wishing to build lots more large 252 00:11:46,189 --> 00:11:44,180 glass facilities on the ground and 253 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:46,199 telescopes with lots of different 254 00:11:52,819 --> 00:11:50,250 capabilities in orbit and these are 255 00:11:57,410 --> 00:11:52,829 being built in part to look for bio 256 00:12:00,679 --> 00:11:57,420 signatures what else might they see that 257 00:12:05,569 --> 00:12:00,689 would indicate astroengineering not just 258 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:05,579 astrobiology and so we've been trying to 259 00:12:14,449 --> 00:12:10,050 talk to the community about what might 260 00:12:20,419 --> 00:12:14,459 an engineered planet look like how might 261 00:12:23,079 --> 00:12:20,429 we tell something that is modified as 262 00:12:27,079 --> 00:12:23,089 opposed to natural out there 263 00:12:29,660 --> 00:12:27,089 big large Astro engineering project to 264 00:12:33,860 --> 00:12:29,670 capture energy might be one thing 265 00:12:36,790 --> 00:12:33,870 mirrors or Dyson spheres but we also 266 00:12:41,540 --> 00:12:36,800 when and if we get the capability to 267 00:12:45,230 --> 00:12:41,550 image these distant exoplanets we might 268 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:45,240 find that their albedo is strange their 269 00:12:52,550 --> 00:12:49,170 temperatures are strange both of which 270 00:12:55,910 --> 00:12:52,560 could happen because of life but if we 271 00:13:01,490 --> 00:12:55,920 find that their temperatures for example 272 00:13:03,470 --> 00:13:01,500 are uniform from Paul to equator maybe 273 00:13:06,290 --> 00:13:03,480 that's an indication that somebody is 274 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:06,300 looking to make more habitable real 275 00:13:14,390 --> 00:13:11,370 estate to manage weather do something 276 00:13:17,810 --> 00:13:14,400 that we can't do that's for sure but 277 00:13:20,390 --> 00:13:17,820 maybe another technology could suppose 278 00:13:23,510 --> 00:13:20,400 you look at the Travis one systems right 279 00:13:28,820 --> 00:13:23,520 there's seven planets all closely 280 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:28,830 orbiting a red dwarf star and when we 281 00:13:34,770 --> 00:13:32,730 get the ability to image them we find 282 00:13:37,410 --> 00:13:34,780 out that 283 00:13:38,790 --> 00:13:37,420 they're all the same they should be 284 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:38,800 different temperatures because of their 285 00:13:43,620 --> 00:13:41,010 are different distances from their host 286 00:13:47,250 --> 00:13:43,630 but what if we find that they're all the 287 00:13:49,830 --> 00:13:47,260 same again maybe somebody needed some 288 00:13:53,430 --> 00:13:49,840 more habitable real estate and decided 289 00:13:55,490 --> 00:13:53,440 to engineer some of those planets it's 290 00:13:57,990 --> 00:13:55,500 this kind of thing thinking broadly 291 00:14:00,930 --> 00:13:58,000 techno signatures as well as bio 292 00:14:03,090 --> 00:14:00,940 signatures interesting that makes me 293 00:14:05,100 --> 00:14:03,100 think a lot about David Grinspoon recent 294 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:05,110 book Earth and human hands and how he 295 00:14:08,970 --> 00:14:06,970 discussed that the future humanity might 296 00:14:10,620 --> 00:14:08,980 be coming to the point of actually 297 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:10,630 geoengineering our planet - for instance 298 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:12,610 control our own climate around 299 00:14:15,750 --> 00:14:14,290 temperature so I find it very 300 00:14:18,150 --> 00:14:15,760 interesting that that we might look for 301 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:18,160 other civilizations who have gotten that 302 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:20,290 point already in controlling their own 303 00:14:25,620 --> 00:14:23,530 worlds well you know Arthur Clarke gave 304 00:14:29,150 --> 00:14:25,630 us three laws right the third of which 305 00:14:33,270 --> 00:14:29,160 was any sufficiently advanced technology 306 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:33,280 would English will from magic right and 307 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:35,890 we've sort of been using that as a 308 00:14:42,750 --> 00:14:39,570 backdrop for thinking but more recently 309 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:42,760 a philosopher by the name of Karl 310 00:14:50,450 --> 00:14:47,490 Schroeder has suggested that any savants 311 00:14:56,210 --> 00:14:50,460 technology would be indistinguishable 312 00:14:59,310 --> 00:14:56,220 from nature that is that sustainability 313 00:15:01,579 --> 00:14:59,320 would require a technological 314 00:15:06,300 --> 00:15:01,589 civilization to become extraordinarily 315 00:15:10,230 --> 00:15:06,310 efficient and not put their planet out 316 00:15:11,970 --> 00:15:10,240 of kilter so scratching our heads about 317 00:15:17,220 --> 00:15:11,980 that one and thinking what would that 318 00:15:19,260 --> 00:15:17,230 imply in terms of interpreting the data 319 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:19,270 that we're going to get back from these 320 00:15:25,250 --> 00:15:23,730 future missions mmm-hmm interesting 321 00:15:27,860 --> 00:15:25,260 so kind of in that vein I have a 322 00:15:29,449 --> 00:15:27,870 question when I ask you were on an 323 00:15:31,879 --> 00:15:29,459 interview with science Friday a couple 324 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:31,889 of years ago and I heard a statement 325 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:34,050 that you said that the 21st century will 326 00:15:39,590 --> 00:15:36,930 be the century of life on Earth and 327 00:15:41,569 --> 00:15:39,600 beyond I wonder if you could speak more 328 00:15:43,730 --> 00:15:41,579 to what that really means for our 329 00:15:48,050 --> 00:15:43,740 audience that this century might be the 330 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:48,060 century for life well this is taking off 331 00:15:55,610 --> 00:15:52,290 from a quote by carl Venter and Daniel 332 00:15:57,680 --> 00:15:55,620 Cohen in 2004 they wrote a paper that 333 00:16:00,439 --> 00:15:57,690 said whereas the 20th century have been 334 00:16:02,540 --> 00:16:00,449 the century of physics 21st century was 335 00:16:04,850 --> 00:16:02,550 going to be the century of biology and 336 00:16:06,860 --> 00:16:04,860 that was a real bold prediction and they 337 00:16:10,340 --> 00:16:06,870 were talking about genomics and 338 00:16:13,210 --> 00:16:10,350 proteomics and bioengineering and all of 339 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:13,220 this wonderful stuff which is in fact 340 00:16:20,150 --> 00:16:16,410 paying off much quicker than they might 341 00:16:23,300 --> 00:16:20,160 have anticipated but I think as bold as 342 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:23,310 that was not really bold enough I think 343 00:16:28,639 --> 00:16:24,930 that this is going to be the century of 344 00:16:30,949 --> 00:16:28,649 biology ology not just on earth but 345 00:16:33,970 --> 00:16:30,959 beyond because I think there are a 346 00:16:38,780 --> 00:16:33,980 number of ways that we can detect 347 00:16:42,230 --> 00:16:38,790 biology this coming century 348 00:16:47,150 --> 00:16:42,240 we can find it with the the missions 349 00:16:50,300 --> 00:16:47,160 that are being proposed to look for 350 00:16:52,639 --> 00:16:50,310 microbial life to look for the chemical 351 00:16:56,750 --> 00:16:52,649 signatures of life in the atmospheres of 352 00:17:00,650 --> 00:16:56,760 exoplanets we might find evidence for 353 00:17:02,809 --> 00:17:00,660 extinct or even extant life on some of 354 00:17:05,120 --> 00:17:02,819 the bodies within our own solar system 355 00:17:08,929 --> 00:17:05,130 as we get the opportunity to explore 356 00:17:12,890 --> 00:17:08,939 those robotically or in partnership with 357 00:17:15,169 --> 00:17:12,900 with humans and we might in fact as 358 00:17:18,530 --> 00:17:15,179 we're looking for something else 359 00:17:23,350 --> 00:17:18,540 stumble across evidence of huge Astro 360 00:17:27,140 --> 00:17:23,360 engine and lastly we might take it there 361 00:17:31,730 --> 00:17:27,150 right we might by going to the moon and 362 00:17:35,170 --> 00:17:31,740 to asteroids and to Mars we in fact 363 00:17:40,810 --> 00:17:38,020 of this planet so I think this next 364 00:17:43,300 --> 00:17:40,820 century is going to be incredibly 365 00:17:45,130 --> 00:17:43,310 exciting right and I you know I wish I 366 00:17:48,130 --> 00:17:45,140 could plan to stick around to the end of 367 00:17:48,940 --> 00:17:48,140 it to see how it all works out yeah no 368 00:17:50,740 --> 00:17:48,950 kidding 369 00:17:52,150 --> 00:17:50,750 that's wonderful yeah it's kind of 370 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:52,160 interesting just to think about what's 371 00:17:56,050 --> 00:17:53,930 coming right now 372 00:17:57,310 --> 00:17:56,060 for all of us in astrobiology there's so 373 00:17:59,800 --> 00:17:57,320 many things like you mentioned we have 374 00:18:02,440 --> 00:17:59,810 spacecraft studying our solar system we 375 00:18:04,900 --> 00:18:02,450 have telescopes on earth and in orbit 376 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:04,910 studying exoplanets and we also have 377 00:18:10,300 --> 00:18:08,570 SETI I wonder if you could for our 378 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:10,310 audience tell us what we all need right 379 00:18:15,220 --> 00:18:13,250 now is the most important thing not just 380 00:18:19,530 --> 00:18:15,230 for SETI right now but for the future of 381 00:18:23,850 --> 00:18:21,960 you know I missed the end of your 382 00:18:27,390 --> 00:18:23,860 question you said not just for SETI 383 00:18:31,590 --> 00:18:27,400 right now but but for the future of SETI 384 00:18:35,900 --> 00:18:31,600 as well okay well the answer to that 385 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:35,910 question is pretty simple it's a 386 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:39,970 sustainable funding profile right 387 00:18:46,110 --> 00:18:42,810 SETI's funding has been a roller coaster 388 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:46,120 historically and we need to put it on a 389 00:18:52,500 --> 00:18:48,930 stable platform we need to find a way to 390 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:52,510 fund projects that have a very long 391 00:18:58,790 --> 00:18:55,210 horizon potentially before they pay off 392 00:19:02,070 --> 00:18:58,800 the high energy physics community and 393 00:19:04,950 --> 00:19:02,080 the gravitational wave community have 394 00:19:08,340 --> 00:19:04,960 been able to do that when putting 395 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:08,350 funding year after year after year into 396 00:19:12,120 --> 00:19:10,510 building instruments that weren't good 397 00:19:15,150 --> 00:19:12,130 enough when they were turned on and got 398 00:19:17,970 --> 00:19:15,160 made better we need to find a model for 399 00:19:21,870 --> 00:19:17,980 that hopefully at a lower price tag than 400 00:19:26,220 --> 00:19:21,880 building like OO or the the Large Hadron 401 00:19:29,430 --> 00:19:26,230 Collider but a model where because we 402 00:19:32,790 --> 00:19:29,440 have some sort of dependable funding 403 00:19:34,830 --> 00:19:32,800 base we can enact attract the best and 404 00:19:37,740 --> 00:19:34,840 the brightest you know lots of people 405 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:37,750 are excited about this field but if you 406 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:41,050 tell them oh come this and the other 407 00:19:45,990 --> 00:19:44,050 thing but maybe I can't pay you next 408 00:19:47,850 --> 00:19:46,000 month hmm that's a little bit close to 409 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:47,860 home right now 410 00:19:57,150 --> 00:19:53,050 but seriously having a funding base will 411 00:20:00,930 --> 00:19:57,160 allow us to to take on very large 412 00:20:02,970 --> 00:20:00,940 projects that that provide us with huge 413 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:02,980 improvements in our capabilities and 414 00:20:12,360 --> 00:20:06,570 will allow young people with great ideas 415 00:20:14,250 --> 00:20:12,370 to become part of this exploration yeah 416 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:14,260 I think we have some of those best and 417 00:20:18,270 --> 00:20:15,970 brightest watching our show right now so 418 00:20:20,940 --> 00:20:18,280 you know if you're out there you know 419 00:20:22,620 --> 00:20:20,950 these are things you can do now so 420 00:20:24,570 --> 00:20:22,630 before we do open up the questions from 421 00:20:27,660 --> 00:20:24,580 the audience I do have a couple of fun 422 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:27,670 things I want to bring up for one David 423 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:29,650 Grinspoon had posted on Twitter last 424 00:20:35,390 --> 00:20:32,490 year some pictures of you fixing 425 00:20:36,740 --> 00:20:35,400 of the Green Bank telescope at the SETI 426 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:36,750 Institute I wonder if you could explain 427 00:20:39,740 --> 00:20:37,650 since we're going to show the picture 428 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:39,750 right now for our audience if you can 429 00:20:45,650 --> 00:20:42,050 explain what's happening in that picture 430 00:20:50,210 --> 00:20:45,660 well the Green Bank telescope is a 431 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:50,220 wonderful example of an offset Gregorian 432 00:20:56,299 --> 00:20:53,610 design which means the telescope feed 433 00:20:59,270 --> 00:20:56,309 doesn't come up into from the middle of 434 00:21:02,900 --> 00:20:59,280 the telescope it actually hangs off from 435 00:21:05,930 --> 00:21:02,910 one side and now you can decide you've 436 00:21:10,190 --> 00:21:05,940 got a telescope to hang your feed up 437 00:21:13,220 --> 00:21:10,200 high or hang it off the bottom down low 438 00:21:16,010 --> 00:21:13,230 and the Allen telescope array has a feet 439 00:21:18,380 --> 00:21:16,020 low configuration but the gbt has a feed 440 00:21:20,630 --> 00:21:18,390 high configuration and we have this 441 00:21:24,950 --> 00:21:20,640 beautiful model of Seti Institute that 442 00:21:27,799 --> 00:21:24,960 with moving around and changing offices 443 00:21:30,950 --> 00:21:27,809 etc had gotten broken and it's it's 444 00:21:34,070 --> 00:21:30,960 broken position had it lying down with 445 00:21:37,700 --> 00:21:34,080 its feed on the ground and so now that 446 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:37,710 it has become a viable SETI instrument 447 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:39,570 being used by the breakthrough listen 448 00:21:45,980 --> 00:21:43,290 project I really felt that we needed to 449 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:45,990 have it presented correctly so I was 450 00:21:50,090 --> 00:21:47,970 early for a science advisory board 451 00:21:53,060 --> 00:21:50,100 meeting one morning and I got out the 452 00:21:55,610 --> 00:21:53,070 super glue in the scissors and the tools 453 00:21:59,020 --> 00:21:55,620 and I fixed it so that the feed is now 454 00:22:03,169 --> 00:22:01,580 yeah it's perfect that's kind of what 455 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:03,179 scientists do we see things you know 456 00:22:06,410 --> 00:22:04,890 that need to be fixed I mean I kind of 457 00:22:08,180 --> 00:22:06,420 messed up like that engineer to do that 458 00:22:09,410 --> 00:22:08,190 you know they may see things that aren't 459 00:22:13,190 --> 00:22:09,420 exactly the way that they are in nature 460 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:13,200 we questioned why and I love that um I 461 00:22:18,890 --> 00:22:15,530 would be remiss if I didn't bring up 462 00:22:22,100 --> 00:22:18,900 contact and what it was like having Carl 463 00:22:23,900 --> 00:22:22,110 Sagan and Andrew and tell you that you 464 00:22:26,780 --> 00:22:23,910 were the basis in some ways for this 465 00:22:29,390 --> 00:22:26,790 character of Ellie Arroway can you tell 466 00:22:31,370 --> 00:22:29,400 us what that was like when you found out 467 00:22:34,390 --> 00:22:31,380 that you were somewhat being 468 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:34,400 immortalized in a work by Carl Sagan 469 00:22:40,310 --> 00:22:37,530 well it was a long time ago this in the 470 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:40,320 mid 80s Carl was a colleague and I 471 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:42,090 actually happened to be back at Cornell 472 00:22:46,500 --> 00:22:44,170 for a meeting 473 00:22:48,870 --> 00:22:46,510 karl said come on up to the house we're 474 00:22:50,670 --> 00:22:48,880 having a cocktail party so I dutifully 475 00:22:54,270 --> 00:22:50,680 went out to their beautiful house in 476 00:22:57,810 --> 00:22:54,280 though in the hills and they took me 477 00:22:59,970 --> 00:22:57,820 aside and Karl and they said Karl's 478 00:23:02,430 --> 00:22:59,980 writing a science fiction book and I 479 00:23:04,170 --> 00:23:02,440 said oh come on the New York Times last 480 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:04,180 weekend told us what kind of an advance 481 00:23:11,820 --> 00:23:06,610 II got and we're so bloody jealous right 482 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:11,830 and they said well you may think you 483 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:15,530 recognize someone in the book 484 00:23:20,730 --> 00:23:18,170 but I think you're gonna like her and 485 00:23:25,030 --> 00:23:20,740 [Laughter] 486 00:23:28,030 --> 00:23:25,040 just just make sure that she doesn't eat 487 00:23:30,310 --> 00:23:28,040 ice cream cones for lunch because that 488 00:23:33,310 --> 00:23:30,320 was something that I got teased about 489 00:23:36,430 --> 00:23:33,320 relentlessly that was my daily lunch to 490 00:23:39,430 --> 00:23:36,440 walk from our laboratories over to the 491 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:39,440 Baskins and Robin's on the base and cone 492 00:23:45,420 --> 00:23:41,930 and walk back right so I could have my 493 00:23:48,130 --> 00:23:45,430 pleasure and get my steps simultaneously 494 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:48,140 and I thought well as long as that 495 00:23:52,060 --> 00:23:49,850 characteristic isn't there nobody's 496 00:23:54,190 --> 00:23:52,070 think it's me well and didn't exactly 497 00:23:57,750 --> 00:23:54,200 work out that way and it I had a great 498 00:24:00,160 --> 00:23:57,760 time when this book turned into a movie 499 00:24:03,270 --> 00:24:00,170 it was a real privilege to work with 500 00:24:05,850 --> 00:24:03,280 Jodie Foster because she's a brilliant 501 00:24:08,980 --> 00:24:05,860 wonderfully good actor 502 00:24:12,940 --> 00:24:08,990 very kind person and we had a lot of fun 503 00:24:16,390 --> 00:24:12,950 and actually I was down at their Co and 504 00:24:19,930 --> 00:24:16,400 they were filming there sadly I left too 505 00:24:22,330 --> 00:24:19,940 early to prevent the huge in numerous 506 00:24:24,820 --> 00:24:22,340 that's there but while I was there I 507 00:24:28,060 --> 00:24:24,830 just was fascinated by all their gear 508 00:24:30,790 --> 00:24:28,070 they've got really good technology and I 509 00:24:33,490 --> 00:24:30,800 was thinking oh maybe I'd like to make 510 00:24:37,870 --> 00:24:33,500 movies if I can't make it in in SETI 511 00:24:39,330 --> 00:24:37,880 right absolutely I think a lot of people 512 00:24:41,650 --> 00:24:39,340 who are interested in astrobiology 513 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:41,660 interested in this idea of are we alone 514 00:24:47,740 --> 00:24:44,290 are also huge fans of science fiction 515 00:24:53,770 --> 00:24:47,750 and so things like context inspired so 516 00:24:57,460 --> 00:24:53,780 many of us because I think science 517 00:25:00,970 --> 00:24:57,470 fiction is great because it gives us an 518 00:25:03,310 --> 00:25:00,980 opportunity to think about things that 519 00:25:06,220 --> 00:25:03,320 we can't conceive of I mean one of my 520 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:06,230 favorite science fiction stories is Fred 521 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:10,010 Hoyle cosmologists wrote a story about a 522 00:25:18,230 --> 00:25:13,930 plasma cloud that was intelligent and 523 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:18,240 causing us unintel 524 00:25:26,390 --> 00:25:20,850 the Sun as it came to visit us 525 00:25:29,120 --> 00:25:26,400 um that's a type of intelligence I might 526 00:25:31,910 --> 00:25:29,130 not have known but now that I've read 527 00:25:35,530 --> 00:25:31,920 that book there's some little piece of 528 00:25:37,910 --> 00:25:35,540 my mind that's open to that idea 529 00:25:39,620 --> 00:25:37,920 interesting yeah it's interesting how a 530 00:25:42,380 --> 00:25:39,630 science fiction kind of gives us a way 531 00:25:45,350 --> 00:25:42,390 of seeing ourselves in settings in 532 00:25:48,590 --> 00:25:45,360 different time periods I do have to ask 533 00:25:50,930 --> 00:25:48,600 if if Carl Sagan was here right now and 534 00:25:52,970 --> 00:25:50,940 was writing the novel contact right now 535 00:25:56,090 --> 00:25:52,980 or or if the film contact were being 536 00:25:58,190 --> 00:25:56,100 made right now how do you think it would 537 00:26:00,320 --> 00:25:58,200 be different from the way it was was 538 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:00,330 made back in 1985 when the novel was 539 00:26:07,910 --> 00:26:04,410 first published well Carl was prophetic 540 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:07,920 unfortunately in terms of understanding 541 00:26:11,450 --> 00:26:09,090 that whereas we were a government 542 00:26:15,590 --> 00:26:11,460 program in fat dumb and happy in some 543 00:26:17,830 --> 00:26:15,600 sense we would face a termination of the 544 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:17,840 funds and then be struck with the 545 00:26:21,980 --> 00:26:19,890 difficulty of going out and raising 546 00:26:27,860 --> 00:26:21,990 money I wish he hadn't been right about 547 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:27,870 that piece I think that what would be 548 00:26:38,170 --> 00:26:32,250 different now would be a larger 549 00:26:41,420 --> 00:26:38,180 concentration on private funding being 550 00:26:44,990 --> 00:26:41,430 sufficient or at least maybe just 551 00:26:48,550 --> 00:26:45,000 adequate to take on the challenges of 552 00:26:53,090 --> 00:26:48,560 space flight so I think he would be 553 00:26:57,280 --> 00:26:53,100 having a lot to say about SpaceX and LU 554 00:27:01,130 --> 00:26:57,290 origin and all of the other 555 00:27:05,210 --> 00:27:01,140 opportunities for access to space that 556 00:27:07,250 --> 00:27:05,220 aren't directly related to the federal 557 00:27:10,250 --> 00:27:07,260 government of course they're funded in 558 00:27:13,910 --> 00:27:10,260 the end by federal funds are these 559 00:27:16,370 --> 00:27:13,920 contracts that the private companies get 560 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:16,380 from the government but still it's a 561 00:27:20,970 --> 00:27:18,970 different way of doing it 562 00:27:22,529 --> 00:27:20,980 and I think Carl would be fascinated to 563 00:27:24,870 --> 00:27:22,539 see where that was going 564 00:27:26,399 --> 00:27:24,880 you know that things have changed a lot 565 00:27:28,500 --> 00:27:26,409 I mean for the generation coming up 566 00:27:30,899 --> 00:27:28,510 right now you know for them we've always 567 00:27:32,159 --> 00:27:30,909 had people in space in orbit and we live 568 00:27:34,289 --> 00:27:32,169 in a time where we have private 569 00:27:36,390 --> 00:27:34,299 companies developing rockets and we have 570 00:27:38,039 --> 00:27:36,400 you know breakthrough and SETI and these 571 00:27:39,870 --> 00:27:38,049 different companies these organizations 572 00:27:42,659 --> 00:27:39,880 kind of you know taking on some of these 573 00:27:44,610 --> 00:27:42,669 tasks themselves I think it is a good 574 00:27:46,169 --> 00:27:44,620 time now to change up the conversation 575 00:27:50,430 --> 00:27:46,179 and open up some questions from the 576 00:27:53,850 --> 00:27:50,440 audience if we can so on this idea of 577 00:27:56,130 --> 00:27:53,860 science-fiction Michael Wong writing on 578 00:27:57,600 --> 00:27:56,140 Twitter has asked that he'd love to hear 579 00:27:58,770 --> 00:27:57,610 your thoughts on the 2016 580 00:28:03,510 --> 00:27:58,780 science-fiction film 581 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:03,520 arrival if you saw that I saw it and I 582 00:28:07,409 --> 00:28:04,210 loved it 583 00:28:09,990 --> 00:28:07,419 I just might was keep trying to wrap my 584 00:28:12,899 --> 00:28:10,000 head around the fact that if you're 585 00:28:15,659 --> 00:28:12,909 going to write in circles you have to 586 00:28:20,580 --> 00:28:15,669 know the future and I think that's such 587 00:28:22,380 --> 00:28:20,590 on a mind exploding concept I thought 588 00:28:25,049 --> 00:28:22,390 that was that was beautiful and I 589 00:28:28,140 --> 00:28:25,059 thought the actors and it was all great 590 00:28:30,750 --> 00:28:28,150 I really liked it me too 591 00:28:32,070 --> 00:28:30,760 it seems like SETI and people you know 592 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:32,080 who are really thinking about SETI 593 00:28:35,700 --> 00:28:33,850 deeply are also people who are 594 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:35,710 considering what language would be like 595 00:28:39,149 --> 00:28:37,090 if it were different from the way that 596 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:39,159 we use language and so it kind of makes 597 00:28:43,110 --> 00:28:40,570 sense you know the question what happens 598 00:28:44,820 --> 00:28:43,120 if we right circularly are there people 599 00:28:46,980 --> 00:28:44,830 actively working with city who are 600 00:28:48,930 --> 00:28:46,990 linguists who are trying to figure out 601 00:28:53,039 --> 00:28:48,940 how an alien language might actually 602 00:28:56,390 --> 00:28:53,049 look there are there this has been a 603 00:29:01,020 --> 00:28:56,400 topic of interest for quite a while and 604 00:29:03,149 --> 00:29:01,030 at first I think the easy solution to 605 00:29:07,260 --> 00:29:03,159 that was well it'll be based on 606 00:29:09,419 --> 00:29:07,270 mathematics right and certainly bring 607 00:29:12,330 --> 00:29:09,429 Paul developed this whole language 608 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:12,340 called Linc O's that was supposed to 609 00:29:23,220 --> 00:29:18,690 allow communication of complex emotional 610 00:29:26,029 --> 00:29:23,230 concepts but starting with very very 611 00:29:31,630 --> 00:29:26,039 precise rules sort of mathematical rules 612 00:29:40,030 --> 00:29:35,590 it seems to us now that the actual 613 00:29:48,370 --> 00:29:44,830 ah dictates how we think about 614 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:48,380 mathematics perhaps so we might be 615 00:29:57,150 --> 00:29:52,730 correct that something like the periodic 616 00:29:59,080 --> 00:29:57,160 table or simple rules of addition 617 00:30:06,330 --> 00:29:59,090 subtraction and that sort of thing that 618 00:30:09,610 --> 00:30:06,340 they're all correct but even to 619 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:09,620 technological civilizations trying to 620 00:30:17,290 --> 00:30:13,690 describe the same phenomenon using their 621 00:30:22,810 --> 00:30:17,300 intrinsic math it might not look 622 00:30:25,510 --> 00:30:22,820 anything like the same thing so we're 623 00:30:27,370 --> 00:30:25,520 getting a bit we're going beyond the 624 00:30:31,180 --> 00:30:27,380 back of the envelope in our thinking 625 00:30:34,450 --> 00:30:31,190 here trying to understand what if 626 00:30:37,570 --> 00:30:34,460 anything is universal what is 627 00:30:39,790 --> 00:30:37,580 fundamental and what is contingent upon 628 00:30:43,740 --> 00:30:39,800 the fact that we have a three-pound 629 00:30:46,930 --> 00:30:43,750 brain that is structured the way it is 630 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:46,940 all right that leads really well into 631 00:30:53,610 --> 00:30:49,370 our next question then from dr. Jim past 632 00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:53,620 from Twitter chicken runs the Astro 633 00:30:58,780 --> 00:30:56,810 sociology Research Institute and he's 634 00:31:01,570 --> 00:30:58,790 really interested in how social science 635 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:01,580 linguistics how these other parts of the 636 00:31:06,670 --> 00:31:04,090 humanities and those study here you I 637 00:31:09,970 --> 00:31:06,680 apologize the next question comes from 638 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:09,980 Twitter from Jim Paz and he wants to 639 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:12,490 know how social scientists and humanists 640 00:31:17,830 --> 00:31:15,250 they're often overlooked sometimes 641 00:31:20,260 --> 00:31:17,840 astrobiology he wants to know what the 642 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:20,270 future collaborations could be with the 643 00:31:25,300 --> 00:31:22,250 social sciences and things like 644 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:25,310 astrobiology and SETI 645 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:28,290 he's right in the fact that in the past 646 00:31:35,060 --> 00:31:30,930 they haven't been included or not well 647 00:31:38,090 --> 00:31:35,070 included right to get smarter and so now 648 00:31:42,950 --> 00:31:38,100 we are looking for opportunities to work 649 00:31:45,910 --> 00:31:42,960 with these other disciplines it's 650 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:45,920 difficult well we all have our own 651 00:31:54,590 --> 00:31:50,970 methodologies and it's more than just 652 00:31:58,010 --> 00:31:54,600 writing an astrobiology primer with the 653 00:32:03,260 --> 00:31:58,020 glossary to explain to a geologists what 654 00:32:06,590 --> 00:32:03,270 a chemist means there's some more bold 655 00:32:09,350 --> 00:32:06,600 difference in the way that some of the 656 00:32:11,500 --> 00:32:09,360 social scientists and some of Vettii 657 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:11,510 scientists approach the same question 658 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:14,010 but nevertheless we realize that there's 659 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:23,440 what a terrible decades ago called 660 00:32:30,810 --> 00:32:26,810 Chariots of the Gods which was totally 661 00:32:35,020 --> 00:32:30,820 disrespectful to civilizations from 662 00:32:38,460 --> 00:32:35,030 millennia ago because he said oh you 663 00:32:42,010 --> 00:32:38,470 couldn't have done this or built this or 664 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:42,020 created this unless there was some super 665 00:32:46,450 --> 00:32:43,970 intelligence that came down from a 666 00:32:49,390 --> 00:32:46,460 spaceship and guided you to do it well 667 00:32:53,980 --> 00:32:49,400 totally totally disrespectful to those 668 00:32:58,960 --> 00:32:53,990 civilizations and has a very very first 669 00:33:03,280 --> 00:32:58,970 step it really makes sense to go back 670 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:03,290 with folks that are trained and digging 671 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:07,210 into the past of different ethnic and 672 00:33:16,270 --> 00:33:11,770 cultural groups and seeing are there any 673 00:33:18,220 --> 00:33:16,280 anomaly buried deep in history that 674 00:33:21,070 --> 00:33:18,230 might in fact turn out to be techno 675 00:33:23,140 --> 00:33:21,080 signatures who knows I mean it 676 00:33:25,630 --> 00:33:23,150 unfortunately the whole thing hasn't he 677 00:33:28,300 --> 00:33:25,640 pets has a bad taste because of how 678 00:33:31,660 --> 00:33:28,310 poorly it was done with chariots in 679 00:33:36,670 --> 00:33:31,670 there God but it is a project that could 680 00:33:41,170 --> 00:33:36,680 be well done by cooperating with experts 681 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:41,180 in those fields absolutely yeah and I 682 00:33:44,740 --> 00:33:42,650 think myself and others have written 683 00:33:46,780 --> 00:33:44,750 about Erich von Daniken and Chariots of 684 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:46,790 the Gods and the issues with you know 685 00:33:50,710 --> 00:33:48,650 the inherent racism and culturalism 686 00:33:53,380 --> 00:33:50,720 involved in that so I'm glad you brought 687 00:33:55,900 --> 00:33:53,390 that up we have another question this 688 00:33:58,060 --> 00:33:55,910 one kind of often comes to lots of us in 689 00:33:59,980 --> 00:33:58,070 the realm of astrobiology and and even 690 00:34:02,200 --> 00:33:59,990 space science in general when people say 691 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:02,210 you know why go spend money on going to 692 00:34:07,090 --> 00:34:05,090 space we have these problems here our 693 00:34:10,300 --> 00:34:07,100 next question comes from Mary Ann Denton 694 00:34:12,850 --> 00:34:10,310 on Twitter she says when I speak with 695 00:34:14,590 --> 00:34:12,860 others about exploration or astrobiology 696 00:34:15,970 --> 00:34:14,600 there's always somebody who wants to 697 00:34:19,210 --> 00:34:15,980 know what the return on the investment 698 00:34:22,330 --> 00:34:19,220 is so her question is how can I best 699 00:34:23,890 --> 00:34:22,340 share that this is a valid pursuit and I 700 00:34:27,210 --> 00:34:23,900 assume by this she means 701 00:34:31,079 --> 00:34:27,220 how is SETI a Vallon pursuit 702 00:34:34,740 --> 00:34:31,089 okay I've got a really simple answer for 703 00:34:42,629 --> 00:34:34,750 her which is that SETI may turn out to 704 00:34:46,889 --> 00:34:42,639 be absolutely critical to humans and 705 00:34:50,129 --> 00:34:46,899 life on Earth having a long future it's 706 00:34:50,909 --> 00:34:50,139 a statistical answer so sometimes it 707 00:34:54,450 --> 00:34:50,919 does not 708 00:34:56,339 --> 00:34:54,460 please Westerners but it's the deal if 709 00:35:00,210 --> 00:34:56,349 there are any two technological 710 00:35:03,030 --> 00:35:00,220 civilizations are capable of contacting 711 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:03,040 one another and we succeed in that 712 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:05,530 contact it means that that other 713 00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:08,770 civilization has to be close by that's 714 00:35:15,450 --> 00:35:12,250 close in space so that we are sensitive 715 00:35:20,430 --> 00:35:15,460 enough to detect them but also close in 716 00:35:25,170 --> 00:35:20,440 time we have to be overlapping in this 717 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:25,180 10 billion year history our galaxy and 718 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:28,690 if technological civilizations as a rule 719 00:35:40,079 --> 00:35:36,490 rule start up grow up expand and either 720 00:35:42,569 --> 00:35:40,089 turn themselves off themselves in in 721 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:42,579 timescales that we can measure in human 722 00:35:50,099 --> 00:35:45,490 times there will never be a successful 723 00:35:53,250 --> 00:35:50,109 contact but turn it around around if we 724 00:35:57,390 --> 00:35:53,260 succeed with settings we know well that 725 00:36:01,079 --> 00:35:57,400 on average technological civilizations 726 00:36:05,609 --> 00:36:01,089 must be long-lived somebody else has 727 00:36:09,750 --> 00:36:05,619 figured out how to do it how to have a 728 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:09,760 sustainable technological civilization 729 00:36:18,150 --> 00:36:14,890 for millennia for hundreds of thousands 730 00:36:21,690 --> 00:36:18,160 millions of years something that we 731 00:36:24,690 --> 00:36:21,700 don't necessarily speak as a possibility 732 00:36:28,020 --> 00:36:24,700 for us today we see lots of ways it 733 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:28,030 could go wrong but you know even a 734 00:36:36,210 --> 00:36:31,930 cosmic dial tone no information but just 735 00:36:39,210 --> 00:36:36,220 proof of existence tells us that we can 736 00:36:40,710 --> 00:36:39,220 have a long future and I think would be 737 00:36:44,010 --> 00:36:40,720 hugely motivational 738 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:44,020 for us to try and get our act together 739 00:36:49,230 --> 00:36:48,490 to figure out how to get there yeah 740 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:49,240 absolutely 741 00:36:53,430 --> 00:36:51,130 and it seems like you know even though 742 00:36:55,230 --> 00:36:53,440 right now I think so many of us we we 743 00:36:57,270 --> 00:36:55,240 tend to focus so much on the bad things 744 00:36:59,700 --> 00:36:57,280 sometimes going on around the world we 745 00:37:01,140 --> 00:36:59,710 see war and we see poverty we see a lot 746 00:37:03,450 --> 00:37:01,150 of these problems caused by climate 747 00:37:06,089 --> 00:37:03,460 change and caused by governments not 748 00:37:08,310 --> 00:37:06,099 functioning or not working together 749 00:37:11,220 --> 00:37:08,320 but some of us also see a lot of promise 750 00:37:13,830 --> 00:37:11,230 in how people from different backgrounds 751 00:37:16,530 --> 00:37:13,840 different genders different ideas are 752 00:37:19,380 --> 00:37:16,540 starting to work together more and in 753 00:37:21,660 --> 00:37:19,390 many ways astrobiology SETI and the 754 00:37:24,540 --> 00:37:21,670 sciences and engineering in general are 755 00:37:27,210 --> 00:37:24,550 opening up to so many more people right 756 00:37:29,670 --> 00:37:27,220 now on the globe which kind of leads to 757 00:37:33,180 --> 00:37:29,680 our next question then yeah it's that 758 00:37:35,550 --> 00:37:33,190 cosmic perspective yeah absolutely this 759 00:37:38,370 --> 00:37:35,560 one comes from tarda Greta on Twitter 760 00:37:40,430 --> 00:37:38,380 she wants to know then from you what's 761 00:37:43,740 --> 00:37:40,440 the best advice you can give to girls 762 00:37:46,710 --> 00:37:43,750 who want to dive into any field of 763 00:37:50,910 --> 00:37:46,720 astrobiology right now 764 00:37:54,430 --> 00:37:50,920 find out what you really love to do and 765 00:37:58,240 --> 00:37:54,440 then learn how to use some tools and 766 00:38:01,299 --> 00:37:58,250 become better at using those tools than 767 00:38:04,900 --> 00:38:01,309 anybody else because then with this 768 00:38:08,559 --> 00:38:04,910 toolset you can go look around for 769 00:38:13,690 --> 00:38:08,569 projects that might yield to your skills 770 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:13,700 and you can essentially drive your own 771 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:17,410 boat right so have skills will travel 772 00:38:22,089 --> 00:38:20,210 let's find the interesting problems and 773 00:38:26,290 --> 00:38:22,099 you won't be able to solve them without 774 00:38:28,540 --> 00:38:26,300 me so I want on board and you'll you'll 775 00:38:32,620 --> 00:38:28,550 turn out to be much better served by 776 00:38:34,420 --> 00:38:32,630 including absolutely you know that 777 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:34,430 applies to so many people who want to 778 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:35,890 get involved in these things as well I 779 00:38:40,270 --> 00:38:38,450 don't mind our audience you can always 780 00:38:42,819 --> 00:38:40,280 tweet your question using using hashtag 781 00:38:45,339 --> 00:38:42,829 ask Astro bio on Twitter you can also 782 00:38:48,130 --> 00:38:45,349 ask questions on Facebook and on Sagan 783 00:38:52,329 --> 00:38:48,140 net so our next question actually comes 784 00:38:54,190 --> 00:38:52,339 from Facebook now from Tom Caruso Tom 785 00:38:56,470 --> 00:38:54,200 wants to know he says can you please 786 00:38:59,430 --> 00:38:56,480 tell us what you think about listening 787 00:39:01,690 --> 00:38:59,440 for life deep in remote ocean worlds 788 00:39:02,500 --> 00:39:01,700 possibly using like seismometers and 789 00:39:04,750 --> 00:39:02,510 hydrophones 790 00:39:07,980 --> 00:39:04,760 so kind of like doing SETI but looking 791 00:39:12,670 --> 00:39:07,990 downwards inside of worlds 792 00:39:16,599 --> 00:39:12,680 right so we use those deep hydrophones 793 00:39:20,349 --> 00:39:16,609 to study humpback whales to try and 794 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:20,359 understand their social engineering as 795 00:39:26,770 --> 00:39:24,650 they recruit members to cooperate in 796 00:39:31,690 --> 00:39:26,780 bubble netting members who aren't 797 00:39:33,789 --> 00:39:31,700 relatives as it turns out that's the 798 00:39:36,150 --> 00:39:33,799 technology we're beginning to understand 799 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:36,160 we also know that when you're trying to 800 00:39:42,549 --> 00:39:38,930 figure this all out it helps us if you 801 00:39:45,849 --> 00:39:42,559 have video as well as the audio so that 802 00:39:50,319 --> 00:39:45,859 you can see their actions and tie them 803 00:39:54,720 --> 00:39:50,329 to audio sounds in your recording that's 804 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:01,480 what size creature gets to vocalize at 805 00:40:11,500 --> 00:40:07,490 depth in water probably microbes aren't 806 00:40:14,950 --> 00:40:11,510 really very chatty at least in terms of 807 00:40:17,349 --> 00:40:14,960 oral all kinds of communication large 808 00:40:21,579 --> 00:40:17,359 structures like the humpback who 809 00:40:25,589 --> 00:40:21,589 understand the structure of the ocean go 810 00:40:28,839 --> 00:40:25,599 and find that the level in a thermocline 811 00:40:30,970 --> 00:40:28,849 that will allow their songs and their 812 00:40:35,430 --> 00:40:30,980 messages to travel the longest distance 813 00:40:38,289 --> 00:40:35,440 such very large creatures are 814 00:40:41,799 --> 00:40:38,299 well-suited to that kind of 815 00:40:46,750 --> 00:40:41,809 communication in a liquid world 816 00:40:50,530 --> 00:40:46,760 I don't know I'm very very eager to see 817 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:50,540 how we solve the problems of sampling 818 00:40:57,420 --> 00:40:52,970 the ocean worlds within our own solar 819 00:41:01,059 --> 00:40:57,430 system what can we do with plumes and 820 00:41:04,260 --> 00:41:01,069 how can we concentrate what it is that 821 00:41:10,120 --> 00:41:04,270 we collect and how can we avoid 822 00:41:13,089 --> 00:41:10,130 contamination the material that we are 823 00:41:15,220 --> 00:41:13,099 trying to collect as me if we have to 824 00:41:17,980 --> 00:41:15,230 melt through or drill through kilometers 825 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:17,990 of ice to get there all fascinating 826 00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:26,349 I thought if you're really going to tie 827 00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:30,530 it to intelligent communication I think 828 00:41:42,390 --> 00:41:33,410 you're going to need some visual cues as 829 00:41:46,349 --> 00:41:42,400 well some strange ramekin of vents 830 00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:46,359 creaking and stretching and and 831 00:41:53,470 --> 00:41:52,180 interesting yeah your mom since we since 832 00:41:55,690 --> 00:41:53,480 you brought up though this idea of 833 00:41:58,960 --> 00:41:55,700 contamination I do wonder what you think 834 00:42:01,809 --> 00:41:58,970 of planetary protection right now when 835 00:42:03,609 --> 00:42:01,819 we launch missions through NASA we have 836 00:42:06,039 --> 00:42:03,619 a planetary protection officer their job 837 00:42:07,809 --> 00:42:06,049 is to try to make sure that we're being 838 00:42:08,650 --> 00:42:07,819 as clean as possible and launching our 839 00:42:11,049 --> 00:42:08,660 spacecraft 840 00:42:13,509 --> 00:42:11,059 we're also weary of bringing potential 841 00:42:15,819 --> 00:42:13,519 alien life back to earth what do you 842 00:42:17,589 --> 00:42:15,829 think about planetary protection and 843 00:42:24,099 --> 00:42:17,599 then including that in our mission 844 00:42:26,109 --> 00:42:24,109 designs okay Graham I lost you all of 845 00:42:28,690 --> 00:42:26,119 that after what do I think about 846 00:42:35,349 --> 00:42:28,700 planetary protection and I vote for it 847 00:42:38,620 --> 00:42:35,359 yes extremely thoughtful about how we do 848 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:38,630 our research we're only gonna get in 849 00:42:49,809 --> 00:42:43,890 most cases one chance and it would be 850 00:42:53,569 --> 00:42:49,819 they disappointed if we didn't do our 851 00:42:56,900 --> 00:42:53,579 exploration in the most appropriate way 852 00:42:59,109 --> 00:42:56,910 so that we don't end up with ambiguous 853 00:43:03,249 --> 00:42:59,119 results 854 00:43:07,569 --> 00:43:03,259 hmm okay awesome our next question comes 855 00:43:10,269 --> 00:43:07,579 from the user JC on Twitter JC says if 856 00:43:12,099 --> 00:43:10,279 life developed on a planet orbiting a 857 00:43:14,380 --> 00:43:12,109 star with a different luminosity than 858 00:43:16,390 --> 00:43:14,390 our Sun do you think photosynthesis 859 00:43:19,269 --> 00:43:16,400 photosynthesis that may evolve there 860 00:43:22,390 --> 00:43:19,279 will still reflect primarily green light 861 00:43:23,769 --> 00:43:22,400 or would we see a change in what they're 862 00:43:26,170 --> 00:43:23,779 using taking advantage of the most 863 00:43:28,150 --> 00:43:26,180 abundant wavelengths of light yeah you 864 00:43:30,219 --> 00:43:28,160 mentioned something earlier which leads 865 00:43:32,829 --> 00:43:30,229 me to believe I think the fact that we 866 00:43:36,099 --> 00:43:32,839 do this the fact that astrobiology is a 867 00:43:37,599 --> 00:43:36,109 young science and wasn't a science that 868 00:43:40,569 --> 00:43:37,609 was all stove-piped 869 00:43:46,390 --> 00:43:40,579 and stumped up with excuse me old white 870 00:43:49,019 --> 00:43:46,400 males has opened up the field young 871 00:43:52,959 --> 00:43:49,029 scientists of all persuasions and 872 00:43:57,309 --> 00:43:52,969 globally right I think it's great this 873 00:43:59,859 --> 00:43:57,319 is just the way we need to go so if 874 00:44:05,259 --> 00:43:59,869 you'll allow me to give your audience a 875 00:44:08,859 --> 00:44:05,269 homework assignment please I would like 876 00:44:11,349 --> 00:44:08,869 to challenge them to go to all of their 877 00:44:15,729 --> 00:44:11,359 social media devices each of which has a 878 00:44:18,729 --> 00:44:15,739 profile and suggest to them that they 879 00:44:20,049 --> 00:44:18,739 might want to say in that profile the 880 00:44:23,289 --> 00:44:20,059 very first thing they say about 881 00:44:24,209 --> 00:44:23,299 themselves is that they're an Earthling 882 00:44:27,309 --> 00:44:24,219 earthling 883 00:44:29,469 --> 00:44:27,319 because I think ultimately that's what's 884 00:44:34,319 --> 00:44:29,479 going to matter we're gonna find a 885 00:44:37,900 --> 00:44:36,309 yeah absolutely 886 00:44:39,640 --> 00:44:37,910 it's interesting manager that you 887 00:44:42,160 --> 00:44:39,650 mentioned you know how we are connecting 888 00:44:44,319 --> 00:44:42,170 with all these people and there are so 889 00:44:46,569 --> 00:44:44,329 many awesome audience members of our 890 00:44:49,839 --> 00:44:46,579 show from around the globe from Turkey 891 00:44:51,999 --> 00:44:49,849 and the UK and India and Egypt and other 892 00:44:54,219 --> 00:44:52,009 nations who are tuning in because there 893 00:44:56,019 --> 00:44:54,229 are so many young people now across the 894 00:44:58,209 --> 00:44:56,029 globe who want to get involved in 895 00:44:59,950 --> 00:44:58,219 astrobiology I speak with young women 896 00:45:02,469 --> 00:44:59,960 and young men from various countries 897 00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:02,479 from various backgrounds on a weekly 898 00:45:08,200 --> 00:45:05,450 basis these days about what they can do 899 00:45:10,719 --> 00:45:08,210 to get involved in astrobiology and so I 900 00:45:12,530 --> 00:45:10,729 think so many of us are humbled to see 901 00:45:13,970 --> 00:45:12,540 how enthusiastic 902 00:45:15,860 --> 00:45:13,980 all these young people are from all 903 00:45:19,010 --> 00:45:15,870 these different backgrounds about these 904 00:45:21,080 --> 00:45:19,020 big questions of are we alone and if not 905 00:45:23,690 --> 00:45:21,090 how do we find out and I absolutely love 906 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:23,700 that all right and you know because 907 00:45:28,070 --> 00:45:26,850 because we're now engaging globally with 908 00:45:32,210 --> 00:45:28,080 different cultures and different 909 00:45:34,580 --> 00:45:32,220 traditions as well as being more 910 00:45:38,570 --> 00:45:34,590 inclusive as far as gender is concerned 911 00:45:41,150 --> 00:45:38,580 I think that it's inevitable that we're 912 00:45:42,980 --> 00:45:41,160 going to stub our toes right that we're 913 00:45:46,580 --> 00:45:42,990 going to make mistakes 914 00:45:50,090 --> 00:45:46,590 I'll not not intentionally not with bad 915 00:45:53,330 --> 00:45:50,100 will but just out of ignorance not 916 00:45:56,240 --> 00:45:53,340 understanding and I think that we all 917 00:45:59,240 --> 00:45:56,250 have to be prepared for that and be 918 00:46:03,290 --> 00:45:59,250 willing to say hey whoops that wasn't 919 00:46:03,890 --> 00:46:03,300 appropriate and then we all move on and 920 00:46:07,970 --> 00:46:03,900 get over it 921 00:46:10,160 --> 00:46:07,980 and it's only bad if you don't learn 922 00:46:15,890 --> 00:46:10,170 from them and repeat the action taxes 923 00:46:19,430 --> 00:46:15,900 and then we should appropriate controls 924 00:46:26,260 --> 00:46:19,440 our reactions but yeah people are gonna 925 00:46:34,330 --> 00:46:32,260 and move on but if I repeat no yes 926 00:46:36,220 --> 00:46:34,340 come on that idea of us making mistakes 927 00:46:39,040 --> 00:46:36,230 I'm gonna bring it back around to 928 00:46:43,180 --> 00:46:39,050 science fiction for a moment our user 929 00:46:44,590 --> 00:46:43,190 Suraj Kumar saw who on Sagan net wants 930 00:46:47,980 --> 00:46:44,600 to know what you think of the film 931 00:46:50,020 --> 00:46:47,990 interstellar a film where it starts off 932 00:46:52,600 --> 00:46:50,030 with the idea that humans have made a 933 00:46:55,359 --> 00:46:52,610 very bad mistake have made Earth's 934 00:46:58,330 --> 00:46:55,369 climate so unlivable that they want to 935 00:47:00,970 --> 00:46:58,340 go somewhere else to live what you think 936 00:47:03,910 --> 00:47:00,980 about the story in interstellar either 937 00:47:07,570 --> 00:47:03,920 didn't do their calculations correctly 938 00:47:14,710 --> 00:47:10,510 my Mirza did not give us enough 939 00:47:20,170 --> 00:47:14,720 information to make the case that it was 940 00:47:25,320 --> 00:47:20,180 totally unaffordable of all things at 941 00:47:28,830 --> 00:47:25,330 home because the cost of taking a 942 00:47:34,450 --> 00:47:28,840 population of the planet is really 943 00:47:39,040 --> 00:47:34,460 horrendously large and I think a lot 944 00:47:42,850 --> 00:47:39,050 less money we probably used wisely and 945 00:47:46,170 --> 00:47:42,860 in a very targeted fashion could 946 00:47:49,950 --> 00:47:46,180 probably solve the problems at home and 947 00:47:52,240 --> 00:47:49,960 bottom line why if you don't solve them 948 00:47:54,040 --> 00:47:52,250 you're just gonna get them with you with 949 00:47:56,260 --> 00:47:54,050 you and you're going to be facing the 950 00:48:00,790 --> 00:47:56,270 same problem in the future in an 951 00:48:04,480 --> 00:48:00,800 location so I think that I'm really 952 00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:04,490 really excited about exploration and I 953 00:48:13,690 --> 00:48:09,370 think humans will be occupying other 954 00:48:15,640 --> 00:48:13,700 bodies in the future I think it won't be 955 00:48:18,750 --> 00:48:15,650 all humans I think it will be the 956 00:48:23,260 --> 00:48:18,760 Explorers the scientists the engineers 957 00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:23,270 at the frontiers and that's good but 958 00:48:32,710 --> 00:48:27,170 hopefully they have a well shepherded 959 00:48:33,700 --> 00:48:32,720 planet to come home mmm absolutely yeah 960 00:48:36,060 --> 00:48:33,710 so there's so the scientists the 961 00:48:38,890 --> 00:48:36,070 engineers be the next pioneers basically 962 00:48:42,430 --> 00:48:38,900 yeah we have another question here from 963 00:48:44,650 --> 00:48:42,440 Rami al Sabbagh from second net Rami 964 00:48:46,720 --> 00:48:44,660 asks do you think there's another form 965 00:48:49,540 --> 00:48:46,730 of life on another planet where their 966 00:48:50,950 --> 00:48:49,550 building blocks are in organic matter so 967 00:48:57,180 --> 00:48:50,960 perhaps something like the silicon life 968 00:49:02,020 --> 00:48:59,380 you know that's really one of these 969 00:49:04,900 --> 00:49:02,030 these things it's so hard to puzzle are 970 00:49:08,950 --> 00:49:04,910 we telling ourselves a just-so story 971 00:49:11,950 --> 00:49:08,960 when we make the arguments for the 972 00:49:16,450 --> 00:49:11,960 greater efficiency of carbon versus 973 00:49:23,050 --> 00:49:16,460 silicon you know with one example it's 974 00:49:26,680 --> 00:49:23,060 damn near impossible to decide what's 975 00:49:30,130 --> 00:49:26,690 necessary and what's contingent I often 976 00:49:32,440 --> 00:49:30,140 think if I had a prehensile tail which 977 00:49:35,290 --> 00:49:32,450 would be a lot of fun I think I would 978 00:49:38,470 --> 00:49:35,300 have a really good story to tell you 979 00:49:40,600 --> 00:49:38,480 about why I couldn't be a scientist why 980 00:49:43,030 --> 00:49:40,610 I couldn't be an engineer why I couldn't 981 00:49:47,950 --> 00:49:43,040 try to answer this question if I didn't 982 00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:47,960 happen to so yeah there are lots of 983 00:49:52,140 --> 00:49:50,330 stories that we can tell and it's based 984 00:49:56,920 --> 00:49:52,150 in in the science that we currently 985 00:50:00,250 --> 00:49:56,930 understand that says carbon is gonna win 986 00:50:04,690 --> 00:50:00,260 out over silicon I mean if you want to 987 00:50:10,420 --> 00:50:04,700 get gross kind of hard to eliminate sand 988 00:50:12,430 --> 00:50:10,430 I just think about about phase and the 989 00:50:17,980 --> 00:50:12,440 sea side and the sand inside my bathing 990 00:50:23,410 --> 00:50:17,990 suit right so carbon dioxide gas is a 991 00:50:26,500 --> 00:50:23,420 lot easier to deal with um but we just 992 00:50:29,350 --> 00:50:26,510 there's so much we don't know and with 993 00:50:31,450 --> 00:50:29,360 all of these questions as a physicist do 994 00:50:33,610 --> 00:50:31,460 you want to say okay here are all the 995 00:50:36,100 --> 00:50:33,620 options option and let's figure out what 996 00:50:38,050 --> 00:50:36,110 the branching ratios are you know how 997 00:50:40,150 --> 00:50:38,060 much what percentage of the time did 998 00:50:43,570 --> 00:50:40,160 things go in that direction versus that 999 00:50:46,300 --> 00:50:43,580 direction versus that direct and then we 1000 00:50:48,820 --> 00:50:46,310 could begin to make reasonable 1001 00:50:51,760 --> 00:50:48,830 statements about these kinds of very 1002 00:50:53,680 --> 00:50:51,770 good questions at the moment you just 1003 00:50:55,500 --> 00:50:53,690 got an example of one how many have to 1004 00:50:58,570 --> 00:50:55,510 see what we give you with that 1005 00:51:02,200 --> 00:50:58,580 absolutely so one more question then 1006 00:51:04,000 --> 00:51:02,210 hear from our audience and it kind of 1007 00:51:06,660 --> 00:51:04,010 follows off of that so rather than being 1008 00:51:08,800 --> 00:51:06,670 based in inorganic life whether or not 1009 00:51:09,240 --> 00:51:08,810 biological life as we know it here on 1010 00:51:12,270 --> 00:51:09,250 earth 1011 00:51:15,990 --> 00:51:12,280 could evolve into a form of inorganic 1012 00:51:19,860 --> 00:51:16,000 life so penny Boston on livestream has 1013 00:51:22,020 --> 00:51:19,870 asked she asked what's your personal 1014 00:51:24,360 --> 00:51:22,030 opinion as to whether civilizations that 1015 00:51:27,270 --> 00:51:24,370 we may discover or that may discover us 1016 00:51:29,370 --> 00:51:27,280 are more likely to still be organic life 1017 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:29,380 or that have transitioned to some sort 1018 00:51:36,890 --> 00:51:32,010 of cyber race 1019 00:51:43,690 --> 00:51:40,130 I think I've seen some of Kenny's 1020 00:51:47,799 --> 00:51:43,700 cartoons and I think she's got some very 1021 00:51:53,529 --> 00:51:47,809 interesting ideas about a future 1022 00:51:58,009 --> 00:51:53,539 evolution that takes us to be more a 1023 00:52:01,640 --> 00:51:58,019 cooperative partnership with silicon 1024 00:52:03,559 --> 00:52:01,650 based intelligence I mean some people go 1025 00:52:06,109 --> 00:52:03,569 the other way and say once the silicon 1026 00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:06,119 based intelligence shows up we don't 1027 00:52:12,799 --> 00:52:07,970 really need the biologicals anymore 1028 00:52:16,400 --> 00:52:12,809 maybe it will make good pets I actually 1029 00:52:21,769 --> 00:52:16,410 think is going to be a cooperative or 1030 00:52:25,660 --> 00:52:21,779 coevolution such as we've had on it for 1031 00:52:28,220 --> 00:52:25,670 billions of years and we ultimately 1032 00:52:32,569 --> 00:52:28,230 probably will not be the smartest kid on 1033 00:52:34,069 --> 00:52:32,579 the whole interesting so the future 1034 00:52:36,289 --> 00:52:34,079 might not just be just us but our 1035 00:52:40,039 --> 00:52:36,299 sharing our world and our future with 1036 00:52:41,390 --> 00:52:40,049 with another thing I like that oh well 1037 00:52:43,609 --> 00:52:41,400 that's all the time we had for today's 1038 00:52:46,299 --> 00:52:43,619 episode Jill thank you so much for 1039 00:52:48,559 --> 00:52:46,309 joining us for asking astrobiologists 1040 00:52:50,809 --> 00:52:48,569 it's been my pleasure and I'm sorry we 1041 00:52:54,769 --> 00:52:50,819 had these hiccups and technological 1042 00:52:59,749 --> 00:52:54,779 freezes and Caleb reminds us that on a 1043 00:53:02,380 --> 00:52:59,759 finite world a cosmic perspective is a 1044 00:53:06,650 --> 00:53:02,390 necessity and not a luxury 1045 00:53:09,170 --> 00:53:06,660 so Caleb I think we'll leave it right 1046 00:53:10,110 --> 00:53:09,180 there thanks everyone for joining us and