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Do you think that somewhere out there in the universe there is intelligent life?

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I absolutely think it has to be possible.

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Get ready for an expedition unknown global event.

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Yeah! I'm on a mission to answer mankind's eternal question.

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The top of the hill.

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The low.

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Are we alone in the universe?

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Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what's it doing?

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The truth may be out there.

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But the evidence is down here.

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Look at these.

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It's the same symbol around all the world.

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I'm joining forces with scientists on the cutting edge of discovery.

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Oh, what's that?

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You see that?

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And I witnesses who say aliens are already here.

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Did you guys know that this was not of this earth?

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Well, it wasn't human.

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It literally is in space.

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Coscience.

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This time, my expedition...

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Welcome to Roswell Army Airfield...

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...is into the ultimate unknown.

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This is the smoking gun that proves alien visitation.

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Look at this thing!

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Oh, I got a light.

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Come here, get a camera over here.

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I may be a world traveler, but, confession, I'm also a card-carrying geek.

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My earliest adventures were aboard the Starship Enterprise...

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...or in a galaxy far, far away.

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I spent my childhood in the darkest corners of the Twilight Zone...

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...or lost in the pages of Ray Bradbury.

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I love science fiction.

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And like so many others, I am obsessed with the question of whether there's something else out there.

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And now, I'm going to be a part of the world of the starship.

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And now, maybe the moment we finally find out.

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Recently, a flood of major scientific breakthroughs in space have dominated the headlines...

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...reigniting the debate over the existence of extraterrestrials.

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Several months ago, astronomers even discovered a grouping of planets...

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...that could potentially support alien life.

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And here on Earth, eye witnesses are capturing compelling UFO footage...

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...that's harder to dismiss than anything seen before.

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Now, I'm setting off on the most extraordinary expedition of my career.

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I'll journey over 50,000 miles, exploring ancient signs of aliens...

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...on the most remote island on the planet, to futuristic technology...

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...gazing deep into the final frontier.

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This is an adventure as big as the universe.

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So beam yourself up and join me on my mission to seek out new life...

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...and boldly go where no adventurer has gone before.

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My name is Josh Gates.

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I've traveled to more than 100 countries exploring age-old legends.

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Oh, wow. Look at this!

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And now, I'm tackling mankind's greatest question.

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Are we alone in the universe?

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Join me on a global quest for answers.

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Way, there she goes.

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And an investigation that is out of this world.

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Oh, right there.

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This is Expedition Unknown, Hunt for Extraterrestrials.

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My mission to find the latest evidence of extraterrestrial life...

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...could only begin in one place.

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Welcome to Space Center Houston.

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An interactive museum that celebrates America's leading role in the exploration of the universe.

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For a space geek like me, this is home.

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On display are priceless relics from the heyday of the American space race.

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Actual spacesuits.

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Lunar rock samples.

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And the jaw-dropping sight of a decommissioned Saturn rocket.

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This is where every child's dream of exploring space is made real.

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If you can walk around here without feeling a swell of violins in your soul...

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...well, then you must be made of stone.

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But there's more than a museum here.

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Next door is the home of the agency at the forefront of space exploration.

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This is NASA.

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Much of the facility is off limits to the public...

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...but I've been invited inside to see the beating heart of America's space program.

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The sprawling campus is where every single American astronaut is trained...

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...and houses a full-scale replica of the International Space Station.

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Pools for learning how to work in zero gravity.

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And early prototypes of the Orion.

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The next-generation capsule that will take Americans back to space...

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...now that the space shuttle is retired.

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So many things for me to break in here.

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This place is all about the future.

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But even the future has a past.

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And NASA's is quite frankly glorious.

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In the history of human exploration...

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...this room is a temple.

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Nine Gemini missions and twelve Apollo missions were controlled from right here.

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The very first American spacewalk, Ed White on Gemini 4.

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The heroic rescue of Apollo 13.

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When Jim Lovell called out Houston, we have a problem.

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This is where he was calling.

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And of course, Apollo 11.

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What, for my money, is the greatest achievement in humanity's history.

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On July 20, 1969, every single person in this room...

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...and just about every person in the world held their breath...

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...as Neil Armstrong called out from the surface of the moon...

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...that the eagle had landed.

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Leaving NASA's past behind, I go to see their newest toy in the search for alien life.

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The ten billion dollar James Webb telescope.

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The telescope's project manager, John Homan...

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...brings me to the edge of the highly controlled clean room where it's being assembled.

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Oh my word, look at that.

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It's enormous.

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Pretty amazing piece of technology there.

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Once it's launched into orbit in 2018...

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...the massive solar-powered telescope will gaze further into space...

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...than man has ever been capable.

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And in astronomy, looking into deep space...

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...means looking back in time.

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And what will its primary mission be?

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The first thing it's looking for is first light of the universe.

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It's also looking for the formation of stars and galaxies...

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...why they form the way they do.

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And then, of course, it also is going to be looking for exoplanets...

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...and especially being able to look for exoplanets that may have signatures of light.

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Exoplanets are planets beyond our solar system.

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With a 21-foot tall gold-plated mirror...

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...the Webb telescope is made to detect these planets.

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The goal is to find planets that are the right size...

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...and the right distance away from the right kind of star.

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You know, like the planet you're standing on now.

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The kind that might support extraterrestrial life.

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And how will it try to detect those exoplanets?

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I'd be able to see the signatures of things like carbon dioxide...

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...oxygen, water vapor in the light that's reflected off that planet.

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So it's sensitive enough that it can tell if those planets have those elements?

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Correct.

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The Webb telescope is 20 times more powerful than the Hubble telescope it's replacing.

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For scientists, it will be as if, after years of squinting at the stars...

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...they're suddenly getting a new pair of glasses.

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It's awesome to be able to see it. Thanks for giving us a look.

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You're very welcome.

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Of course, when the Webb telescope discovers that shiny new planet with alien life...

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...the next question is, what are we going to drive there?

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Well, NASA has already designed a vehicle that goes way, way off-road.

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In this Texas-sized garage, engineer Justin Ridley lets me kick the tires of NASA's prototype rover.

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What is this thing?

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Okay, so this is a concept for if we were going to go back to the moon, go to Mars...

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...how we would explore that surface.

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You can see here at the back of the vehicle, you've got the space suit hanging out.

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Right.

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So that space suit opens up to the rear of the vehicle. It's like a backpack there.

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Oh, you can get into it from inside.

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Exactly. Back in the Apollo era, they didn't want to drive further away than they could walk back.

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Right.

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So if the vehicle broke down, they needed to walk on their big space suits all the way back.

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We wanted a vehicle that was capable enough that we could be comfortable exploring a much, much larger distance.

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How long could you sustain in there?

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About two weeks.

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Two weeks? Wow.

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Yeah.

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So it's like a family camper van.

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Exactly.

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Is the prototype operational? Will it move?

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Absolutely. You want to give it a spin?

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Yes.

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All right.

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Please.

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You take a right seat, I'll take the left seat.

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You got it.

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Taking me for a test drive is robotics engineer Lucien Junkin.

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Tell me about this area we're in out here. This looks a little lunar right here.

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Yes. So we have a Mars yard and a lunar yard that represent where we do a bunch of our testing.

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Would you like to draft?

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Yeah, I would love to.

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Okay, Josh, I'm transferring control over to you.

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Do a pure right.

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Pure right. Here we go.

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Keep going.

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Down into the pit?

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Sure.

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So this is just a representative crater of what we might see on the moon.

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Do a pure twist to your right.

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It may not be the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, but with 360 degree control, it can run over pretty much anything, which is helpful when I'm the one driving.

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Get out of here.

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This is officially the coolest 4x4 I've ever been in. Actually, I guess it's not a 4x4, it's more like a 12x12.

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Got speakers set from here.

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Place some tunes.

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Yeah.

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All the comfort you want in an RV, you want in this.

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What about cup holders?

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I already got cup holders for you.

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They're in. Where's the beer cooler?

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There may be a beer cooler, but the beer won't ever get to Ma.

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That's right.

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Okay, it's got the cup holders, the thing, but does it have a moonroof?

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After the worst pun in the history of the space program, Lucien kicks me out of the rover.

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Okay.

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That was awesome, man.

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Thank you so much.

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I hop out knowing that if there is life in outer space, NASA has the capability to run it over.

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Considering that NASA's business is the cutting edge exploration of space, most of the campus here looks fairly unassuming,

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but on the inside of one nondescript building, you'll find the most high tech office on Earth.

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This is NASA's active mission control.

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It's responsible for the only life in outer space that we can definitively prove exists.

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The astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

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The ISS has been orbiting Earth since 1998.

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A truly international undertaking, it has grown to 15 modules built by 25 countries,

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and for nearly 20 years, it has been continuously occupied by astronauts and cosmonauts,

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who have slipped the surly bonds of Earth to advance mankind's mission to the stars.

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The team here in Houston has the immense responsibility of maintaining the space station and her crew.

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Today, they're allowing me on the floor of mission control.

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Josh?

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How are you?

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Mike, good to meet you.

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Mike, pleasure.

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And thank you, everybody, for letting us interrupt you for a few minutes.

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I really appreciate it.

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Usually, you're only in here if you did very well in science class.

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In my case, they're making an exception to allow me to make a very special phone call.

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Thank you.

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We're here.

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You're loud and clear.

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We've got a special guest here at MCC, Mr. Josh Gates.

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The first leg of my search for the latest evidence of extraterrestrial life has led me to the place

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where all roads lead for space junkies like me, NASA.

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And today, I'm overwhelmed at the rare opportunity to set foot on the floor of mission control.

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Here, a small army of engineers, technicians, doctors and flight controllers

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make sure that the 450-ton international space station above us stays that way.

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They also look after the station's resident astronauts.

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We've got a special guest here at MCC, Mr. Josh Gates.

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How are you enjoying your visit to Johnson Space Center?

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I would say that my visit is now fairly extraordinary.

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That station commander, Peggy Whitson, who's logged more time in space than any other American.

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She's part of the six-person crew orbiting the planet at 17,000 miles an hour.

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Mission control monitors every aspect of their flight, from their position, currently above Europe,

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to their schedule, a clock notes that they're due to go to sleep in less than three hours.

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Commander Whitson, Colonel Fisher and Nassar Nafiskaya, I just want to say thanks first of all

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for taking a moment to chat with us. It's a huge thrill.

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Well, it's a huge thrill for us too.

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This is officially the second coolest phone call of my life.

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It's edged out only slightly by my wife calling me to say that we were having a baby, but it's a close second.

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Well, at least you've got your priorities straight.

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One of the reasons I'm really thrilled to talk with you is that we're doing a big program here on space exploration.

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So I have to ask, since you are literally living and working in space, what's your opinion?

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Do you think that somewhere out there in the universe there is intelligent life? Do you think that's possible?

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I absolutely think it has to be possible. There just are so many planets, so many galaxies.

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And yes, I think just by sheer number there has to be life out there.

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I agree with you. I certainly hope that's the case.

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These three astronauts combined have spent almost three years in space.

243
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That's three years in zero gravity, eating specially designed food

244
00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:52,000
and recycling every bit of air and liquid on the station, including their own waste.

245
00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:59,000
You know, maybe a less serious question. What's the first thing that you're going to eat when you get back to Earth?

246
00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:06,000
Well, actually, you know, my favorite would be to have a fresh salad with lots of different vegetables and fruit in the salad.

247
00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:09,000
That to me is an insane answer. I would want a cheeseburger or a pizza.

248
00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,000
That's real discipline, the fact that where you're craving is a salad.

249
00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:16,000
I mean, you're up there drinking your own urine, Commander. For God's sake.

250
00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,000
What's more is I'm drinking their urine.

251
00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:25,000
Oh man. Oh man. All right. And I think just a sort of a last serious question, you know,

252
00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:33,000
it seems like one of the big missions of NASA will in time be to find ways to colonize worlds beyond Earth eventually.

253
00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,000
Why do you think that's so important?

254
00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:43,000
The drive to explore and discover is what makes us take each one of those evolutionary steps.

255
00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:47,000
And I think right now the space station is building the infrastructure.

256
00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,000
We have a huge rocket in development.

257
00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:57,000
We have all these things getting ready to just launch into the future and to explore the unknown.

258
00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:05,000
So yes, I think colonization and exploration are key if we're ever going to evolve and become more than we are right now.

259
00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:11,000
Very well put. Thank you. And I would be in serious trouble if I didn't ask you to say hi to my son, Owen.

260
00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,000
Hi, Owen.

261
00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:18,000
Thank you all so much. We'll let you get back to it. And don't forget to brush your teeth.

262
00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,000
You got to be in bed in two and a half hours, guys.

263
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:25,000
Sounds good. You're doing good as a dad. Already got the advice down.

264
00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,000
Thanks very much. All the best.

265
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:37,000
As I hang up, the weight of the moment where I'm standing and who I've been speaking with becomes overwhelming.

266
00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:42,000
Okay. All right. I have to go to the men's room now and cry for a little bit.

267
00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:47,000
To call what the men and women do here a job is too limiting.

268
00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:54,000
They're true explorers in the air and on the ground, bravely charting humanity's next steps into the unknown.

269
00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:59,000
But the U.S. is far from the only country investigating life beyond Earth.

270
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,000
In other parts of the world, some believe that life is already here.

271
00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:08,000
To investigate the latest reports of extraterrestrial evidence, I'm going to need to look south.

272
00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,000
Way south.

273
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,000
Welcome to San Diego.

274
00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,000
Perhaps the most modern city in South America.

275
00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:23,000
Its baroque old buildings are surrounded by modern towers, spacious parks and a vibrant arts culture.

276
00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,000
And in the city's central market, there's no shortage of fresh food.

277
00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,000
Come on, fresh fish people. Here we go.

278
00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:36,000
With 2,500 miles of coastline, one thing Chileans have plenty of is fish.

279
00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,000
This lady's throwing fish at me.

280
00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,000
The people here are warm and generous.

281
00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:48,000
But the reason I'm here is that they also see a heck of a lot of UFOs.

282
00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,000
More per capita than ever.

283
00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,000
And the people here are warm and generous.

284
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:56,000
But the reason I'm here is that they also see a heck of a lot of UFOs.

285
00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,000
More per capita than ever.

286
00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:02,000
So many that the government established an official agency to investigate them.

287
00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:10,000
The government founded the agency known as CIFA in 1997 to look into UFO claims

288
00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:14,000
and to keep Chile's vast airspace as clear as possible.

289
00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:19,000
To see their latest evidence, I've been invited to CIFA to meet with director Hugo Camus,

290
00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:24,000
communications chief Karen Navarro and the director of Chile's Civil Aviation Agency.

291
00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,000
How many reports a year are we talking about?

292
00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,000
Last year we had 85 cases.

293
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,000
85 cases? Wow, in one year?

294
00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,000
In one year.

295
00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:39,000
What percentage of those cases are you able to scientifically explain?

296
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:40,000
72%.

297
00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:41,000
72%.

298
00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:45,000
And in that 72%, what are the explanations that you've found?

299
00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,000
Atribuibles al vuelo de pájaros.

300
00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,000
Most sightings turn out to be ordinary objects.

301
00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:56,000
Things like birds, insects, weather balloons, even other planets like Jupiter or Venus.

302
00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:02,000
But CIFA's most disturbing case came across their radar, so to speak, only recently.

303
00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:07,000
They allowed me to view the raw footage of a government-certified UFO sighting.

304
00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,000
This footage was actually captured by their own military.

305
00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,000
This will give you to us by the end of the video.

306
00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,000
What is that? That's the object.

307
00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:19,000
That's the object, yeah.

308
00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:22,000
What was the reaction of the crew on board?

309
00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,000
They didn't know what it was.

310
00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:31,000
And when they called to air traffic control, were there other aircraft or helicopters?

311
00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,000
They didn't know what it was.

312
00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,000
They didn't know what it was.

313
00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,000
They didn't know what it was.

314
00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:43,000
And when they called to air traffic control, were there other aircraft or helicopters in the area?

315
00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:47,000
They received information that nobody is where they are.

316
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:54,000
The object was invisible to radar, and the Navy's thermal video shows it hovering in place.

317
00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,000
But then, something really strange happens.

318
00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:04,000
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what's it doing?

319
00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,000
Wait, what?

320
00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,000
What is that?

321
00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:23,000
In the offices of CIFA, the Chilean government's official agency that investigates UFO sightings,

322
00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:30,000
I'm being shown a recent video taken by a Navy helicopter that has the experts here scratching their heads.

323
00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:35,000
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what's it doing?

324
00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,000
Wait, what is that?

325
00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,000
What is it doing?

326
00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,000
It's emitting something or moving.

327
00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,000
It's moving and something's coming out of it.

328
00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,000
Something is coming out from it.

329
00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:57,000
How long did this go on for?

330
00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:58,000
Almost four minutes.

331
00:20:58,000 --> 00:20:59,000
Almost four minutes.

332
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,000
And then what? Vanishes?

333
00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:02,000
Disappeared.

334
00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:03,000
Disappeared.

335
00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,000
The case is still open.

336
00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:06,000
Yes.

337
00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:13,000
The plume coming from the craft doesn't match the normal contrails left by a plane.

338
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,000
It totally stumped the pilots who filmed it.

339
00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,000
Have you ever seen anything like that before, Hugo?

340
00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:21,000
No.

341
00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:22,000
No.

342
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,000
No.

343
00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:24,000
No.

344
00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:25,000
No.

345
00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:26,000
No.

346
00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:31,000
To investigate what may be the most compelling UFO case in years,

347
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:36,000
I'm heading to an airfield where I'm meeting a researcher attempting to crack the case.

348
00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,000
Hey, how you doing, Josh?

349
00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:39,000
Alberto, nice to meet you.

350
00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:40,000
Nice to meet you.

351
00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:41,000
You ready to go?

352
00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:42,000
Of course.

353
00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:43,000
Let's do it.

354
00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:47,000
Alberto Solari has spent almost a decade analyzing UFO reports.

355
00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:53,000
Now, he's devised an ingenious experiment to explain the mysterious Navy footage by trying to recreate it.

356
00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:54,000
Okay, let's fly.

357
00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,000
All right, here we go.

358
00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:11,000
Sifa has accounted for all planes known to have been flying in the area.

359
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,000
The object clearly doesn't move like a fixed-wing aircraft,

360
00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:17,000
so Alberto is taking another approach.

361
00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:19,000
What's the plan for today?

362
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:20,000
What are we going to do?

363
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:24,000
The first thing that we want to check is if the object in the video was a balloon.

364
00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:29,000
Because of its size, because of the fact that the flaring camera had some heat,

365
00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:33,000
and the reason why the people had air control never heard of it.

366
00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:38,000
It does make sense in some way that a balloon would maybe literally slip under the radar, right?

367
00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:39,000
Exactly.

368
00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:47,000
To test his theory, Alberto has arranged for a hot-air balloon to run parallel to our helicopter,

369
00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:51,000
so we can film it with the same thermal camera used by the Navy pilots.

370
00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:00,000
We've got similar parameters on this thermal that the Navy had.

371
00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:04,000
Hot-air readings are coming in at black, cold readings at white.

372
00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:08,000
The hot-air balloon will hopefully mimic the shape and movement of the UFO.

373
00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:13,000
Now, we're getting our first look at how close a match the image really is.

374
00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,000
The balloon looks somewhat similar to the object, really.

375
00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,000
Yeah, you can see it's round, it's harboring.

376
00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:26,000
The balloon has that distinct kind of teardrop shape, which the object in the video doesn't have.

377
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:32,000
So I don't think it's a traditional hot-air balloon, but the dark coloring from the thermal is a pretty good match.

378
00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:33,000
That's kind of a match.

379
00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:35,000
What we see in the footage, yes.

380
00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:37,000
Okay, what's next?

381
00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,000
Well, step two, one of the most unique things that we see in the footage

382
00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:45,000
is the fact that the object expelled some sort of gas, obstructed it.

383
00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,000
So this is what we're looking at today.

384
00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:51,000
We're going to see if this matches with the gas expelled by the harboring balloon.

385
00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:57,000
First, the test balloon will release bursts of hot gas from its onboard propane system.

386
00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,000
You're clear to bed, let's do it.

387
00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:00,000
Venting now.

388
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:07,000
The pilot fires off the propane while releasing some of the hot air from the balloon.

389
00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,000
Nothing, I don't see it.

390
00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,000
I don't see it at all, it's very imperceptible.

391
00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,000
The hot gas dissipates into the surrounding air.

392
00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,000
It barely registers on the thermal camera.

393
00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:26,000
So now for the next part of the experiment, we're going to try to release some visible gas.

394
00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,000
And for this, we're going to use some fire extinguishers.

395
00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:31,000
Copy that.

396
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:37,000
A fire extinguisher emits a gas that is both visible and significantly colder than the ambient air.

397
00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,000
We're hoping it shows up on the thermal.

398
00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,000
Whenever you're ready, you can light off that fire extinguisher. We're going to go here.

399
00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:04,000
I'm hovering in a helicopter with researcher Alberto Solari, attempting to replicate a mysterious UFO video

400
00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:09,000
captured by a military chopper's thermal camera near Santiago, Chile.

401
00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,000
The UFO left a visible plume in its wake.

402
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,000
We're about to try to make one of our own, like this.

403
00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,000
There we go. This is it for sure.

404
00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:34,000
It's not as concentrated as the video, but we're definitely picking it up on the thermal.

405
00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:40,000
Thus, kind of look like it, but with stills on half the side, it's very faint.

406
00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,000
This is very irregular, nothing like we can see on the video.

407
00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:49,000
The other thing is that you notice that when the gas comes out, it just sort of drops off.

408
00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,000
It's almost like it's falling.

409
00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:56,000
In the video, that plume just hovers. It stays almost in line with the object.

410
00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:03,000
Okay, final analysis. The balloon shape is somewhat similar, but the expulsion of gas doesn't look anything like the video.

411
00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,000
So if it's not a hot air balloon, what is it?

412
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:10,000
Great question. Well, I would just call it a UFO.

413
00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:16,000
That is a mystery to me, I mean, I think because it has so many mysteries and fascinating elements.

414
00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,000
It's a true UFO, a true unidentified phenomenon.

415
00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:23,000
It's a true UFO.

416
00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:27,000
Alberta's experiment failed to adequately explain the UFO video.

417
00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:32,000
Some alien enthusiasts might consider that failure to be a huge success.

418
00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,000
To me, it just means more questions.

419
00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:38,000
Thank you, I'm glad to see you, Josh.

420
00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,000
I've never seen anything move like the craft on that video,

421
00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:43,000
but is it extra-treatable?

422
00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,000
I think it's a very interesting experience.

423
00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,000
That remains up for debate.

424
00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:02,000
While Chile's government continues to scan the skies for signs of UFOs,

425
00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:06,000
scientists are taking advantage of the country's unique landscape

426
00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:09,000
to find other planets capable of supporting life.

427
00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:14,000
So I'm grabbing some wheels and driving into one of the most remote and harsh climates on Earth,

428
00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,000
the Atacama Desert.

429
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,000
There's a reason that the Atacama looks so barren.

430
00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:24,000
We're just cresting over 14,000 feet, that's about 2.6 denbers.

431
00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:28,000
Or put another way, it's only a few thousand feet less than Everest Base Camp.

432
00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:32,000
The desert is unforgiving, and as I drive further into the vast emptiness,

433
00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:36,000
I don't want to be caught without somewhere to stay for tonight.

434
00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:40,000
Fortunately, there is one place for me to stop.

435
00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,000
It's been called the Stargazers Oasis.

436
00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,000
Its real name is the Isso Hotel.

437
00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,000
It may well be the most exclusive accommodations in the world.

438
00:27:58,000 --> 00:27:59,000
Hello.

439
00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:00,000
Checking in.

440
00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:01,000
Can I see your ID, please?

441
00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:02,000
Sure.

442
00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:03,000
And your PhD?

443
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,000
Say one now.

444
00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:11,000
This hotel is not open to the general public.

445
00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:16,000
The only people permitted to stay here are elite astronomers.

446
00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,000
And in case you're wondering if this place looks familiar,

447
00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:26,000
that's probably because James Bond blew it to smithereens in Quantum of Solace.

448
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,000
But since they don't serve booze at this altitude,

449
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,000
I won't be able to enjoy Bond's signature martini.

450
00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:36,000
Orange soda, shaken, not stirred.

451
00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,000
That's a terrible chunk, Connery.

452
00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:44,000
So why put a resort for astronomers in the middle of the desert?

453
00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,000
Because this is next door.

454
00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,000
This is the Paranal Observatory,

455
00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:57,000
the largest visible light telescope in the world.

456
00:28:57,000 --> 00:28:59,000
It's over 8,000 feet up,

457
00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:02,000
and since the closest city is two hours in any direction,

458
00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,000
there's nearly zero light pollution.

459
00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,000
This past February,

460
00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:10,000
the scientists at Paranal helped confirm the discovery

461
00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,000
of a grouping of planets in the Trappist-1 system.

462
00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,000
But the reason they made international headlines

463
00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,000
is that they just might be able to support life.

464
00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,000
To learn about this sensational discovery,

465
00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,000
I'm meeting with astronomer Julian Girard.

466
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:28,000
Julian.

467
00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:29,000
Hey.

468
00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:30,000
How are you?

469
00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:31,000
Nice to meet you.

470
00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:32,000
Nice to meet you too.

471
00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:33,000
This is extraordinary.

472
00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:34,000
Tell me about this.

473
00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:36,000
This is obviously a telescope facility.

474
00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,000
Yeah, the whole thing is called the Very Large Telescope.

475
00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:40,000
It's called the Very Large Telescope.

476
00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:41,000
Very Large Telescope.

477
00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:42,000
How did you come up with that?

478
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:46,000
I mean, you know, European astronomers like these titles.

479
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,000
Right, it's very to the point.

480
00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,000
Optical telescopes like the ones here

481
00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:54,000
are basically huge, souped-up versions of the little one,

482
00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,000
which I used to look at the moon in my backyard.

483
00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:01,000
Lenses and mirrors focus light from the stars for us to see.

484
00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:05,000
Your organization was a part of a major discovery recently.

485
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,000
Yeah, so there was this system with seven exoplanets.

486
00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:14,000
Three of them are probably in what we call the habitable zone,

487
00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:16,000
where you could find liquid water.

488
00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,000
Right, so this is like the Goldilocks zone, right?

489
00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,000
If you're too close to the sun, the planet's too hot,

490
00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:22,000
you're too far away, it turns icy.

491
00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:23,000
Too close, yeah.

492
00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,000
But if you're in this sweet spot, you could have water,

493
00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:27,000
and if you have liquid water, you may potentially have...

494
00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:28,000
Life as we know it.

495
00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,000
So at this point, how many of these exoplanets

496
00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:33,000
have been discovered?

497
00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,000
Thousands have been discovered.

498
00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:38,000
Statistically, we think there are planets around each star

499
00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:39,000
you can actually see at naked eye.

500
00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:41,000
So how many stars are in our galaxy?

501
00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:45,000
So our galaxy has between 200 and 400 billion stars.

502
00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:46,000
And how many galaxies are there?

503
00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,000
Billions and billions.

504
00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,000
And so the total number of stars is...

505
00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:52,000
I cannot say the number zero, it's like 24 zeros, maybe.

506
00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:55,000
Right, so right now there could be another TV host

507
00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,000
interviewing another astronomer on another planet

508
00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,000
talking about this planet.

509
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:00,000
Yeah, it's possible.

510
00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,000
But are they as handsome?

511
00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:03,000
Really?

512
00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:06,000
Yeah, I don't know how many arms they have or eyes or whatever.

513
00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:07,000
Right.

514
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:09,000
Is it possible to see how these things work?

515
00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:10,000
Yeah, sure, be my guest.

516
00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:11,000
Really?

517
00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:12,000
Yeah.

518
00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:15,000
The action starts around here when it gets dark.

519
00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,000
So before the sun drops, Julian takes me for a walk

520
00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:19,000
around the complex.

521
00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:26,000
As we enter one of the four massive buildings

522
00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,000
that house the lenses for the VLT,

523
00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:32,000
I instantly redefine my concept of very large.

524
00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,000
Oh my God.

525
00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:42,000
Look at this thing.

526
00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,000
So here, you see this thing?

527
00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:46,000
It's like 400 tons.

528
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,000
This is insane.

529
00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:54,000
This is for sure the single most complex piece of equipment

530
00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:56,000
I have ever seen.

531
00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,000
As the sun begins to set, the scientists here

532
00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:05,000
jump into action to prepare for the night stargazing.

533
00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:11,000
Julian shows me some of the images the VLT has recently captured,

534
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:15,000
including a close-up on a star that's basically saying cheese.

535
00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,000
So that's the star in real time?

536
00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:18,000
Yes.

537
00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:19,000
And how far away is that?

538
00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:21,000
So this star is 160 parsecs.

539
00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,000
160 parsecs?

540
00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:24,000
Yeah.

541
00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,000
So it's like 13 times the castle run.

542
00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:29,000
Exactly.

543
00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,000
It just so happens that I've arrived in time

544
00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:35,000
to witness a major test.

545
00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:39,000
This telescope has four very powerful lasers

546
00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:42,000
and they excite sodium atom in the atmosphere

547
00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:44,000
basically to create an artificial star.

548
00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:47,000
That's a reference that helps the adaptive optics system

549
00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:50,000
to sharpen the images despite the atmosphere.

550
00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:52,000
So you're going to create an artificial star

551
00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,000
to be more in focus on other objects.

552
00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:55,000
Exactly.

553
00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:58,000
The light coming from deep space has to pass through

554
00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:01,000
the turbulence and pollution of Earth's atmosphere.

555
00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:04,000
The lasers can create an artificial star at the edge of space

556
00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:08,000
which the telescope can focus on, cancel out the interference,

557
00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:11,000
and get a crystal clear look at distant stars.

558
00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:12,000
So this is the test?

559
00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:13,000
Yeah, yeah.

560
00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:14,000
Is this the gentleman running the test?

561
00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:15,000
Yeah.

562
00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:16,000
Hello?

563
00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:17,000
Hi.

564
00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,000
Okay, I see you have a helmet and protective eyewear on.

565
00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:20,000
Is this going to work?

566
00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:21,000
Hopefully.

567
00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:22,000
Hopefully, okay.

568
00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:23,000
Let's fire it up.

569
00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:31,000
These aren't the lasers you find at rock concerts and nightclubs.

570
00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:36,000
And if they malfunction, they could blow this mountain top up

571
00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,000
like the Death Star.

572
00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:41,000
Massive doors open.

573
00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:47,000
The system buzzes to life and I have no idea what to expect.

574
00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:52,000
Then it's showtime.

575
00:33:52,000 --> 00:34:10,580
I'm in the main control room of Chile's appropriately named very large telescope.

576
00:34:10,580 --> 00:34:15,080
Holding my breath as they test a new mechanism which will either shoot four giant lasers

577
00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:21,080
56 miles into the outer atmosphere or maybe blow us all up. I'm not really sure.

578
00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:40,080
Guys looking? It works. Yes, it works. Perfect. Nice work. Nice.

579
00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:44,080
We just destroyed Alderaan.

580
00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:55,080
There's a new star in the sky, an artificial one. The lasers humming properly and the telescope is able to go to work for the night.

581
00:34:55,080 --> 00:35:01,080
I have no doubt you're going to be finding many more exoplanets. Yes. That's for sure. All right. Well, keep us posted.

582
00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:10,080
Their telescope may be a little bigger than mine at home and their backyard is a lot darker. But in all the important ways, I know how Julian and his team feel.

583
00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:18,080
This is a place of curiosity, of anticipation and of discovery. I can't wait to see what they find next.

584
00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:24,080
Thanks so much for letting us come here. I really appreciate it. This was really cool. Make sure to get some sleep once in a while. I need it.

585
00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:41,080
The dark skies of the Atacama Desert make it a perfect place for seeing stars. It also turns out to be a hotspot for seeing UFOs.

586
00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:51,080
Thousands of them have been catalogued in this region more than anywhere else on Earth. So I'm meeting a researcher deep in the desert who's investigating the latest sightings.

587
00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:58,080
By the light of a campfire, I find one of Chile's top UFO researchers, Rodrigo Fuenzelida, and his research assistant, Rocío.

588
00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:09,080
Rodrigo, you're a hard man to find. Yes, I'm a hard man to find. This place is my office and I am surrounded by what I love.

589
00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:20,080
It's a nice office. It's a warm office, which is much needed up here. So Rodrigo, I've read that you are a very well-known investigator in the UFO space.

590
00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:29,080
Over 20 years of experience, we are here now to investigate some recent sightings. Right here. And we have a lot of new people here.

591
00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:39,080
Video? You want to see the video? Yeah, I would love to see it. Okay, what do we got here? Someone driving here? Exactly. They're driving, and this object was behind them above the road.

592
00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:44,080
It vanished and then reappeared in the desert. And then it disappeared.

593
00:36:44,080 --> 00:36:47,080
What is that?

594
00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:54,080
Rodrigo shows me some of the most recent videos that witnesses have sent him from the Atacama, some of which were filmed near the desert.

595
00:36:54,080 --> 00:37:00,080
Rodrigo's been in the desert for over a year. And he's been in the desert for over a year.

596
00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:07,080
Rodrigo is a very good man. He's a very good man. He's a very good man. He's a very good man.

597
00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:17,080
Rodrigo shows me some of the most recent videos that witnesses have sent him from the Atacama, some of which were filmed near this very spot.

598
00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:26,080
Okay, so it looks like two lights. Yes.

599
00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:29,080
And then split up.

600
00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:35,080
And then they're gone.

601
00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:41,080
And it's back. That is weird.

602
00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:47,080
After reviewing the videos, Rodrigo agrees to allow us to bring them back to the U.S. for forensic analysis.

603
00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:52,080
But we're sitting in a UFO hotspot, and he's anxious to go out and investigate.

604
00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:55,080
Do you think it's possible we could see what these people are seeing?

605
00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:58,080
There are so many recent sightings that we have to check it out.

606
00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:02,080
I'd love to. Let's see what we can see. Okay. Come on, let's do it.

607
00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:10,080
Rodrigo and Rocio are ready to search. To do that, we need special gear.

608
00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:17,080
It's pitch black here, so infrared lenses and thermal units are deployed to help pierce through the darkness.

609
00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:26,080
One of the things that can be kind of frustrating about filming at night like this is that my camera guys have these really cool low light specialty cameras.

610
00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:31,080
When it comes to me, I'm basically in the dark. I mean, it is pitch black out here,

611
00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:36,080
but I did bring a little toy tonight to help level the playing field.

612
00:38:36,080 --> 00:38:45,080
When I put these on, it might look like I'm about to go skiing, but this is known as a blaze torch.

613
00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:50,080
And you flip this little guy down, suddenly, military grade night vision.

614
00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:56,080
Very cool. Where were you when I was looking for the Yeti?

615
00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:02,080
This is awesome. I mean, you can see everything with these.

616
00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:11,080
We walk for hours along ridges that overlook the vast starscape of the Atacama Desert,

617
00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:17,080
and like so many people before us, we suddenly begin to feel as though we're not alone here.

618
00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:26,080
That's funny, getting some weird interference on this thing.

619
00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:31,080
Super weird interference.

620
00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:37,080
When we go right in here, for some reason the goggles are getting really weird interference.

621
00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:43,080
Only when I look right up in here, it's like something pulsed it right here.

622
00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:49,080
Turns out I'm not the only one with my gear on the fritz.

623
00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:52,080
My cameraman, Evan, is having his own issues.

624
00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:54,080
My camera just freaking out right now.

625
00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:55,080
Why is it doing that?

626
00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:58,080
I don't know. I was just filming normal and it just started freaking out.

627
00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:01,080
I'm totally, I'm plugged in, everything's going to be normal.

628
00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:04,080
I mean, look at this, it's like full poltergeist. What?

629
00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:09,080
Can you see that? I've literally never seen it do that.

630
00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:16,080
The Atacama Desert

631
00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:31,080
In the cold night of Chile's Atacama Desert, I'm looking for UFOs with renowned investigator Rodrigo Fuenzelida.

632
00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:35,080
That's funny, getting some weird interference on this thing.

633
00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:42,080
Now my night vision has malfunctioned and my cameraman Evan appears to be having similar problems.

634
00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:44,080
My camera just freaking out right now.

635
00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:47,080
I've literally never seen it do that.

636
00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:49,080
Is that a common thing around here, Rodrigo?

637
00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:51,080
I've seen this before.

638
00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:57,080
In the past, witnesses have experienced electronic interference while having an encounter.

639
00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:08,080
Our technical difficulties keep our attention on earthly matters for a while.

640
00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:11,080
Fortunately, I still have one eye on the skies.

641
00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:16,080
Oh, I got a light. I got a light. Guys, come here. Seriously, bring the camera. Come here.

642
00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:20,080
Up here. Come here. Get a camera over here.

643
00:41:23,080 --> 00:41:26,080
I still see it. Right in here.