0:01 [Music]
0:06 can you believe it
0:11 [Music]
0:13 can you realize that we that you and I
0:18 that all of us
0:19 [Music]
0:22 actually begun
0:24 the exploration of another world
0:28 come with us
0:39 Life as We Know It
0:42 took birth some 4 billion years ago
0:46 [Music]
0:51 the emergence of the first ever cell was
0:54 a Monumental event in the history of
0:56 life on Earth
0:59 it marked the beginning of a journey
1:02 that would take billions of years to
1:04 unfold
1:05 and that would eventually lead to the
1:08 incredible diversity of species
1:10 that we see today
1:15 this first cell was a small but vital
1:18 step towards the eventual evolution of
1:21 complex organisms
1:24 it was made up of proteins the essential
1:28 building blocks of life and it had just
1:31 a handful of crucial functions that
1:33 allowed it to survive and replicate even
1:37 though it was incredibly basic in its
1:39 design this first cell was where it all
1:43 started
1:45 good
1:51 As Time passed the Earth's conditions
1:54 changed and this provided the impetus
1:57 for life to evolve and flourish in new
2:00 and exciting ways
2:02 and as the temperature of the planet
2:04 gradually cooled the atmosphere became
2:08 richer in oxygen providing the ideal
2:11 conditions for new forms of life to
2:13 emerge over time these simple organisms
2:18 evolved into more complex forms and the
2:21 diversity of life on Earth grew
2:24 exponentially
2:25 today the diversity and complexity of
2:29 life on Earth is truly staggering from
2:32 the earliest bacteria to the largest
2:34 whales each new species has brought
2:38 something unique to the table helping to
2:41 shape the world around them in countless
2:43 ways
2:45 the animal kingdom is full of
2:47 fascinating creatures with remarkable
2:50 abilities that allow them to survive in
2:52 their respective habitats bats possess
2:55 the remarkable ability to echolocate a
2:59 skill that allows them to effortlessly
3:01 navigate through the darkness and hunt
3:03 with pinpoint accuracy
3:06 cheetahs can run at mind-boggling speeds
3:09 of up to 60 miles an hour
3:12 making them one of the fastest animals
3:14 on the planet
3:15 [Music]
3:16 and then there are koalas who move at a
3:19 glacial Pace spending up to 18 hours a
3:23 day sleeping as they conserve their
3:25 precious energy
3:27 a unique strategy that allows them to
3:30 survive on a diet that is low in
3:32 calories and it's just one example of
3:35 the ingenious ways that nature has
3:37 evolved to overcome the challenges of
3:40 survival
3:43 but perhaps the most remarkable species
3:46 of All Is Us humans
3:49 unlike other animals we have the ability
3:52 to use our brains to invent and create
3:55 things that transform the world around
3:58 us
3:59 we have harnessed the power of fire
4:01 created language and built civilizations
4:05 that span the globe from the wheel to
4:08 the smartphone and even sent people to
4:10 space
4:12 humans have constantly pushed the
4:14 boundaries of what's possible
4:17 while we've made incredible discoveries
4:19 about our own world and the universe
4:21 around us a central question has
4:24 fascinated us for centuries
4:27 are we alone in this universe
4:31 [Music]
4:44 with billions or even trillions of
4:46 galaxies in the universe each with its
4:49 own unique set of stars and planetary
4:52 systems the odds of Earth being the only
4:55 planet capable of supporting life seen
4:58 vanishingly remote
5:01 the idea that life might exist beyond
5:04 Earth has captured the imaginations of
5:07 scientists philosophers and storytellers
5:10 for centuries and with each passing year
5:13 our understanding of the universe grows
5:16 bringing us even closer to answering
5:19 this age-old question
5:21 as we continue to discover more about
5:24 the cosmos we learned that there could
5:26 be countless other planets that could
5:29 potentially Harbor life
5:31 with conditions that are similar to
5:33 Earth
5:33 these planets could have a stable
5:36 environment complex geology
5:39 flowing water
5:40 and the necessary conditions to support
5:43 Life as We Know It
5:45 it's a tantalizing thought that there
5:47 could be other creatures out there
5:49 perhaps even intelligent ones who are
5:52 wondering the same thing we are
5:55 so far the universe remains silent
5:58 leaving Humanity to wonder if we are
6:01 truly alone
6:02 are we being observed
6:05 are extraterrestrials avoiding us
6:09 through the utilization of countless
6:11 telescopes on Earth and in space each
6:15 painstakingly scouring the vast expanse
6:18 of the universe for even the slightest
6:20 indication of a planet capable of
6:23 supporting life we find ourselves edging
6:26 ever nearer to an elusive answer
6:29 [Music]
6:40 every life form needs a planet to live
6:44 but how many planets are there in the
6:46 universe
6:48 one of the earliest modern day attempts
6:50 to answer this question was made by the
6:53 astronomer Frank Drake in the early
6:55 1960s using a radio telescope in Green
7:00 Bank West Virginia he set his sights on
7:03 two nearby Stars Epsilon eridani an
7:06 orange star just 10.5 light years away
7:09 and Tau seti a yellow star about
7:13 three-quarters the size and mass of our
7:16 sun
7:17 with his expertise Drake postulated that
7:20 signs of alien intelligence could
7:23 potentially be streaming bias in the
7:25 form of radio signals
7:28 he formulated an equation that sought to
7:31 estimate the number of planets with
7:33 intelligent life in our galaxy alone
7:37 through his calculations he arrived at a
7:40 conservative estimate of four thousand
7:43 such planets in the Milky Way
7:45 fast forward six decades Searchers have
7:49 checked and rechecked Epsilon eridani
7:51 taucetti and many other nearby Stars
7:55 and so far they've found no repeating
7:58 messages or anomalous signals
8:01 however with the advancement of
8:03 Technology we continue to increase our
8:07 estimation of the number of potentially
8:09 habitable planets in the known universe
8:12 today the estimate of this figure has
8:15 increased by a gazillion
8:18 it is now believed that there could be
8:20 more planets than stars in the Milky Way
8:23 galaxy with potentially at least one
8:25 planet per star
8:27 there could be up to a million billion
8:30 trillion planets in the entire universe
8:34 this mind-boggling number opens up the
8:37 possibility that there could be
8:39 countless Earth-like planets out there
8:41 with a rocky surface atmosphere and
8:44 liquid water making them Prime
8:46 candidates for the development of life
8:49 astronomers posit that when a solar
8:52 system is formed the early star produces
8:55 a strong solar wind that blows away most
8:58 of the lighter gases in the inner part
9:00 of the solar system leaving only the
9:03 denser Rocky material
9:05 this allows these materials to come
9:08 together and form small rocky planets
9:11 like Earth
9:12 on the other hand gas giants like
9:15 Jupiter and Saturn form farther out in
9:18 the solar system where the solar wind
9:20 was not strong enough to blow away the
9:23 lighter gases
9:25 this allows the gas giants to grow much
9:28 larger and accumulate large amounts of
9:30 gas and Ice resulting in their massive
9:34 size compared to Rocky inner planets
9:37 to understand what is happening on the
9:40 surface of these planets to find out if
9:42 these worlds are or can be inhabited
9:45 astronomers use their most powerful
9:47 telescopes to scrutinize the sky
9:50 the square kilometer array the largest
9:54 radio telescope in the world it boasts
9:57 the capability of a collecting area of
10:00 one square kilometer
10:02 Green Bank Observatory located in
10:05 Virginia the green Bank telescope is the
10:08 world's largest fully steerable radio
10:10 telescope and the elt currently being
10:14 built in Chile the extremely large
10:17 telescope will be the world's most
10:19 advanced telescope ever built
10:22 and in space thanks to The Cutting Edge
10:25 telescopes like the Kepler space
10:27 telescope and Tess
10:30 astronomers have discovered more than 5
10:33 000 planets outside our solar system
10:36 scientists call them exoplanets
10:40 many of them have been found that exist
10:42 within the Goldilocks zone the region
10:45 around a star where it is warm enough
10:47 for water to flow where the temperature
10:50 is just right for Life as we know it not
10:53 too hot and not too cold
10:56 many of them that lie hundreds of light
10:58 years away have been detected using the
11:01 transit method an indirect method
11:04 wherein scientists track the minuscule
11:06 dimness of the star when a planet
11:08 eclipses its light
11:11 when astronomers detect this dip in
11:13 light levels they found a new planet
11:17 highly upgraded telescopes now allow
11:20 detection if the light of the star has
11:23 been dimmed by a factor of a thousandth
11:26 by using and analyzing the spectrum of
11:29 the star's light before during and after
11:32 the transit scientists can determine how
11:35 the planet's atmosphere affects the
11:37 Starlight passing through it this
11:40 analysis provides valuable information
11:42 about the planet's composition including
11:45 what gases make up its atmosphere and
11:47 whether or not it has a rocky surface
11:50 using these astronomical methods
11:53 scientists have been able to explore and
11:56 study the chemical compositions of
11:58 numerous exoplanets in our galaxy and
12:01 Beyond
12:02 and what they have found is truly
12:05 astonishing
12:06 some exoplanets have been found to
12:09 contain high levels of heavy elements
12:11 such as carbon oxygen and nitrogen the
12:15 very elements that are essential for
12:17 Life as we know it to exist but that's
12:20 not all in recent years scientists have
12:23 also discovered a number of exoplanets
12:26 that share striking similarities to our
12:29 own planet
12:34 close your eyes
12:36 and imagine looking up at the night sky
12:39 and seeing a faint reddish star shining
12:42 back at you
12:43 [Music]
12:45 you may not know it but that star is the
12:48 home to the closest exoplanet to our own
12:52 and it's a world that could potentially
12:54 Harbor Life as We Know It
12:58 this is Proxima Centauri B the closest
13:01 exoplanet to home
13:04 Earth's twin as suggested by data
13:07 how would life adapt to such a world
13:10 [Music]
13:14 located 4.2 light years away from Earth
13:18 the Alpha Centauri system a triple star
13:21 system is home to Proxima Centauri a
13:25 tiny red dwarf star
13:28 it orbits around a pair of sun-like
13:31 stars Alpha Centauri A and B
13:35 and right there nestled in the habitable
13:38 zone of its star is Proxima Centauri B
13:42 the gem of this star system
13:45 Proxima B orbits its star at a distance
13:48 of just 4.6 million miles
13:52 this is incredibly close just five
13:55 percent of the distance between the
13:57 Earth and the Sun and even closer than
14:00 the distance between Mercury and the Sun
14:04 however since Proxima Centauri is only
14:07 one-tenth of the size of our sun
14:10 the star's habitable zone is much closer
14:13 to it
14:14 but the Goldilocks zone being so close
14:17 to the star's surface also has its
14:19 drawbacks
14:21 due to the planet's close proximity to
14:23 its star it becomes tidally locked
14:27 one side of the planet is always facing
14:30 the star
14:31 a scorching desert
14:34 while the other side is forever dark
14:37 exposed to the cold vacuum of space
14:45 this could make it difficult for life to
14:47 find a foothold
14:49 such temperature extremes on Proxima
14:51 Centauri B make it hard for life to
14:54 exist
14:56 but there may be hope
14:59 in the Twilight Zone where the light and
15:01 dark sides meet the temperature is just
15:04 right making it a potential Haven for
15:07 Life between scorched Earth and eternal
15:10 winter
15:11 it is in these conditions that life may
15:14 be able to adapt and thrive
15:18 astronomers discovered Proxima B in 2016
15:22 using the radial velocity method they
15:25 detected a tiny star wobbling slightly
15:29 in a small circle this subtle movement
15:32 was caused by the gravitational pull of
15:35 a nearby planet and upon closer
15:37 investigation they identified the planet
15:40 as Proxima Centauri B
15:42 [Music]
15:44 after careful study and Analysis of the
15:47 exoplanet it became clear that Proxima b
15:50 as it was named was strikingly similar
15:53 to Earth
15:54 in fact the planet scored an impressive
15:58 0.87 ESI which is a measure of its
16:02 similarity to Earth
16:03 this score takes into account various
16:06 factors such as the planet's size mass
16:09 temperature and density
16:12 based on these factors scientists
16:15 estimate that Proxima Centauri B is 87
16:18 Earth-like making it a promising
16:21 candidate for extraterrestrial life
16:25 but despite its high ESI score much
16:29 about the planet remains unknown
16:31 including whether or not it has an
16:33 atmosphere
16:35 the star at orbits Proxima Centauri is a
16:39 highly active Red Dwarf flare star
16:42 which means that the planet is
16:44 constantly bombarded with intense
16:46 Stellar Wind pressures
16:48 over 2 000 times greater than what Earth
16:52 experiences from the solar wind
16:54 these conditions raise the possibility
16:57 that the planet's atmosphere could have
16:59 been Stripped Away over time leaving it
17:02 Barren exposed to the harsh conditions
17:05 of space and inhospitable to life
17:10 on Proxima B where the threat of solar
17:13 flares and intense winds could be a
17:15 daily occurrence life may have found a
17:18 way to survive by taking refuge in the
17:21 depths of its oceans
17:24 on Earth we've already discovered life
17:26 that can withstand intense radiation by
17:29 utilizing specialized adaptations
17:32 Coral polyps have evolved to produce
17:35 fluorescent proteins that block
17:37 excessive sunlight effectively
17:39 neutralizing the detrimental effects of
17:42 ultraviolet light in Shallow Waters they
17:46 can glow brilliant pink and purple at
17:48 night creating a stunning spectacle
17:52 models show that it's possible with the
17:55 right conditions that Proxima B could
17:57 actually withstand such levels of
17:59 radiation
18:01 a robust and strong magnetosphere could
18:04 potentially redirect the Stellar winds
18:07 to the planet's poles creating
18:09 spectacular auroras that would be many
18:12 times greater in size and Luminosity
18:14 than those experienced on Earth
18:17 if this holds true it's possible that
18:20 life on Proxima B could resemble life
18:22 here on Earth in unexpected ways
18:26 its surface would likely be much warmer
18:29 than Earth's average temperature
18:30 creating conditions that could support
18:33 life
18:35 scientists suspect that any life forms
18:38 on the planet would likely resemble
18:40 those found here on Earth as the
18:42 principles of evolution are considered a
18:45 universal law of nature just like
18:47 gravity
18:49 evolutionary convergence is a process by
18:52 which unrelated species can evolve
18:54 similar adaptations to similar
18:56 environmental challenges meaning that
18:59 life on other planets might look
19:01 surprisingly familiar to us
19:04 the evolution of Life on any planet is a
19:07 delicate balance between beneficial and
19:09 harmful changes even on Earth where life
19:13 has flourished for billions of years the
19:15 vast majority of species that ever
19:18 existed have gone extinct however some
19:21 life forms have managed to persist and
19:24 Thrive and some have even evolved into
19:27 incredibly complex organisms flight is a
19:30 great example of this
19:32 in an environment filled with fluid-like
19:35 water one can either float if they're
19:37 lighter than the fluid or use wings to
19:40 fly aerodynamically and generate lift
19:43 for example the wings of bats birds and
19:46 insects all serve the same purpose but
19:50 they've evolved independently of each
19:52 other
19:53 similarly if two exoplanets have
19:55 identical conditions such as temperature
19:58 atmospheric pressure and access to water
20:01 it's possible that life could arise on
20:03 both planets and evolve in similar ways
20:06 to adapt to their environments so if
20:09 Proxima B supports life and there's a
20:11 high chance at least to some degree that
20:14 it may resemble life on Earth
20:16 Additionally the presence of similar
20:18 conditions on exoplanets could also lead
20:21 to the development of similar
20:23 biochemistry for example life on Earth
20:26 is based on carbon and it's possible
20:29 that life on exoplanets could also be
20:31 based on carbon if the conditions on
20:34 those planets are like those on Earth
20:36 but most carbon-based life forms like
20:39 those on earth have their own set of
20:41 limitations
20:43 carbon compounds have lower melting and
20:46 boiling points which can make it
20:48 difficult for organisms to survive in
20:50 extreme environments like the scorching
20:53 heat near a star or the freezing cold of
20:56 deep space
20:56 [Music]
20:59 so what if life on an alien planet has
21:02 adapted so well to its condition that
21:05 it's become extremely resilient and can
21:08 survive even the most extreme conditions
21:11 is it possible that life in the universe
21:14 may take on forms that are vastly
21:16 different from what we know and
21:18 understand
21:18 [Music]
21:20 close your eyes and imagine a world
21:23 where the ocean stretches across the
21:25 entire planet
21:27 a world where the water is so hot that
21:30 it could boil twice as quickly as it
21:32 does on Earth yet the water doesn't boil
21:35 away due to the intense pressure created
21:38 by the atmosphere which is almost 10
21:41 times stronger than Earth's
21:43 this is a hycian planet
21:46 k218b located about 124 light years away
21:51 from us it's a world where only the
21:54 fittest can survive
21:55 [Music]
22:02 of the thousands of exoplanets
22:05 discovered within the last 30 years this
22:07 really caught the scientists attention
22:10 on August 26 2021 scientists claimed
22:14 that they had identified a new class of
22:17 planets planets which are up to three
22:20 times the size of Earth can have a mass
22:22 8 to 10 times that of Earth scorching
22:25 temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius
22:28 thick hydrogen atmospheres and
22:31 planet-wide oceans hundreds of miles
22:33 deep
22:34 they call them piscean worlds
22:40 k218b is one such piscean world and
22:44 scientists believe it resides in the
22:46 habitable zone of its star
22:49 such planets because of their size allow
22:52 for a much wider habitable zone compared
22:55 to earth-sized planets
22:57 this means that even if they're situated
22:59 much further from their host Sons they
23:02 could still support life
23:05 similar to Proxima b a vast majority of
23:08 these hycian planets are tidally locked
23:10 which implies that one side of the
23:13 planet always faces its host star while
23:16 the other side remains shrouded in
23:19 Perpetual Darkness offering life little
23:22 chance for survival on the Terminator
23:24 line
23:25 however
23:27 k218b distinguishes itself from the rest
23:30 as the Hubble Space Telescope has
23:33 already confirmed the presence of water
23:35 Vapors in its atmosphere this
23:38 groundbreaking discovery marks the first
23:40 time water has been detected on any
23:43 exoplanet the presence of water on K2
23:46 18b makes it a prime candidate for the
23:50 search for extraterrestrial life as it's
23:52 a crucial ingredient for the evolution
23:54 of Life as We Know It
23:56 but despite the planet's surface
23:58 temperature being a comfortable 10
24:00 degrees Celsius its hydrogen-rich
24:03 atmosphere causes the temperature and
24:05 pressure to increase as you descend
24:07 deeper into its depths at the rocky core
24:10 the pressure is expected to be thousands
24:13 of times higher than that of Earth's
24:15 surface with temperatures that can
24:17 approach a scorching 5000 degrees
24:20 Fahrenheit
24:21 these conditions make it difficult for
24:24 complex molecules to form leaving
24:27 scientists to ponder how life could
24:29 adapt to such an extreme world
24:34 while many of the Prime heisian
24:37 candidates identified by researchers are
24:39 bigger and hotter than k218b they are
24:43 believed to still have the
24:45 characteristics to host large oceans
24:47 that could support microbial life
24:50 similar to that found in some of Earth's
24:52 most extreme watery environments
24:55 it's truly fascinating to realize how
24:58 life can Thrive even in such extreme
25:01 conditions
25:03 surprisingly on Earth highly resistant
25:06 microbes such as tardigrades have
25:08 managed to withstand such harsh
25:10 conditions
25:11 tardigrades also known as water bears
25:14 for example can even manage to live
25:17 without water for up to 10 years these
25:20 organisms known as extremophiles can
25:23 survive and flourish in extreme
25:25 conditions such as high crushing
25:27 pressure acidic or alkaline conditions
25:30 and scorching temperatures
25:33 such forms of Life as We Know It are
25:36 present at hydrothermal vents in the
25:38 earth's oceans these vents are places
25:41 where the sea floor meets magma from the
25:44 Earth's mantle superheating the
25:46 surrounding water and creating a harsh
25:48 inhospitable environment
25:51 yet even here life finds a way and at
25:55 these vents thriving communities of
25:57 bacteria crabs and tube worms can be
26:00 found there water temperatures can reach
26:03 up to 464 degrees Celsius but instead of
26:07 vaporizing the water remains liquid
26:10 thanks to the pressure of the rest of
26:12 the ocean bearing down on it
26:14 in fact some scientists even believe
26:17 that life on Earth actually started in
26:20 hydrothermal vents it's surprising to
26:23 think that the same extreme conditions
26:25 that could wipe out most life on Earth
26:27 might be responsible for the very
26:30 existence of life itself
26:33 these remarkable organisms come in many
26:36 different types and can survive in some
26:38 of the harshest environments on Earth
26:40 and possibly Beyond
26:43 heat resistant organisms known as
26:45 thermophiles are able to survive at
26:47 temperatures of up to 120 degrees
26:50 Celsius well above the boiling point of
26:53 water
26:54 such similar organisms might be able to
26:57 survive on hot exoplanets such as hycin
27:00 worlds where temperatures can exceed one
27:03 thousand degrees Celsius
27:05 acidophiles are organisms that can
27:08 survive in acidic environments with a pH
27:10 of 3 or lower
27:12 hypoliths live underneath rocks in
27:15 deserts where they are exposed to
27:17 extreme temperatures high levels of
27:20 ultraviolet radiation and dryness to
27:23 survive they rely on unique adaptations
27:26 such as using photosynthesis or breaking
27:29 down minerals in rocks for energy
27:32 radio resistant organisms such as
27:35 danococcus radio durans are able to
27:38 withstand high levels of radiation they
27:41 are known as the world's toughest
27:43 bacterium and can survive radiation
27:45 doses that would kill most other
27:48 organisms including humans
27:50 they may even be able to survive on
27:53 exoplanets that are bombarded by the
27:56 intense radiation from their host Stars
28:00 methanobacterium found in wetlands and
28:03 even in the guts of animals and humans
28:05 this tiny microbe has an incredible
28:08 metabolic pathway that sets it apart
28:11 from other living beings unlike most
28:14 organisms that rely on oxygen to produce
28:17 energy
28:18 methanobacterium has the ability to
28:20 create its energy through the process of
28:23 methanogenesis which involves converting
28:25 hydrogen gas to carbon dioxide into
28:28 methane bypassing the use of oxygen
28:32 k218b could potentially Harbor life
28:35 forms that are similar to
28:37 methanobacterium where organisms could
28:40 thrive in the extreme conditions found
28:42 on high Sean planets where temperatures
28:44 can exceed 1000 degrees Celsius
28:48 imagine a hybrid of methanobacterium and
28:52 a heat resistant thermophile which could
28:54 survive the extreme temperatures and
28:57 conditions of a high Sean Planet this
29:00 hybrid organism could be a potential
29:02 solution for energy production on such
29:05 planets where traditional sources of
29:07 energy would not be sustainable so if
29:10 one of these planets had microbes
29:12 swimming in the oceans underneath thick
29:14 hydrogen atmospheres would we be able to
29:17 detect them
29:19 astronomers are eagerly awaiting for the
29:22 opportunity to gather spectroscopic
29:24 observations of heisian planets
29:28 understanding of a planet within the
29:30 habitable zone has the right ingredients
29:32 for life means searching for Bio
29:35 signatures Like Oxygen methane nitrous
29:38 oxide and ozone all of which are found
29:41 on Earth
29:44 the planet was given a score of 0.73 ESI
29:48 that is according to estimates
29:51 scientists consider it 73 percent
29:53 Earth-like quite soon they'll have a
29:56 number of hycin-like planets to study
29:59 which are located relatively close to us
30:01 ranging from 35 to 150 light years away
30:06 and the James Webb Space Telescope
30:08 already has the capability to examine
30:11 their atmospheres a biosignature
30:13 detection would transform our
30:15 understanding of life in the universe
30:17 and our place in it upside down
30:20 it seems like a series of mind-boggling
30:23 discoveries lies ahead of us and these
30:26 could definitely represent a completely
30:28 new class of habitable planets that we
30:31 should be exploring in more detail
30:35 while extremophiles are fascinating
30:37 examples of life's ability to adapt and
30:40 thrive in even the most extreme
30:42 conditions some might wonder that there
30:45 could be exoplanets that Harbor much
30:47 more diverse and Abundant Life perhaps
30:50 even giving rise to massive creatures
30:53 like the dinosaurs that once roamed our
30:55 own planet
30:57 these worlds could offer conditions that
30:59 make earth look mild in comparison
31:02 close your eyes and imagine a planet
31:06 where the ground beneath your feet is so
31:08 heavy that you'd weigh two or three
31:11 times what you do on Earth
31:13 where the sky is dominated by a massive
31:16 close-in star and where the air is thick
31:19 making it hard to breathe
31:22 welcome to the world of super Earths a
31:26 new class of planets that are Earth-like
31:28 but more massive than our own a world
31:31 where the Giants rule
31:33 this is galise 667 CC
31:37 a super Earth about four times the mass
31:41 of Earth
31:44 super Earths are a fascinating new class
31:47 of planets that share many similarities
31:49 with Earth but their sheer size and
31:52 gravity make them unique they can have
31:55 rocky icy or a combination of both
31:58 surfaces with geological features that
32:01 can be more extreme and noticeable than
32:04 those found on Earth mountains
32:07 volcanoes and canyons on these planets
32:10 could be taller larger and more
32:12 spectacular than anything we've seen on
32:15 our own planet
32:17 one of the most intriguing things about
32:20 super Earths is that they are far more
32:22 common in the Galaxy than Earth-like
32:24 planets
32:25 in fact they are estimated to make up a
32:28 significant portion of the planets in
32:31 our galaxy with studies suggesting that
32:33 one-third of all stars in the Milky Way
32:36 could have super Earths in their
32:38 habitable zones
32:40 while many super Earths are not
32:42 considered habitable in the traditional
32:44 sense some of them may be super
32:47 habitable these planets have the
32:50 potential to be even more suitable for
32:52 life than Earth itself they could be
32:54 older larger warmer wetter with higher
32:58 levels of oxygen stronger magnetic
33:01 fields and a longer living star
33:04 picture yourself standing on the surface
33:07 of Gilles 667cc as you look up to the
33:11 sky you'll see a massive close-in star
33:14 dominating The Horizon which is the
33:17 parent star of the exoplanet and two
33:20 other stars Illuminating the sky that
33:22 make up the Triple Star system
33:25 galise 667 CC completes one orbit around
33:30 its star in just under 30 days it's
33:33 located just about 7 million kilometers
33:36 or less than 5 million miles Mercury is
33:40 57 million kilometers from the Sun by
33:43 comparison its star a red dwarf belongs
33:47 to the m-type star category which are
33:50 the coolest and most abundant stars in
33:52 the universe with lifetimes that can
33:55 last trillions of years
33:57 these stars have their habitable zone
33:59 very close to the surface for comparison
34:03 our sun is a g-type star these are
34:06 medium-sized stars with surface
34:09 temperatures between 5 000 and 6000
34:12 Kelvin they emit radiation mostly in the
34:15 yellow part of the spectrum and have
34:17 lifetimes of around 10 billion years
34:21 interestingly K Stars which have
34:23 properties intermediates of G and M
34:26 stars are considered to be the sweet
34:28 spot for habitability they are abundant
34:31 in the galaxy and pump up the chances of
34:34 finding life
34:35 on Earth it took 3.5 billion years for
34:39 complex life and 4 billion years for
34:42 advanced life such as humans to evolve
34:45 if life were to originate on a planet
34:48 orbiting a k star there would be more
34:51 time for evolution to take place
34:53 compared to Earth this is because super
34:56 Earths which are planets larger than
34:58 Earth but smaller than Neptune could
35:01 provide more land mass and habitat
35:04 making them more suitable for life to
35:06 thrive
35:07 additionally super habitable worlds may
35:10 have higher gravity and a thicker
35:13 atmosphere which could help spread
35:15 beneficial organisms potentially leading
35:18 to a more diverse ecosystem
35:20 planetary scientists suggest that the
35:23 sweet spot age for a super habitable
35:25 exoplanet is around five to eight
35:28 billion years which would provide enough
35:30 time for complex and advanced life forms
35:33 to develop
35:34 planets with more moisture and an
35:37 average surface temperature 8 degrees
35:39 Fahrenheit warmer than Earth may be more
35:42 habitable because warmer and wetter
35:45 climates tend to have more diverse life
35:47 in fact some super habitable planets may
35:51 even resemble Earth during the
35:53 Carboniferous period about 359 million
35:57 years ago when the climate was similar
36:00 to a tropical rainforest there might
36:02 even be phytoplankton covering large
36:05 areas of the ocean perhaps as large as
36:08 continents on earth
36:10 with the possibility of such diverse and
36:13 complex life forms on super habitable
36:15 exoplanets the next generation of
36:18 enormous ground-based telescopes
36:20 including the 39 meter extremely large
36:23 telescope and the 25.4 meter giant
36:27 Magellan telescope will have the highest
36:30 prospects of discovering indications of
36:32 life in the atmospheres of these planets
36:35 these telescopes currently under
36:37 construction are expected to gather data
36:40 by the end of the decade astronomers are
36:43 aware that life's essential components
36:46 are present in the universe but livable
36:49 does not imply inhabited and even the
36:52 most habitable planet may not be
36:54 inhabited
36:55 it's plausible that life on Earth was
36:58 truly an exceptional accident until
37:01 scientists discover proof of life
37:03 elsewhere in the universe
37:06 if scientists continue to hunt for signs
37:09 of Life on these extremely livable super
37:11 Earths over the following years and
37:14 don't find any people might be forced to
37:17 believe that the universe is a lonely
37:19 Place
37:20 astronomers have used Earth as a model
37:22 and planets in the habitable zone around
37:25 stars for decades to learn the
37:27 conditions necessary to sustain life and
37:30 that is understandable at first however
37:33 this search is far too limited and
37:36 scientists have expanded their search
37:38 for life beyond the traditional
37:40 habitable zone around Stars
37:45 close your eyes and imagine a planet
37:47 adrift in the abyss of interstellar
37:50 space a cosmic Wanderer unfettered by
37:54 the gravitational pull of a parent star
37:57 this is PSO
38:01 j318.522 a rogue Planet six times the
38:05 mass of Jupiter and a surface
38:07 temperature of around 800 degrees
38:09 Celsius
38:15 not much is known about how these
38:17 planets come to exist but scientists
38:20 theorize that they are either failed
38:22 stars or planets that have been ejected
38:24 from a planetary system after an
38:27 encounter with another world
38:29 rogue planets normally grow faintly from
38:32 the heat of their formation but once
38:35 they cool down they disappear into the
38:38 darkness making them extremely difficult
38:40 to detect and observe
38:42 how would life adapt to such an unusual
38:46 world
38:47 at first glance a rogue Planet may seem
38:50 like a desolate Wasteland a Barren and
38:53 inhospitable place for life yet Recent
38:57 research suggests that some rogue
38:59 planets May possess the necessary
39:01 conditions for life to thrive
39:04 these planets may have thick atmospheres
39:07 that trap enough heat to sustain liquid
39:10 water which is essential for life on
39:13 Earth
39:14 while it may seem unlikely that life
39:16 could adapt to such an unusual world
39:19 it's worth considering the possibility
39:21 that a rogue Planet especially one that
39:25 was once part of a solar system could be
39:27 home to thriving life forms
39:29 in fact rogue planets May provide a more
39:33 stable environment for life to flourish
39:35 compared to orbiting Stars these planets
39:39 are free from the turbulence and
39:41 radiation that can arise from
39:42 interactions with a parent star this
39:45 means that any life forms that evolve on
39:48 rogue planets may be less likely to face
39:51 Extinction due to external factors
39:55 similar to high Sean worlds life on
39:57 rogue planets can Thrive near the
40:00 hydrothermal vents on the ocean beds
40:02 from these vents a constant flow of
40:05 minerals spews forth from the Earth's
40:07 mantle a perfect source of energy and
40:11 nutrients for bacteria to thrive
40:14 which in turn attract larger and more
40:16 complex creatures like snails fish
40:19 octopus and tube worms up to two meters
40:22 long
40:23 it's possible that the same process
40:26 could have occurred on rogue planets
40:28 with volcanic activity or other events
40:30 providing the energy and raw materials
40:33 needed for life to take hold
40:36 as time passes on these rogue planets
40:38 complex ecosystems could emerge with
40:41 predators and prey coexisting in a
40:44 delicate balance perhaps intelligent
40:47 life could arise a different type of
40:50 intelligence that we could never even
40:51 comprehend adapting to the extreme
40:54 challenges of living on a planet without
40:57 a parent star
40:59 these intelligent beings might never
41:02 break through the ice that blankets
41:04 their world and might never even realize
41:06 that there is such a thing as outside
41:10 their small world would be their entire
41:12 universe it's amazing to think about a
41:16 rogue Planet drifting between the Stars
41:18 yet carrying life with it of course all
41:22 good things must come to an end
41:24 eventually even the most resilient deep
41:28 sea creatures would be unable to survive
41:30 as the planet's core cools and its
41:33 oceans freeze over
41:35 millions of generations might live and
41:38 die in these dark oceans ignorant of the
41:41 vast and Incredible Universe that exists
41:43 beyond their icy prison
41:46 with the possibility of billions of
41:48 rogue planets scattered throughout the
41:51 Galaxy the search for life beyond our
41:53 solar system has taken an exciting new
41:56 turn
41:58 close your eyes and imagine a system of
42:02 seven planets
42:04 all roughly the size of Earth orbiting a
42:07 small dim star
42:12 this is the Trappist one system
42:20 located just 39 light years away from
42:24 our own solar system it was discovered
42:26 in 2017 and has since been regarded as
42:30 one of the most remarkable discoveries
42:32 in astronomy
42:34 what makes it so intriguing is that
42:37 three of its seven planets are situated
42:40 within the star's habitable zone which
42:43 means that they are at just the right
42:45 distance to potentially support liquid
42:47 water and possibly even life
42:51 and each of these worlds is far older
42:54 than Earth giving potential life forms
42:56 here a 3 billion year Head Start
43:00 over such an extended period life on
43:03 these planets may have had ample time to
43:06 evolve and diversify
43:08 potentially giving rise to Advanced
43:10 civilizations beyond our imagination
43:14 this Ultra Cool dwarf star around which
43:17 these planets orbit is much dimmer and
43:20 cooler than our sun
43:22 which means that the planets receive
43:24 less energy from their star
43:27 as a result any life forms that exist
43:30 here may be fundamentally different from
43:32 those we know on Earth
43:35 as you walk along the alien terrain you
43:38 notice something odd
43:40 the Sun never moves that's because all
43:44 of the planets in this system are
43:46 tidally locked to their star
43:49 starting with trappist-1g the coldest of
43:52 the habitable Trappist planets analysis
43:55 has shown that it has a density of 76
43:58 percent that of Earth indicating a large
44:01 amount of water on the planet most of
44:03 this water is likely in the form of
44:06 colossal ice sheet covering the majority
44:08 of the planet however despite its icy
44:12 exterior the possibility of Life
44:14 existing in this planet's frigid depths
44:17 cannot be ruled out
44:21 trappist-1f the next planet in the
44:24 Trappist lineup here you find an eyeball
44:27 Planet situated closer to the parent
44:30 star than its icy neighbor
44:32 the ice sheets on this planet have been
44:34 pushed further back creating a larger
44:37 focused crater that can potentially hold
44:40 significant water bodies
44:43 this planet has a radius almost
44:45 identical to Earth but with only 68
44:48 percent of its mass it is expected to be
44:51 another water-rich world with up to 20
44:54 percent of the planet's composition
44:56 consisting of water
44:58 this world is an ocean planet with ice
45:01 sheets tens even hundreds of miles deep
45:04 creating the perfect environment for
45:07 large lakes and a single vast ocean to
45:10 occupy the focus
45:13 in fact this planet is essentially one
45:17 giant fishbowl with an ESI score of 0.70
45:22 it's apparent that this planet is more
45:25 suitable for aquatic life than
45:27 terrestrial
45:27 [Music]
45:29 trappist-1d with a lower density than
45:32 Earth is expected to Harbor large
45:34 amounts of water possibly mostly in
45:37 gaseous form creating a thick swampy
45:40 water vapor atmosphere similar to Venus
45:42 however the excessive heat of the
45:46 planet's Focus May create a more
45:48 temperate climate across the night side
45:51 potentially allowing for the existence
45:53 of lakes or even oceans of water in
45:56 absolute Darkness
45:58 this planet has an ESI score of 0.91 and
46:03 while simulations of its conditions are
46:06 split between an Earth-like and a more
46:08 venus-like world the possibility of Life
46:11 existing in some form cannot be
46:13 dismissed
46:16 trappist-1e is situated slightly on the
46:19 warm side of the habitability Zone just
46:22 like Earth this planet has a size and
46:25 density nearly identical to our home
46:28 planet unlike its neighbors the planet's
46:31 greater density suggests that it
46:33 contains less water creating the
46:36 possibility of a mixed surface between
46:38 terrestrial and Marine environments
46:41 the similarities between this planet and
46:44 Earth are astounding making it hard to
46:47 imagine that life could not exist in
46:50 some form in this environment
46:53 trappist-1e has an ESI score of
46:56 0.95 making it the most Earth-like
47:00 exoplanet discovered to date
47:03 it's possibly the closest we've ever
47:05 come to finding an earth 2.0
47:11 the universe might be teeming with life
47:14 on Amazing planets and it's not just
47:17 limited to the Stars we can see
47:19 twinkling in the night sky
47:22 in the words of the great astronomer
47:24 Carl Sagan the universe is a pretty big
47:27 place if it's just us seems like an
47:30 awful waste of space
47:33 indeed when we consider the sheer size
47:36 and complexity of the cosmos it seems
47:39 almost inconceivable that Earth could be
47:42 the only planet to Harbor intelligent
47:44 life
47:46 perhaps there are intelligent beings out
47:49 there pondering the same questions we do
47:52 curious about their place in the
47:54 universe even now its inhabitants may be
47:58 examining images of a yellow g-type main
48:01 sequence star
48:03 somewhere in the Milky Way galaxy they
48:05 see a tiny pale blue dot tucked into a
48:09 remarkably circular orbit
48:11 will they wonder if they found that
48:14 other Earth
48:15 perhaps with intelligent life able to
48:18 communicate across the voids of space or
48:21 will they Wonder after pouring over
48:23 their data and running planetary
48:25 formation models is it big enough or
48:29 special enough to support life
48:32 German philosopher leibniz once famously
48:36 claimed that Earth is the best of all
48:39 possible universes
48:41 it's a claim that has stood the test of
48:43 time for over 300 years but in recent
48:47 times Studies have shown that the Earth
48:49 is not the ideal place that could exist
48:52 the planet's climate has fluctuated over
48:55 time from boiling oceans to a
48:58 planet-wide deep freeze due to tectonic
49:01 activity
49:02 and variations in the brightness of the
49:04 Sun for most of the Earth's 4.5 billion
49:08 year history humans and other huge
49:11 animals were unable to survive
49:14 simulation suggest that Earth's
49:17 long-term habitability was not
49:19 predetermined but rather a result of
49:22 chance
49:23 literally it is a blessing that we are
49:26 alive
49:27 maybe biology is truly very complex
49:31 requires such stable conditions and so
49:34 much time that Earth may very well be an
49:37 anomaly a rare Oasis Of Life
49:42 in many ways life on Earth is like a
49:45 grand Symphony with each species playing
49:47 its own part in a magnificent and
49:50 intricate composition from the tiniest
49:53 microbe to the largest whale each has
49:56 its own unique Melody to add to the
49:59 chorus
50:01 and just like a symphony life on Earth
50:04 is a thing of beauty a Wonder to behold
50:07 and a testament to the incredible power
50:10 of evolution
50:13 let's take care of it cherish it and
50:16 protect it for generations to come
50:19 Earth may very well be the rarest place
50:23 in the universe
50:26 and we get the privilege of calling it
50:31 home
50:43 foreign
50:44 [Music]
Chrome Extension