1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,680 Imagine a world, okay? 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,240 A world totally encased in ice. 3 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,680 But under that frozen surface, there's an ocean. 4 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:11,120 An ocean that might be, just might be, teaming with life. 5 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:13,680 We're talking about Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. 6 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:15,480 And it's got scientists, well, 7 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:17,280 you could say they're a little obsessed, 8 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,800 because Europa, it might just hold the answer. 9 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,640 The answer to are we alone in the universe? 10 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,440 Welcome to Cosmos in a Paw, by the way, 11 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:25,920 our space and astronomy series. 12 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,000 And today, we're going deep, really deep. 13 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,280 We're diving into the mysteries of Europa. 14 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,560 You know, what makes Europa so fascinating, 15 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,880 really fascinating is, well, it has several crucial elements. 16 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:38,400 Elements we believe are necessary, 17 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,120 absolutely necessary for life. 18 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:41,360 Life as we know it anyway. 19 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:42,360 So break it down for me. 20 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:43,560 Like, we're talking about a moon. 21 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:44,400 Right. 22 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:45,220 How big is this thing? 23 00:00:45,220 --> 00:00:47,240 Think smaller, a little smaller than our moon. 24 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:48,440 But it's got this, well, 25 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,200 this incredibly unique characteristic. 26 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,000 It's got a hidden ocean. 27 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:53,800 Evidence, and there's a lot of it, 28 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,360 suggests there's this vast, I mean, truly vast, 29 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,560 liquid water ocean under Europa's icy crust. 30 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,320 And get this, it could hold twice as much water, 31 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:04,920 twice as much as all of Earth's oceans combined. 32 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:06,240 Yeah. Crazy, right? 33 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,440 Okay, yeah, that's a lot of water. 34 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:10,700 But how do we, I mean, how do scientists know? 35 00:01:10,700 --> 00:01:13,200 How do they know there's an ocean under all that ice? 36 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,280 We can't just, you know, like peek under there. 37 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:17,680 It's like a detective story, you know? 38 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,200 You piece together these clues, 39 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,080 clues from different sources, and one of the biggest, 40 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,360 I mean, the biggest clue comes from the Galileo mission. 41 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:25,640 You've heard of that, right? 42 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,000 Well, it detected, it actually detected 43 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,120 these magnetic field interactions, 44 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:31,800 and they all point to, well, 45 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:33,320 they point to a conducting layer, 46 00:01:33,320 --> 00:01:35,620 a layer beneath Europa's surface. 47 00:01:35,620 --> 00:01:36,800 So what is that layer? 48 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:38,080 What could it be? 49 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:39,960 Most likely a salty ocean. 50 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:40,840 Makes sense, doesn't it? 51 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:42,300 Okay, so we've got the data. 52 00:01:42,300 --> 00:01:44,880 This isn't just, you know, like some guess, 53 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,000 but is there anything else, anything else that tells us 54 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,000 this isn't just some like, you know, 55 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:51,600 stagnant pool of water? 56 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,840 Oh, the surface, the surface itself, 57 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:54,760 it gives us more clues. 58 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:57,820 Think of it like, think of it like a cracked eggshell. 59 00:01:57,820 --> 00:02:01,360 All those crisscrossing ridges, that chaotic terrain, 60 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,960 all of that suggests, well, it suggests movement, 61 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:05,280 movement under the ice. 62 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,720 Something's causing the ice to shift, to crack, 63 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,900 and the most likely explanation, the most plausible, 64 00:02:10,900 --> 00:02:14,140 it's an active ocean, an active ocean below. 65 00:02:14,140 --> 00:02:15,520 Okay, so we're talking about this huge, 66 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,000 potentially active ocean, but isn't Europa 67 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,400 like incredibly far from the sun? 68 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,040 Shouldn't this ocean be like frozen solid? 69 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,240 You're forgetting, you're forgetting the power 70 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:27,840 of tidal forces, think about it. 71 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:29,400 You know about tides on Earth, right? 72 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,160 The moon's pull, it's gravitational pull. 73 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,600 Well, imagine that, but on a much, much larger scale. 74 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:35,880 Europa's orbit around Jupiter, it's elliptical. 75 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,400 So that causes tidal flexing, constant flexing, 76 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,200 and that flexing generates heat, heat through friction. 77 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:42,960 So Jupiter's gravity is basically, 78 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,840 it's like kneading Europa, keeping its insides warm, 79 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,760 warm enough to keep that ocean liquid, mind blowing. 80 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,360 But is that heat, is that all that tidal flexing is doing? 81 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,840 You're on a roll, you're catching on quick. 82 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:55,920 It's not just heat, no. 83 00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:58,360 Scientists think, they believe that this heat 84 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,160 could be powering, get this, hydrothermal activity, 85 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,040 activity on Europa's seafloor. 86 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:04,480 Hold on, hydrothermal activity, 87 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,600 like we talk like underwater vulcaros. 88 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,120 It's similar, yeah, but think of it this way. 89 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:13,480 On Earth, we have those deep sea hydrothermal vents, 90 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,480 and life thrives there in the absence of sunlight. 91 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:18,560 It's amazing, and the way they do it, 92 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,320 the way they survive is by using chemical energy, 93 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,160 energy from the vents. 94 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,120 So it's possible, it's entirely possible 95 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,280 that Europa's ocean, it could have similar systems, 96 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,480 providing energy, energy for life. 97 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:33,360 Okay, so we've got this vast, this potentially active, 98 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,480 and definitely warm ocean, but what about the building blocks, 99 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,080 the building blocks of life? 100 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:39,600 Are those even present on Europa? 101 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,480 That's another piece that's falling into place actually. 102 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:48,160 So Europa's surface, it's rich in water ice, lots of it. 103 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:49,800 And it probably contains, 104 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,240 most likely contains organic compounds. 105 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:53,840 The ingredients, right? 106 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,920 The ingredients for life, life as we know it anyway. 107 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,200 And those ingredients, they're delivered, 108 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:00,960 delivered by comets and asteroids. 109 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:02,760 Okay, so we've got the ingredients. 110 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:04,200 But what about that radiation? 111 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,320 Isn't Europa bombarded with like, 112 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,440 intense radiation from Jupiter? 113 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:10,960 Wouldn't that be, you know, 114 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,560 wouldn't that be harmful to any potential life? 115 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,040 You've hit a crucial point, you're absolutely right. 116 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:17,880 The radiation from Jupiter is a, well, 117 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:18,840 it's a major challenge. 118 00:04:18,840 --> 00:04:20,760 It would sterilize the surface, make it, 119 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:22,840 will make it impossible for anything to live. 120 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:25,960 But that's actually what makes the ocean so intriguing. 121 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:29,360 So any life, any life at all would have to be below the ice. 122 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:30,480 It would need to be shielded, 123 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,560 protected from all that harsh radiation. 124 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,240 So it's like a natural bunker, shielding potential life. 125 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,000 Okay, I get that. 126 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,440 But how would life, how would it get energy down there 127 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:42,840 in the deep, dark depths of that ocean? 128 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:44,800 We think of life, well, at least on earth, 129 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,640 as needing sunlight, but that wouldn't reach, 130 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,040 that wouldn't reach that far down, would it? 131 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:51,040 This is where it gets, 132 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,080 this is where it gets really, really interesting. 133 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:55,080 So radiation from Jupiter. 134 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,920 On the surface, it's harmful, very harmful, 135 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,400 but it might, it just might play a role 136 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,520 in creating energy sources, 137 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:04,840 energy sources for life in the ocean. 138 00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:08,080 So the radiation, it breaks down surface molecules, 139 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:12,480 it creates what are called oxidants, like hydrogen peroxide. 140 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,000 Wait a minute, hydrogen peroxide, 141 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,200 isn't that like, you know, for cleaning cuts? 142 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:17,480 Exactly, exactly. 143 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,920 In high concentrations, it's harmful, very harmful, 144 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,040 but in the right amounts, in small amounts, 145 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,320 it acts as a, well, as a chemical energy source. 146 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,040 Think of it like a battery. 147 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,960 And this is why that exchange, 148 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,360 the potential exchange between the surface and the ocean 149 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,200 is so fascinating, so incredibly fascinating. 150 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,480 So the very thing that makes the surface, you know, 151 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:40,320 totally uninhabitable, that radiation, 152 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:41,560 that might be contributing 153 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,160 to the habitability of the ocean. 154 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,320 It's one of the leading hypotheses, yeah. 155 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:47,880 It's a delicate balance, but it shows, 156 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,360 it really highlights how complex, 157 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,520 how incredibly complex the factors are that, 158 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:56,280 well, that could make life possible on Europa. 159 00:05:56,280 --> 00:05:57,280 We're talking about, you know, 160 00:05:57,280 --> 00:05:58,960 talking about a world where the energy for life, 161 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,800 the energy it needs doesn't come from the sun. 162 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,440 It comes from the planet it orbits. 163 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,200 It's incredible to think that, you know, 164 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:09,840 a moon, a moon orbiting Jupiter might be the key, 165 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:12,160 the key to finding life beyond Earth. 166 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:14,960 But are there, I mean, are there any direct hints, 167 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,560 any clues, anything that points to 168 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:19,440 the possibility of life on Europa? 169 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,080 There are, there are a few, a few intriguing hints, 170 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:23,360 a few hints that have, well, 171 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:25,000 that have scientists pretty excited. 172 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,560 One of the biggest, one of the most significant is, 173 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:29,320 well, it's the observation of plumes, 174 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:30,720 plumes of water vapor, 175 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:32,880 plumes erupting from Europa's surface. 176 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:37,640 Plumes, like geysers shooting out from under the ice. 177 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,240 Exactly, exactly. 178 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,240 Think of them like windows, windows into the ocean, 179 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:43,520 into that hidden ocean. 180 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,440 So those plumes, if they are, and that's a big if, 181 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:48,160 if they're coming from that subsurface ocean, 182 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:49,360 well then future missions, 183 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:50,440 future missions could sample, 184 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,840 they could sample that ocean water directly 185 00:06:52,840 --> 00:06:54,240 without having to drill, 186 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:57,720 without having to drill through miles and miles of ice. 187 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,760 Hold on, so we could, we could analyze that ocean water 188 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:02,360 and look for signs of life 189 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,720 without even, without even landing on the surface. 190 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,360 It would be, it would be huge, a monumental step, 191 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,960 a monumental step in our search for life on Europa. 192 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,920 It'd be like having, like having a direct line, 193 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:15,840 a direct line to that hidden world, 194 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:17,600 the world under the ice. 195 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,400 Okay, okay, so I'm already picturing those headlines. 196 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,440 You know, scientists discover evidence of life 197 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:23,720 in Europa's plumes. 198 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:25,440 But what about, what about the surface itself? 199 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:26,880 Does that, does that tell us anything? 200 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:27,720 Oh, it does. 201 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:29,000 It does spectral analysis, 202 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:30,720 spectral analysis of the surface. 203 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,920 It reveals, well, it reveals the presence of salts 204 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,160 and organic molecules, which means, 205 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:37,720 which suggests that there's a connection, 206 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,160 an exchange between the ocean and the surface. 207 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,320 It's like, it's like the ocean is leaving, 208 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:44,800 leaving its fingerprints, 209 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:46,160 its fingerprints on the ice. 210 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:47,600 So we're not talking about, you know, 211 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:48,960 just a static ocean. 212 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:50,680 It's dynamic, it's interacting. 213 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:52,480 It's almost like, like it's alive. 214 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:53,320 Yeah. 215 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:54,400 Like a living, grieving world. 216 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:55,960 That's, that's a great way to put it. 217 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:56,800 Yeah. 218 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,280 Europa, it's not just this, this ball of ice. 219 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:00,120 No. 220 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:01,200 It's a dynamic system. 221 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,360 It's, it's a system that's alive and that, that dynamism. 222 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:05,360 That's one of the things, 223 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,160 one of the things that makes it so, 224 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,840 so incredibly intriguing, intriguing in our search, 225 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:11,600 our ongoing search for life. 226 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,240 Okay, so we've got, we've got this vast ocean. 227 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:16,520 We've got potential energy sources. 228 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:18,920 We've got the building blocks, the building blocks of life. 229 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:20,600 We've got those tantalizing clues, 230 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,720 clues from the plumes and from the surface composition. 231 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,120 But are there, are there any parallels here on earth? 232 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:27,320 You know, any environments, 233 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,000 any environments on our own planet 234 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,360 that could give us insights into, you know, 235 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:33,280 what life on Europa could be like? 236 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:34,840 Oh, there are, there are. 237 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,920 Think about, think about the most extreme environments, 238 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:40,080 the most extreme environments on earth. 239 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,880 Places where, well, places where life exists 240 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:43,720 against all odds. 241 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,280 You've got, you've got deep sea hydrothermal vents 242 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,280 where life, where life thrives in the absence of sunlight. 243 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:50,120 It's incredible. 244 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,360 And then, and then you've got subglacial lakes 245 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,920 like Lake Vostok in Antarctica, he heard. 246 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,760 Well, entire ecosystems, entire ecosystems 247 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:00,680 exist under miles, miles of ice. 248 00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:02,520 So if life, if life can thrive 249 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:05,760 in those incredibly harsh environments here on earth, 250 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:07,240 well, it's not so crazy to think 251 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:08,480 that it could exist on Europa. 252 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:10,360 Right, exactly, exactly. 253 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:13,400 These are what we call analogs, earthly analogs. 254 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,760 And they provide, well, they provide this framework, 255 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,840 a framework for understanding how resilient life is, 256 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,360 how adaptable it is. 257 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:22,800 They expand our view. 258 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:24,600 They expand our view of what's possible. 259 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,440 And they give us, they give us hope, 260 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,400 hope that life, that life might find a way, 261 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:32,080 even in, even in the seemingly alien world, 262 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:34,640 the seemingly alien world of Europa. 263 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:36,400 Yeah, it's a, it's a humbling reminder. 264 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,120 Life might not, it might not always be what we, 265 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:40,720 what we expect, you know what I mean? 266 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:42,920 Our earth-centric view, it might be a little limited. 267 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,240 And Europa, well, Europa challenges us. 268 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:46,080 Yeah. 269 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:47,240 Challenges us to think outside the box, 270 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,960 think about what's normal, normal for life, I mean. 271 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:51,880 Yeah, it's like a, it's like a cosmic reality check. 272 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,360 But even with, even with all the positive signs, 273 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:55,200 all the good stuff, 274 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,280 I imagine there's gotta be some challenges, right, 275 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:58,120 for life on Europa. 276 00:09:58,120 --> 00:09:59,800 It's not exactly a tropical paradise. 277 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:01,360 No. No, it's not. 278 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:03,800 It's definitely, definitely not a walk on a warm beach. 279 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:05,160 That's for sure. 280 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,200 The cold, the extreme cold, that's a major hurdle. 281 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,360 I mean, the surface temperatures, they average, 282 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:11,800 well, they average around, let me see, 283 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,360 minus 160 degrees Celsius. 284 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:15,760 Brrr. 285 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:17,760 So the ocean, yeah, the ocean's liquid. 286 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:19,280 Title heating keeps it liquid. 287 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:22,080 But anything living there, anything at all, 288 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,280 would have to be, well, it would have to be adapted, 289 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,080 adapted to some seriously, seriously frigid conditions. 290 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:30,480 So we're talking about life that, 291 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,120 that thrives in freezing temperatures, 292 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,200 not just, you know, tolerates them. 293 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:36,040 Yeah. 294 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:37,080 Are there, are there any other challenges? 295 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:39,720 Besides, besides the, the extreme cold. 296 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,360 The radiation, we talked about that, right? 297 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:43,480 That intense radiation, it's a double-edged sword. 298 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:46,200 On the one hand, it could, it could provide energy, 299 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:47,120 but it's also a threat. 300 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:47,960 It's a major threat. 301 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:49,200 I mean, it sterilizes the surface. 302 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,200 So anything, anything living would have to be under the ice. 303 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,800 Shielded, shielded from that constant bombardment. 304 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:55,960 Yeah, yeah, double-edged sword. 305 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:57,880 It could, it could give life energy. 306 00:10:57,880 --> 00:10:58,720 Yeah. 307 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,520 But it could also, it could also destroy it. 308 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,600 Makes you wonder, makes you wonder how, 309 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:04,200 how anything could survive, 310 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:05,840 how it could find that, that balance. 311 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,520 Exactly, exactly. 312 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:09,240 And then, and then there's another, 313 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,000 another big unknown, ocean chemistry. 314 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,880 We believe, we think that Europa's ocean, 315 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,080 it contains salts, but the exact composition, 316 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,480 the exact recipe, it's still a mystery. 317 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,840 And understanding that composition, 318 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,200 understanding that recipe, it's crucial, 319 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:27,160 crucial for figuring out, figuring out 320 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:28,200 if it can support life. 321 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,160 So it's not, it's not just about having water. 322 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:32,920 It's about having the, the right kind of water. 323 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:33,760 Right. 324 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:35,760 The right mix, the right chemical soup for, 325 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:37,840 for life to, to emerge, to thrive. 326 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:39,080 Exactly, precisely. 327 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:40,640 And that's, that's where missions, 328 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:42,320 missions to Europa, they come in there. 329 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:43,400 Well, they're our best hope, 330 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:45,680 our best hope of cracking this case wide open. 331 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:47,280 Okay, let's, let's talk about those missions, 332 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:48,640 those missions to Europa. 333 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,080 Haven't there been, haven't there been past missions, 334 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,280 missions that have, you know, gathered some data? 335 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:54,760 Oh yeah, yeah, definitely. 336 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:56,520 The Galileo spacecraft. 337 00:11:56,520 --> 00:12:00,880 It orbited, it orbited Jupiter from 95 to 2003, 338 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:03,120 a long time, and it provided, 339 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:06,920 it provided the first, the first real detailed evidence, 340 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,320 evidence of that, of that subsurface ocean. 341 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,600 And then you've got, you've got the Hubble Space Telescope. 342 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:12,520 It's been watching. 343 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:13,360 Yeah. 344 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:15,920 Watching from afar, observing those, those plumes, 345 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:18,520 those water vapor plumes and those surface features. 346 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:19,360 And it's given us, 347 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,520 it's given us some really valuable insights. 348 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:22,920 Okay, so those were, those were like the, 349 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:24,600 the opening acts, the warmup. 350 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:26,480 But I've heard, I've heard there's some, 351 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:27,760 some really exciting stuff coming up, 352 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:29,000 like, like the Europa Clipper. 353 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:30,600 What, what can you tell us about that? 354 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:32,160 What's the deal with the Europa Clipper? 355 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:33,160 Oh, the Europa Clipper. 356 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:36,400 It's, it's scheduled to launch, let's see, in 2024. 357 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,320 It's designed, specifically designed to answer some, 358 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:40,880 to answer some of those big questions, 359 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:43,720 the big questions about, about Europa's potential for life. 360 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:45,760 And it's going to, well, it's gonna revolutionize 361 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,160 our understanding, our understanding of this, 362 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:49,280 this icy moon. 363 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:51,400 Okay, so what's, what's on the agenda for the, 364 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:52,240 for the Europa Clipper? 365 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,720 What kind of, what kind of data is it gonna be, 366 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:55,560 you know, collecting? 367 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:56,920 What's it gonna be doing? 368 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,160 Think of it, think of it as a high-tech detective. 369 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:00,920 It's got, it's got all the tools, 370 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:03,720 a whole suite of instruments ready to investigate. 371 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,000 It'll be doing, it'll be doing flybys, 372 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,080 multiple flybys, analyzing, 373 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,280 analyzing the surface composition, 374 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,560 mapping, mapping the ice shell, 375 00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:15,160 figuring out how thick it is, 376 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:17,720 and searching, searching for signs, 377 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:19,280 signs of hydrothermal activity. 378 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:20,120 It's gonna be busy. 379 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:23,400 So it's like, it's like we're sending a robotic emissary 380 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,040 to, to check things out, to scope out the place, 381 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,120 and send back, send back the intel. 382 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,360 But are there, are there other missions, 383 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:31,360 other missions in the works? 384 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,800 There is, there is the European Space Agency, the ESA, 385 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:35,040 they're launching their own mission. 386 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:36,840 It's called, it's called GIC, 387 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:38,920 the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer. 388 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:40,480 GIC, huh, okay. 389 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,600 What's, what's GIC you're gonna be focusing on? 390 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,880 Is it, is it gonna be, you know, investigating Europa too? 391 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,520 Juice, Juice is gonna be taking a broader look. 392 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:49,800 It's gonna be looking at the whole Jovian system. 393 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:51,160 So not just Europa, no. 394 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,560 It'll be checking out, checking out Ganymede. 395 00:13:53,560 --> 00:13:56,120 And Callisto, those other icy moons, 396 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:58,760 it's gonna give us, it's gonna give us a lot of data, 397 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:01,560 comparative data, so we can understand, 398 00:14:01,560 --> 00:14:04,560 we can understand the unique characteristics, 399 00:14:04,560 --> 00:14:06,520 the unique characteristics of each moon. 400 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,400 So it's like a, it's like a grand tour. 401 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,760 A grand tour of Jupiter's, Jupiter's icy entourage. 402 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:12,920 Oh. That's cool. 403 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:14,720 So, so we've got these missions, 404 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:18,880 these incredible missions planned to study Europa 405 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,680 in more detail, in more detail than ever before. 406 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:23,200 It feels like we're, we're on the verge, 407 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:25,440 the verge of some, some major breakthroughs. 408 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:26,280 Right. But are these, 409 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:27,320 are these just the first steps? 410 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:28,400 What about, what about the future, 411 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:30,120 the future of Europa exploration? 412 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:31,760 Now you're, now you're thinking long-term, 413 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:32,640 and that's where it gets, 414 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,360 that's where it gets really, really exciting. 415 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:36,760 It would be challenging, very challenging, 416 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:40,000 but there are proposals, proposals for landers, 417 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:41,680 landers that could, that could touch down, 418 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:43,240 touch down on Europa's surface. 419 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:44,080 Imagine that. 420 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,320 Analyzing, analyzing the ice directly. 421 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,680 Maybe even, maybe even finding evidence, 422 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:50,680 evidence of, of past plumes. 423 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:51,600 A lander. 424 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:52,800 Yeah, that would be, that'd be amazing. 425 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,600 Like sending a, like sending a scout to gather, 426 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:57,360 to gather that firsthand information. 427 00:14:57,360 --> 00:14:59,240 But what about, what about going even further? 428 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:02,200 What about exploring, exploring the ocean itself? 429 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:03,040 Yeah. Directly. 430 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:04,520 That's, that's the dream. 431 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:05,360 Yeah. 432 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:07,560 The ultimate goal to get, to get through that shell, 433 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:12,320 that icy shell and explore, explore the ocean directly. 434 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:16,440 There are concepts, concepts being developed for probes, 435 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:19,800 probes that could, that could melt or drill, 436 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:20,960 drill through the ice. 437 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:23,440 It would open up, it would open up a whole new world, 438 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,480 a whole new realm of exploration. 439 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:26,320 Wow. 440 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,840 Sending a probe, a probe into Europa's ocean. 441 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:30,760 It sounds, it sounds like science fiction, 442 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:32,800 but it would be, it would be revolutionary. 443 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:34,400 I mean, imagine the discoveries, 444 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:36,440 the discoveries waiting to be made in that, 445 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:37,880 in that alien ocean. 446 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:39,080 But what are the, what are the challenges? 447 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:39,920 What would it take? 448 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:41,720 What would it take to actually make that happen? 449 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,560 It would be, it would be a huge undertaking technologically, 450 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:46,520 financially, it would be massive. 451 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,200 We're talking about, about developing, about deploying 452 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,720 a probe, a probe that can, that can withstand the pressure, 453 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,880 that incredible pressure and the cold, 454 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:56,880 those frigid temperatures. 455 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:58,680 And, and it would have to navigate, 456 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,680 it would have to navigate an underwater environment, 457 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,640 an environment we know nothing about. 458 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,120 Millions, millions of miles away. 459 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,640 It's, it's a daunting, a daunting challenge, 460 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,280 but the payoff, the potential payoff, it would be, 461 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:13,120 it would be immense. 462 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:16,360 Imagine the data, the images, the possibility, 463 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,440 the possibility of finding life. 464 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:19,760 It would be, it would be worth it, 465 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:20,840 worth every ounce of effort. 466 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:22,800 It would be, it would be a defining moment, 467 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:24,000 a defining moment in human history. 468 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:25,360 And it wouldn't just be about, you know, 469 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:26,520 about the scientific discoveries. 470 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,680 No, it would be about, about the spirit of exploration, 471 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,120 about, about dreaming big, about that, 472 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:34,760 about that relentless pursuit, the pursuit of knowledge, 473 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:38,600 the pursuit that, that defines us, that defines us as humans. 474 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,280 It's inspiring, really inspiring, but let's, 475 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:43,360 let's bring it back, bring it back to the present for a minute. 476 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:45,280 What are the, what are the big questions? 477 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,360 The big unanswered questions, the questions that, 478 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,960 that scientists are still, you know, still grappling with 479 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,200 when it comes to, when it comes to Europa? 480 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:56,400 The most basic question, the question that drives, 481 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:58,840 the question that drives everything is their life. 482 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:00,160 Is there life on Europa? 483 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:03,600 We have clues, tantalizing clues, but we don't, 484 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,000 we don't have proof, not yet. 485 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:06,680 It's the, it's the ultimate cliffhanger. 486 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:07,520 Right. 487 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,640 We've got this world, this world with the potential for life, 488 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,120 but we don't know. 489 00:17:13,120 --> 00:17:14,560 You don't know for sure if it's there. 490 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:16,760 It's enough to, it's enough to keep you up at night. 491 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,280 And it's not, it's not just about finding, you know, 492 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:21,680 any life, no, it's about understanding, 493 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:23,000 understanding what kind of life, 494 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:24,160 what kind of life might exist. 495 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:27,440 Are we talking about, about microbes, simple organisms, 496 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,360 or, or could there be, could there be something more? 497 00:17:29,360 --> 00:17:32,160 Could there be more complex life forms thriving, 498 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,640 thriving in that, in that hidden ocean? 499 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,920 Yeah. Finding, finding any life, any life beyond earth, 500 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:39,680 that would be, that'd be groundbreaking. 501 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:42,320 But finding, finding complex life, that would, 502 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:43,640 that would change everything. 503 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:45,920 That would rewrite, rewrite our understanding of, 504 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:47,000 of biology. 505 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:47,840 Yeah. 506 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:48,680 Of evolution. 507 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:50,160 What other, what other mysteries are, 508 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,520 are hidden under that ice, under that icy surface? 509 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:54,000 The ocean, the ocean itself. 510 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,280 We still, we still don't really know much about it. 511 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:57,800 The dynamics, how it works. 512 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,200 We don't know how thick, how thick the ice is, 513 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,680 the ice crust, or how it, how it interacts, 514 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:03,840 how it interacts with the ocean. 515 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,160 Understanding that, understanding those interactions, 516 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:07,320 it's crucial. 517 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,320 Crucial for understanding the, the habitability, 518 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:12,040 the habitability of that ocean. 519 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,480 It's like, it's like trying to, trying to understand this, 520 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,400 this hidden ecosystem, piecing together clues 521 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,120 from, from very limited data. 522 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:20,720 What about, what about hydrothermal activity? 523 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:22,360 We talked about, we talked about those vents. 524 00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:23,960 On the ocean floor, is there any way, 525 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:25,880 is there any way to know, 526 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:27,440 to know if they're active and what role, 527 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:31,080 what role they might play, you know, in, in supporting life? 528 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,480 That's, that's another piece, another piece of the puzzle. 529 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:36,200 Hopefully, hopefully future missions, they'll help us. 530 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:37,760 They'll help us figure that out. 531 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:39,120 Are they, are they active? 532 00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:43,160 Are those vents spewing out, spewing out chemicals? 533 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,560 Chemicals that could, that could fuel life. 534 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:47,480 What kind of, what kind of ecosystems? 535 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,280 What kind of ecosystems might exist, 536 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:50,760 might exist around them? 537 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,640 These are the questions, these are the questions that, 538 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,000 that keep astrobiologists up at night. 539 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:58,400 So we've got the mystery, the mystery of life itself. 540 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:02,440 We've got the, the dynamics of this, of this hidden ocean. 541 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:03,960 And we've got the possibility, 542 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:07,560 the tantalizing possibility of, of hydrothermal activity. 543 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:09,880 It sounds like, it sounds like Europa is, 544 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,560 is a treasure trove, a treasure trove 545 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,120 of, of scientific questions, just waiting, 546 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:16,160 waiting to be answered. 547 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:17,200 It really is. 548 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:18,040 It really is. 549 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:19,720 Europa is, it's a compelling example, 550 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:22,280 a compelling example of how, of how life might, 551 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:24,280 how life might exist in environments that are, 552 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:25,520 that are totally different, 553 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:26,480 totally different from our own. 554 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,000 It's a world, it's a world that challenges us, 555 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,560 challenges our assumptions, and it expands. 556 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:32,880 It expands our imagination. 557 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,920 It reminds us, it reminds us that our understanding, 558 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,680 our understanding of life is, well, it's limited, 559 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:43,240 limited by our experiences, our experiences here on earth. 560 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,640 There could be, there could be a whole spectrum, 561 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:47,800 a whole spectrum of life out there, 562 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,040 that we haven't even, that we haven't even begun to imagine. 563 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:52,440 Ah, and that's, and that's what makes exploring, 564 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:54,960 exploring these other worlds, these other worlds so essential. 565 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,800 It's about, it's about expanding our horizons, 566 00:19:57,800 --> 00:19:59,640 physically, intellectually. 567 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaking of, speaking of expanding our horizons, 568 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,600 Europa, Europa isn't the only place, 569 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:07,000 the only place in our solar system, right, 570 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:08,760 that has, that has the potential for life. 571 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:10,800 Oh, absolutely not, absolutely not. 572 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,080 Europa's a, well, it's a front runner, 573 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:14,480 but it's not, it's not alone. 574 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:17,000 There are other, there are other celestial bodies 575 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,240 out there in our solar system that have, 576 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:20,560 that have astrobiologists. 577 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,200 Well, they've got them pretty excited. 578 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:23,720 Okay, so tell me, tell me more. 579 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,800 What other, what other worlds are on the, 580 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:27,920 you know, on the astrobiology hit list? 581 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:29,960 Enceladus, it's a, it's a moon of Saturn. 582 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:31,840 It's, well, it's one of the most intriguing. 583 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:33,800 It's got, just like Europa, it's got a subsurface ocean. 584 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,480 And we've, we've actually seen them, plumes, 585 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,640 plumes of water vapor erupting, 586 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,280 erupting from, from its south polar region. 587 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,800 So we've got, we've got direct evidence, 588 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:45,920 evidence of water. 589 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:46,760 Yeah. 590 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:49,640 And maybe, maybe other stuff too, being ejected, 591 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,080 ejected from, from Enceladus' ocean. 592 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:53,240 That's, that's incredible. 593 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:54,080 It is, it is. 594 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,360 And those plumes, those plumes contain, 595 00:20:56,360 --> 00:20:58,760 they contain organic molecules, which is, 596 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,280 well, that's another good sign, another promising sign. 597 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:03,040 It suggests that the conditions, 598 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:04,600 the conditions in Enceladus' ocean, 599 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:08,040 they might be, they might be favorable, favorable for life. 600 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:12,160 So icy moons, icy moons with, with subsurface oceans, 601 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:14,600 they're, they're becoming like the hottest spots, 602 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,440 the hottest spots for astrobiologists. 603 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:17,280 They are, they are. 604 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,840 They've got this, they've got this unique combination, 605 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:21,840 a unique combination of factors. 606 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:23,800 Factors that could, that could make them habitable, 607 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:25,160 even though, even though they're so far, 608 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:26,480 so far from the sun. 609 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:28,320 Amazing, just amazing. 610 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,040 How, how life, how life finds a way, 611 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:34,000 even in the, even in the most, the most unexpected places. 612 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,600 Are there, are there any other, any other contenders 613 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:41,160 in this, in this cosmic search, this cosmic search for life? 614 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,760 Titan, Titan's a, well, it's a moon, 615 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:44,960 Saturn's largest moon. 616 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,320 It's a strange world, a fascinating world 617 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,720 with the, with a dense atmosphere. 618 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:53,800 And get this, methane lakes, methane lakes on its surface. 619 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:55,720 Wait a minute, methane lakes. 620 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,720 That sounds, that sounds like, that sounds like something 621 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,120 out of, out of a movie, out of a sci-fi movie. 622 00:22:00,120 --> 00:22:00,960 It does, doesn't it? 623 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,280 It's the only place, the only place we know of, 624 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:06,080 besides earth, of course, that has, that has stable liquid, 625 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:07,920 stable bodies of liquid on its surface. 626 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:09,680 Now those lakes, yeah, those lakes are made of, 627 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:12,720 they're made of methane, anything, not water. 628 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:14,960 But, but there's still a chance, a chance that, 629 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,280 that some form, some form of life could exist there, 630 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:18,120 who knows? 631 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:19,960 Even though, so even though Titan's, 632 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:21,800 Titan's environment is totally different, 633 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:23,360 totally different from ours. 634 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:25,840 We can't, we can't rule out the possibility of life. 635 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:27,080 We can't, we can't. 636 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,440 Life, life might, it might take on forms, 637 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,280 forms that we, that we can't even, 638 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:32,360 that we can't even imagine. 639 00:22:32,360 --> 00:22:34,880 We need to keep, we need to keep an open mind 640 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,160 when we're, when we're exploring the other world. 641 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:39,760 That's a good reminder that, that our understanding, 642 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:42,000 our understanding of life is, well, it's limited. 643 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,520 It's limited by, by what we know here, 644 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:45,480 what we know here on earth. 645 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,280 We need to be, we need to be ready to be surprised, 646 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:50,440 surprised by, by what we find out there. 647 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,360 Exactly, exactly. 648 00:22:52,360 --> 00:22:54,440 And that's why, that's why exploring, 649 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,440 exploring these other worlds, it's so crucial. 650 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,080 It challenges us, challenges our preconceived notions, 651 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,440 and it forces us, it forces us to broaden, 652 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:04,600 to broaden our definition, 653 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:06,360 our definition of what life could be. 654 00:23:06,360 --> 00:23:09,400 It's a, it's a cosmic adventure, pushing the boundaries, 655 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:11,040 the boundaries of our knowledge, 656 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:12,640 the boundaries of our imagination. 657 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,440 I couldn't have, I couldn't have said it better myself. 658 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,040 So, so we've got Europa, we've got Enceladus, 659 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:19,880 we've got Titan, all these, all these incredible worlds, 660 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,320 worlds with the potential, the potential for life. 661 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:25,440 It's, it's almost, it's almost overwhelming to think about. 662 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:26,400 It is, it is. 663 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,880 It makes you realize, it makes you realize that, 664 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:31,720 that we're living, we're living in a remarkable time. 665 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,760 We're on the cusp, the cusp of discoveries, 666 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,120 discoveries that could, that could change everything, 667 00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:40,000 change our understanding, our understanding of the universe 668 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:41,800 and, and our place in it. 669 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:43,040 Yeah, it's a, it's a privilege, 670 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:45,880 a privilege to be, to be alive, to, to see this, 671 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:47,240 to see these discoveries unfold. 672 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:48,200 It is, it is. 673 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:50,360 And it's a reminder, a reminder that there's, 674 00:23:50,360 --> 00:23:51,880 there's still so much out there, 675 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:53,920 so much out there to explore. 676 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaking of, speaking of exploration, 677 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:58,520 are there, are there any missions, 678 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,240 any specific missions planned to, 679 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:04,280 to investigate these other worlds, these, these potentially, 680 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:05,800 these potentially habitable worlds? 681 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:07,240 Absolutely, absolutely. 682 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:08,640 There are, there are several missions, 683 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,440 missions in development or being proposed 684 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,840 that will, that will target these, these intriguing, 685 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,160 these intriguing celestial bodies. 686 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:18,360 Okay, give me, give me the scoop. 687 00:24:18,360 --> 00:24:21,040 What, what missions, what missions are on the horizon? 688 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:22,840 Enceladus, there's a mission concept. 689 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,640 It's called, it's called the Enceladus Orb-a-Lander. 690 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:27,680 NASA's, NASA's looking into it. 691 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:29,760 The, the Enceladus Orb-a-Lander. 692 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:32,640 Okay, what's, what's so special about that one? 693 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:34,280 What, what's it gonna, what's it gonna be doing? 694 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,360 It's a two in one, a two in one mission. 695 00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:39,080 It's got an orbiter and a lander. 696 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:42,320 So the orbiter, the orbiter's gonna study, study Enceladus 697 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:43,160 Yeah. 698 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:44,320 From a distance. 699 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:45,960 And the lander, the lander's actually gonna, 700 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:48,520 it's gonna touch down, touch down on the surface 701 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:50,560 and analyze, analyze that material. 702 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:53,600 The material ejected, ejected from those plumes. 703 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:54,640 Pretty cool, huh? 704 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,280 So it's like, it's like having, having a double dose, 705 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,000 a double dose of exploration, getting data, 706 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:01,920 getting data from orbit. 707 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:02,760 Yeah. 708 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:04,280 And from, and from the surface, that's, that's impressive. 709 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:05,120 It is, it is. 710 00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:06,680 And the lander, the lander's designed, 711 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,560 it's designed to search, to search for signs of life. 712 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:11,360 So it's, it's a pretty exciting mission. 713 00:25:11,360 --> 00:25:13,560 Yeah, it sounds like, it sounds like it could be a, 714 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:14,640 could be a game changer. 715 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:15,480 Yeah. 716 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:17,440 A game changer for our, for our understanding. 717 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,720 Our understanding of, of Enceladus. 718 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,120 And it's, and it's potential, it's potential for life. 719 00:25:22,120 --> 00:25:23,360 What about, what about Titan? 720 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:26,040 Any, any missions planned for, for that strange, 721 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:27,240 for that strange world? 722 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:28,680 There is, there is. 723 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:31,200 Dragonfly, NASA's Dragonfly mission. 724 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,680 It's set to, it's set to launch sometime in the, 725 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:34,520 in the 2030s. 726 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:35,600 Dragonfly, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. 727 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:37,240 That's that, that's that drone thing, right? 728 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:39,200 That, that drone-like spacecraft. 729 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:40,440 It's the one, that's the one. 730 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:41,600 It's a rotorcraft lander. 731 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,000 It's gonna fly, it's gonna fly through, 732 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,040 through Titan's atmosphere, that dense atmosphere, 733 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:49,680 and explore, and explore those landscapes, 734 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:50,920 those diverse landscapes. 735 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,080 So it's like a, it's like a drone, but on, 736 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:54,160 but on another world. 737 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:55,000 Yeah. 738 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:55,840 That's amazing. 739 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:57,920 So, so what's, what's Dragonfly gonna be doing? 740 00:25:57,920 --> 00:25:59,320 What's it gonna be doing on Titan? 741 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,360 Dragonfly, Dragonfly can visit, 742 00:26:01,360 --> 00:26:04,600 it can visit different locations, take samples, 743 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,560 analyze, analyze the surface composition in detail. 744 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:09,680 It's gonna be, it's gonna be our eyes, our ears. 745 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:10,520 Yeah. 746 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:11,720 On this, on this alien world. 747 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:13,800 Okay, so what are they, what are scientists hoping? 748 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:15,320 What are they hoping to learn from? 749 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,160 From Dragonflies, from Dragonfly's explorations? 750 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:22,000 One of the, one of the key goals is to understand, 751 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,920 to understand Titan's prebiotic chemistry. 752 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:28,480 So, so the chemical processes, the chemical processes 753 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,440 that might've, that might've led to, 754 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:32,360 to the origin of life, you know? 755 00:26:32,360 --> 00:26:34,920 So it's not just, it's not just about looking for, 756 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,040 for current life, it's about, 757 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,800 it's about understanding the, the conditions, 758 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:41,680 the conditions that, that might've allowed, 759 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:43,960 that might've allowed life to, to start, 760 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:45,400 to arise in the first place. 761 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:47,160 Exactly, exactly. 762 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,000 Titan, Titan's like a, like a time capsule. 763 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,400 It's preserving, it's preserving conditions, 764 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:54,080 conditions that, that might've been, 765 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,440 might've been similar, similar to early Earth. 766 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:58,720 So, so by studying Titan, by studying Titan, 767 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:02,360 we can, we can learn, we can learn about how, how life 768 00:27:02,360 --> 00:27:04,560 might've, how life might've originated, 769 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:07,000 originated on our own planet. 770 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:08,400 That's a, that's a fascinating, 771 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,200 that's a fascinating way to, to look at it. 772 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,560 It's like, it's like looking, it's like looking back in time 773 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:14,560 to understand, to understand our own origins. 774 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:16,200 It's, it's pretty mind boggling. 775 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,600 It is, it is, and it shows, and it shows how, 776 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,480 how connected, how connected everything is, 777 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,000 our solar system, and, and the importance, 778 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,600 the importance of exploring, exploring these other worlds 779 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,240 to understand, to understand our own. 780 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:30,640 It really makes you think, doesn't it? 781 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:32,080 You know, when you, when you look up at the, 782 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:35,280 at the night sky, all those stars, and you realize, 783 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:40,040 you realize how, how vast, how incredibly vast space is, 784 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:41,600 and how much, how much we don't know. 785 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,880 It really puts things, puts things in perspective, 786 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:44,720 doesn't it? 787 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:46,120 Our little problems here, here on Earth. 788 00:27:46,120 --> 00:27:48,000 Yeah, it, it does make you realize that, 789 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,320 that we're all, we're all in this together. 790 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:51,160 Right. 791 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,040 Not, not just, not just us humans, but, but all of it, 792 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:56,320 all of life, we're part of this, this big, 793 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:58,480 this big cosmic, I don't know, tapestry. 794 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:00,560 It makes you want to, it makes you want to take care, 795 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:02,840 take care of our planet, work together, 796 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:05,760 solve those, those problems, you know? 797 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:06,600 Absolutely. 798 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:08,720 We're all, we're all crewmates, crewmates on this, 799 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,000 on this spaceship, spaceship Earth, 800 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,120 hurtling through, hurtling through space together. 801 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:17,040 And the crew, the crew keeps getting bigger, 802 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:20,160 as we, as we learn more about our, 803 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:22,840 about our cosmic neighborhood, and the, and the potential, 804 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,960 the potential for life, life beyond, life beyond our planet. 805 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaking of, speaking of life beyond Earth, 806 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:29,640 it feels like, it feels like we're, we're close. 807 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,800 We're on the brink, the brink of some, of some major, 808 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:33,800 some major discoveries. 809 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:34,920 What, what breakthroughs are you, 810 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:36,960 what breakthroughs are you most excited about 811 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:38,320 in, in astrobiology? 812 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,160 The possibilities, the possibilities are, are incredible. 813 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:43,800 I mean, imagine, imagine finding, finding evidence, 814 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,240 evidence of microbial life on Mars, 815 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,520 or, or maybe, maybe even something, something bigger, 816 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,760 something truly amazing on, on Europa, or, or Enceladus. 817 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:53,920 It feels, it feels like we're getting closer, 818 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:56,040 closer and closer to, to that moment, 819 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:58,000 that moment when we, when we finally, 820 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,600 when we finally know, we finally confirm it, 821 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,000 life, life beyond Earth. 822 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,960 Can you imagine, can you imagine the headlines? 823 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:08,560 Scientists discover evidence of life in Europa's ocean. 824 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:10,840 It would, it would change, 825 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:12,280 it would change everything, wouldn't it? 826 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:17,120 Our, our understanding, our understanding of the universe, 827 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:19,200 and, and our place, our place. 828 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:20,720 It would be a paradigm shift. 829 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:21,560 Yeah. 830 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:22,380 We wouldn't, we wouldn't be alone. 831 00:29:22,380 --> 00:29:23,920 We would know, we would know that life, 832 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:26,160 that life is out there, that it's found a way, 833 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:28,720 found a way to exist in environments that are, 834 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:30,380 that are totally, totally different, 835 00:29:30,380 --> 00:29:31,440 totally different from our own. 836 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:34,500 It would, it would spark, it would spark so much research, 837 00:29:34,500 --> 00:29:35,400 so much exploration. 838 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:37,680 We would want to know, we would want to know everything, 839 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:40,520 everything about these, about these alien life forms, 840 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:42,800 how they, how they evolve, their, their biology, 841 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:45,360 how, how they survive, how they survive in those, 842 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:46,960 in those extreme environments. 843 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:48,760 It would be like, like opening, 844 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:50,160 like opening a new chapter, 845 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:52,680 new chapter in the, in the book of life, 846 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:54,680 expanding, expanding our definition, 847 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:56,720 our definition of what's possible. 848 00:29:56,720 --> 00:29:58,720 Do you think, do you think a discovery like that, 849 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:01,540 a discovery like that would, would bring us together, 850 00:30:01,540 --> 00:30:02,960 you know, as, as humans, 851 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:05,400 knowing, knowing that we're, that we're not alone, 852 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:06,400 not alone in the universe. 853 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:07,520 I think so, yeah. 854 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:08,520 I think, I think it would. 855 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:11,280 A discovery, a discovery that profound, 856 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:13,020 it would, it would transcend, 857 00:30:13,020 --> 00:30:14,320 it would transcend our differences. 858 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,880 It would remind us, it would remind us that we, 859 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:19,400 that we all share, that we all share the same, 860 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:22,280 the same origins, the same, the same destiny, 861 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,840 as, as inhabitants, inhabitants of this, of this cosmos. 862 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:26,960 It would, it would highlight, 863 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,660 it would highlight how precious life is 864 00:30:29,660 --> 00:30:31,800 and how, how important, how important it is to, 865 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:36,520 to protect it, to preserve it on our own, on our own planet 866 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:39,560 and, and wherever else, wherever else it might exist. 867 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:41,280 It's a reminder, a reminder that we're all, 868 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,180 we're all connected across, across cultures, 869 00:30:44,180 --> 00:30:46,580 across continents, across, across planets, 870 00:30:46,580 --> 00:30:48,880 maybe even, maybe even across galaxies. 871 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,400 It is a, it is a profound thought, isn't it? 872 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:53,280 The idea, the idea that we might be, 873 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:56,080 that we might be part of this, this web, 874 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:59,120 this vast, this vast cosmic web of life, 875 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:02,200 connected, connected in ways, in ways that we, 876 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:04,120 that we can't even, that we can't even begin, 877 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:05,320 begin to understand. 878 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:08,480 It fills me with, with awe, awe and wonder. 879 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:10,440 It makes you realize, it makes you realize that, 880 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:12,120 that exploring these, these other worlds, 881 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:14,720 it's not, it's not just about, about science, 882 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:16,680 about curiosity, no. 883 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:18,920 It's about, it's about understanding, 884 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,720 understanding our place, our place in the, 885 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:24,520 in the grand scheme, the grand scheme of things. 886 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:26,920 It's about, it's about those big questions, 887 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:28,800 the biggest questions, the questions that, 888 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:30,960 that humans, that humans have always asked. 889 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:32,200 Exactly, exactly. 890 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:33,320 Are we, are we alone? 891 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:34,760 What, what are the, what are the limits, 892 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:35,600 the limits of life? 893 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:37,040 How, how did it, how did it all start? 894 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:38,760 How did life, how did life arise? 895 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:40,480 These are questions, these are questions that have, 896 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:43,600 that have driven us, driven human, human curiosity 897 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:45,640 for, for centuries. 898 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:47,520 And it seems, it seems like we're, we're getting close. 899 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:50,120 We're getting close to some, to some answers. 900 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,760 It's humbling and exhilarating to be, to be part of this, 901 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:55,640 part of this journey, this journey of discovery. 902 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:58,360 It reminds you, it reminds you that there's, 903 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:01,680 there's still so much, so much out there to explore. 904 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:03,200 So much, so much we don't know. 905 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:04,240 And that's, and that's what, 906 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:05,760 that's what makes it so, so exciting. 907 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:09,280 The universe, the universe is full of, full of mysteries, 908 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:11,680 mysteries waiting to be, waiting to be unraveled. 909 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:14,200 And we, we humans, we have this, 910 00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:16,960 this incredible opportunity, this opportunity to be, 911 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,400 to be a part of it, a part of that, of that grand adventure. 912 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:23,880 It's a, it's a privilege and a responsibility to keep, 913 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:26,040 to keep pushing, to keep pushing the boundaries, 914 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,800 the boundaries of knowledge, to keep, to keep exploring, 915 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:31,960 to keep, to keep asking those, those big questions. 916 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:34,280 Well, we've covered, we've covered a lot today from, 917 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:37,880 from Europa's, from Europa's hidden ocean, 918 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:40,120 to the possibility, the possibility of, 919 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:41,760 of life on, on other worlds. 920 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:45,480 It's been, it's been an amazing deep dive, a deep dive into, 921 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:46,600 into astrobiology. 922 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,000 And I have to say, I'm, I'm leaving this conversation 923 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:52,680 feeling, feeling pretty, feeling pretty hopeful and excited, 924 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:54,840 excited about the, about the possibilities, 925 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:56,640 the possibilities that, that lie ahead. 926 00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:58,800 It's been a, it's been a pleasure sharing this, 927 00:32:58,800 --> 00:32:59,640 sharing this with you. 928 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:02,800 It's, it's these conversations, these conversations that, 929 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:06,120 that can inspire, that can inspire others, inspire others 930 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:08,920 to join us, to join us on this, on this incredible journey, 931 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:11,640 this journey of, of cosmic exploration. 932 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:13,080 And to our listeners, thank you. 933 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:14,720 Thank you for, for joining us. 934 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:15,560 Yeah. 935 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:16,920 Joining us on this, on this cosmic adventure. 936 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:19,000 If you're, if you're as, as fascinated, 937 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:20,600 as coordinated by this search for life, 938 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:22,800 the search for life beyond earth as we are, 939 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:25,040 be sure to, be sure to follow Cosmos in a pod 940 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:27,720 and subscribe to our, and subscribe to our YouTube channel 941 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:30,960 for more, for more deep dives, deep dives into the, 942 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,400 into the wonders, the wonders of the universe. 943 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,080 Until next time, keep, keep looking up. 944 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:41,080 And keep exploring.