1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,760 Okay, so get ready, because today we're diving deep, 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,720 really deep into the universe's biggest mysteries. 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:07,880 Oh, cool. 4 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,960 It's incredible to think we've sent these machines, 5 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:15,280 like Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, billions of miles away, 6 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:16,920 hurtling through space. 7 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:20,880 They're carrying golden records with messages from Earth. 8 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,240 It's like we tossed a message in a bottle 9 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:26,000 into the cosmic ocean, hoping that someone 10 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,380 somewhere might find it. 11 00:00:28,380 --> 00:00:31,000 But here's the thing, even with these amazing feats 12 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,080 of engineering, we're still just barely scratching 13 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:35,960 the surface of what's out there. 14 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,280 So are you ready to explore the edge of our solar system 15 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:40,240 and beyond? 16 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:42,800 Absolutely, let's go on this journey. 17 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,120 Welcome to Cosmos and Apollo, 18 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:46,560 our space and astronomy series. 19 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:47,600 I love it. 20 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,920 So, Voyager 1 and 2 launched way back in 1977. 21 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:52,800 Yeah. 22 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:54,200 They're like time capsules, right? 23 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,160 They are, yeah, you can think about it that way. 24 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,320 Not only carrying this record of humanity, 25 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,760 but also acting as our eyes and ears 26 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:04,520 in this vast expanse of space. 27 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:05,360 That's right. 28 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:07,800 It's pretty wild to think that Voyager 1 29 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,520 is now the farthest human-made object. 30 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,700 It's cruising through interstellar space. 31 00:01:13,700 --> 00:01:14,600 That is correct. 32 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:15,440 That's amazing. 33 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:16,920 It crossed the heliopause. 34 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:17,760 The heliopause. 35 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,760 Yeah, the boundary where the sun's influence fades 36 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:22,880 and interstellar space begins. 37 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:23,720 Oh. 38 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,960 We actually have received data from that region, 39 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:30,520 giving us unprecedented insights into this mysterious realm. 40 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:31,560 That's so cool. 41 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:32,400 It is. 42 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,400 And New Horizons, the plucky little probe. 43 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:35,240 Yeah. 44 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,000 That gave us our first close-up look at Pluto. 45 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:38,040 Yes. 46 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:39,440 It's still going strong too, isn't it? 47 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:40,760 It is, yes. 48 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,040 But even these incredible travelers, 49 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,480 they will eventually fall silent. 50 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:49,080 By 2038, New Horizons, its energy generator, 51 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,560 will no longer be able to power its system. 52 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:52,400 Oh. 53 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,840 It will just drift silently through the void. 54 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:55,720 It's kind of sad. 55 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:56,680 It is a little bit. 56 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:58,800 Makes you realize just how limited 57 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:00,120 our current technology is. 58 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:00,960 Yes. 59 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,960 Even the Parker Solar Pro, our fastest spacecraft, 60 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:05,880 is confined to our solar system. 61 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:06,600 Exactly. 62 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,800 Even though it uses the sun's gravity to slingshot itself 63 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,720 to incredible speeds, its path will eventually 64 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,600 lead it to be consumed by the very star. 65 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:16,240 Oh, wow. 66 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:17,440 It's studying. 67 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:21,360 To truly break free and venture into interstellar space, 68 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,000 we need revolutionary technologies. 69 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,880 Like what kind of tech are we talking about? 70 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:27,920 We're talking about things like ion drives. 71 00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:28,880 Ion drives? 72 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:29,400 Yeah. 73 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,560 They use electrically charged particles to create thrust. 74 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:33,040 Oh, what? 75 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:34,880 Or even nuclear propulsion. 76 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:35,800 Nuclear propulsion. 77 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,600 Yeah, which could provide the immense power needed 78 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,440 to traverse these vast distances. 79 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:41,940 OK. 80 00:02:41,940 --> 00:02:44,520 But even then, the dangers are immense. 81 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,360 You mean like running into a rogue asteroid or something? 82 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,160 Well, even something as small as a grain of sand, 83 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:51,920 called a micrometeoroid. 84 00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:53,200 A micrometeoroid. 85 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,480 Traveling at immense speeds could cause catastrophic damage 86 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:57,400 to a spacecraft. 87 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:57,900 Yeah. 88 00:02:57,900 --> 00:03:00,120 The vastness of space isn't exactly 89 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:01,400 a friendly environment. 90 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,680 No, it sounds terrifying, like a minefield. 91 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:04,200 It is. 92 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:06,640 And we haven't even talked about the regions of space 93 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:08,360 that we can only theorize about. 94 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:08,860 Right. 95 00:03:08,860 --> 00:03:10,040 The Oort cloud. 96 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,400 The Oort cloud, thought to be this colossal sphere 97 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,160 of icy objects, the outermost boundary of our sun's 98 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,000 gravitational influence. 99 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:18,760 OK. 100 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,680 So think of it as a vast, icy shell surrounding 101 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:23,120 our solar system. 102 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:24,440 It's like a cosmic suburb. 103 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:25,160 Kind of, yeah. 104 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:26,440 Full of icy surprises. 105 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:27,680 Yeah, it's way out there. 106 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,480 And speaking of surprises, what about rogue planets? 107 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:32,080 Rogue planets. 108 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,280 Those wanderers without a star to call home. 109 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:34,840 Yes. 110 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:36,680 Rogue planets are fascinating. 111 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:37,300 They are. 112 00:03:37,300 --> 00:03:40,080 Imagine planets, perhaps Earth-sized, 113 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,720 drifting through the galaxy untethered to any star. 114 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:45,280 So like a planet without a sun. 115 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:46,280 Exactly. 116 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:47,040 That's crazy. 117 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:48,880 Some estimates suggest there could 118 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,240 be more rogue planets in the Milky Way than stars. 119 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:53,520 Wait, really? 120 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:55,200 More rogue planets than stars. 121 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:56,400 It is mind blowing. 122 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:56,960 Yeah. 123 00:03:56,960 --> 00:03:57,880 That's incredible. 124 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,120 And it opens up some intriguing possibilities. 125 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:00,840 Like what? 126 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,720 Some scientists speculate that some rogue planets, 127 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,480 despite lacking a sun, might retain enough internal heat 128 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,080 to have liquid water beneath their surfaces. 129 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:10,800 Liquid water. 130 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:11,120 Yeah. 131 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:13,280 You're saying there could be rogue planets out there 132 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:14,560 with hitter oceans? 133 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:15,840 It's a possibility, yeah. 134 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:17,120 That's incredible. 135 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:21,480 It raises the question, could life, as we know it, 136 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,600 or even forms we can't imagine exist on these wandering worlds? 137 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:27,680 That is some serious science fiction stuff. 138 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:28,180 It is. 139 00:04:28,180 --> 00:04:29,240 But it could be real. 140 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:29,840 Exactly. 141 00:04:29,840 --> 00:04:31,920 The universe is full of surprises. 142 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:32,720 It is. 143 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,280 And that leads us to another intriguing question. 144 00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:37,400 What about life around other stars? 145 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:38,600 OK. 146 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,760 We're constantly hearing about exoplanets, planets 147 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:43,560 orbiting other stars. 148 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:44,320 Yeah. 149 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,320 Are there any that look promising for life as we know it? 150 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:47,800 OK. 151 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:48,720 I'm all ears. 152 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,000 Where should we start our exoplanet hunt? 153 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:55,160 Well, the closest star system to our own Alpha Centauri 154 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,720 has a planet called Proxima Centauri b. 155 00:04:57,720 --> 00:04:58,760 Proxima Centauri b. 156 00:04:58,760 --> 00:04:59,160 Yeah. 157 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:00,320 It's in the habitable zone, right? 158 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:00,680 It is. 159 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:02,800 It orbits within the habitable zone of its star, 160 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:03,720 Proxima Centauri. 161 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,600 So are we talking about a potential Earth 2.0? 162 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:08,120 Well, not so fast. 163 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,040 While its location is promising, Proxima Centauri 164 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:12,600 is a red dwarf star. 165 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:13,160 Red dwarf star. 166 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:13,720 Yes. 167 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:17,120 And they're notorious for intense stellar flares. 168 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:17,760 Oh, OK. 169 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:19,560 These flares are like sudden bursts 170 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:22,680 of energy that could easily strip away any atmosphere. 171 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:23,200 Wow. 172 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,840 Proxima b might have, making it a pretty harsh place for life 173 00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:28,400 to gain a foothold. 174 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:30,680 So not exactly ideal. 175 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:31,320 No. 176 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,840 It's incredible how diverse star systems can be. 177 00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:35,320 Yeah. 178 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:37,240 Are there any others that have caught your eye? 179 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,360 Let's jump over to the Sirius system. 180 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:40,400 Sirius. 181 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:41,440 Yes. 182 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,440 It's a fascinating study in contrasts. 183 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:44,040 OK. 184 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,280 Sirius a is a brilliant blue-white star. 185 00:05:47,280 --> 00:05:48,040 OK. 186 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:52,760 But it has this companion, Sirius b, which is a white dwarf. 187 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:53,520 A white dwarf. 188 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:54,280 Yes. 189 00:05:54,280 --> 00:05:56,840 That's the remnant of a star like our sun 190 00:05:56,840 --> 00:05:58,920 after it's burned through most of its fuel, right? 191 00:05:58,920 --> 00:05:59,420 Exactly. 192 00:05:59,420 --> 00:06:00,800 It's incredibly dense. 193 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:01,280 Wow. 194 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,800 The leftover core of a star that shed its outer layers. 195 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:05,360 Oh, wow. 196 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,560 So in the Sirius system, you've got this powerful contrast. 197 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:10,640 A star in its prime and its companion. 198 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:11,200 Right. 199 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:15,720 A ghostly reminder of what's to come for stars like our own sun. 200 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:17,640 It's like a cosmic time capsule showing us 201 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,400 the past and the future of stars. 202 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:20,360 It really is, yeah. 203 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaking of vast time scales. 204 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:23,320 Yeah. 205 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,800 What about our own galaxy, the Milky Way? 206 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:26,840 The Milky Way. 207 00:06:26,840 --> 00:06:30,040 I've always been fascinated by the supermassive black hole 208 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,640 at its center, Sagittarius A. 209 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:34,760 Sagittarius A is a real behemoth. 210 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:35,260 It is. 211 00:06:35,260 --> 00:06:38,080 With a mass millions of times greater than our sun. 212 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:38,920 Wow, OK. 213 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,640 The region around it is chaotic, densely packed. 214 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:43,120 OK. 215 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,400 Where stars whirl around the black hole at incredible speeds. 216 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:47,920 Like a cosmic dance? 217 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,480 It is a cosmic dance on a grand scale. 218 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,520 Black holes are often portrayed as these monstrous things that 219 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,360 gobble up everything in their path. 220 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:56,840 Well, not exactly. 221 00:06:56,840 --> 00:06:57,360 OK. 222 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,000 While black holes have immense gravity, 223 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,600 they don't suck things in like a vacuum cleaner. 224 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:03,200 OK. 225 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,400 Objects have to get pretty close to be pulled in. 226 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:06,160 That makes sense. 227 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:06,640 Yeah. 228 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,120 But it still sounds pretty intense near a black hole. 229 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:10,160 It is. 230 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,160 What about the parts of the Milky Way further out? 231 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,680 Well, as we move outward from the core, 232 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:16,320 we reach the galactic halo. 233 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:17,320 Galactic halo. 234 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:17,840 Yeah. 235 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,240 This vast region extends far beyond the familiar spiral 236 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:22,640 arms of the Milky Way. 237 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:25,920 It's home to ancient globular clusters. 238 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:27,000 Globular clusters? 239 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:27,500 Yeah. 240 00:07:27,500 --> 00:07:28,240 What are those? 241 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,680 Imagine densely packed groups of hundreds of thousands, 242 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:33,640 even millions of stars. 243 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:34,200 Oh, wow. 244 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,760 These clusters are some of the oldest objects in the galaxy. 245 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:38,400 Really? 246 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,960 Offering us a glimpse into the Milky Way's distant past 247 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:43,360 billions of years ago. 248 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:44,160 Wow. 249 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,120 It's like looking back in time. 250 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:46,640 It is. 251 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:48,840 To the galaxy's ancient beginnings. 252 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:49,440 Yeah. 253 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,080 It's amazing how much diversity there 254 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:52,280 is within our own galaxy. 255 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:53,280 There is. 256 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:57,320 But I'm curious, what lies beyond the Milky Way? 257 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,520 I mean, what's out there between galaxies? 258 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:01,480 Well, beyond the realm of galaxies, 259 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:06,200 we encountered these vast regions of near total emptiness 260 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,000 called cosmic voids. 261 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:09,000 Cosmic voids. 262 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:09,600 Yes. 263 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:11,640 Think of them like giant bubbles in space. 264 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:12,920 Giant empty bubbles. 265 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,120 Hundreds of millions of light years across. 266 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:16,840 What's the significance of these voids? 267 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:17,360 Well. 268 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:18,560 They sound kind of boring. 269 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,560 They might sound empty, but they're far from insignificant. 270 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:22,060 OK. 271 00:08:22,060 --> 00:08:24,600 Studying these voids helps us understand the large scale 272 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,520 structure of the universe. 273 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,360 It's like looking at the scaffolding 274 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:31,920 upon which galaxies and clusters of galaxies are arranged. 275 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,280 So it's like the negative space in a painting. 276 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:35,080 You could say that. 277 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,840 Helping to define the overall composition of the universe. 278 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:38,840 Yeah. 279 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:40,280 That's a cool way to think about it. 280 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:41,120 It is. 281 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:44,200 But if they're mostly empty, what's in them? 282 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:45,680 They're not completely empty. 283 00:08:45,680 --> 00:08:48,520 They do contain a few galaxies scattered here and there. 284 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:49,040 OK. 285 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,480 But their vastness is what makes them so intriguing. 286 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:52,880 OK. 287 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,360 They tell us a lot about the distribution of matter, 288 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,080 dark matter, and even dark energy. 289 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,640 That sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. 290 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,520 It does, but it's a real phenomenon. 291 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:03,080 OK. 292 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:06,640 And it's thought to be responsible for the accelerating 293 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,080 expansion of the universe. 294 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:09,800 The universe is expanding. 295 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:10,480 It is. 296 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,480 I thought it was already infinitely large. 297 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,720 Well, it's vast, but not infinite. 298 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,080 And it's not only expanding, but that expansion 299 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:20,120 is getting faster and faster. 300 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,760 So everything is moving further and further apart 301 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:24,160 at an increasing rate. 302 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:25,120 Yeah. 303 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:26,480 That's wild. 304 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:28,360 What's driving this acceleration? 305 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:29,960 That's where dark energy comes in. 306 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:30,440 OK. 307 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,480 We don't fully understand what it is, 308 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,120 but we know it's a repulsive force that counteracts 309 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,320 gravity on a cosmic scale. 310 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:41,040 So like a cosmic anti-gravity pushing everything apart? 311 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:42,200 You could say that. 312 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:42,680 Wow. 313 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:46,440 It's a profound mystery, one that keeps cosmologists up 314 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:47,240 at night. 315 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaking of things that keep me up at night, 316 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:50,800 what about black holes? 317 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:51,480 Black holes. 318 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,760 What happens to the stuff that falls into them? 319 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:58,880 That's a question that has puzzled physicists for decades. 320 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,880 Once something crosses the event horizon of a black hole, 321 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:04,200 it's gone forever. 322 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:04,880 Gone. 323 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:06,200 Not even light can escape. 324 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,800 So it's like a cosmic trap door leading to who knows where. 325 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:10,760 Essentially, yes. 326 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:11,280 Wow. 327 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:12,920 The conditions inside a black hole 328 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,960 are so extreme that our current laws of physics break down. 329 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,360 We need a new theory of quantum gravity 330 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,840 to really understand what happens at the singularity. 331 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,080 The point of infinite density at the heart of a black hole. 332 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,480 It sounds like we're pushing the boundaries of human knowledge. 333 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:29,120 We are. 334 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:30,480 When we try to comprehend black holes. 335 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:30,960 Yes. 336 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,600 But before we go down that rabbit hole, 337 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,040 what about the search for life beyond Earth? 338 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:38,640 Any exciting developments there? 339 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:39,840 Absolutely. 340 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,200 The search for exoplanets, especially those 341 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,080 that might harbor life, is one of the most exciting areas 342 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:46,600 of astronomy today. 343 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:49,360 We talked about Proxima Centauri b earlier, 344 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,960 but are there other promising candidates out there? 345 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,320 There are actually quite a few. 346 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,080 Thanks to missions like the Kepler Space Telescope 347 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,160 and the James Webb Space Telescope, 348 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,120 we've discovered thousands of exoplanets. 349 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:03,920 Thousands. 350 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:04,480 Yes. 351 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:08,440 Some of them appear to be rocky planets like Earth and orbit 352 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:10,680 within the habitable zones of their stars. 353 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:13,320 You're saying there could be other Earth-like planets 354 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:17,600 out there with oceans, continents, maybe even life. 355 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:19,040 It's certainly a possibility. 356 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:19,520 Wow. 357 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,760 And even if we don't find actual life, 358 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,040 studying these exoplanets helps us 359 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:28,400 understand the diversity of planetary systems 360 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:31,080 and the conditions necessary for life to arise. 361 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:32,400 That's fascinating. 362 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,600 What other areas of research are you particularly excited about? 363 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,400 Another area that's really heating up 364 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:40,640 is the study of gravitational waves. 365 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:41,760 Gravitational waves. 366 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:42,240 Yes. 367 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,840 Those are ripples in spacetime caused by massive objects 368 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:47,120 like black holes colliding. 369 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:47,840 Exactly. 370 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:48,560 That's amazing. 371 00:11:48,560 --> 00:11:51,760 And we're now able to detect these waves 372 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,120 using incredibly sensitive instruments 373 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,320 like LIGO and Virgo. 374 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:57,560 Wow. 375 00:11:57,560 --> 00:12:01,040 These observations are like opening up a new sense 376 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:04,160 and allowing us to hear events in the universe that were 377 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:06,000 previously invisible to us. 378 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,960 So we can now listen to the Symphony of the Cosmos. 379 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:10,200 You could say that. 380 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:11,400 That's incredible. 381 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:11,960 It is. 382 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:13,420 What kind of things are we hearing? 383 00:12:13,420 --> 00:12:15,800 We're hearing things like black holes merging, 384 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:18,000 neutron stars colliding. 385 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,520 And even the echoes of the Big Bang itself. 386 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:21,440 That's crazy. 387 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,040 These observations are confirming some of our theories 388 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:25,440 about the universe. 389 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,880 And also revealing new surprises. 390 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:29,440 Surprises like what? 391 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,320 Well, for example, we've detected black holes far more 392 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,720 massive than we ever thought possible, 393 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,520 challenging our understanding of how 394 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:38,640 these objects form and evolve. 395 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,400 So it seems like the more we learn, 396 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:41,960 the more mysteries we uncover. 397 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:42,880 It does seem that way. 398 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,000 But all this research, it's not just 399 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,600 about satisfying our curiosity, is it? 400 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,360 Does exploring the cosmos have any practical benefits for us 401 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:52,280 here on Earth? 402 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:53,840 That's a great question. 403 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,200 And the answer is a resounding yes. 404 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,080 Space exploration has driven countless technological 405 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:03,600 innovations that have improved our lives in countless ways. 406 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,400 Can you give us some examples? 407 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,040 Think about satellites, for instance. 408 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:07,560 Satellites. 409 00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:10,200 Yeah, they've revolutionized communication, navigation, 410 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:11,720 and weather forecasting. 411 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:15,720 We rely on them for everything from GPS to satellite TV. 412 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:16,560 That's true. 413 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:18,360 I can't imagine life without GPS. 414 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,960 And did you know that medical imaging techniques, 415 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,800 like MRI and SAT scans, were initially developed for use 416 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:26,080 in space exploration? 417 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:26,920 Wow. 418 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:27,840 I had no idea. 419 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:28,520 It's true. 420 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:29,120 That's pretty cool. 421 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:30,440 Yeah, and the list goes on. 422 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:34,000 Advancements in materials, science, computer technology, 423 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:35,360 renewable energy. 424 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,140 All these fields have benefited from the challenges 425 00:13:38,140 --> 00:13:40,600 and innovations of space exploration. 426 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,160 So exploring the cosmos isn't just 427 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:46,200 about pushing the boundaries of human knowledge. 428 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,480 It's also about pushing the boundaries of what's possible 429 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:49,320 here on Earth. 430 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:52,040 Exactly, and perhaps even more importantly. 431 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,600 Space exploration inspires us to dream big, 432 00:13:55,600 --> 00:14:00,680 to push beyond our limits, and to strive for a better future. 433 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:03,640 It reminds us that we're part of something much larger 434 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,080 than ourselves, connected to this vast and mysterious 435 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:07,600 universe. 436 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,840 And that connection, I believe, is something truly profound. 437 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:11,480 Well said. 438 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:12,160 Thank you. 439 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:14,280 I think we've covered a lot of ground in this episode. 440 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:14,800 We have. 441 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,560 From the silent voyages of our spacecraft 442 00:14:17,560 --> 00:14:21,520 to the mind-boggling concepts of cosmic voice and dark energy. 443 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:22,120 Yeah. 444 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:23,320 It's been quite a journey. 445 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:24,080 It certainly has. 446 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:25,880 And it's just a glimpse into the vastness 447 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:27,280 and wonder of the cosmos. 448 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:27,960 It is. 449 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:31,600 Before we move on, any last thoughts for our listeners? 450 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,400 I would simply encourage everyone to keep looking up, 451 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:37,760 to stay curious, and to never stop exploring. 452 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:38,640 That's good advice. 453 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:42,480 The universe is full of wonders waiting to be discovered. 454 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:44,040 Welcome back to Cosmos in a Pod. 455 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,640 As we wrap up our deep dive into the mysteries of the universe. 456 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,280 I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the incredible things 457 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:51,160 we've discussed. 458 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,320 It has been a whirlwind tour, hasn't it? 459 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:54,160 It really has. 460 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:57,680 From those silent voyagers, our spacecraft venturing out 461 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:02,320 into the unknown, to those mind-boggling cosmic voids, 462 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,280 and that force we call dark energy. 463 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:04,880 Yeah. 464 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:06,160 It's been quite a journey. 465 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:10,120 And who can forget those rogue planets, those wanderers 466 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,800 without a star, drifting through the galaxy? 467 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:13,300 Yeah. 468 00:15:13,300 --> 00:15:17,280 The thought of them maybe even harboring life in hidden oceans, 469 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:19,280 it just sends shivers down my spine. 470 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:21,320 It's certainly a tantalizing thought. 471 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,480 It really does feel like every answer we find 472 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:24,840 just leads to more questions. 473 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:25,800 It does. 474 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:27,640 Which makes me wonder, what are some 475 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,080 of the biggest unsolved mysteries that astronomers 476 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:31,640 are grappling with today? 477 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,040 Well, there's one that has been a real head 478 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,520 scratcher for decades, the true nature of dark matter. 479 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:38,480 Dark matter. 480 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,280 We can observe its effects, how it influences 481 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,640 the movements of galaxies and clusters of galaxies, 482 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:48,000 but we still have no clue what it's actually made of. 483 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,520 It's like this invisible hand shaping the universe, 484 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:52,320 but we can't see the hand itself. 485 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:53,640 That's a great analogy. 486 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:54,140 It is. 487 00:15:54,140 --> 00:15:57,000 And then there's dark energy, which is even more baffling. 488 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:57,500 Right. 489 00:15:57,500 --> 00:16:00,280 We know it's driving the accelerating expansion 490 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,280 of the universe, but its origins and true nature 491 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:06,080 remain completely shrouded in mystery. 492 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:09,080 It's almost like trying to understand the engine of a car 493 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:10,920 by only looking at the exhaust fumes. 494 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:12,280 Exactly. 495 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,680 These two enigmas, dark matter and dark energy, 496 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,040 are fundamentally intertwined with our understanding 497 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:21,440 of how the universe began and where it's ultimately headed. 498 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,280 They're like the missing pieces of a giant cosmic puzzle. 499 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:25,240 They are. 500 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,280 So figuring them out could completely rewrite 501 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:29,720 our understanding of the universe. 502 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:30,400 Absolutely. 503 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:31,820 And then there are questions that 504 00:16:31,820 --> 00:16:33,800 delve into the truly mind-mending realms 505 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:35,280 of physics and cosmology. 506 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:35,780 OK. 507 00:16:35,780 --> 00:16:38,120 Like, are there other universes out there? 508 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,200 What happens at the singularity of a black hole, 509 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:44,480 where all known laws of physics seem to break down? 510 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:46,800 And of course, the age-old question, 511 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:48,480 are we alone in the universe? 512 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:50,720 Those are some truly profound questions. 513 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:51,360 They are. 514 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,240 It makes you realize how much we still have to learn. 515 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:56,120 That's the beauty of science, isn't it? 516 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:56,600 Yeah. 517 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,720 It's a never-ending quest for knowledge, 518 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,200 driven by our insatiable curiosity 519 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,600 and a desire to understand our place in the cosmos. 520 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:10,320 And it's a journey that requires collaboration, innovation, 521 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:12,720 and a willingness to push the boundaries of what 522 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:13,640 we think is possible. 523 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:14,440 Absolutely. 524 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:15,040 Absolutely. 525 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:17,800 Astronomy is a global endeavor, uniting scientists 526 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:19,680 from all corners of the planet to share 527 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,520 their knowledge, expertise, and a common passion 528 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,960 for unraveling the secrets of the universe. 529 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,280 And with powerful new tools like the James Webb Space Telescope, 530 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:31,360 it feels like we're on the cusp of a golden age of discovery. 531 00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:32,440 We are. 532 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:34,560 Who knows what incredible breakthroughs await us 533 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:35,500 in the coming years? 534 00:17:35,500 --> 00:17:37,960 It's an incredibly exciting time to be an astronomer. 535 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:38,680 It is. 536 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:39,240 And who knows? 537 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:41,040 Maybe someday some of those mysteries 538 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,120 we talked about today, those questions that 539 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:45,160 seem almost unanswerable, will be 540 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:48,080 solved by a future generation of scientists, 541 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,440 perhaps even someone listening to this podcast right now. 542 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:53,880 Well, that's a thought that gives me chills. 543 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,500 I, for one, can't wait to see what the future holds 544 00:17:56,500 --> 00:17:58,720 for space exploration. 545 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:00,280 But for now, I think we've reached 546 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:01,780 the end of our deep dive. 547 00:18:01,780 --> 00:18:04,320 It's been a true pleasure sharing this cosmic journey 548 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:04,880 with you. 549 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:06,840 The feeling is mutual. 550 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:08,880 And to our listeners, thank you for joining us 551 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:10,480 on Cosmos in a Pod. 552 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:12,760 We hope you've enjoyed this exploration of the universe's 553 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:13,800 greatest mysteries. 554 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,400 If you're eager to delve deeper into the cosmos, 555 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,240 don't forget to follow and subscribe to Cosmos in a Pod 556 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,680 and our YouTube channel for more cosmic adventures. 557 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:38,320 Until next time, keep looking up and never stop exploring.