[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm here to tell you about\Nthe real search
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for alien life.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not little green humanoids\Narriving in shiny UFOs,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,although that would be nice.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it's the search for planets
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,orbiting stars far away.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Every star in our sky is a sun.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if uur sun has planets --
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, etc.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Surely those other stars should\Nhave planets also
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,-- and they do.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in the last two decades,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,astronomers have found\Nthousands of exoplanets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our night sky is literally\Nteeming with exoplanets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We know, statistically speaking,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that every star has at least one planet.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in the search for planets,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in the future, planets \Nthat might be like earth,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're able to help address\N
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,some of the most amazing\Nand mysterious questions
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that have faced humankind for centuries.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why are we here?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why does our universe exist?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How did earth form and evolve?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How and why did life originate\Nand populate our planet?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second question\Nthat we often think about
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is are we alone?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is there life out there?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who is out there?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know, this question\Nhas been around
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for thousands of years,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,since at least the time\Nof the Greek philosophers.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, I'm here to tell you\Njust how close we're getting
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to finding out the answer\Nto this question.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's the first time in human history
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that this really is within reach for us.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now when I think about\Nthe possibilities
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for life out there,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think of the fact that our sun
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is one but many stars.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a photograph of a real galaxy,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we think our milky way \Nlooks like this galaxy.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a collection of bound stars.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But our milky way is one of\Nhundreds of billions of stars
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and our galaxy is one of upwards\Nof hundreds of billions of galaxies.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Knowing that small planets \Nare very common,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can just do the math.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there are just so many stars\Nand so many planets out there,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that surely, there must be life\Nsomewhere out there.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, the biologists get furious \Nwith me for saying that,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because we have absolutely\Nno evidence
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for life beyond earth, yet.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, if we were able to look\Nat our galaxy from the outside
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and zoom in to where our sun is,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we see a real map of the stars.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the highlighted stars\Nare ones with known exoplanets,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this is really just\Nthe tip of the iceberg.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here, this animation is zooming in\Nonto our solar system.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you'll see here some planets\Nas well as some spacecraft
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are also orbiting our sun.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now if we can imagine\Ngoing to the west coast
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of North America and looking out\Non the night sky,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,here's what we'd see on a spring night.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you can see\Nthe constellations overlaid
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and again, so many stars with planets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a special patch of the sky
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where we have thousands of planets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is where the Kepler Space Telescope\Nfocused for many years.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's zoom in and look at\None of the favorite exoplanets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This star is called Kepler 180-6F.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a system of about five planets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And by the way, most of these exoplanets,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we don't know too much about.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We know their size, and their orbit\Nand things like that.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But there's a very special planet\Nhere called Kepler 180-6F,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this planet is in a zone that is not \Ntoo far from the star,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that the temperature may be \Njust right for life.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here, the artist conniption is just\Nzooming in
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and showing you what that planet\Nmight be like.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, many people have this\Nromantic notion of astronomers
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,going to a telescope\Non a lonely mountaintop
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and looking at the spectacular night sky
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through a big telescope.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But actually, we just work on\Nour computers like everyone else
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we get our data by email\Nor by loading from a database.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So instead of coming here to tell you\Nabout
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the somewhat tedious nature of the data\Nand data analysis
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the complex computer models we make,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have a different way to try to explain\Nto you
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,some of the things that we're \Nthinking about exoplanets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here's a travel poster:
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Kepler-186f,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where the grass is always redder \Non the other side."
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's because Kepler-186f\Nis a red star,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we're just speculating that\Nperhaps the plants there,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if there is vegetation that \Ndoes photosynthesis,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it has different pigments and looks red.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Enjoy the gravity on HD 40307g,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a super-earth.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This planet is more massive than earth
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and has a higher surface gravity.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Relax on Kepler-16b,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where your shadow always has company.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We know of a dozen planets\Nthat orbit two stars,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there's likely many more out there.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we could visit one of those planets,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you literally would see two sunsets
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and have two shadows.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So actually, science fiction \Ngot some things right,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Tatooine from Star Wars.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I have a couple of other \Nfavorite exoplanets
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to tell you about.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This one is Kepler-10b,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's a hot, hot planet.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It orbits over 50 times closer\Nto its star
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than the earth does to our sun.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And actually, it's so hot
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we can't visit any of these planets,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but if we could,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we would melt long before\Nwe got there.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We think the surface is hot enough\Nto melt rock
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and has liquid lava lakes.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We use 1214b,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this planet,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we know the mass and the size
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it has a fairly low density,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's somewhat warm.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We actually don't know really\Nanything about this planet.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One possibility is that \Nit's a water world,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like a scaled-up version of one\Nof Jupiter's icy moons
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that might be 50 percent water by mass.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this case, it would have\Na thick steam atmosphere
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,overlaying an ocean,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not of liquid water,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but of an exotic form of water,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a superfluid --
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not quite a gas, not quite a liquid.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Under that wouldn't be rock,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but a form of high pressure ice, \Nlike (word)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So out of all these planets out there,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the variety is \Njust simply astonishing,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we mostly want to find the planets
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are Goldie Locks planets,\Nwe call them,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not too big, not too small
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not too hot, not too cold --
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just right for life.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But to do that, we'd have to \Nbe able to look
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the planet's atmosphere
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because the atmosphere acts\Nlike a blanket
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,trapping heat --
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the greenhouse effect.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have to be able to asses\Nthe greenhouse gasses
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on other planets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, science fiction got\Nsome things wrong.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Star Trek Enterprise had to travel\Nvast distances
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at incredible speeds \Nto orbit other planets
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that First officer Spok \Ncould further analyze
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the atmosphere and see\Nif the planet
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was habitable or if \Nthere were lifeforms there.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, we don't need\Nto travel at warp speeds
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to see other planets' atmospheres,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,although I don't want to dissuade \Nany budding engineers
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from figuring out how to do that.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We actually can and do study\Nplanet atmospheres
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from here, from earth orbit.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a picture, a photograph
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the Hubble Space Telescope
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,taken by the shuttle Atlantis\Nas it was departing
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,after the last human space \Nflight to Hubble.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They installed a new camera, actually,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we use for exoplanet atmospheres.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so far, we've been able to study\Ndozens of exoplanet atmospheres,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about six of them in great detail.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But those are not small planets like earth.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're big, hot planets
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are easy to see.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're not ready,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we don't have the right technology yet
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to study small exoplanets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But nevertheless,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I wanted to try to explain to you
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how we study exoplanet atmospheres.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I want you to image, for a moment,\Na rainbow.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if we could look \Nat this rainbow closely,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we would see that some\Ndark lines are missing.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And here's our sun,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the white light of our sun split up,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not by raindrops, but by a spectrograph.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you can see all these dark, vertical lines.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some are narrow, some are wide,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,some are shaded at the edges.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is how astronomers have studied\Nobjects in the heavens
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,literally, for over a century.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So here, each different atom and molecule
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has a special set of lines,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a fingerprint, if you will.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's how we study\Nexoplanet atmospheres.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, I'll just never forget\Nwhen I started working
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on exoplanet atmospheres\N20 years ago,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how many people told me,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"This will never happen,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we'll never be able to study them.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why are you bothering?"
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's why I'm pleased \Nto tell you about
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all the atmospheres studied now,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this is really a whole field\Nof its own.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when it comes to other planets,\Nother earths,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the future when we can observe them,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what kind of gasses would be looking for?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, you know, our own earth has oxygen\Nin the atmosphere
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to 20 percent by volume.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's a lot of oxygen.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But without plants \Nand photosynthetic life,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there would be no oxygen,\Nvirtually no oxygen
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in our atmosphere.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So oxygen is here because of life
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and our goal then is to look for gasses
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in other planet atmospheres,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gasses that don't belong,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we might be able to attribute to life.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But which molecules should \Nwe search for?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I actually told you how diverse\Nexoplanets are,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we expect that to continue in the future
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when we find other earths.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's one of the main things\NI'm working on now,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have a theory about this.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It reminds me that nearly everyday,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I receive an email --
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,email or emails--
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from someone with a crazy theory\Nabout physics, gravity
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or cosmology or some such.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Please don't email me\None of your crazy theories.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, I have my own crazy theory.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, who does the MIT professor go to?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well I emailed a Nobel Laureate \Nin physiology and medicine
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he said, "Sure, come and talk to me."
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I brought my two biochemistry frirnds
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we went to talk to him\Nabout our crazy theory.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that theory was that life produces\Nall small molecules,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so many molecules.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, everything I could think of,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but not being a chemist.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Think about it:
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,molecular hydrogen, molecular nitrogen,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,methane, methal choloride (?) --
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so many gasses,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they also exist for other reasons,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but just life even produces ozone.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we go to talk to him about this,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and immediately, he shot down\Nthe theory.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He found an example that didn't exist.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, we went back to the drawing board
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we actually think we have\Nfound something
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,very interesting in another field.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But back to exoplanets,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the point is that life produces\Nso many different types of gases,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,literally thousands of gasses.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so what we're doing now \Nis just trying to figure out
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on which types of exoplanets,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which gasses could be attributed to life.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so when it comes time
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we find gasses on exoplanet\Natmospheres,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we won't know if they're \Nbeing produced
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by intelligent aliens or by trees,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or earth(?) swamp,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or even just by simple, single celled \Nmicrobial life.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so working on the models
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and thinking about biochemistry
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's all well and good.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But a really big challenge ahead of us
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is how.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How are we going to find these planets?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're actually many ways to find planets,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,several different ways.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the one that I'm most focused on
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is how can we open a gateway
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that in the future,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we can find hundreds of earths.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have a real shot\Nat finding signs of life.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And actually, I just finished\Nleading a two-year project
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in this very special phase\Nof a concept
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we call the star shade.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the star shade is very\Nspecially shaped screen
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the goal is to fly that star shade
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so it blocks out the light of a star
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that a telescope can see \Nthe planets directly.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here, you can see myself \Nand two team members
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,holding up one small part of the star shade.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's shaped like a giant flower,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this is one of the prototype petals.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The concept is that a star shade \Nand telescope launch together,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the petals unfurling\Nfrom the stowed position.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The central trust would expand,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the petals snapping into place.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, this has to be made very precisely,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,literally, the petals to microns
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they have to deploy to millimeters.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this hole structure would have to fly
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tens of thousands of kilometers\Naway from the telescope,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's about tens of meters in diameter.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the goal is to block out\Nthe starlight to incredible percussion
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that we'd be able to see \Nthe planets directly.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It has to be a very special shape
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the physics of defraction.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this is a really project \Nthat we worked on,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,literally, you would not believe how hard.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just so you believe that it's \Nnot just in movie format,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,here's a real photograph\Nof a second generation
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,star shade deployment \Ntest bed in the lab.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in this case,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I just want you to know,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that that central trust\Nhas heritage left over
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from large radio deployables in space.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So after all of that hard work
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where we try to think of all \Nthe crazy gasses
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that might be out there,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we build the very\Ncomplicated space telescopes,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what are we going to find?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, in the best case,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we will find an image \Nof another eco-earth.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here's earth as a pale blue dot.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is actually a real photograph\Nof earth
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,taken by the Voyager I spacecraft,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,four billion miles away.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that red light is just scattered light\Nin the camera optics.\N
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But what's so awesome to consider\Nis that
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if there are intelligent aliens\Norbiting on a planet
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,around a star near to us
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they build complicated\Nspace telescopes
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of a kind we're trying to build,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all they'll see is this pale blue dot,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a pinprick of light.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so sometimes when I pause\Nto think about
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my professional struggle\Nand huge ambition,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's hard to think about that\Nin contrast
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the vastness of the universe.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But nonetheless, I am devoting\Nthe rest of my life
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to finding another earth.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I can guarantee that in \Nthe next generation
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of space telescopes,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the second generation,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we will have the capability to find\Nand identity other earths.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the capability to split up \Nthe starlight
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that we can look for gasses
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and assess the greenhouse gasses\Nin the atmosphere,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,estimate the surface temperature,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and look for signs of life.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But there's more,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in this case of searching\Nfor other planets,