I love that she addresses the earth centric view so many people hold. All I know about life in the universe is that I don’t know anything about life in the universe. Great video!!
Maybe we should be looking for "life" around exoplanets that have significant amounts of chemistry focused around large amounts of singular liquid chemicals, rather than just liquid water. 😉
@@rickgernon8320 Water is just about as efficient as any solvent can get though, and it's plentiful in the Universe. This does not rule out life arising in say liquid methane, but it does make that less likely.
I love that there’s a brilliant person willing to say “I don’t know”. It’s such an important lesson to so many people who think it’s a sin to admit that, or what they think is true must be true because it feels good. The world is being torn apart by terrible epistemologies.
You are a wonderful educator and researcher. Love your videos. I'm too old (84+) and with Alzheimer's to pursue further classes, but I have you to try to learn from, Dr Becky. ❤❤
I've learned far more about astronomy (and many other topics) from RUclips over the years than I ever did from college classes. I love that we can continue our life-long education in this way!
@@gwcstudio My neurologist, since retired, put me on Galantamine HBR and Memantine HCL 1 tablet twice a day. 5 years ago. Made a big difference. Also, St. Johns Wort.
@@gwcstudio Do you know that you are losing your memory? Do you still remember things? Are you going to be aware of when you transition to late stage dementia? I'm just wondering as we got someone in my family with it. And I'm in the dark.
I haven't even finished watching, and feel compelled to say how much I appreciate the DENSENESS of information in your videos, Dr. Becky. Every sentence you speak provides food for thought, but the graphics you insert to support what you say -- particularly, for me, the actual graphs -- require me to pause, read, contemplate, rewind, and re-think again and again.I love that. I think I'm a pretty well-informed student of science, but there is so much that is new going on, especially in my particular passion, astronomy! Thanks for explaining it so well, so clearly, and so enthusiastically! And so often, too. I watch everything you put on RUclips first, then I go and watch what others have to say with my mind already prepared with what's new and interesting.
@@Deciheximal Sure I did. I think anyone who reads what I wrote will know just what I meant. I used the word that most clearly expresses what I think, even if, under other circumstances, it might have a very different meaning.
@@GetterRay This makes no sense to me at all. It's not as though I was interrupting anything other than my own watching of the video. I did finish watching after I made the comment, as I finish watching all of Dr. Becky's videos. But, whatever. 🤨
when dr. jo said "i've seen the light curves, and i honestly have never seen a light curve so beautiful before" made me so unreasonably happy. i have no idea what a good portion of what you're talking about is, but that was a real Human moment for me and it made me smile, too
Thank you, Dr. Becky, for not only sharing this with us, but also for making sure we think outside that Earth-shaped box, too. You do this so well, and your obvious enjoyment of science and sharing that science with us makes me so happy! Great interview, too! Tell her thank you, as well!
So insightful, the best teachers have enthusiasm, you have that and incredible knowledge! I'm so intrigued by all the new research going on in science and its great to have another factual account to help me understand stuff that is normally far beyond my understanding! All the best!
I agree! Dr. Becky and Alex Filippenko come to mind as educators who constantly display that refreshing, childlike wonder and irrepressible enthusiasm for astronomy! Having said that, I’m _much_ more interested in life possibly being found right here *in our own solar system* than in exoplanets, in the oceans under the icy surfaces of Enceladus (and/or possibly Europa), even though it would likely “only” be bacterial life…or maybe little moon fishies if we’re lucky! But to each his/her own. The big problem, as I understand it, is getting through miles of very hard ICE on those cold, sunlight-deprived moons.
I recall astronomer Seth Shostak giving a talk on SETI. He mentioned there was no point in worrying about radio emissions giving us away, because atmospheric oxygen has been signalling the presence of life here for 2 billion years. Every civilization in our galaxy that might be looking for life knows we're here.
I love how excited this content gets you, I wish I was able to find something in my life that I was as excited as you are over this, I am so noncommital to anything, I dip in and out of things, I enjoy watching your videos Becky, I learn so much albeit slowly, much thanks for the hard work you put into making these video's for us.
I love that your brought on Dr. Jo Barstow. Science experts are celebrities but I'm so happy when I can put a face and name together for these important scientific experts.
Our progress in space exploration is so staggering. For the first 9 years of my dads life, nothing manmade had ever left earths atmosphere. As a young man he took time off work and stayed up late to see the first moonlanding live. And now he might live to see a world where we have discovered biomarkers on an exoplanet. Truely amazing.
As a child of 13-14, I became very curious about astronomy, and as part of that read some books about what makes a planet hospitable to life as we know it. I started a list in my head that has gradually grown from about 6 to over 20 as I have learned more. I wrote them out in response to some other posts, and I include it in the hopes that others may respond, comment, object, clarify, or add to it. While the universe may be full of life, Earth has many things that make life as we know it possible. It has been many years since I learned this in middle school, so please be forgiving of my memory and any errors. I have also recently added to this list and clarified information as I have learned more. Please reply if you have any corrections or additions. 1: OUR STAR: Having a long-lived stable star that does not have major or quick changes in intensity and energy output yet puts out enough energy to have a goldilocks zone far enough away from the star to not have our planet become tidally locked to the sun (like Earth’s moon is to Earth, or like Mercury). Our star is big enough to put out enough energy to create a heliosphere that protects earth from most of the very dangerous interstellar radiation. 2: OUR STARS AGE AND BIRTH: Our star and solar system was formed from clouds of matter that had all the elements needed. These elements were created from matter created by fusion in earlier stars that "died". Our star has also been stable for long enough for life to evolve. 3: OUR STARS POSITION WITHIN THE GALAXY: Our star was created within the galactic “goldilocks zone” that has the right conditions for the type of stars that also have the type of solar systems and conditions making life possible. 4: OUR STAR IS RELATIVELY ALONE: Our star is not a binary and does not have other close neighbors that would affect earth’s orbit and our stars stability, or any close neighbors who went supernova. It is also in a relatively safe part of the galaxy (far from black holes, and other stellar creatures that go bump in the night). 5: OUR PLANETS ORBITAL SHAPE: Existing in the goldilocks zone is just part of it. Having a stable orbit that is not too elliptical to create major heat/cold cycles allows for stable temperatures. 6: OUR PLANETS ORBITAL INCLINATION: Earth orbits on the plane of the elliptic with the rest of the planets. While I do not remember all the reasons this is important, I do remember that that it had to do with other planets effects on our orbit are more consistent, as a polar orbit would not be as stable. It also puts earth in the area cleared of asteroids and comets by the large outer gas giants. 7: OUR PLANETS ORBITAL DISTANCE FROM THE SUN: This of course references the goldilocks zone of liquid water. It also effects the amount of harmful radiation the Earth receives from the sun. 8: OUR PLANETS AXIAL TILT: Earths 23º axial tilt allows for our seasons. This helps distribute energy throughout the biosphere and prevents the polar regions from completely freezing over. Having a larger axial tilt would negate many of our orbital inclination and shape advantages. 9: OUR PLANETS ROTATIONAL SPEED: Our planet spins fast enough to provide the energy for the rotation of our core to create a magnetic field, and to stabilize temperature swings. If the earth had a very slow, or no rotation speed, the side away from the sun would freeze, and the sunward side would boil away. 10: OUR PLANETS SIZE AND DENSITY: Our planet is large enough to have enough gravity to help keep most gases from escaping, but just low enough to allow orbital escape (Think Rocket Equation) While not being able to escape our planets gravity well is not necessarily important to life, the right levels and types of elements are. 11: OUR PLANET HAVING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS: Earth has enough radioactive elements to create the Iron Catastrophe. This made the early Earth hot enough to melt iron and allowed the planet to differentiate itself into our nickel iron core, the mantle, and the crust. Yet it was not so radioactive that it caused the buildup of excessive decay products like lead and other heavy metals, and high levels of radioactivity that would interfere with higher life forms. It has been posited recently that perhaps radioactivity was less important than Earth’s collision with a Mars sized planet that also created the moon and may have also provided the heat necessary for the iron catastrophe and allowed for Earth’s material differentiation. 12: OUR PLANETS MAGNETIC FIELD: Having a magnetic field protects earth’s atmosphere from being stripped away and protects life from much of the harmful extraterrestrial radiation. Without this protection, most of our atmosphere and water would have been boiled and stripped away (think of Mars). 13: OUR PLANETS LARGE NICKEL IRON CORE: Having a large nickel iron core that rotates faster than the rest of the planet is what helps create the dynamo that powers Earth’s magnetic field. 14: OUR PLANETS LARGE LIQUID NICKEL IRON CORE LAYER AROUND THE SOLID CORE: Having a liquid section of the nickel iron core that surrounds the solid nickel iron core allows the inner core to rotate faster than the rest of the planet and helps create the dynamo that powers Earth’s magnetic field. 15: OUR PLANETS MANTLE AND CRUST COMPOSITION: The Earth’s mantle is composed of minerals with the right plasticity to bend and stretch (0.3 Poisson’s ratio, about the same as piano wire). This allows for the mantle to circulate along with the crust material to move about on top of it causing plate tectonics. 16: OUR PLANETS PLATE TECTONICS AND VOLCANOES: Plate tectonics and their accompanied volcanoes drive the planets carbon and mineral cycle. Without plate tectonics and volcanoes, Earth would be a shallow ocean world unable to support most higher lifeforms, as most minerals needed for life would be locked up under the sea as the solid land eroded into the bottom of the ocean instead of being continually recirculated. And after the core solidified and the magnetic field decayed, the atmosphere would be stripped away by the solar winds produced by the sun. The oceans would start to boil as the pressure dropped, and then most volatile liquids would be stripped from the surface (again, Mars). 17: OUR PLANETS LARGE MOON: Having such a large moon in relation to the Earth’s size is what helps keep our nickel iron core molten, and drives plate tectonics, as its continual flexing of the Earth (tides of water and land) imparts heat energy into the earth as rotational energy is converted to heat. This is what causes longer days over time as the rotational energy is converted to heat and material movement. It also helps the crusts movements over the mantle, and stabilizes Earths rotational axis 18: OUR PLANETS LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER: Having such a large amount of water helps with stabilizing our climate, and of course, is very important in supporting life as we know it. This is posited to possibly come from impacts with one or more large comets or asteroids. 19: OUR SOLAR SYSTEMS LARGE GAS GIANTS: Having these large gas giants in our outer solar system serves to clear out asteroids and comets that would become planet and life killers. Yet having the right sort of impacts with the right sort of bodies early in Earth’s existence most likely gave us our moon and our abundant water. If we had gas giants in the inner solar system they would possibly have negative effects on Earths orbit. 20: OUR PLANETS OZONE LAYER: The ozone layer is critical to protecting the earth from certain types of radiation that harm life. The ozone layer was created by life on earth that gave off oxygen as a waste product of their metabolism. This waste became critical to other life for chemical processes that drive other types of metabolism. That is all I can remember for now, as I am tired, and it is past my bedtime. But this was fun to try and pull up from memory all the things that make Earth special. If you can fill in, or correct my knowledge, and have read this far, please reply with it.
We are living in very exciting times with astronomy! I'm convinced that we will find evidence for life on exoplanets very soon. It's no longer a question of "if", but "when". And when that day happens, Humanity will forever be changed.
Just to say thanks again, I do not pretend to understand everything Dr Becky shows in her videos but do understand enough to have my mind blown which I really enjoy. And it is good to know Dr Becky thinks when we find new life and many of us share her optimism.
Just wished to reiterate the sentiments of my fellow Dr. Becky subscribers and thank you again for the time you take to do this videos! Most appreciative!
Wow. According to the Google the first detection of an exoplanet was in 1992. Now, scientists are trying to identify components of exoplanet daytime and nighttime atmospheres. Interestingly, scientists have been using this type of spectroscopic analysis during transits of Mercury and Venus. Exciting times! Thanks Dr. Becky for making it understandable!
Thats really odd because I can distinctly recall exo planets being discovered back in the 1970s. The couple that were found were all super Jupiters and at least one of them was mentioned on the Guinness Book Of Records from the time.
@@glenchapman3899 According to article on sciencefocus "Who really discovered the first exoplanet?": "During the 1960s, credit for finding the first exoplanet went to Dutch astronomer Peter van de Kamp, who claimed to have found two planets orbiting a nearby red dwarf called Barnard’s Star. Based on analysis of tiny wobbles in the star’s location over 30 years, the claim stood until the mid-1970s, when it emerged the cause was a wobbly telescope lens, not the effect of invisible planets on the star." Probably Guinness Book Of Records just put that in their book as an actual discovery rather than an unconfirmed claim.
@@wulf2121 Thank you for that. I knew the technique was based around wobbles in the star, but I was unaware of the retraction. I just looked up de Kamp, and I am sure the reference I saw was for Lalande 21185. I just recall it so well because at them time I was in the solar systems are rare camp, boy was I happily wrong lol
Thanks Jo & Becky... now for a little wait of just a few months more... funny how we waited so long for JWST to launch, now we also have to wait for the results... oh, tense, so tense...
Kurzgesagt just did a video on black hole stars. Because you're an astrophysicist (especially interested in black holes), I'm curious what your thoughts are on the possible existence of them in the early universe and if/how JWST can help us uncover their existence/non-existence. Furthermore, what that means for the development of the universe?
Not only is oxygen necessary for some life forms (ours for example) it is also created by life. Oxygen is, as most of us know, very reactive with other elements like iron. Earth’s oxygen was initially locked in all sorts if compounds and not at all in its free state. It took bacteria and later on photosynthesis to unlock it.
Yeah, I was gonna mention this too. Mollecular oxygen is _more_ of a waste product of life than carbon dioxide is. If life disappeared from Earth, all the oxygen in the atmosphere would slowly react with whatever it could (which, as it turns out, is almost everything) and a few hundred thousand years later, there wouldn't be enough mollecular oxygen left to detect. There are very few non-biological, natural processes that produce mollecular oxygen, and it would be unlikely to find enough of the processes that do to offset the natural tendency of oxygen to react with stuff, so it's just about as perfect a marker for life as you can get (that's not to say we shouldn't look for others, though).
Question: if we do find oxygen on another planet, how likely is it that it's a result of life? Are there other, more common explanations for the creation of oxygen?
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 It's hard to know what is more or less common since the only planet we know of with substantial mollecular oxygen is Earth. There are non-biological sources of oxygen, but you'd need a _lot_ of that process to maintain the level of oxygen we see on Earth. One such process is a photocatalytic reaction of titanium oxide in sunlight. I don't think we know how likely it is to find a planet with enough of this process occurring to produce a relatively oxygen-rich atmosphere, but I'm pretty sure it's assumed to be low. That said, that's also another reason to look for other biomarkers. If you find one biomarker, say an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, that's not enough to be confident there's life, but, if you find four or five or more, you might want to think about booking a very big auditorium for the announcement.
The logic says that the more we advance with our telescopes etc. the more likely an alien overlord will stop us or take our planet. I'm not terribly worried because I don't think there's intelligent life within 10 million lys. Anyone?
I love this channel! I'll be teaching year 12 about the information known from stars next term and this video really helps to go beyond the curriculum. Many thanks Becky
hahaha... My first thought goes back 50+ years (via reruns) ..."I'm a doctor not a brick layer!" Star Trek - Dr. McCoy - “The Devil in the Dark“ episode. They were dealing with a silicon based life form and the creature was injured. The gaping wound was oozing lava, as blood, or at least that's how the visual was meant to look. (You can find the clip on RUclips of the quote.)
I love that description at 12:54 "JWST will be the first telescope sensitive enough to potentially characterize terrestrial planets from their transmission spectra." It's so cool that we have an observatory sitting in the deep-cold in space and it's been calibrated to discover chemical biosignatures on invisible planets!
Perhaps it’s because I’m American and I have a fascination with the accents, but channels like this and Cool Worlds are my favorites to watch for these topics. Easy to listen to and to follow. Two of the best I’ve found.
Hi Dr Becky. Are you getting much data regarding your field of super massive black holes from JWST. If so can we get some information regarding this. Keep up this awesome channel. Your work is amazing 😉
I always wondered why scientists were always looking for life as we know it on earth. It seemed very closed minded to me that they didn't expect any other forms of life different from us. It's so nice to see that I was wrong in thinking that! This is great information and I will definitely be looking forward for the next months! Thanks for making this video ❤
Any combination of molecules that “shouldn’t” coexist because they tend to react with each other is the most likely biosignature, probably oxygen and something else like methane.
I love how you break everything down so everyone else can understand. I hate watching videos when they just say the facts but never explain what it is they are saying. Thank you for all you are doing to give knowledge to everyone else. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
I dreamed all my life to experience moment when we empirically could confirm that life exist on different planets than Earth. I'm one of those people who think that life does exist not only on Earth so I do not need evidence to feel what I do feel and think about it, BUT can you imagine that news in mainstream media and every else - life on this planet is not only exist! Obviously, Im not sure if detecting bio signatures might be classified as comfirmation of life existence but what so ever that will do me!
I can't wait to see what JWST finds! It's so exciting to think about the possibility of discovering alien life. Keep us updated on the progress and any new findings!
One worry I have is, what if our signals reach an intelligent species, but it's one that's a bit behind us on technology and can't receive our messages?
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Yeah. They'd be no better than where we are now I guess. We can receive messages now but what the heck do we do with them? 😄
Becky, I'm a huge Trekkie so the only thing that sprang to mind when you were saying "it's life but not as we know it" was the Spock line from Star Trekkin' by The Firm where he says "It's life Jim but not as we know it"! 😀
Drs, thank you for not dismissing the idea for life as we don't know it. If, and I know it's a big if, we ever manage to travel between the stars an open mind will be essential.
Nice to hear the word "earthcentric" we are actually thinking life is not necessarily as what we have here, an open mind is required, glad to see it is in place
I love the way you express complex concepts in an interesting and energetic way. My interest in this field has increased a lot cause of your channel. Regards from Kashmir. ❤️
It's nice to see Becky has become very like an anchor lady of *Interstellar Astrophysics* news. Magnificent insights of the guests knowledge. JWST is a replica of a deep space weather telescope, surely will find life.
Really super fascinating video Dr. Becky! Thanks so much for this!! I really like and admire your enthusiasm for other completely different lines of science outside of your specialty with Black Holes and their interactions with their host galaxies. There are apparently so many areas of science that will be enriched by the observations and discoveries we will make with JWST! What a great time to be here experiencing this awesome expansion in our knowledge of Science and the Universe!!
And we don't even know what's necessary, only what's necessary for our specific experience of life. :) The challenge is daunting, but the possibilities extremely exciting.
It is certain that All life in the Universe is carbon based! No other set of chemical elements regardless of the environment could create life as we know it i.e. to eat (i.e. metabolism), to grow, to reproduce, to be capable of evolution (i.e. the cycle of variation, selection, recombination, repeat). Why? BECAUSE, THE RELATIVE STRENGTH AND THE DIVERSITY OF CHEMICALL BONDS REQUIRED DOES NOT HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE PERIODIC TABLE!.
Well I know Clarke once said that but it only reflects his own biases. I don't find either notion particularly terrifying. Because of the great distances separating us from other possible intelligent beings there is no threat and it is only of an amusing academic interest because we could never visit them or even see them.
@@txmike1945 This paragraph only applies if we are certain that the species that we do find have intestellar travel capabilities and/or it is possible to travel intestellar for species.
@DrBecky, Hi Becky, just wanted to let you know I loved your book. Also it is currently the book of the week in the Grassington bookshop - The Stripey Badger (bookshop doubles as the grocery shop in All Creatures Great and Small). Hope you had a great Christmas and wishing you a prosperous New Year x
One thing that would be awesome to see is evidence of industrial pollution. I also know that, we're highly unlikely to spot anything of the sort though.
The question we all want answered! And I agree that JWST is going to detect biosignatures sooner or later. Btw, normally I wouldn’t mention anything like this but in addition to being really good at doing science videos, omg you have amazing skin, it looks flawless!
I think I agree with Dr. Barstow that there would be so many opportunities to find results that could kindle existential terror even more than to find those which kindle hope. I also agree with you that the chance us detecting biosignatures, if they exist at all, is not if but when.
Finally got your blackhole book via Amazon😀about half way through! Good book! Barnes and Noble here in the states still does not carry the hardback version.
Very cool because if we find one or two examples of life with the Webb then we could build a new telescope with that information which will likely allow us rapidly find life l like how we're rapidly detecting exoplanets. I feel that finding an example of life will be a "why didn't I think of that?" moment, or like when you're searching for a missing item only to find it when somebody points it out to you when you've walked past the item multiple times.
Awesome video as always!! I am constantly impressed by the depth of your knowledge and exhuberance for astrophysics. You truly lift me up, Dr. Becky. Happy Holidays!!
I’m a shipping and receiving lead and on my 15 minute breaks I’d like to educate myself with Dr. Beckys videos. I hope to find life in outer space before I die. I’m 40 now I’ll give it another 20 years. Thanks Dr. Becky are all the information you provide us. I’ve seen lights in the sky before I work at the March Air Force base in Moval California. We just can’t talk about.
Great video! You have a knack for both explaining the subject matter while also being genuinely excited by the subject matter! Also, I love the James Webb shirt! Gonna have to find one.
Is Tabby's Star in the loop for observation? It was a constant theme running 2 years ago. This would be a good way to settle the irregular dimming a brightening the star had without speculation of Dyson Spheres, band of comets, or dust clouds.
Your guest described an exoplanet that could be 1000 degrees C hotter on its sunny side than the side away from the sun due to a lack of time to allow for thermodynamic distribution of the heat. That flies in the face of experience, because rotating an object over a fire is how we avoid burning our food, and it helps ensure an even cooking job. Think of roasting a marshmallow on a stick, or a pig on a spit at a luau.
Dr. B: would love to hear your views on the Fermi Paradox and the Drake Equation (unless I've missed it?) My thought: "intelligent" life, once it harnesses lots of energy, tends to destroy the environments it depends on, and it tends to fall into self destructive conflict. You always provide a refreshing take on confusing arguments!
Transitory clocks! It is also a study to better understand our own atmospheric changes. A way to determine whether there is something unnaturally causing change on an exoplanet could be determined by identifying atmospheric changes over prelonged periods of time. If the atmosphere has not changed for 1,ooo years, or is naturally gradual, I can sell the planet and solar system, no doubt about it. 8:04, You've found meat! I think that you need to check the first three to conclude biosignature planet. At least you know where to point your radio telescopes after making designation as biosignature planet. I'm not as interested in competing for the non-Earthlike planets, they are so plenty! I'm kind of expectant that age of star and zone for habitablity are where you should focus because the elements on world might be likely of sufficient composition. Concentrations are different not whether the elements are present. It's good for the market, transitory clocks, way to be confident that your investment won't be interfered with by some alien extraterrestrial!
Total eclipse of the heart is one of my favourite songs… mostly because it has to be BELTED out to be good. You’re my hero for losing your voice over it. I would give (almost) anything to hear that. Oh… and your explanation of exoplanets was good too. But Total Eclipse is not only on topic, it’s AWESOME!!
8:00 I am also thinking Phosphine is not created in volcanos. So that element in large amounts would not be something likely to be made by geological processes.
Thanks for the lesson! Humbling to realize the gap between our communication technologies and interstellar travel dreams may be lightyears long. We may be able to get there one day, but will we be able to efficiently relay that information back to Earth?
TRAPPIST-1 E,F,G. That would be so exciting to read/hear about those Planet's findings. Ever since I read about that System I was "dreaming" of the possibilities! Imagine if there were 2 other Planets in our Solar System that were in the Habitable Zone. How exciting would that be? There may be completely different Life on each of them , or through "Panspermia" there might be Life that traveled from 1 to the other. Thanks so much you certainly make learning all this information exciting. Your enthusiasm is very comforting for those of us that have curiosity but not the Education you have. And keeping an open mind about what Life might be like other than we currently know about.
Thank you Dr Becky for adding that extra information about how ammonia gets broken down. A few other science shows that I watch mention the photochemistry, but I was always wondering how it happened terrestrually.
I'd love to see a video about the tension of waiting to publish early, newsworthy data. If researchers caught a very strong spectroscopic whiff of life on a nearby exoplanet, the pressure and temptation to go to the press about it before it could be properly written up would be enormous. It would be great to hear your thoughts on that @DrBecky.
Oh and MelodySheep made unique Alien Designs for his Life Beyond Chapter II & III videos and he made a creature or 2 made of Neutrinos which one design looks like a mass of translucent dots that floats, I love how creative he is and doesn't make them generic, he makes a Xenomorph-looking species but the Xenomorph-like Alien has distinct differences in appearance.
Can JWST directly image Proxima B C and or D? Can JWST use or combine other detection methods> radial velocity Transit or astrometry> microlensing using the host or inbetween star?
Thank you for explaining all this in such a comprehensive way - really appreciate the well-made combination of visual and verbal information. I have a question regarding the recorded atmosphere spectrum during the planets transit in front of its star: JWST is often referred to as a telescope detecting/recording the infrared light spectrum, the range of wavelength in the red and violet light. In your pictures (around 1:30) you are showing that the intensity of wavelength over the full light spectrum is used/needed to detect certain molecule combinations as biosignatures in the planets atmosphere. How is this possible with the "infrared" data JWST provides?
As usual great video. JWST has so much work on his plate. all those result, positive or negative will be amazing. One reason often overlooked for what chemistry we are looking at is the fact that, the brick of life on earth are also the 4 most common elements in the universe. So chances are, other life will also be made from the most abundant stuff, like hydrogen, Nitrogen and carbon. it is not just that it is what we know, but also what is the more likely.
Interesting video Dr. Becky! I am certain that the JWST will open up a myriad of incredible findings about the universe and along the way create more questions than answers! BTW, finished your book and it was a terrific & enjoyable read! Highly recommended to all of your viewers that have not purchased the book yet. I am still trying to wrap my head around gravitational time dilation and Black Holes! 🤔🤔👍👍
Hi. Dr. Becky, I have enjoyed watching for a long time. Would it be possible for you to recommend other sites that are fact based. There are so many sites that produce fiction as facts about astronomy and space. " James Webb sees alien lights" "Perseverance sees buildings" . I am a retired teacher and when the web started becoming a legitimate resource for our students we all got together as teachers and produced vetted sources for our kids to use. Keep up the good work. Thanks for considering my request.
There’s so much of even the basic stuff you choose to touch on as reminders, but that I’ve only managed to retain in quantities just meaningful enough to be able to say, “oh hey, I remember that”; BUT, despite all that, listening to you talk about this stuff the way you do, it makes me feel like I can at least get on your wavelength (sorry, been listening to Miss Nina Simone’ “Suzanne” on repeat this week) and for me, that’s the most important thing. So. Thank you for that. 🙂
I love that she addresses the earth centric view so many people hold. All I know about life in the universe is that I don’t know anything about life in the universe. Great video!!
I just had wanted to note that in comment and then saw your comment. Brilliant!
That’s the beauty of life! We just don’t know
Maybe we should be looking for "life" around exoplanets that have significant amounts of chemistry focused around large amounts of singular liquid chemicals, rather than just liquid water. 😉
@@rickgernon8320 Water is just about as efficient as any solvent can get though, and it's plentiful in the Universe. This does not rule out life arising in say liquid methane, but it does make that less likely.
I love that there’s a brilliant person willing to say “I don’t know”. It’s such an important lesson to so many people who think it’s a sin to admit that, or what they think is true must be true because it feels good. The world is being torn apart by terrible epistemologies.
You are a wonderful educator and researcher. Love your videos. I'm too old (84+) and with Alzheimer's to pursue further classes, but I have you to try to learn from, Dr Becky. ❤❤
Glad I could help keep you connected to the world of astronomy Bruce!
I've learned far more about astronomy (and many other topics) from RUclips over the years than I ever did from college classes. I love that we can continue our life-long education in this way!
Sorry about the alz. Early stage dementia here. Scary stuff, good luck.
@@gwcstudio My neurologist, since retired, put me on Galantamine HBR and Memantine HCL 1 tablet twice a day. 5 years ago. Made a big difference. Also, St. Johns Wort.
@@gwcstudio Do you know that you are losing your memory? Do you still remember things? Are you going to be aware of when you transition to late stage dementia? I'm just wondering as we got someone in my family with it. And I'm in the dark.
I haven't even finished watching, and feel compelled to say how much I appreciate the DENSENESS of information in your videos, Dr. Becky. Every sentence you speak provides food for thought, but the graphics you insert to support what you say -- particularly, for me, the actual graphs -- require me to pause, read, contemplate, rewind, and re-think again and again.I love that. I think I'm a pretty well-informed student of science, but there is so much that is new going on, especially in my particular passion, astronomy! Thanks for explaining it so well, so clearly, and so enthusiastically!
And so often, too. I watch everything you put on RUclips first, then I go and watch what others have to say with my mind already prepared with what's new and interesting.
You didn't think too carefully when you wrote denseness, did you?
@@Deciheximal Sure I did. I think anyone who reads what I wrote will know just what I meant. I used the word that most clearly expresses what I think, even if, under other circumstances, it might have a very different meaning.
Couldn't you wait? Kinda disrespectful tbh, so many people comment on videos they haven't finished, smh tbh.
Thanks Paul! So great to hear you appreciate my videos
@@GetterRay This makes no sense to me at all. It's not as though I was interrupting anything other than my own watching of the video. I did finish watching after I made the comment, as I finish watching all of Dr. Becky's videos. But, whatever. 🤨
when dr. jo said "i've seen the light curves, and i honestly have never seen a light curve so beautiful before" made me so unreasonably happy. i have no idea what a good portion of what you're talking about is, but that was a real Human moment for me and it made me smile, too
Thank you, Dr. Becky, for not only sharing this with us, but also for making sure we think outside that Earth-shaped box, too. You do this so well, and your obvious enjoyment of science and sharing that science with us makes me so happy!
Great interview, too! Tell her thank you, as well!
So insightful, the best teachers have enthusiasm, you have that and incredible knowledge! I'm so intrigued by all the new research going on in science and its great to have another factual account to help me understand stuff that is normally far beyond my understanding! All the best!
I agree! Dr. Becky and Alex Filippenko come to mind as educators who constantly display that refreshing, childlike wonder and irrepressible enthusiasm for astronomy!
Having said that, I’m _much_ more interested in life possibly being found right here *in our own solar system* than in exoplanets, in the oceans under the icy surfaces of Enceladus (and/or possibly Europa), even though it would likely “only” be bacterial life…or maybe little moon fishies if we’re lucky! But to each his/her own. The big problem, as I understand it, is getting through miles of very hard ICE on those cold, sunlight-deprived moons.
Another vote for seeing Dr Becky sing "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
I recall astronomer Seth Shostak giving a talk on SETI. He mentioned there was no point in worrying about radio emissions giving us away, because atmospheric oxygen has been signalling the presence of life here for 2 billion years. Every civilization in our galaxy that might be looking for life knows we're here.
ahh very good so true
I love how excited this content gets you, I wish I was able to find something in my life that I was as excited as you are over this, I am so noncommital to anything, I dip in and out of things, I enjoy watching your videos Becky, I learn so much albeit slowly, much thanks for the hard work you put into making these video's for us.
Thank you for inviting Dr. Barstow on your show.
Hi, I'm getting your book for my birthday this Sat! Can't wait to read it!
Happy Birthday for Saturday! Hope you enjoy my book 🥳
I love that your brought on Dr. Jo Barstow. Science experts are celebrities but I'm so happy when I can put a face and name together for these important scientific experts.
Thank you Becky! Thank you for saying "Life as we know it". Bugs me when they aren't open to life being in other forms.
Our progress in space exploration is so staggering. For the first 9 years of my dads life, nothing manmade had ever left earths atmosphere. As a young man he took time off work and stayed up late to see the first moonlanding live. And now he might live to see a world where we have discovered biomarkers on an exoplanet.
Truely amazing.
As a child of 13-14, I became very curious about astronomy, and as part of that read some books about what makes a planet hospitable to life as we know it. I started a list in my head that has gradually grown from about 6 to over 20 as I have learned more. I wrote them out in response to some other posts, and I include it in the hopes that others may respond, comment, object, clarify, or add to it.
While the universe may be full of life, Earth has many things that make life as we know it possible. It has been many years since I learned this in middle school, so please be forgiving of my memory and any errors. I have also recently added to this list and clarified information as I have learned more. Please reply if you have any corrections or additions.
1: OUR STAR: Having a long-lived stable star that does not have major or quick changes in intensity and energy output yet puts out enough energy to have a goldilocks zone far enough away from the star to not have our planet become tidally locked to the sun (like Earth’s moon is to Earth, or like Mercury). Our star is big enough to put out enough energy to create a heliosphere that protects earth from most of the very dangerous interstellar radiation.
2: OUR STARS AGE AND BIRTH: Our star and solar system was formed from clouds of matter that had all the elements needed. These elements were created from matter created by fusion in earlier stars that "died". Our star has also been stable for long enough for life to evolve.
3: OUR STARS POSITION WITHIN THE GALAXY: Our star was created within the galactic “goldilocks zone” that has the right conditions for the type of stars that also have the type of solar systems and conditions making life possible.
4: OUR STAR IS RELATIVELY ALONE: Our star is not a binary and does not have other close neighbors that would affect earth’s orbit and our stars stability, or any close neighbors who went supernova. It is also in a relatively safe part of the galaxy (far from black holes, and other stellar creatures that go bump in the night).
5: OUR PLANETS ORBITAL SHAPE: Existing in the goldilocks zone is just part of it. Having a stable orbit that is not too elliptical to create major heat/cold cycles allows for stable temperatures.
6: OUR PLANETS ORBITAL INCLINATION: Earth orbits on the plane of the elliptic with the rest of the planets. While I do not remember all the reasons this is important, I do remember that that it had to do with other planets effects on our orbit are more consistent, as a polar orbit would not be as stable. It also puts earth in the area cleared of asteroids and comets by the large outer gas giants.
7: OUR PLANETS ORBITAL DISTANCE FROM THE SUN: This of course references the goldilocks zone of liquid water. It also effects the amount of harmful radiation the Earth receives from the sun.
8: OUR PLANETS AXIAL TILT: Earths 23º axial tilt allows for our seasons. This helps distribute energy throughout the biosphere and prevents the polar regions from completely freezing over. Having a larger axial tilt would negate many of our orbital inclination and shape advantages.
9: OUR PLANETS ROTATIONAL SPEED: Our planet spins fast enough to provide the energy for the rotation of our core to create a magnetic field, and to stabilize temperature swings. If the earth had a very slow, or no rotation speed, the side away from the sun would freeze, and the sunward side would boil away.
10: OUR PLANETS SIZE AND DENSITY: Our planet is large enough to have enough gravity to help keep most gases from escaping, but just low enough to allow orbital escape (Think Rocket Equation) While not being able to escape our planets gravity well is not necessarily important to life, the right levels and types of elements are.
11: OUR PLANET HAVING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS: Earth has enough radioactive elements to create the Iron Catastrophe. This made the early Earth hot enough to melt iron and allowed the planet to differentiate itself into our nickel iron core, the mantle, and the crust. Yet it was not so radioactive that it caused the buildup of excessive decay products like lead and other heavy metals, and high levels of radioactivity that would interfere with higher life forms. It has been posited recently that perhaps radioactivity was less important than Earth’s collision with a Mars sized planet that also created the moon and may have also provided the heat necessary for the iron catastrophe and allowed for Earth’s material differentiation.
12: OUR PLANETS MAGNETIC FIELD: Having a magnetic field protects earth’s atmosphere from being stripped away and protects life from much of the harmful extraterrestrial radiation. Without this protection, most of our atmosphere and water would have been boiled and stripped away (think of Mars).
13: OUR PLANETS LARGE NICKEL IRON CORE: Having a large nickel iron core that rotates faster than the rest of the planet is what helps create the dynamo that powers Earth’s magnetic field.
14: OUR PLANETS LARGE LIQUID NICKEL IRON CORE LAYER AROUND THE SOLID CORE: Having a liquid section of the nickel iron core that surrounds the solid nickel iron core allows the inner core to rotate faster than the rest of the planet and helps create the dynamo that powers Earth’s magnetic field.
15: OUR PLANETS MANTLE AND CRUST COMPOSITION: The Earth’s mantle is composed of minerals with the right plasticity to bend and stretch (0.3 Poisson’s ratio, about the same as piano wire). This allows for the mantle to circulate along with the crust material to move about on top of it causing plate tectonics.
16: OUR PLANETS PLATE TECTONICS AND VOLCANOES: Plate tectonics and their accompanied volcanoes drive the planets carbon and mineral cycle. Without plate tectonics and volcanoes, Earth would be a shallow ocean world unable to support most higher lifeforms, as most minerals needed for life would be locked up under the sea as the solid land eroded into the bottom of the ocean instead of being continually recirculated. And after the core solidified and the magnetic field decayed, the atmosphere would be stripped away by the solar winds produced by the sun. The oceans would start to boil as the pressure dropped, and then most volatile liquids would be stripped from the surface (again, Mars).
17: OUR PLANETS LARGE MOON: Having such a large moon in relation to the Earth’s size is what helps keep our nickel iron core molten, and drives plate tectonics, as its continual flexing of the Earth (tides of water and land) imparts heat energy into the earth as rotational energy is converted to heat. This is what causes longer days over time as the rotational energy is converted to heat and material movement. It also helps the crusts movements over the mantle, and stabilizes Earths rotational axis
18: OUR PLANETS LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER: Having such a large amount of water helps with stabilizing our climate, and of course, is very important in supporting life as we know it. This is posited to possibly come from impacts with one or more large comets or asteroids.
19: OUR SOLAR SYSTEMS LARGE GAS GIANTS: Having these large gas giants in our outer solar system serves to clear out asteroids and comets that would become planet and life killers. Yet having the right sort of impacts with the right sort of bodies early in Earth’s existence most likely gave us our moon and our abundant water. If we had gas giants in the inner solar system they would possibly have negative effects on Earths orbit.
20: OUR PLANETS OZONE LAYER: The ozone layer is critical to protecting the earth from certain types of radiation that harm life. The ozone layer was created by life on earth that gave off oxygen as a waste product of their metabolism. This waste became critical to other life for chemical processes that drive other types of metabolism.
That is all I can remember for now, as I am tired, and it is past my bedtime. But this was fun to try and pull up from memory all the things that make Earth special. If you can fill in, or correct my knowledge, and have read this far, please reply with it.
We are living in very exciting times with astronomy! I'm convinced that we will find evidence for life on exoplanets very soon. It's no longer a question of "if", but "when". And when that day happens, Humanity will forever be changed.
Here hoping too , when they do find bio signs it will be more incentive to build bigger telescopes in the future
Exciting stuff! And thanks to Dr. Jo Barstow! Looking forward to more from JWST around the Trappist star system!
Just to say thanks again, I do not pretend to understand everything Dr Becky shows in her videos but do understand enough to have my mind blown which I really enjoy. And it is good to know Dr Becky thinks when we find new life and many of us share her optimism.
Just wished to reiterate the sentiments of my fellow Dr. Becky subscribers and thank you again for the time you take to do this videos! Most appreciative!
Great to hear from Dr.Barstow at the OU, my alma mater where I spent sixteen years studying cultural history.
Wow. According to the Google the first detection of an exoplanet was in 1992. Now, scientists are trying to identify components of exoplanet daytime and nighttime atmospheres. Interestingly, scientists have been using this type of spectroscopic analysis during transits of Mercury and Venus. Exciting times! Thanks Dr. Becky for making it understandable!
Has it been 30 years already!?...😂😅
Unbelievable how far we've come, looks like evolution to me..:::
Thats really odd because I can distinctly recall exo planets being discovered back in the 1970s. The couple that were found were all super Jupiters and at least one of them was mentioned on the Guinness Book Of Records from the time.
Yep, the year my youngest son was born! Makes it easy for me to remember when it happened, LOL!
@@glenchapman3899 According to article on sciencefocus "Who really discovered the first exoplanet?": "During the 1960s, credit for finding the first exoplanet went to Dutch astronomer Peter van de Kamp, who claimed to have found two planets orbiting a nearby red dwarf called Barnard’s Star. Based on analysis of tiny wobbles in the star’s location over 30 years, the claim stood until the mid-1970s, when it emerged the cause was a wobbly telescope lens, not the effect of invisible planets on the star."
Probably Guinness Book Of Records just put that in their book as an actual discovery rather than an unconfirmed claim.
@@wulf2121 Thank you for that. I knew the technique was based around wobbles in the star, but I was unaware of the retraction. I just looked up de Kamp, and I am sure the reference I saw was for Lalande 21185. I just recall it so well because at them time I was in the solar systems are rare camp, boy was I happily wrong lol
Happy Christmas Becky! I just love your channel and you are a tallented educator. Loved you book too 😁
Thanks Jo & Becky... now for a little wait of just a few months more... funny how we waited so long for JWST to launch, now we also have to wait for the results... oh, tense, so tense...
Kurzgesagt just did a video on black hole stars. Because you're an astrophysicist (especially interested in black holes), I'm curious what your thoughts are on the possible existence of them in the early universe and if/how JWST can help us uncover their existence/non-existence. Furthermore, what that means for the development of the universe?
Saw that today. Really good video.
Not only is oxygen necessary for some life forms (ours for example) it is also created by life. Oxygen is, as most of us know, very reactive with other elements like iron. Earth’s oxygen was initially locked in all sorts if compounds and not at all in its free state. It took bacteria and later on photosynthesis to unlock it.
Probably main points are energy source, stable environment. Even on earth we have Henneguya salminicola, which doesn't use oxygen.
Yeah, I was gonna mention this too. Mollecular oxygen is _more_ of a waste product of life than carbon dioxide is. If life disappeared from Earth, all the oxygen in the atmosphere would slowly react with whatever it could (which, as it turns out, is almost everything) and a few hundred thousand years later, there wouldn't be enough mollecular oxygen left to detect. There are very few non-biological, natural processes that produce mollecular oxygen, and it would be unlikely to find enough of the processes that do to offset the natural tendency of oxygen to react with stuff, so it's just about as perfect a marker for life as you can get (that's not to say we shouldn't look for others, though).
Question: if we do find oxygen on another planet, how likely is it that it's a result of life? Are there other, more common explanations for the creation of oxygen?
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 It's hard to know what is more or less common since the only planet we know of with substantial mollecular oxygen is Earth. There are non-biological sources of oxygen, but you'd need a _lot_ of that process to maintain the level of oxygen we see on Earth. One such process is a photocatalytic reaction of titanium oxide in sunlight. I don't think we know how likely it is to find a planet with enough of this process occurring to produce a relatively oxygen-rich atmosphere, but I'm pretty sure it's assumed to be low.
That said, that's also another reason to look for other biomarkers. If you find one biomarker, say an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, that's not enough to be confident there's life, but, if you find four or five or more, you might want to think about booking a very big auditorium for the announcement.
The logic says that the more we advance with our telescopes etc. the more likely an alien overlord will stop us or take our planet. I'm not terribly worried because I don't think there's intelligent life within 10 million lys. Anyone?
Love learning from people that are so passionate.
I think we need to hear this Total Eclipse of the Heart cover.
Wonderful explanation of spectroscopy, cleared up some misunderstandings I had. Subscribed!
I’ve been as excited as you are about this subject for over 10 years
I love this channel! I'll be teaching year 12 about the information known from stars next term and this video really helps to go beyond the curriculum.
Many thanks Becky
hahaha... My first thought goes back 50+ years (via reruns) ..."I'm a doctor not a brick layer!" Star Trek - Dr. McCoy - “The Devil in the Dark“ episode. They were dealing with a silicon based life form and the creature was injured. The gaping wound was oozing lava, as blood, or at least that's how the visual was meant to look. (You can find the clip on RUclips of the quote.)
I love that description at 12:54 "JWST will be the first telescope sensitive enough to potentially characterize terrestrial planets from their transmission spectra." It's so cool that we have an observatory sitting in the deep-cold in space and it's been calibrated to discover chemical biosignatures on invisible planets!
Perhaps it’s because I’m American and I have a fascination with the accents, but channels like this and Cool Worlds are my favorites to watch for these topics.
Easy to listen to and to follow. Two of the best I’ve found.
Hi Dr Becky. Are you getting much data regarding your field of super massive black holes from JWST. If so can we get some information regarding this.
Keep up this awesome channel. Your work is amazing 😉
Okay I randomly found your channel now I’m madly watching everything on your channel! I love it all
I always wondered why scientists were always looking for life as we know it on earth. It seemed very closed minded to me that they didn't expect any other forms of life different from us. It's so nice to see that I was wrong in thinking that! This is great information and I will definitely be looking forward for the next months! Thanks for making this video ❤
Any combination of molecules that “shouldn’t” coexist because they tend to react with each other is the most likely biosignature, probably oxygen and something else like methane.
the scientist always look for money. they are like the church.
Truly appreciate the thoroughness of your notes. The links in one place? Gold Mine! Thanks Becky.
I think we've heard from Dr. Barstow before -- WONDERFUL learning interview. Thank you !
I love how you break everything down so everyone else can understand. I hate watching videos when they just say the facts but never explain what it is they are saying. Thank you for all you are doing to give knowledge to everyone else. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
I dreamed all my life to experience moment when we empirically could confirm that life exist on different planets than Earth. I'm one of those people who think that life does exist not only on Earth so I do not need evidence to feel what I do feel and think about it, BUT can you imagine that news in mainstream media and every else - life on this planet is not only exist!
Obviously, Im not sure if detecting bio signatures might be classified as comfirmation of life existence but what so ever that will do me!
I can't wait to see what JWST finds! It's so exciting to think about the possibility of discovering alien life. Keep us updated on the progress and any new findings!
Us, as a species, has discovered so much in just the last 500 years. I get uber excited imagining a species that has done it for thousands!
One worry I have is, what if our signals reach an intelligent species, but it's one that's a bit behind us on technology and can't receive our messages?
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Yeah. They'd be no better than where we are now I guess. We can receive messages now but what the heck do we do with them? 😄
Becky, I'm a huge Trekkie so the only thing that sprang to mind when you were saying "it's life but not as we know it" was the Spock line from Star Trekkin' by The Firm where he says "It's life Jim but not as we know it"! 😀
Is there a schedule somewhere for what JWST is gonna look at when? I've looked for one when it first launched, but couldn't find one.
Yes, Dr B has covered it before, I don't have the details. I searched on "JWST Weekly Observing Schedules" and I found it easily.
Yep, linked in the video description 👍
Drs, thank you for not dismissing the idea for life as we don't know it. If, and I know it's a big if, we ever manage to travel between the stars an open mind will be essential.
I wonder if aliens make movies about their planet being invaded by violent bipeds?
Nice to hear the word "earthcentric" we are actually thinking life is not necessarily as what we have here, an open mind is required, glad to see it is in place
Is that a JWST badge Dr Barstow is wearing?
Yep! There’s lots of stores making JWST pin badges. I featured one on my gift guide a few weeks ago
I love the way you express complex concepts in an interesting and energetic way. My interest in this field has increased a lot cause of your channel. Regards from Kashmir. ❤️
It's nice to see Becky has become very like an anchor lady of *Interstellar Astrophysics* news. Magnificent insights of the guests knowledge. JWST is a replica of a deep space weather telescope, surely will find life.
Really super fascinating video Dr. Becky! Thanks so much for this!!
I really like and admire your enthusiasm for other completely different lines of science outside of your specialty with Black Holes and their interactions with their host galaxies. There are apparently so many areas of science that will be enriched by the observations and discoveries we will make with JWST! What a great time to be here experiencing this awesome expansion in our knowledge of Science and the Universe!!
Ah, yes, the necessary BUT NOT SUFFICIENT signs of life! Reminding us not to jump to conclusions. 🙂
And we don't even know what's necessary, only what's necessary for our specific experience of life. :) The challenge is daunting, but the possibilities extremely exciting.
It is certain that All life in the Universe is carbon based! No other set of chemical elements regardless of the environment could create life as we know it i.e. to eat (i.e. metabolism), to grow, to reproduce, to be capable of evolution (i.e. the cycle of variation, selection, recombination, repeat). Why? BECAUSE, THE RELATIVE STRENGTH AND THE DIVERSITY OF CHEMICALL BONDS REQUIRED DOES NOT HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE PERIODIC TABLE!.
Thanks
“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe, or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” ― Arthur C. Clarke
Well I know Clarke once said that but it only reflects his own biases. I don't find either notion particularly terrifying. Because of the great distances separating us from other possible intelligent beings there is no threat and it is only of an amusing academic interest because we could never visit them or even see them.
@@txmike1945 or communicate in a timely manner, only we find some in for example our own solar system.
@@txmike1945 This paragraph only applies if we are certain that the species that we do find have intestellar travel capabilities and/or it is possible to travel intestellar for species.
The third possibility is that we do not care because we are the Universe trying to comprehend itself.
ken , this has been posted on virtually every space video since the birth of the internet , but yeah take care ))
@DrBecky, Hi Becky, just wanted to let you know I loved your book. Also it is currently the book of the week in the Grassington bookshop - The Stripey Badger (bookshop doubles as the grocery shop in All Creatures Great and Small). Hope you had a great Christmas and wishing you a prosperous New Year x
One thing that would be awesome to see is evidence of industrial pollution. I also know that, we're highly unlikely to spot anything of the sort though.
What about hydrogen sulfide as the lunch pin
*linchpin
Hydrogen sulfide is a naturally occurring gas.
It is largely associated with crude oil, which sometimes seeps out of the ground by itself.
The question we all want answered! And I agree that JWST is going to detect biosignatures sooner or later.
Btw, normally I wouldn’t mention anything like this but in addition to being really good at doing science videos, omg you have amazing skin, it looks flawless!
What about on Exomoons
I think I agree with Dr. Barstow that there would be so many opportunities to find results that could kindle existential terror even more than to find those which kindle hope. I also agree with you that the chance us detecting biosignatures, if they exist at all, is not if but when.
Another great video from Dr Becky, I love when you have these guest SMEs on!
Finally got your blackhole book via Amazon😀about half way through! Good book! Barnes and Noble here in the states still does not carry the hardback version.
Answered so many questions that I'd had for a long time. Thanks Dr. Becky, this is brilliant!
Thanks for this video, enjoyed watching it in the Netherlands.
Very cool because if we find one or two examples of life with the Webb then we could build a new telescope with that information which will likely allow us rapidly find life l like how we're rapidly detecting exoplanets. I feel that finding an example of life will be a "why didn't I think of that?" moment, or like when you're searching for a missing item only to find it when somebody points it out to you when you've walked past the item multiple times.
Another great and informative video, thanks Dr. Becky!
Awesome video as always!! I am constantly impressed by the depth of your knowledge and exhuberance for astrophysics. You truly lift me up, Dr. Becky.
Happy Holidays!!
Thank you Dr. Becky & Dr. Jo!
What kind of name is Jo.
So we're only months away from getting some info from 2 sources?
Sweet! 😋
Dr Jo is a treat!
I’m a shipping and receiving lead and on my 15 minute breaks I’d like to educate myself with Dr. Beckys videos. I hope to find life in outer space before I die. I’m 40 now I’ll give it another 20 years. Thanks Dr. Becky are all the information you provide us. I’ve seen lights in the sky before I work at the March Air Force base in Moval California. We just can’t talk about.
Great video! You have a knack for both explaining the subject matter while also being genuinely excited by the subject matter! Also, I love the James Webb shirt! Gonna have to find one.
Look right above the comments and click on "show more", then go down to the website shown for ordering merchandise.
Happy Christmas to you Dr.Becky and a wonderful New year as well. Love the bloopers.
I loved the little song parody in the bloopers! Haha. Excellent video, thank you. Also, I prefer no fewer than 3 negatives haha 🤣
Is Tabby's Star in the loop for observation? It was a constant theme running 2 years ago. This would be a good way to settle the irregular dimming a brightening the star had without speculation of Dyson Spheres, band of comets, or dust clouds.
Your guest described an exoplanet that could be 1000 degrees C hotter on its sunny side than the side away from the sun due to a lack of time to allow for thermodynamic distribution of the heat. That flies in the face of experience, because rotating an object over a fire is how we avoid burning our food, and it helps ensure an even cooking job. Think of roasting a marshmallow on a stick, or a pig on a spit at a luau.
🙂 I think there might be a slight difference between a marshmallow and a planet near its sun. 🙂
Dr. B: would love to hear your views on the Fermi Paradox and the Drake Equation (unless I've missed it?) My thought: "intelligent" life, once it harnesses lots of energy, tends to destroy the environments it depends on, and it tends to fall into self destructive conflict. You always provide a refreshing take on confusing arguments!
Transitory clocks! It is also a study to better understand our own atmospheric changes. A way to determine whether there is something unnaturally causing change on an exoplanet could be determined by identifying atmospheric changes over prelonged periods of time. If the atmosphere has not changed for 1,ooo years, or is naturally gradual, I can sell the planet and solar system, no doubt about it. 8:04, You've found meat! I think that you need to check the first three to conclude biosignature planet. At least you know where to point your radio telescopes after making designation as biosignature planet. I'm not as interested in competing for the non-Earthlike planets, they are so plenty! I'm kind of expectant that age of star and zone for habitablity are where you should focus because the elements on world might be likely of sufficient composition. Concentrations are different not whether the elements are present. It's good for the market, transitory clocks, way to be confident that your investment won't be interfered with by some alien extraterrestrial!
Total eclipse of the heart is one of my favourite songs… mostly because it has to be BELTED out to be good. You’re my hero for losing your voice over it. I would give (almost) anything to hear that.
Oh… and your explanation of exoplanets was good too. But Total Eclipse is not only on topic, it’s AWESOME!!
8:00 I am also thinking Phosphine is not created in volcanos. So that element in large amounts would not be something likely to be made by geological processes.
Thanks for the lesson! Humbling to realize the gap between our communication technologies and interstellar travel dreams may be lightyears long.
We may be able to get there one day, but will we be able to efficiently relay that information back to Earth?
I commented before I finished the video, you just answered my question Thank you doctor B.
Can’t wait to follow the JWST news. Creates a bit of the scientist in all of us.
Lovely video! Very lucidly and engagingly explained!
Loved this video format!
Glad you liked it!!
TRAPPIST-1 E,F,G. That would be so exciting to read/hear about those Planet's findings. Ever since I read about that System I was "dreaming" of the possibilities! Imagine if there were 2 other Planets in our Solar System that were in the Habitable Zone. How exciting would that be? There may be completely different Life on each of them , or through "Panspermia" there might be Life that traveled from 1 to the other. Thanks so much you certainly make learning all this information exciting. Your enthusiasm is very comforting for those of us that have curiosity but not the Education you have. And keeping an open mind about what Life might be like other than we currently know about.
Good Stuff! Thanks Dr Becky
Thank you Dr Becky for adding that extra information about how ammonia gets broken down. A few other science shows that I watch mention the photochemistry, but I was always wondering how it happened terrestrually.
Dear Becky thank you, was really interesting, sitting on edge of my seat hoping for information on life on other planets, many thanks 🙏.
I'd love to see a video about the tension of waiting to publish early, newsworthy data. If researchers caught a very strong spectroscopic whiff of life on a nearby exoplanet, the pressure and temptation to go to the press about it before it could be properly written up would be enormous. It would be great to hear your thoughts on that @DrBecky.
Oh and MelodySheep made unique Alien Designs for his Life Beyond Chapter II & III videos and he made a creature or 2 made of Neutrinos which one design looks like a mass of translucent dots that floats, I love how creative he is and doesn't make them generic, he makes a Xenomorph-looking species but the Xenomorph-like Alien has distinct differences in appearance.
Can JWST directly image Proxima B C and or D? Can JWST use or combine other detection methods> radial velocity Transit or astrometry> microlensing using the host or inbetween star?
Thank you for explaining all this in such a comprehensive way - really appreciate the well-made combination of visual and verbal information. I have a question regarding the recorded atmosphere spectrum during the planets transit in front of its star: JWST is often referred to as a telescope detecting/recording the infrared light spectrum, the range of wavelength in the red and violet light. In your pictures (around 1:30) you are showing that the intensity of wavelength over the full light spectrum is used/needed to detect certain molecule combinations as biosignatures in the planets atmosphere. How is this possible with the "infrared" data JWST provides?
I love your videos. You explain all your subjects in "normal" English. You remind me of the late Carl Sagan with your enthusiasm.
As usual great video. JWST has so much work on his plate. all those result, positive or negative will be amazing.
One reason often overlooked for what chemistry we are looking at is the fact that, the brick of life on earth are also the 4 most common elements in the universe. So chances are, other life will also be made from the most abundant stuff, like hydrogen, Nitrogen and carbon. it is not just that it is what we know, but also what is the more likely.
thanks for the update dr becky
Interesting video Dr. Becky! I am certain that the JWST will open up a myriad of incredible findings about the universe and along the way create more questions than answers! BTW, finished your book and it was a terrific & enjoyable read! Highly recommended to all of your viewers that have not purchased the book yet. I am still trying to wrap my head around gravitational time dilation and Black Holes! 🤔🤔👍👍
Hi. Dr. Becky, I have enjoyed watching for a long time. Would it be possible for you to recommend other sites that are fact based. There are so many sites that produce fiction as facts about astronomy and space. " James Webb sees alien lights" "Perseverance sees buildings" . I am a retired teacher and when the web started becoming a legitimate resource for our students we all got together as teachers and produced vetted sources for our kids to use. Keep up the good work. Thanks for considering my request.
I finally got your book! Love the Hamilton footnote on page 60 lol
Haha you're welcome! I think the footnotes are my favourite part
There’s so much of even the basic stuff you choose to touch on as reminders, but that I’ve only managed to retain in quantities just meaningful enough to be able to say, “oh hey, I remember that”; BUT, despite all that, listening to you talk about this stuff the way you do, it makes me feel like I can at least get on your wavelength (sorry, been listening to Miss Nina Simone’ “Suzanne” on repeat this week) and for me, that’s the most important thing. So. Thank you for that. 🙂
Dr. Becky gives off strong Kim Possible vibes and I'm 100% here for it!
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dr becky is a inspiration!!
if you see this! im 16 and i really wanna be a astrophysicst
Amazing! All the best with your studies