JWST is hunting for these FOUR signs of alien life - WHERE, WHEN & HOW will we find it?!

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  • Опубликовано: 11 июн 2024
  • Visit brilliant.org/DrBecky/ to get started learning STEM for free, and the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual premium subscription.
    #jwst #life #exoplanets
    “The Conversation” article by Dr Jo Barstow that inspired this video - theconversation.com/four-ways...
    More about Dr Jo Barstow - www.open.ac.uk/people/jkb298
    Follow Jo on Twitter - / drjovian
    Follow Jo on Mastodon - mastodon.online/@drjovian
    NASA's JWST blog: blogs.nasa.gov/webb/
    JWST's weekly observing schedule: www.stsci.edu/jwst/science-ex...
    JWST raw data archive access (public images and spectra available to download free) - mast.stsci.edu/portal/Mashup/...
    Alderson et al. (2022; SO2 found in WASP-39b with JWST) - arxiv.org/pdf/2211.10488.pdf
    Lyons et al. (2022; history of Oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere review) - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
    Holland et al. (2006; oxygen levels in Earth’s atmosphere with time) - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
    Greaves et al. (2021; phosphine in Venus’s atmosphere) - arxiv.org/pdf/2009.06593.pdf
    Sousa-Silva et al. (2020; phosphine as a biosignature) - arxiv.org/pdf/1910.05224.pdf
    Huang et al. (2022; ammonia as a biosignature) - arxiv.org/pdf/2107.12424.pdf
    Thompson et al. (2022; methane as a biosignature) - arxiv.org/pdf/2204.04257.pdf
    Barstow & Irwin (2016; expectations for JWST and the TRAPPIST-1 system) - arxiv.org/pdf/1605.07352.pdf
    Barstow et al. (2016; telling the difference between Venus-like and Earth-like exoplanets) - arxiv.org/pdf/1602.08277.pdf
    Mikal-Evans et al. (2022; HST phase curve of WASP-121b) - arxiv.org/pdf/2202.09884.pdf
    Phosphine on Venus Night Sky News video - • Is there life on Venus...
    Contesting phosphine on Venus discovery Night Sky news video - studio.ruclips.net/user/videomjbK...
    00:00 - Introduction
    00:46 - What is a biosignature and how do we find them?
    03:11 - 1) Oxygen & Ozone
    04:53 - 2) Phosphine & Ammonia
    07:04 - 3) Methane & Carbon Dioxide
    08:13 - 4) Unexpected molecule combinations
    09:58- Chat with Dr Jo Barstow (where & when will we find biosignatures with JWST?)
    16:16 - Outro
    16:45 - Brilliant
    18:02 - Bloopers
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    👩🏽‍💻 I'm Dr. Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford (Christ Church). I love making videos about science with an unnatural level of enthusiasm. I like to focus on how we know things, not just what we know. And especially, the things we still don't know. If you've ever wondered about something in space and couldn't find an answer online - you can ask me! My day job is to do research into how supermassive black holes can affect the galaxies that they live in. In particular, I look at whether the energy output from the disk of material orbiting around a growing supermassive black hole can stop a galaxy from forming stars.
    drbecky.uk.com
    rebeccasmethurst.co.uk
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Комментарии • 1 тыс.

  • @ashmomofboys
    @ashmomofboys Год назад +285

    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!!

    • @pavnazwisko9196
      @pavnazwisko9196 Год назад +4

      I just had wanted to note that in comment and then saw your comment. Brilliant!

    • @Garrett0329
      @Garrett0329 Год назад +4

      That’s the beauty of life! We just don’t know

    • @rickgernon8320
      @rickgernon8320 Год назад +2

      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. 😉

    • @alangarland8571
      @alangarland8571 Год назад +13

      @@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.

    • @tiafolla
      @tiafolla Год назад +7

      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.

  • @bruceharrington1429
    @bruceharrington1429 Год назад +191

    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. ❤❤

    • @DrBecky
      @DrBecky  Год назад +58

      Glad I could help keep you connected to the world of astronomy Bruce!

    • @fugithegreat
      @fugithegreat Год назад +12

      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
      @gwcstudio Год назад +7

      Sorry about the alz. Early stage dementia here. Scary stuff, good luck.

    • @bruceharrington1429
      @bruceharrington1429 Год назад +4

      @@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.

    • @SuperYtc1
      @SuperYtc1 Год назад +1

      @@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.

  • @TomHill-xh7ec
    @TomHill-xh7ec Год назад +4

    Another vote for seeing Dr Becky sing "Total Eclipse of the Heart"

  • @paulkinzer7661
    @paulkinzer7661 Год назад +88

    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
      @Deciheximal Год назад

      You didn't think too carefully when you wrote denseness, did you?

    • @paulkinzer7661
      @paulkinzer7661 Год назад +6

      @@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
      @GetterRay Год назад

      Couldn't you wait? Kinda disrespectful tbh, so many people comment on videos they haven't finished, smh tbh.

    • @DrBecky
      @DrBecky  Год назад +6

      Thanks Paul! So great to hear you appreciate my videos

    • @paulkinzer7661
      @paulkinzer7661 Год назад +5

      @@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. 🤨

  • @Luke-qj5jn
    @Luke-qj5jn Год назад +5

    Hi, I'm getting your book for my birthday this Sat! Can't wait to read it!

    • @DrBecky
      @DrBecky  Год назад +2

      Happy Birthday for Saturday! Hope you enjoy my book 🥳

  • @MaryAnnNytowl
    @MaryAnnNytowl Год назад +9

    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!

  • @dazedsam
    @dazedsam Год назад +1

    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

  • @taylorsmith8038
    @taylorsmith8038 Год назад +48

    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!

    • @ahcapella
      @ahcapella Год назад

      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.

  • @genuinelydisingenuous2374
    @genuinelydisingenuous2374 Год назад +6

    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.

  • @georgepucula9034
    @georgepucula9034 Год назад +50

    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!

    • @joshroolf1966
      @joshroolf1966 Год назад +5

      Has it been 30 years already!?...😂😅
      Unbelievable how far we've come, looks like evolution to me..:::

    • @glenchapman3899
      @glenchapman3899 Год назад +1

      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.

    • @MaryAnnNytowl
      @MaryAnnNytowl Год назад +3

      Yep, the year my youngest son was born! Makes it easy for me to remember when it happened, LOL!

    • @wulf2121
      @wulf2121 Год назад +2

      @@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.

    • @glenchapman3899
      @glenchapman3899 Год назад

      @@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

  • @Darisiabgal7573
    @Darisiabgal7573 Год назад +1

    Thank you for inviting Dr. Barstow on your show.

  • @dallasgrant
    @dallasgrant Год назад +12

    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.

  • @Richieguy10
    @Richieguy10 Год назад +5

    Happy Christmas Becky! I just love your channel and you are a tallented educator. Loved you book too 😁

  • @arthurcamargo8416
    @arthurcamargo8416 Год назад +3

    Exciting stuff! And thanks to Dr. Jo Barstow! Looking forward to more from JWST around the Trappist star system!

  • @LEDewey_MD
    @LEDewey_MD Год назад +2

    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.

    • @bonysminiatures3123
      @bonysminiatures3123 Год назад

      Here hoping too , when they do find bio signs it will be more incentive to build bigger telescopes in the future

  • @Allenar4
    @Allenar4 Год назад +1

    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.

  • @lambeausouth1
    @lambeausouth1 Год назад +7

    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!

  • @GoCoyote
    @GoCoyote Год назад +6

    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.

  • @DariusRoland
    @DariusRoland Год назад +1

    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!!

  • @johnstrawb3521
    @johnstrawb3521 Год назад

    Truly appreciate the thoroughness of your notes. The links in one place? Gold Mine! Thanks Becky.

  • @xvgarnet
    @xvgarnet Год назад +19

    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 ❤

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Год назад +1

      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.

    • @reasonerenlightened2456
      @reasonerenlightened2456 Год назад

      the scientist always look for money. they are like the church.

  • @FrancisFjordCupola
    @FrancisFjordCupola Год назад +4

    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...

  • @airfiero4772
    @airfiero4772 Год назад +1

    Another great and informative video, thanks Dr. Becky!

  • @lilyharyett353
    @lilyharyett353 4 месяца назад

    Okay I randomly found your channel now I’m madly watching everything on your channel! I love it all

  • @gofres
    @gofres Год назад +5

    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

  • @Tm0g762
    @Tm0g762 Год назад +7

    Wonderful explanation of spectroscopy, cleared up some misunderstandings I had. Subscribed!

  • @sodus9996
    @sodus9996 Год назад

    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

  • @theshowmanuk
    @theshowmanuk Год назад +1

    Great video Dr.Becky. Very interesting and informative.

  • @GraINsOFsandLOVE
    @GraINsOFsandLOVE Год назад +8

    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?

  • @BigZebraCom
    @BigZebraCom Год назад +7

    I wonder if aliens make movies about their planet being invaded by violent bipeds?

  • @cyankirkpatrick5194
    @cyankirkpatrick5194 Год назад

    Happy Christmas to you Dr.Becky and a wonderful New year as well. Love the bloopers.

  • @Vicnsi
    @Vicnsi Год назад

    Answered so many questions that I'd had for a long time. Thanks Dr. Becky, this is brilliant!

  • @johnkochen7264
    @johnkochen7264 Год назад +24

    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.

    • @doychinkutsarov9866
      @doychinkutsarov9866 Год назад

      Probably main points are energy source, stable environment. Even on earth we have Henneguya salminicola, which doesn't use oxygen.

    • @StarkRG
      @StarkRG Год назад +1

      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).

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Год назад

      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?

    • @StarkRG
      @StarkRG Год назад +1

      @@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.

    • @jerbib9598
      @jerbib9598 Год назад

      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?

  • @BearsnBrews
    @BearsnBrews Год назад +3

    Love learning from people that are so passionate.
    I think we need to hear this Total Eclipse of the Heart cover.

  • @toddgreener
    @toddgreener Год назад

    I’ve been as excited as you are about this subject for over 10 years

  • @alexz1104
    @alexz1104 Год назад

    Another great video from Dr Becky, I love when you have these guest SMEs on!

  • @happyhome41
    @happyhome41 Год назад +3

    I think we've heard from Dr. Barstow before -- WONDERFUL learning interview. Thank you !

  • @johnferry7670
    @johnferry7670 Год назад +7

    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 😉

  • @Trench777
    @Trench777 Год назад

    Thank you Dr. Becky & Dr. Jo!

    • @mth469
      @mth469 Год назад

      What kind of name is Jo.

  • @anthonygroeblinghoff3184
    @anthonygroeblinghoff3184 Год назад

    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.

    • @txmike1945
      @txmike1945 Год назад

      Look right above the comments and click on "show more", then go down to the website shown for ordering merchandise.

  • @yrobtsvt
    @yrobtsvt Год назад +4

    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!

  • @pavnazwisko9196
    @pavnazwisko9196 Год назад +3

    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!

  • @yomogami4561
    @yomogami4561 Год назад

    thanks for the update dr becky

  • @martynspooner5822
    @martynspooner5822 Год назад +1

    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.

  • @frankenoise
    @frankenoise Год назад +8

    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!

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Год назад

      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?

    • @frankenoise
      @frankenoise Год назад +1

      @@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? 😄

  • @johnaustin704
    @johnaustin704 Год назад +19

    Ah, yes, the necessary BUT NOT SUFFICIENT signs of life! Reminding us not to jump to conclusions. 🙂

    • @IstasPumaNevada
      @IstasPumaNevada Год назад +5

      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.

    • @reasonerenlightened2456
      @reasonerenlightened2456 Год назад

      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!.

  • @kerbalSpaceForce
    @kerbalSpaceForce Год назад

    Loved this video format!

    • @DrBecky
      @DrBecky  Год назад

      Glad you liked it!!

  • @andrewhird5373
    @andrewhird5373 Год назад

    @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

  • @caw25sha
    @caw25sha Год назад +3

    Is that a JWST badge Dr Barstow is wearing?

    • @DrBecky
      @DrBecky  Год назад +1

      Yep! There’s lots of stores making JWST pin badges. I featured one on my gift guide a few weeks ago

  • @Gnoccy
    @Gnoccy Год назад +3

    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.

    • @txmike1945
      @txmike1945 Год назад +1

      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.

    • @DrBecky
      @DrBecky  Год назад +2

      Yep, linked in the video description 👍

  • @zombiedad
    @zombiedad Год назад

    Good Stuff! Thanks Dr Becky

  • @nappingkitty4567
    @nappingkitty4567 Год назад

    Lovely video! Very lucidly and engagingly explained!

  • @rolflandale2565
    @rolflandale2565 Год назад +3

    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.

  • @alecburrett7482
    @alecburrett7482 Год назад +3

    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.

  • @ariedekker7350
    @ariedekker7350 Год назад +1

    Thanks for this video, enjoyed watching it in the Netherlands.

  • @deanlawson6880
    @deanlawson6880 Год назад +2

    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!!

  • @KentheDeer
    @KentheDeer Год назад +8

    “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe, or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” ― Arthur C. Clarke

    • @txmike1945
      @txmike1945 Год назад +3

      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.

    • @autohmae
      @autohmae Год назад +1

      @@txmike1945 or communicate in a timely manner, only we find some in for example our own solar system.

    • @ifirespondiamstupid7750
      @ifirespondiamstupid7750 Год назад +1

      @@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.

    • @reasonerenlightened2456
      @reasonerenlightened2456 Год назад

      The third possibility is that we do not care because we are the Universe trying to comprehend itself.

    • @bonysminiatures3123
      @bonysminiatures3123 Год назад

      ken , this has been posted on virtually every space video since the birth of the internet , but yeah take care ))

  • @osmosisjones4912
    @osmosisjones4912 Год назад +3

    What about hydrogen sulfide as the lunch pin

    • @Eidolon1andOnly
      @Eidolon1andOnly Год назад +2

      *linchpin

    • @spacemissing
      @spacemissing Год назад +1

      Hydrogen sulfide is a naturally occurring gas.
      It is largely associated with crude oil, which sometimes seeps out of the ground by itself.

  • @Apollost
    @Apollost Год назад +2

    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!

  • @Garrett0329
    @Garrett0329 Год назад +1

    Thanks for your insight Dr. Becky! Keep it up! I love your videos a lot ❤😊

  • @osmosisjones4912
    @osmosisjones4912 Год назад +3

    What about on Exomoons

  • @DouwedeJong
    @DouwedeJong Год назад

    Thanks for making this video. I learned a lot.

  • @ABCKorpi
    @ABCKorpi Год назад +1

    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.

  • @hottiepippen
    @hottiepippen Год назад

    Diggin the bloopers at the end. Thanks for all the info. Always curious how they measured stuff on planets.

  • @neoanderson7
    @neoanderson7 Год назад

    I completely agree.. it's just a matter of when... 😀
    Look forward to the full video with Dr. Jo.

  • @adriancopping1253
    @adriancopping1253 Год назад

    Dear Becky thank you, was really interesting, sitting on edge of my seat hoping for information on life on other planets, many thanks 🙏.

  • @sapelesteve
    @sapelesteve Год назад

    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! 🤔🤔👍👍

  • @BOTA099
    @BOTA099 Год назад

    Good Been waiting for it to review Trappist

  • @basilarjmand3980
    @basilarjmand3980 Год назад

    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. ❤️

  • @romado59
    @romado59 Год назад

    Great Topic!

  • @atamigaputer
    @atamigaputer Год назад

    so exciting to have the tools up there to do this stuff

  • @grahampaulkendrick7845
    @grahampaulkendrick7845 Год назад

    Great to hear from Dr.Barstow at the OU, my alma mater where I spent sixteen years studying cultural history.

  • @simoncordell1327
    @simoncordell1327 Год назад

    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"! 😀

  • @dethspud
    @dethspud Год назад +1

    So we're only months away from getting some info from 2 sources?
    Sweet! 😋
    Dr Jo is a treat!

  • @HInc7647
    @HInc7647 Год назад

    Looking forward to the follow up !

  • @pwhite2579
    @pwhite2579 Год назад +1

    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.

  • @m4yh3m121
    @m4yh3m121 Год назад +2

    Becky for prez!

  • @thecoulee1121
    @thecoulee1121 Год назад

    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.

  • @TheGhostPariah
    @TheGhostPariah Год назад

    I loved the little song parody in the bloopers! Haha. Excellent video, thank you. Also, I prefer no fewer than 3 negatives haha 🤣

  • @djrom3o
    @djrom3o Год назад

    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.

  • @arthurmello8699
    @arthurmello8699 Год назад

    I commented before I finished the video, you just answered my question Thank you doctor B.

  • @Joel.Gonsalves
    @Joel.Gonsalves Год назад

    Thank you Dr. Becky and Jo for their insights on ET.👽

  • @boboften9952
    @boboften9952 Год назад

    Thank you Dr Becky .

    • @boboften9952
      @boboften9952 Год назад

      " What Bloopers ? "
      " it's all recorded perfectly "
      " in one take "
      " Surely of course "
      LoL

  • @WESSERPARAQUAT
    @WESSERPARAQUAT Год назад

    amazing dr Beck

  • @ramiroguerrero6331
    @ramiroguerrero6331 Год назад +2

    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

  • @learnpianofastonline
    @learnpianofastonline Год назад +1

    I enjoyed your interview with the other astrophysicist whose name I cannot recall at the moment but it was very good.

  • @daveturner5305
    @daveturner5305 Год назад

    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.

  • @toxictony4230
    @toxictony4230 Год назад

    Loving the Blockbusters t-shirt. ;)

  • @artistanthony1007
    @artistanthony1007 Год назад

    Can't wait for this, I expect amazing results because they're closer.

  • @BlackHoleForge
    @BlackHoleForge Год назад +2

    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.

  • @1isaacperkins
    @1isaacperkins Год назад

    Your brilliant Dr Becky

  • @theworm1199
    @theworm1199 Год назад +1

    I finally got your book! Love the Hamilton footnote on page 60 lol

    • @DrBecky
      @DrBecky  Год назад +2

      Haha you're welcome! I think the footnotes are my favourite part

  • @Joe2328
    @Joe2328 Год назад

    great channel, you are very good teacher. We are looking at future Sky at Night presenter here!

  • @StreetComp
    @StreetComp Год назад +2

    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!

  • @RichardRoger1966
    @RichardRoger1966 Год назад +1

    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.)

  • @jmd1743
    @jmd1743 Год назад +2

    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.

  • @AndrewJohnson-oy8oj
    @AndrewJohnson-oy8oj 3 месяца назад

    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.

  • @sethtenrec
    @sethtenrec Год назад

    Can’t wait to follow the JWST news. Creates a bit of the scientist in all of us.

  • @robertadams6606
    @robertadams6606 Год назад

    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.

  • @sylak2112
    @sylak2112 Год назад

    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.