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00:00:01,869 --> 00:00:05,838
Narrator:
ACROSS THE WORLD, ASTRONOMERS
ARE LOCKED IN A RACE.
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00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,574
THEY WANT TO BE THE FIRST
TO DISCOVER A MOON
3
00:00:08,576 --> 00:00:13,345
OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM --
A SO-CALLED EXOMOON.
4
00:00:13,347 --> 00:00:16,882
BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM --
THEY CAN'T FIND ANY.
5
00:00:16,884 --> 00:00:18,384
Oluseyi:
WHAT'S WEIRD ABOUT THIS IS THAT
6
00:00:18,386 --> 00:00:21,587
THERE'S LIKELY
TRILLIONS OF EXOMOONS.
7
00:00:21,589 --> 00:00:24,089
Narrator:
ASTRONOMERS HAVE FOUND
THOUSANDS OF PLANETS
8
00:00:24,091 --> 00:00:26,392
ORBITING DISTANT STARS,
9
00:00:26,394 --> 00:00:29,595
BUT NONE OF THEM
APPEAR TO HAVE MOONS.
10
00:00:29,597 --> 00:00:33,265
THERE HAVE TO BE EXOMOONS,
OF COURSE THERE ARE EXOMOONS.
11
00:00:33,267 --> 00:00:36,735
Narrator: ARE THEY SIMPLY
TOO HARD TO FIND,
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00:00:36,737 --> 00:00:42,041
OR IS OUR OWN SOLAR SYSTEM,
WHICH HAS MANY MOONS, UNIQUE?
13
00:00:42,043 --> 00:00:46,512
NOW A NEW GENERATION OF ADVANCED
TELESCOPES HUNTS FOR CLUES.
14
00:00:46,514 --> 00:00:50,182
MAYBE WE'RE GONNA FIND SOMETHING
REALLY, REALLY STRANGE.
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00:00:50,184 --> 00:00:55,854
LITERALLY THE FIRST EXOMOON
WE FIND COULD BE EARTHLIKE.
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Narrator: WHO WILL MAKE
THE FIRST CONFIRMED DISCOVERY
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AND SOLVE THE MYSTERY
OF THESE MISSING MOONS?
18
00:01:06,033 --> 00:01:09,034
-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
19
00:01:09,036 --> 00:01:12,071
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
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EARTH'S MOON DOMINATES
THE NIGHT SKY.
21
00:01:17,545 --> 00:01:21,713
ITS IMMENSE GRAVITY RAISES
TIDES IN THE OCEANS,
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00:01:21,715 --> 00:01:24,550
AND ITS 27-DAY PASSAGE
AROUND EARTH
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00:01:24,552 --> 00:01:27,586
MARKS THE MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
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00:01:27,588 --> 00:01:31,156
BUT OUR PLANET ISN'T ALONE
IN HAVING A MOON.
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A MOON IS DEFINED
IN A NUMBER OF WAYS --
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00:01:35,663 --> 00:01:38,831
ONE, IT HAS TO BE SMALLER
THAN ITS HOST PLANET,
27
00:01:38,833 --> 00:01:41,600
AND IT HAS TO CIRCLE
ITS HOST PLANET.
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IF SOMETHING DOES THOSE
TWO THINGS, IT'S A MOON.
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Narrator:
THERE ARE MORE THAN 150 MOONS
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,
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EACH MOON IS DIFFERENT.
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FROM VIOLENTLY VOLCANIC IO
IN CLOSE ORBIT AROUND JUPITER,
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00:02:00,087 --> 00:02:02,621
TO SATURN'S LARGEST MOON, TITAN,
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00:02:02,623 --> 00:02:08,861
THAT CONCEALS VAST LAKES
OF LIQUID METHANE AND ETHANE.
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00:02:08,863 --> 00:02:12,965
SCIENTISTS EXPECT ALIEN PLANETS
IN DISTANT SOLAR SYSTEMS
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TO HAVE MOONS, TOO.
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THEY CALL THESE "EXOMOONS."
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THE PROBLEM IS, NO MATTER
HOW HARD ASTRONOMERS LOOK,
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THEY CAN'T FIND THEM.
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00:02:25,412 --> 00:02:31,683
♪
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00:02:31,685 --> 00:02:35,854
THERE COULD BE UP TO A TRILLION
EXOMOONS IN OUR GALAXY ALONE,
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00:02:35,856 --> 00:02:38,090
AND WE HAVE YET
TO DISCOVER ONE.
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00:02:40,194 --> 00:02:43,962
Narrator:
SCIENTISTS ARE DESPERATE TO MAKE
THE FIRST CONFIRMED DISCOVERY
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OF AN EXOMOON,
NOT JUST TO PROVE THEY EXIST,
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00:02:47,668 --> 00:02:49,701
BUT BECAUSE MANY MOONS
COULD BE HOST
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TO SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL
INDEED -- ALIEN LIFE.
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00:02:54,141 --> 00:02:59,211
♪
47
00:02:59,213 --> 00:03:01,980
SCIENTISTS NOW BELIEVE
THAT THE SURFACES
48
00:03:01,982 --> 00:03:04,550
AND DEEP INTERIORS
OF SOME MOONS
49
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COULD BE A BETTER PLACE
TO FIND LIQUID WATER
50
00:03:07,221 --> 00:03:10,989
THAN THE PLANETS
THEY SURROUND.
51
00:03:10,991 --> 00:03:13,759
THESE MOONS COULD PROVIDE
THE PERFECT CONDITIONS
52
00:03:13,761 --> 00:03:16,461
FOR SOME FORM OF LIFE
TO HAVE TAKEN HOLD,
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00:03:16,463 --> 00:03:19,765
JUST LIKE IT DID
ON THE EARLY EARTH.
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00:03:19,767 --> 00:03:22,834
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, SOME OF
THE MOST LIKELY ENVIRONMENTS
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00:03:22,836 --> 00:03:26,538
FOR LIFE ARE NOT ON THE PLANETS,
BUT THEY'RE ON THE MOONS.
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00:03:26,540 --> 00:03:30,542
IN OTHER STAR SYSTEMS,
WHY SHOULD IT BE ANY DIFFERENT?
57
00:03:30,544 --> 00:03:36,014
LIFE ON MOONS MAY BE FAR MORE
COMMON THAN LIFE ON PLANETS.
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00:03:36,016 --> 00:03:38,850
Narrator: BUT MOONS ARE SMALLER
THAN PLANETS.
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00:03:38,852 --> 00:03:41,386
THIS MAKES THEM
HARDER TO DETECT.
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00:03:41,388 --> 00:03:44,056
SO SCIENTISTS ARE TURNING
TO EVERMORE NOVEL
61
00:03:44,058 --> 00:03:47,159
AND INGENIOUS METHODS
TO TRACK THEM DOWN.
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IN THE NETHERLANDS,
ASTRONOMER MATT KENWORTHY
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00:03:53,167 --> 00:03:56,001
HAS RECENTLY MADE
AN INCREDIBLE BREAKTHROUGH.
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00:03:57,972 --> 00:04:00,939
HE THINKS HE MAY HAVE UNCOVERED
INDIRECT EVIDENCE
65
00:04:00,941 --> 00:04:04,876
OF AN EXOMOON
430 LIGHT-YEARS FROM EARTH.
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00:04:07,214 --> 00:04:08,513
I THINK IT'S VERY EXCITING,
67
00:04:08,515 --> 00:04:10,749
BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING
WHICH IS BRAND-NEW,
68
00:04:10,751 --> 00:04:12,818
AND WE DON'T KNOW
THE ANSWERS YET.
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00:04:17,625 --> 00:04:22,628
MATT'S DISCOVERY IS BASED
ON AN EXTRAORDINARY OBSERVATION.
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TO HUNT DOWN PLANETS,
ASTRONOMERS LOOK FOR TINY DIPS
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IN LIGHT AS THE PLANET PASSES
IN FRONT OF ITS HOST STAR.
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00:04:32,673 --> 00:04:34,806
MATT FINDS ONE OF THESE DIPS,
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00:04:34,808 --> 00:04:38,510
BUT IT'S UNLIKE ANYTHING
HE'S SEEN BEFORE --
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00:04:38,512 --> 00:04:43,715
SOMETHING ENORMOUS IS
BLOCKING LIGHT FROM THE STAR.
75
00:04:43,717 --> 00:04:47,486
WE TYPICALLY LOOK AT A SIGNAL
FOR ABOUT SIX HOURS OR SO
76
00:04:47,488 --> 00:04:48,720
WHILST THE PLANET BLOCKS OUT
77
00:04:48,722 --> 00:04:50,722
A SMALL AMOUNT OF LIGHT
FROM THE STAR.
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00:04:50,724 --> 00:04:52,024
THIS LASTED MUCH LONGER.
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00:04:52,026 --> 00:04:55,360
INSTEAD OF SIX HOURS,
THIS LASTED OVER TWO MONTHS.
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Narrator: AND EVEN STRANGER,
IN PLACES THE VAST OBJECT
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APPEARS TO LET LIGHT THROUGH.
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00:05:03,103 --> 00:05:05,370
INSTEAD OF A NICE, SMOOTH CURVE,
83
00:05:05,372 --> 00:05:07,539
YOU CAN SEE
LOTS OF RAPID VARIATION.
84
00:05:07,541 --> 00:05:08,940
IT'S LIKE SOMEBODY'S
85
00:05:08,942 --> 00:05:11,543
SWITCHING THE STAR ON AND OFF
VERY RAPIDLY.
86
00:05:11,545 --> 00:05:13,412
AND EVEN DURING
INDIVIDUAL NIGHTS,
87
00:05:13,414 --> 00:05:16,515
YOU CAN SEE THE STAR CHANGE
BRIGHTNESS BY AS MUCH AS 50%.
88
00:05:18,919 --> 00:05:23,889
Narrator:
MATT IS CONVINCED THAT THIS
WEIRD SIGNAL MEANS ONE THING --
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00:05:23,891 --> 00:05:25,957
THE OBJECT
BLOCKING THE STARLIGHT
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00:05:25,959 --> 00:05:30,262
MUST BE AN ALIEN PLANET
WITH MULTIPLE RINGS LIKE SATURN
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00:05:30,264 --> 00:05:33,832
BUT ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE.
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GAPS IN THESE RINGS
WOULD EXPLAIN
93
00:05:35,703 --> 00:05:38,904
WHY IT'S LETTING LIGHT THROUGH.
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00:05:38,906 --> 00:05:43,742
AND IT ALSO HINTS
AT AN EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBILITY.
95
00:05:43,744 --> 00:05:46,945
COULD THERE BE EXOMOONS
HIDING IN THE GAPS?
96
00:05:51,285 --> 00:05:54,853
LET'S SEE
IF WE CAN FIND SATURN.
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00:05:54,855 --> 00:05:58,824
AH, OKAY, THERE WE GO.
98
00:05:58,826 --> 00:06:00,592
I CAN SEE THE RINGS.
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00:06:00,594 --> 00:06:05,697
♪
100
00:06:05,699 --> 00:06:09,334
Narrator:
SATURN'S RINGS ARE MADE
FROM TRILLIONS OF ICY PARTICLES.
101
00:06:12,106 --> 00:06:14,373
BUT THE GAPS FORM WHEN
THESE PARTICLES COLLIDE
102
00:06:14,375 --> 00:06:17,542
AND STICK TOGETHER
TO CREATE TINY MOONLETS.
103
00:06:21,115 --> 00:06:23,682
AS THEY SWEEP UP
MORE AND MORE DEBRIS,
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00:06:23,684 --> 00:06:26,485
BOTH THE MOONLETS
AND THE GAPS GROW BIGGER.
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00:06:29,189 --> 00:06:32,391
SCIENTISTS THINK THAT THIS
IS HOW MOST MOONS FORM
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00:06:32,393 --> 00:06:36,194
AROUND NEWLY BORN PLANETS.
107
00:06:36,196 --> 00:06:38,063
YOUNG PLANETS WITH RINGS
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COULD BE NOTHING MORE
THAN GIGANTIC MOON FACTORIES.
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00:06:44,671 --> 00:06:47,239
THE THING WE KNOW FROM OUR
EXAMPLE OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
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00:06:47,241 --> 00:06:49,508
IS THAT RINGS
AND MOONS ARE RELATED.
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00:06:49,510 --> 00:06:51,643
IF YOU CAN FIND RINGS
AROUND A PLANET,
112
00:06:51,645 --> 00:06:54,579
THERE'S A VERY, VERY GOOD CHANCE
THERE MUST BE MOONS.
113
00:06:54,581 --> 00:06:59,584
SO LOOK FOR THE RINGS, AND LOOK
FOR GAPS IN THE RINGS.
114
00:06:59,586 --> 00:07:02,421
Narrator: MATT ANALYZES
THE FLICKERING STARLIGHT
115
00:07:02,423 --> 00:07:04,723
TO WORK OUT WHAT THE RINGS
OF THE ALIEN PLANET
116
00:07:04,725 --> 00:07:06,458
MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
117
00:07:08,595 --> 00:07:12,464
WHAT HE FINDS
IS TRULY INCREDIBLE.
118
00:07:12,466 --> 00:07:17,536
AT LEAST 37 SEPARATE RINGS,
200 TIMES LARGER THAN SATURN'S,
119
00:07:17,538 --> 00:07:20,839
SPAN OVER 110 MILLION MILES.
120
00:07:25,012 --> 00:07:27,012
ONE OF THE GAPS
BETWEEN THE RINGS
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00:07:27,014 --> 00:07:30,849
IS ALMOST
2.5 MILLION MILES WIDE.
122
00:07:30,851 --> 00:07:32,684
MATT SUSPECTS
IT COULD BE HOME
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00:07:32,686 --> 00:07:34,820
TO SOMETHING
NEVER SEEN BEFORE...
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00:07:37,257 --> 00:07:43,094
...A GIANT EXOMOON IN
THE FINAL STAGES OF FORMATION.
125
00:07:43,096 --> 00:07:49,334
BUT TO CLEAR OUT A GAP THAT BIG,
JUST HOW LARGE IS IT?
126
00:07:49,336 --> 00:07:53,839
MATT USES COMPUTER SIMULATIONS
TO FIND OUT.
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00:07:53,841 --> 00:07:58,343
Kenworthy:
BECAUSE WE SEE THIS CLEARED GAP
IN THE RING SYSTEM,
128
00:07:58,345 --> 00:07:59,711
ONE POSSIBLE INTERPRETATION
129
00:07:59,713 --> 00:08:03,114
IS THAT THERE IS A MOON
FORMING RIGHT NOW,
130
00:08:03,116 --> 00:08:06,718
AND IT'S VACUUMING UP --
IT'S USING GRAVITY TO CLEAR OUT
131
00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:10,422
ALL THE DUST OF THAT PARTICULAR
LOCATION IN THE RING SYSTEM.
132
00:08:10,424 --> 00:08:14,960
AND HOW WIDE THAT RING GAP IS
GIVES US A VERY GOOD ESTIMATE
133
00:08:14,962 --> 00:08:17,429
OF HOW MASSIVE THE MOON
IS RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT.
134
00:08:17,431 --> 00:08:19,798
AND WE WORKED OUT
THAT IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING
135
00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:23,335
ON THE ORDER
OF THE SIZE OF MARS.
136
00:08:23,337 --> 00:08:25,504
Narrator: THE BIGGEST MOONS
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
137
00:08:25,506 --> 00:08:29,841
ARE JUPITER'S GANYMEDE
AND SATURN'S TITAN,
138
00:08:29,843 --> 00:08:34,246
BUT MATT'S EXOMOON IS AT LEAST
FOUR TIMES AS MASSIVE.
139
00:08:34,248 --> 00:08:37,449
ON THE SCALE OF A ROCKY PLANET.
140
00:08:37,451 --> 00:08:39,351
HIS DISCOVERY IS EXCITING,
141
00:08:39,353 --> 00:08:43,722
BUT IT RESTS
ON JUST ONE SINGLE OBSERVATION.
142
00:08:43,724 --> 00:08:46,925
MATT NEEDS MORE DATA TO SAY
FOR SURE THAT HIS GIANT,
143
00:08:46,927 --> 00:08:50,996
MARS-SIZED EXOMOON IS REAL.
144
00:08:50,998 --> 00:08:54,699
THE PROBLEM IS, HE HAS NO IDEA
WHEN THE ALIEN-RINGED PLANET
145
00:08:54,701 --> 00:09:00,305
WITH ITS EXOMOON WILL PASS
IN FRONT OF ITS STAR AGAIN.
146
00:09:00,307 --> 00:09:02,240
IT'S A VERY LARGE STRUCTURE,
AND SO IT MUST TAKE
147
00:09:02,242 --> 00:09:04,042
A VERY LONG TIME TO ORBIT.
148
00:09:04,044 --> 00:09:05,210
SO IT WOULDN'T BE
TOO SURPRISING
149
00:09:05,212 --> 00:09:07,779
IF IT TOOK ANYWHERE
BETWEEN 10 TO 20 YEARS
150
00:09:07,781 --> 00:09:11,082
FOR THIS THING
TO BLOCK THE STARLIGHT AGAIN.
151
00:09:11,084 --> 00:09:13,818
WE'VE DETECTED A GIANT
RING SYSTEM,
152
00:09:13,820 --> 00:09:16,955
SOMETHING HUNDREDS OF TIMES
THE SIZE OF SATURN'S RINGS.
153
00:09:16,957 --> 00:09:20,992
HAVE WE INDIRECTLY DETECTED
THE FIRST EXOMOONS?
154
00:09:20,994 --> 00:09:24,162
POSSIBLY.
155
00:09:24,164 --> 00:09:27,799
Narrator:
WHILE MATT WAITS FOR NEW DATA
TO WIN THE EXOMOON RACE,
156
00:09:27,801 --> 00:09:33,471
OTHERS ARE HOT ON HIS HEELS
AND HOPE TO BEAT HIM TO IT.
157
00:09:33,473 --> 00:09:38,209
IN NEW MEXICO, ONE SCIENTIST
PLANS TO FIND THESE MOONS
158
00:09:38,211 --> 00:09:40,679
BY LISTENING TO THE NIGHT SKY.
159
00:09:53,260 --> 00:09:54,993
Narrator:
SCIENTISTS ARE IN A RACE
160
00:09:54,995 --> 00:09:58,997
TO MAKE THE FIRST CONFIRMED
DISCOVERY OF AN EXOMOON,
161
00:09:58,999 --> 00:10:03,201
A MOON OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
THAT ORBITS AN ALIEN PLANET.
162
00:10:03,203 --> 00:10:05,971
ASTRONOMER
MARIALIS ROSARIO-FRANCO
163
00:10:05,973 --> 00:10:08,607
PIONEERS A REMARKABLE
NEW TECHNIQUE
164
00:10:08,609 --> 00:10:10,675
TO DETECT THESE MOONS.
165
00:10:10,677 --> 00:10:14,079
USING A RADIO TELESCOPE
LIKE THIS ONE IN NEW MEXICO,
166
00:10:14,081 --> 00:10:19,584
SHE ATTEMPTS TO TUNE IN
TO THEIR GALACTIC BROADCASTS.
167
00:10:19,586 --> 00:10:22,354
RADIO TELESCOPES
DETECT RADIO WAVES,
168
00:10:22,356 --> 00:10:24,656
A FORM OF LIGHT
THAT WE CAN'T SEE
169
00:10:24,658 --> 00:10:27,425
BUT IS THE BASIS
FOR RADIO COMMUNICATION.
170
00:10:30,597 --> 00:10:34,132
Rosario-Franco: WE ARE AT
THE LONG WAVELENGTH ARRAY
171
00:10:34,134 --> 00:10:37,936
AND WHAT WE HAVE
IS ABOUT 200 ANTENNAS,
172
00:10:37,938 --> 00:10:42,674
AND TOGETHER THEY MAKE UP
A RADIO TELESCOPE.
173
00:10:46,947 --> 00:10:50,915
Narrator: MARIALIS BELIEVES THAT
THE GEOLOGY OF CERTAIN EXOMOONS
174
00:10:50,917 --> 00:10:54,019
MAY TURN THEM INTO
NATURAL RADIO TRANSMITTERS.
175
00:10:56,089 --> 00:10:57,922
DISCOVERING THESE COULD BE
AS SIMPLE
176
00:10:57,924 --> 00:11:01,693
AS PICKING UP THEIR SIGNAL.
177
00:11:01,695 --> 00:11:05,930
TO PROVE IT, SHE TUNES IN TO
A MOON MUCH CLOSER TO HOME.
178
00:11:05,932 --> 00:11:08,066
[ STATIC ]
179
00:11:08,068 --> 00:11:09,300
Rosario-Franco: SO, WHAT WE'RE
LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW,
180
00:11:09,302 --> 00:11:13,805
YOU'LL NOTICE THEY SOUND
LIKE POPPING SOUNDS.
181
00:11:13,807 --> 00:11:18,109
Narrator:
THIS IS THE RADIO SIGNAL
FROM JUPITER'S MOON, IO.
182
00:11:18,111 --> 00:11:22,547
THE TWO RADIO SIGNALS THAT IO
MAKES ARE L- AND S-BURSTS.
183
00:11:22,549 --> 00:11:26,051
"L" STANDS FOR "LONG-BURST,"
"S" STANDS FOR "SHORT."
184
00:11:26,053 --> 00:11:30,588
WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO
RIGHT NOW ARE S-BURSTS.
185
00:11:30,590 --> 00:11:35,760
Narrator:
WHAT TURNS A MOON LIKE IO
INTO A RADIO TRANSMITTER?
186
00:11:35,762 --> 00:11:38,763
THE SURPRISING ANSWER?
187
00:11:38,765 --> 00:11:40,498
VOLCANOES.
188
00:11:42,569 --> 00:11:44,903
IO IS THE MOST VOLCANICALLY
ACTIVE WORLD
189
00:11:44,905 --> 00:11:47,605
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
190
00:11:47,607 --> 00:11:53,478
ITS HUNDREDS OF VOLCANOES
SPEW OUT VAST AMOUNTS OF GAS.
191
00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,048
JUPITER'S POWERFUL MAGNETIC
FIELD CHARGES AND CORRALS
192
00:11:57,050 --> 00:12:00,852
THIS GAS INTO AN ENORMOUS
DOUGHNUT OF ELECTRIC FOG
193
00:12:00,854 --> 00:12:02,721
THAT SURROUNDS THE PLANET.
194
00:12:05,892 --> 00:12:08,059
AS IO ORBITS AROUND JUPITER,
195
00:12:08,061 --> 00:12:11,730
IT INTERACTS WITH THIS FOG
AND JUPITER'S MAGNETIC FIELD...
196
00:12:14,735 --> 00:12:18,803
...TRIGGERING THE RELEASE OF
RADIO WAVES FAR OUT INTO SPACE.
197
00:12:22,609 --> 00:12:24,743
JUPITER HAS
A STRONG MAGNETIC FIELD,
198
00:12:24,745 --> 00:12:27,378
AND THAT INTERACTS
WITH ONE OF ITS MOONS, IO,
199
00:12:27,380 --> 00:12:30,982
AND THAT PRODUCES A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF RADIO ENERGY.
200
00:12:30,984 --> 00:12:33,351
IF OTHER PLANETS HAVE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
201
00:12:33,353 --> 00:12:35,320
AND THEY HAVE MOONS
LIKE IO,
202
00:12:35,322 --> 00:12:38,923
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DETECT
THAT RADIO ENERGY FROM THEM
203
00:12:38,925 --> 00:12:41,126
WITHOUT EVER ACTUALLY
HAVING SEEN THE PLANET
204
00:12:41,128 --> 00:12:42,861
OR THE MOON THEMSELVES.
205
00:12:44,931 --> 00:12:48,299
PLANETS LIKE JUPITER ARE
INCREDIBLY COMMON IN OUR GALAXY,
206
00:12:48,301 --> 00:12:50,001
THERE'S HUNDREDS
OF BILLIONS OF THEM.
207
00:12:50,003 --> 00:12:55,440
SO THIS MEANS THAT THERE MUST
BE TRILLIONS OF EXOMOONS.
208
00:12:55,442 --> 00:12:56,941
Narrator:
SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED
209
00:12:56,943 --> 00:13:01,980
OVER 1,000 GAS-GIANT PLANETS
IN OUR GALAXY,
210
00:13:01,982 --> 00:13:06,317
AND THEY EXPECT THEM
TO HAVE STRONG MAGNETIC FIELDS.
211
00:13:06,319 --> 00:13:09,754
IF VOLCANIC MOONS, LIKE IO,
ORBIT THESE PLANETS,
212
00:13:09,756 --> 00:13:13,258
THEN RADIO TELESCOPES
MAY BE ABLE TO DETECT THEM.
213
00:13:16,696 --> 00:13:21,099
NOT ONLY THAT, ANY LUNAR RADIO
SIGNAL THAT WE PICK UP
214
00:13:21,101 --> 00:13:23,902
WILL GIVE US CRITICAL
INFORMATION ABOUT THE MOON.
215
00:13:26,206 --> 00:13:28,239
WHEN WE ANALYZED THE INTENSITY
216
00:13:28,241 --> 00:13:30,375
AND THE FREQUENCY
OF THESE SIGNALS,
217
00:13:30,377 --> 00:13:32,510
WE CAN EXTRAPOLATE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
218
00:13:32,512 --> 00:13:36,514
OF BOTH THE MOON AND THE PLANET
AND HOW THEY'RE INTERACTING.
219
00:13:36,516 --> 00:13:40,318
NOT ONLY THAT, WE CAN
EXTRAPOLATE THE RADIOS OF BOTH
220
00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:45,456
AND ALSO HOW DISTANT THE MOON
IS FROM ITS HOST PLANET.
221
00:13:45,458 --> 00:13:49,661
Narrator:
IF MARIALIS IS RIGHT, SHE'LL BE
ABLE TO FIND VOLCANIC EXOMOONS
222
00:13:49,663 --> 00:13:53,498
AND MEASURE THEIR SIZE JUST BY
LISTENING TO THE NIGHT SKY.
223
00:13:55,969 --> 00:13:58,236
IT'S AN AMAZING CONCEPT.
224
00:13:58,238 --> 00:14:02,173
BUT MARIALIS HAS BEEN DOING THIS
FOR OVER A YEAR NOW,
225
00:14:02,175 --> 00:14:04,309
AND SHE'S YET TO FIND A SIGNAL.
226
00:14:06,646 --> 00:14:08,780
IT COULD BE THAT
THE RADIO SIGNALS
227
00:14:08,782 --> 00:14:12,317
ARE TOO DISTANT AND WEAK.
228
00:14:12,319 --> 00:14:15,320
BUT SOON, A NEW GENERATION
OF RADIO TELESCOPES
229
00:14:15,322 --> 00:14:17,856
WILL OFFER
EVEN GREATER SENSITIVITY.
230
00:14:19,993 --> 00:14:23,728
MARIALIS BELIEVES DETECTING
A VOLCANIC EXOMOON
231
00:14:23,730 --> 00:14:27,098
IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.
232
00:14:27,100 --> 00:14:29,667
Tremblay: THESE VOLCANIC MOONS,
LIKE IO, COULD BE,
233
00:14:29,669 --> 00:14:32,136
LIKE, BEACONS IN THE VOID --
THESE RADIO BEACONS
234
00:14:32,138 --> 00:14:35,640
THAT WE CAN FINALLY USE
TO DISCOVER AN EXOMOON.
235
00:14:35,642 --> 00:14:38,443
SO FAR, OUR TELESCOPES AREN'T
NEARLY SENSITIVE ENOUGH
236
00:14:38,445 --> 00:14:41,546
TO ACTUALLY DETECT VOLCANIC
EMISSION IN AN EXOMOON.
237
00:14:41,548 --> 00:14:44,082
BUT THERE ARE FUTURE TELESCOPES
ON THE HORIZON
238
00:14:44,084 --> 00:14:47,418
THAT MAY START TO ACHIEVE
THE SENSITIVITY NEEDS
239
00:14:47,420 --> 00:14:50,455
REQUIRED TO ACTUALLY MAKE
SUCH A STUNNING OBSERVATION.
240
00:14:53,226 --> 00:14:57,262
Narrator:
WHILE MARIALIS HUNTS FOR RADIO
SIGNALS FROM VOLCANIC MOONS,
241
00:14:57,264 --> 00:14:59,631
OTHER ASTRONOMERS HAVE SET
THEIR SIGHTS
242
00:14:59,633 --> 00:15:02,467
ON SOMETHING
EVEN MORE EXTRAORDINARY.
243
00:15:05,438 --> 00:15:06,938
THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING
244
00:15:06,940 --> 00:15:09,974
STRAIGHT OUT
OF SCIENCE FICTION --
245
00:15:09,976 --> 00:15:15,146
HABITABLE, EARTHLIKE MOONS
THAT COULD HARBOR ALIEN LIFE.
246
00:15:15,148 --> 00:15:18,950
AND WILL THIS OCEAN EXPLORER
BE THE FIRST TO PROVE
247
00:15:18,952 --> 00:15:24,289
THE EXISTENCE OF LIFE ON A MOON
WITHIN OUR OWN SOLAR SYSTEM?
248
00:15:40,140 --> 00:15:42,607
Narrator: THE RACE IS ON
TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY
249
00:15:42,609 --> 00:15:46,177
OF THE MISSING EXOMOONS --
250
00:15:46,179 --> 00:15:49,480
MINI WORLDS THAT ORBIT
AROUND ALIEN PLANETS.
251
00:15:51,518 --> 00:15:54,652
SO FAR, SCIENTISTS HAVE
TANTALIZING EVIDENCE
252
00:15:54,654 --> 00:15:57,255
OF AN EXOMOON
THE SIZE OF MARS
253
00:15:57,257 --> 00:16:01,726
FORMING WITHIN THE RINGS
OF A NEWLY BORN PLANET.
254
00:16:01,728 --> 00:16:04,729
BUT TO TRULY FULFILL
THE DREAMS OF SCIENCE FICTION,
255
00:16:04,731 --> 00:16:07,498
ASTRONOMERS WANT TO FIND
AN EARTHLIKE MOON
256
00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:10,568
THAT CAN SUSTAIN LIFE, LIKE US.
257
00:16:10,570 --> 00:16:12,236
Oluseyi: WHAT DO WE MEAN
WHEN WE SAY
258
00:16:12,238 --> 00:16:14,305
WE'RE LOOKING FOR
AN EARTHLIKE PLACE?
259
00:16:14,307 --> 00:16:16,874
WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HAVING SURFACE LIQUIDS,
260
00:16:16,876 --> 00:16:18,810
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HAVING AN ATMOSPHERE,
261
00:16:18,812 --> 00:16:20,812
WHICH IS NECESSARY
FOR SURFACE LIQUIDS,
262
00:16:20,814 --> 00:16:23,748
AND HAVING SUFFICIENT ENERGY
TO SUPPORT LIFE.
263
00:16:23,750 --> 00:16:27,051
IF WE WERE TO FIND LIFE
ON AN EARTHLIKE MOON,
264
00:16:27,053 --> 00:16:30,621
THAT WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.
265
00:16:30,623 --> 00:16:32,623
Narrator:
DAVID KIPPING IS AN ASTRONOMER
266
00:16:32,625 --> 00:16:38,162
WHO HUNTS FOR EARTHLIKE EXOMOONS
THAT COULD HARBOR LIFE.
267
00:16:38,164 --> 00:16:40,732
Kipping:
FOR ME, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS
TO LOOK FOR EXOMOONS
268
00:16:40,734 --> 00:16:44,335
HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT THEY MAY
OUTNUMBER HABITABLE PLANETS
269
00:16:44,337 --> 00:16:46,070
OUT THERE IN THE UNIVERSE.
270
00:16:48,641 --> 00:16:52,910
Narrator: DAVID HAS DISCOVERED
SOMETHING INTRIGUING --
271
00:16:52,912 --> 00:16:57,148
A GAS GIANT
4,000 LIGHT-YEARS FROM EARTH
272
00:16:57,150 --> 00:17:04,022
ABOUT THE SIZE OF JUPITER,
CALLED KEPLER-1625B.
273
00:17:04,024 --> 00:17:07,058
IT ORBITS ITS STAR
AT ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE
274
00:17:07,060 --> 00:17:10,962
AS THE EARTH
GOES AROUND THE SUN.
275
00:17:10,964 --> 00:17:15,500
IT'S COMPLETELY UNINHABITABLE
FOR LIFE AS WE KNOW IT.
276
00:17:15,502 --> 00:17:18,970
IT HAS A THICK, SWIRLING
ATMOSPHERE OF NOXIOUS GAS
277
00:17:18,972 --> 00:17:21,773
AND A TINY, ROCKY CORE.
278
00:17:21,775 --> 00:17:25,610
DAVID THINKS THIS PLANET
MAY HAVE AN EXOMOON.
279
00:17:28,948 --> 00:17:31,783
WE LOOK FOR EXOMOONS
IN A VERY SIMILAR WAY
280
00:17:31,785 --> 00:17:33,985
TO WHERE WE LOOK
FOR EXOPLANETS.
281
00:17:33,987 --> 00:17:37,555
WE HAVE A STAR WHICH IS
EMITTING PLENTY OF LIGHT,
282
00:17:37,557 --> 00:17:40,525
AND THERE IS A PLANET NEARBY.
283
00:17:40,527 --> 00:17:42,827
AND AS IT PASSES IN FRONT
OF THE STAR,
284
00:17:42,829 --> 00:17:45,897
IT WILL NOW BE
BLOCKING OUT STARLIGHT.
285
00:17:45,899 --> 00:17:49,801
SO IF I MEASURE THE BRIGHTNESS
OF THE STAR OVER TIME,
286
00:17:49,803 --> 00:17:54,639
IT WOULD SEEM TO DECREASE
FOR A SHORT INTERVAL.
287
00:17:54,641 --> 00:17:56,474
THAT TELLS ME
THERE'S A PLANET THERE.
288
00:17:56,476 --> 00:18:00,344
NOW, IF THIS PLANET ALSO
HAS A MOON JUST AHEAD HERE,
289
00:18:00,346 --> 00:18:02,547
YOU CAN SEE
THE PLANET-MOON SYSTEM,
290
00:18:02,549 --> 00:18:06,484
AS IT MOVES ACROSS, THE MOON
IS GOING TO ENTER TRANSIT FIRST.
291
00:18:06,486 --> 00:18:10,254
SO I'M GOING TO SEE ANOTHER
EXTRA LITTLE DIP OVER HERE.
292
00:18:10,256 --> 00:18:13,758
AND THEN, LATER ON, THE MOON
IS GOING TO EXIT TRANSIT FIRST.
293
00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,661
I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY SEE
A LITTLE EGRESS FEATURE.
294
00:18:16,663 --> 00:18:21,065
SO WE LOOK FOR THESE TELL-TALE
SIGNATURES OF MOONS IN OUR DATA,
295
00:18:21,067 --> 00:18:22,400
AND IF WE SEE SOMETHING
LIKE THIS,
296
00:18:22,402 --> 00:18:26,537
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE
A GOOD EXOMOON CANDIDATE.
297
00:18:26,539 --> 00:18:29,674
Narrator:
IT TAKES DAVID SEVEN YEARS
TO FINALLY FIND A PLANET
298
00:18:29,676 --> 00:18:33,478
WITH THE ELUSIVE SIGNATURE
OF A POTENTIAL EXOMOON.
299
00:18:36,149 --> 00:18:41,686
THIS IS ONE OF THE THREE
TRANSITS OF KEPLER-1625B
300
00:18:41,688 --> 00:18:44,122
AS OBSERVED
BY THE KEPLER TELESCOPE.
301
00:18:44,124 --> 00:18:46,924
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE
IS A BIG DIP IN LIGHT
302
00:18:46,926 --> 00:18:49,026
DUE TO THE PLANET PASSING
IN FRONT OF THE STAR.
303
00:18:49,028 --> 00:18:51,762
THAT TELLS US THAT THE SIZE
OF THE PLANET IS LARGE.
304
00:18:51,764 --> 00:18:54,398
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT
THERE'S SOME SMALL SIGNATURES,
305
00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:56,000
SOME LITTLE SHOULDERS HERE.
306
00:18:56,002 --> 00:18:59,637
WE THINK THE MOON IS ACTUALLY
SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF THE PLANET.
307
00:18:59,639 --> 00:19:02,507
AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE MOON
LEAVES THE STAR.
308
00:19:02,509 --> 00:19:05,109
THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING
ON THAT LITTLE SHOULDER THERE,
309
00:19:05,111 --> 00:19:07,945
THE MOON HAS NOW
LEFT THE DISK OF THE STAR.
310
00:19:07,947 --> 00:19:10,148
THERE'S THESE FOUR KEY MOMENTS
IN TIME --
311
00:19:10,150 --> 00:19:12,917
THE MOON ENTERING,
THE PLANET ENTERING,
312
00:19:12,919 --> 00:19:16,721
THE MOON EXITING,
AND THE PLANET EXITING.
313
00:19:16,723 --> 00:19:20,424
Narrator:
DAVID'S DISCOVERY IS REMARKABLE.
314
00:19:20,426 --> 00:19:24,028
IF CONFIRMED, THIS IS
THE FIRST DEFINITIVE PROOF
315
00:19:24,030 --> 00:19:26,931
OF A MOON
OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
316
00:19:28,968 --> 00:19:31,102
BUT IS IT THE ELUSIVE
EARTHLIKE MOON
317
00:19:31,104 --> 00:19:33,271
THAT DAVID HAS
BEEN SEARCHING FOR?
318
00:19:36,009 --> 00:19:40,011
OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST
THAT THE EXOMOON, IF IT EXISTS,
319
00:19:40,013 --> 00:19:46,551
IS MASSIVE, AT LEAST THREE TIMES
THE SIZE OF EARTH.
320
00:19:46,553 --> 00:19:50,321
THAT MEANS IT'S LIKELY TO HAVE
AN ATMOSPHERE
321
00:19:50,323 --> 00:19:53,791
AND PERHAPS EVEN
A VAST OCEAN OF LIQUID WATER.
322
00:19:56,429 --> 00:19:58,095
BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,
323
00:19:58,097 --> 00:20:00,264
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN
THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT
324
00:20:00,266 --> 00:20:02,667
FOR LIFE TO TAKE HOLD
AND FLOURISH.
325
00:20:05,171 --> 00:20:08,573
BUT SADLY, TODAY,
IT'S MOST LIKELY STERILE.
326
00:20:10,777 --> 00:20:14,779
ITS AGING STAR HAS GROWN HOTTER
327
00:20:14,781 --> 00:20:17,415
AND IS SLOWLY COOKING
THE MOON'S OCEAN.
328
00:20:19,886 --> 00:20:22,153
THIS MOON ALMOST CERTAINLY
IS NOT A PLACE
329
00:20:22,155 --> 00:20:24,822
WHERE WE WOULD EXPECT LIFE
TO BE LIVING THERE RIGHT NOW.
330
00:20:24,824 --> 00:20:28,392
IT'S ALMOST THE BOILING POINT
OF WATER, HOWEVER, IN THE PAST,
331
00:20:28,394 --> 00:20:30,228
I THINK IT WOULD HAVE
HAD GOOD CHANCES
332
00:20:30,230 --> 00:20:33,130
THAT ITS TEMPERATURE WOULD HAVE
BEEN THE RIGHT LEVEL FOR LIFE,
333
00:20:33,132 --> 00:20:34,699
MAYBE, TO HAVE THRIVED.
334
00:20:34,701 --> 00:20:37,635
THEREFORE DISCOVERING MOONS
LIKE THIS MOON
335
00:20:37,637 --> 00:20:40,104
GIVES US A LOT OF CONFIDENCE
THAT MAYBE THERE ARE
336
00:20:40,106 --> 00:20:44,508
PLENTY OF HABITABLE MOONS
OUT THERE IN THE UNIVERSE.
337
00:20:44,510 --> 00:20:48,112
Narrator: DAVID'S DISCOVERY IS
A POTENTIAL GAME CHANGER.
338
00:20:48,114 --> 00:20:52,116
THE VERY FIRST EXOMOON
THAT WE CONFIRM AS REAL
339
00:20:52,118 --> 00:20:57,521
COULD TURN OUT TO BE THE BOILING
CORPSE OF A ONCE LIVING WORLD.
340
00:20:57,523 --> 00:20:59,824
BUT CAN OTHER ASTRONOMERS
GO ONE BETTER
341
00:20:59,826 --> 00:21:04,328
AND FIND A HABITABLE EXOMOON
THAT'S STILL ALIVE TODAY?
342
00:21:09,135 --> 00:21:10,835
AT MOUNT GRAHAM IN ARIZONA,
343
00:21:10,837 --> 00:21:13,971
ASTRONOMER JUSTIN CREPP
IS ON THE HUNT FOR PLANETS
344
00:21:13,973 --> 00:21:16,641
THAT COULD HIDE
EARTHLIKE MOONS.
345
00:21:19,646 --> 00:21:21,946
HE THINKS THERE COULD BE
COUNTLESS MOONS
346
00:21:21,948 --> 00:21:24,282
THAT ARE HABITABLE RIGHT NOW.
347
00:21:24,284 --> 00:21:26,617
WE JUST NEED TO FIND THEM.
348
00:21:26,619 --> 00:21:28,386
Crepp:
SCIENCE FICTION IS ALWAYS
349
00:21:28,388 --> 00:21:31,355
10 OR 20 YEARS
AHEAD OF REGULAR SCIENCE,
350
00:21:31,357 --> 00:21:33,257
BUT WHAT'S REALLY
INTERESTING NOW
351
00:21:33,259 --> 00:21:35,559
IS WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING
THE TECHNOLOGIES
352
00:21:35,561 --> 00:21:39,330
AND THE CAPABILITIES
TO REALISTICALLY DETECT
353
00:21:39,332 --> 00:21:42,767
THE SIGNALS OF EARTHLIKE MOONS
FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
354
00:21:44,971 --> 00:21:46,937
Narrator:
FINDING EARTHLIKE EXOMOONS
355
00:21:46,939 --> 00:21:50,408
PUSHES THE CAPABILITY
OF OUR TECHNOLOGY TO ITS LIMIT.
356
00:21:53,046 --> 00:21:55,346
JUSTIN USES ONE OF
THE LARGEST TELESCOPES
357
00:21:55,348 --> 00:21:57,148
IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE...
358
00:22:01,888 --> 00:22:04,588
...THE LARGE
BINOCULAR TELESCOPE,
359
00:22:04,590 --> 00:22:07,425
THE BIGGEST PAIR
OF BINOCULARS ON THE PLANET.
360
00:22:12,031 --> 00:22:15,766
Crepp: IT'S FLOATED ON
A VERY THIN FILM OF OIL
361
00:22:15,768 --> 00:22:17,835
THAT IS ESSENTIALLY FRICTIONLESS
362
00:22:17,837 --> 00:22:23,341
AND ALLOWS IT TO MOVE WITH SUCH
PRECISE AND EXQUISITE MOTION.
363
00:22:23,343 --> 00:22:25,543
THIS TELESCOPE IS UNIQUE
IN THE SENSE
364
00:22:25,545 --> 00:22:28,979
THAT IT HAS A VERY LARGE
SET OF MIRRORS,
365
00:22:28,981 --> 00:22:32,550
BUT NOT JUST THAT,
IT HAS THE ABILITY
366
00:22:32,552 --> 00:22:35,119
TO CORRECT FOR EARTH'S
TURBULENT ATMOSPHERE.
367
00:22:35,121 --> 00:22:40,491
AND SO IT ALLOWS US TO CREATE
VERY CRISP IMAGES
368
00:22:40,493 --> 00:22:44,128
AS IF WE WERE IN SPACE.
369
00:22:44,130 --> 00:22:48,165
Narrator:
IS JUSTIN SET TO DISCOVER THE
FIRST HABITABLE EARTHLIKE MOON?
370
00:22:50,503 --> 00:22:53,671
AND HAVE SCIENTISTS
IN AUSTRIA PROVED
371
00:22:53,673 --> 00:22:56,273
THAT THERE COULD BE ALIEN LIFE
ON A MOON
372
00:22:56,275 --> 00:22:58,542
A WHOLE LOT CLOSER TO HOME?
373
00:23:12,392 --> 00:23:16,694
Narrator:
SCIENTISTS ARE ON THE HUNT
FOR HABITABLE EXOMOONS --
374
00:23:16,696 --> 00:23:21,799
EARTHLIKE MOONS
THAT COULD HARBOR ALIEN LIFE.
375
00:23:21,801 --> 00:23:24,001
TANTALIZING EVIDENCE
OF AN EXOMOON
376
00:23:24,003 --> 00:23:29,039
WITH A POTENTIAL GIANT OCEAN
PROVES A NEAR MISS.
377
00:23:29,041 --> 00:23:32,309
NOW ONE OF THE LARGEST
TELESCOPES ON THE PLANET
378
00:23:32,311 --> 00:23:34,078
JOINS THE RACE.
379
00:23:36,549 --> 00:23:39,917
ASTRONOMER JUSTIN CREPP USES
THIS MIGHTY MACHINE
380
00:23:39,919 --> 00:23:43,654
TO HUNT FOR PLANETS THAT COULD
HAVE HABITABLE EARTHLIKE MOONS
381
00:23:43,656 --> 00:23:45,356
IN ORBIT AROUND THEM.
382
00:23:47,427 --> 00:23:49,994
HE LOOKS FOR MOON-RICH
GAS GIANTS
383
00:23:49,996 --> 00:23:54,365
THAT LIE WITHIN THE SO-CALLED
HABITABLE ZONE OF THEIR STAR --
384
00:23:54,367 --> 00:23:59,203
THE DISTANCE WHERE IT'S NOT
TOO HOT AND NOT TOO COLD
385
00:23:59,205 --> 00:24:02,506
BUT JUST RIGHT FOR LIFE
AS WE KNOW IT.
386
00:24:02,508 --> 00:24:05,443
Plait:
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, JUPITER
ORBITS PRETTY FAR FROM THE SUN,
387
00:24:05,445 --> 00:24:09,280
AND ITS ICY MOONS ARE ICY,
THE WATER IS FROZEN.
388
00:24:09,282 --> 00:24:12,216
BUT IF JUPITER TO HAPPENED
TO ORBIT WHERE THE EARTH IS,
389
00:24:12,218 --> 00:24:14,185
THOSE ICY MOONS
WOULD BE LIQUID,
390
00:24:14,187 --> 00:24:15,886
THEY'D HAVE LIQUID WATER
ON THEIR SURFACES
391
00:24:15,888 --> 00:24:17,521
AND MAYBE ATMOSPHERES.
392
00:24:17,523 --> 00:24:19,156
WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE
OTHER STARS,
393
00:24:19,158 --> 00:24:21,559
WE SEE THESE GIANT PLANETS
394
00:24:21,561 --> 00:24:23,794
ORBITING RIGHT AROUND THE PLACE
WHERE THEY'D BE GETTING
395
00:24:23,796 --> 00:24:25,896
AS MUCH LIGHT AND HEAT
AS THE EARTH DOES.
396
00:24:25,898 --> 00:24:28,666
IF THEY HAVE
THESE KINDS OF MOONS,
397
00:24:28,668 --> 00:24:34,138
THAT MIGHT BE A REALLY
COOL PLACE TO LOOK FOR LIFE.
398
00:24:34,140 --> 00:24:37,441
Narrator: TODAY, JUSTIN STUDIES
A JUPITER-SIZED PLANET
399
00:24:37,443 --> 00:24:40,177
CALLED KEPLER-86B.
400
00:24:42,548 --> 00:24:44,648
HE ANALYZES THE ORBIT
TO FIND OUT
401
00:24:44,650 --> 00:24:47,051
HOW FAR IT SITS FROM ITS STAR.
402
00:24:49,121 --> 00:24:52,790
DOES THIS PLANET ORBIT WITHIN
THE HABITABLE ZONE OF ITS STAR?
403
00:24:54,794 --> 00:24:57,995
THE LENGTH OF THE YEAR
OF KEPLER 86
404
00:24:57,997 --> 00:25:00,631
IS VERY SIMILAR
TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME
405
00:25:00,633 --> 00:25:04,735
THAT IT TAKES EARTH TO GO AROUND
THE SUN, AROUND 280 DAYS,
406
00:25:04,737 --> 00:25:07,204
WHICH INDICATES
FOR THIS TYPE OF STAR
407
00:25:07,206 --> 00:25:09,874
THAT IT IS INDEED
IN THE HABITABLE ZONE.
408
00:25:11,911 --> 00:25:16,013
Narrator:
IF THIS GAS GIANT PLANET
HOSTS A HABITABLE MOON,
409
00:25:16,015 --> 00:25:18,649
WE CAN IMAGINE
ITS COSMIC EVOLUTION.
410
00:25:21,954 --> 00:25:23,921
JUST A FEW MILLION YEARS OLD,
411
00:25:23,923 --> 00:25:27,358
THE NEWBORN MOON RESEMBLES
A SCORCHED BALL OF ROCK.
412
00:25:29,829 --> 00:25:32,596
FEROCIOUS VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
BLANKET THE MOON
413
00:25:32,598 --> 00:25:35,699
IN A THICK FOG OF GAS.
414
00:25:35,701 --> 00:25:39,270
THE MOON'S GRAVITY HOLDS
ONTO THIS FOG.
415
00:25:39,272 --> 00:25:41,772
IT GIVES THE MOON AN ATMOSPHERE
AND SHIELDS IT
416
00:25:41,774 --> 00:25:45,476
AGAINST LETHAL RADIATION
FROM ITS NEIGHBORING PLANET.
417
00:25:47,580 --> 00:25:49,880
WATER CONDENSES
ON THE MOON'S SURFACE,
418
00:25:49,882 --> 00:25:52,349
FORMING RIVERS, LAKES,
AND OCEANS...
419
00:25:55,087 --> 00:26:01,358
...PERHAPS ALLOWING LIFE TO
TAKE HOLD, EVOLVE, AND THRIVE.
420
00:26:01,360 --> 00:26:06,530
BUT DOES THIS HABITABLE
EARTHLIKE MOON REALLY EXIST?
421
00:26:06,532 --> 00:26:11,201
JUSTIN SEARCHES FOR SIGNS
OF A MOON IN THE DATA.
422
00:26:11,203 --> 00:26:15,940
THIS FIGURE SHOWS
THE TRANSIT SIGNAL,
423
00:26:15,942 --> 00:26:22,012
AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT
THERE'S A LARGE DIP THAT OCCURS
424
00:26:22,014 --> 00:26:26,450
WHEN THE PLANET
PASSES IN FRONT OF THE STAR.
425
00:26:28,588 --> 00:26:32,556
Narrator:
FOR NOW, THE DATA LACKS THE
TELL-TALE SIGNATURE OF A MOON.
426
00:26:34,961 --> 00:26:36,994
BUT THE SEARCH IS NOT OVER.
427
00:26:36,996 --> 00:26:43,834
♪
428
00:26:43,836 --> 00:26:49,607
NASA HAS LAUNCHED A NEW SPACE
TELESCOPE CALLED "TESS."
429
00:26:49,609 --> 00:26:52,209
JUSTIN PLANS TO USE THIS
IN COMBINATION
430
00:26:52,211 --> 00:26:54,411
WITH THE LARGE
BINOCULAR TELESCOPE
431
00:26:54,413 --> 00:26:58,515
TO ACCELERATE THE HUNT
FOR AN EARTHLIKE EXOMOON.
432
00:26:58,517 --> 00:27:01,418
Crepp: NASA'S TESS MISSION
IS VERY IMPORTANT
433
00:27:01,420 --> 00:27:03,320
IN REGARDS TO EXOMOONS.
434
00:27:03,322 --> 00:27:06,690
TESS IS GOING TO PROVIDE
THESE TARGETS FOR US,
435
00:27:06,692 --> 00:27:09,693
AND WE'RE GOING TO USE
FACILITIES ON THE GROUND,
436
00:27:09,695 --> 00:27:11,662
LIKE THE LARGE
BINOCULAR TELESCOPE,
437
00:27:11,664 --> 00:27:15,499
TO CHARACTERIZE THE STAR
SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE PLANET
438
00:27:15,501 --> 00:27:20,004
SO THAT WE ULTIMATELY
UNDERSTAND THE EXOMOON.
439
00:27:20,006 --> 00:27:24,642
WE ARE REALLY CLOSE TO BEING
ABLE TO DETECT EXOMOONS.
440
00:27:24,644 --> 00:27:26,610
IT COULD HAPPEN TONIGHT.
441
00:27:26,612 --> 00:27:30,347
IF WE DETECT AN EXOMOON
AROUND A GAS GIANT PLANET, SAY,
442
00:27:30,349 --> 00:27:33,751
AND THAT GAS GIANT IS RECEIVING
THE SAME AMOUNT OF LIGHT
443
00:27:33,753 --> 00:27:37,054
AND HEAT FROM ITS STAR
AS WE DO,
444
00:27:37,056 --> 00:27:42,726
LITERALLY THE FIRST EXOMOON
WE FIND COULD BE EARTHLIKE.
445
00:27:42,728 --> 00:27:45,295
AND THAT, TO ME,
IS EXTREMELY EXCITING.
446
00:27:47,333 --> 00:27:49,166
Narrator:
ASTRONOMERS ARE ON THE THRESHOLD
447
00:27:49,168 --> 00:27:52,770
OF DISCOVERING THE
FIRST EXOMOONS IN OUR GALAXY...
448
00:27:55,174 --> 00:27:57,975
...MINI WORLDS
THAT MAY EVEN HARBOR LIFE.
449
00:27:59,979 --> 00:28:02,880
SO FAR, THEY'VE TARGETED
EARTHLIKE MOONS
450
00:28:02,882 --> 00:28:07,317
AROUND GAS GIANTS
THAT ORBIT CLOSE TO THEIR STAR.
451
00:28:07,319 --> 00:28:11,021
BUT SOME BELIEVE THAT MOONS
OUTSIDE THE HABITABLE ZONE
452
00:28:11,023 --> 00:28:15,159
MAY HARBOR LIFE, TOO,
NOT ON THE SURFACE
453
00:28:15,161 --> 00:28:17,861
BUT DEEP BELOW
THEIR FROZEN CRUSTS.
454
00:28:21,033 --> 00:28:25,602
A CLUE COMES FROM A MOON
IN OUR OWN SOLAR SYSTEM,
455
00:28:25,604 --> 00:28:30,240
745 MILLION MILES OUTSIDE
OUR SUN'S HABITABLE ZONE,
456
00:28:30,242 --> 00:28:35,112
WHERE THERE IS BARELY
ANY WARMTH FROM SUNLIGHT.
457
00:28:35,114 --> 00:28:38,482
SATURN'S MOON, ENCELADUS,
HAS A SURFACE TEMPERATURE
458
00:28:38,484 --> 00:28:41,919
OF ALMOST 330 DEGREES
BELOW FREEZING.
459
00:28:45,191 --> 00:28:46,957
WHEN THE CASSINI
ROBOT SPACECRAFT
460
00:28:46,959 --> 00:28:49,059
PASSES OVER ITS SOUTH POLE,
461
00:28:49,061 --> 00:28:52,529
IT DISCOVERS SOMETHING
SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE...
462
00:28:55,634 --> 00:28:58,135
...JETS OF WATER SHOOTING
OUT THROUGH CRACKS
463
00:28:58,137 --> 00:29:02,606
IN THE MOON'S ICY CRUST
AT MORE THAN 800 MILES PER HOUR.
464
00:29:05,077 --> 00:29:07,578
THE IMAGES REVEAL
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY
465
00:29:07,580 --> 00:29:11,849
ABOUT THE INTERIOR
OF THIS MOON.
466
00:29:11,851 --> 00:29:14,518
AS ENCELADUS ORBITS
AROUND SATURN,
467
00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:17,421
THE EVER-CHANGING PULL
FROM THE MASSIVE PLANET
468
00:29:17,423 --> 00:29:20,057
WARPS AND CRACKS
ITS ICY SURFACE.
469
00:29:24,130 --> 00:29:28,065
HUGE CREVASSES OPEN UP,
470
00:29:28,067 --> 00:29:33,036
EXPOSING A WARM, LIQUID OCEAN
BENEATH THE ICY CRUST.
471
00:29:33,038 --> 00:29:38,142
SATURN'S GRAVITY FLEXES AND
HEATS UP THE MOON'S ROCKY CORE,
472
00:29:38,144 --> 00:29:42,212
GIVING RISE TO POWERFUL
HYDROTHERMAL VENTS.
473
00:29:42,214 --> 00:29:45,516
THESE VENTS EJECT
BOILING MINERAL-RICH WATER
474
00:29:45,518 --> 00:29:47,518
INTO THE OCEAN,
475
00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:51,588
CREATING ONE OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM'S GREATEST MIRACLES --
476
00:29:51,590 --> 00:29:55,425
LIQUID WATER WARM ENOUGH
TO SUPPORT LIFE.
477
00:29:59,098 --> 00:30:01,131
Plait:
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ENCELADUS,
IT HAS ALL THE INGREDIENTS
478
00:30:01,133 --> 00:30:02,766
FOR LIFE AS WE KNOW IT --
479
00:30:02,768 --> 00:30:05,502
IT'S GOT A LIQUID-WATER OCEAN
INSIDE OF IT,
480
00:30:05,504 --> 00:30:07,838
IT'S GOT AN ENERGY SOURCE,
WHICH YOU NEED FOR LIFE,
481
00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:09,773
AND THAT COMES FROM SATURN
STRETCHING
482
00:30:09,775 --> 00:30:12,042
AND COMPRESSING
THE MOON ITSELF.
483
00:30:12,044 --> 00:30:14,411
IT'S NOT THAT SILLY TO THINK
THAT THERE COULD BE
484
00:30:14,413 --> 00:30:19,016
THESE SIMILAR CONDITIONS
AROUND OTHER STARS.
485
00:30:19,018 --> 00:30:22,719
Narrator:
AND ENCELADUS IS NOT ALONE.
486
00:30:22,721 --> 00:30:24,721
JUPITER'S ICE MOON, EUROPA,
487
00:30:24,723 --> 00:30:29,092
MAY HAVE THE LARGEST OCEAN
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
488
00:30:29,094 --> 00:30:31,361
THE SAME GRAVITATIONAL
HEATING EFFECT
489
00:30:31,363 --> 00:30:36,233
KEEPS THIS OCEAN
PERMANENTLY WARM,
490
00:30:36,235 --> 00:30:37,868
AND ITS THICK ICE CRUST
491
00:30:37,870 --> 00:30:40,437
COULD SHIELD
AGAINST THE DEADLY RADIATION
492
00:30:40,439 --> 00:30:44,474
FROM JUPITER'S POWERFUL
MAGNETIC FIELD.
493
00:30:44,476 --> 00:30:46,343
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT
A HABITABLE ZONE,
494
00:30:46,345 --> 00:30:47,945
A PLACE WHERE A PLANET
HAS TO BE
495
00:30:47,947 --> 00:30:49,613
TO BE WARM ENOUGH
FOR LIQUID WATER,
496
00:30:49,615 --> 00:30:52,482
BUT IN FACT THE REAL ACTION,
WHERE WATER IS CONCERNED,
497
00:30:52,484 --> 00:30:54,351
IS IN THE OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM.
498
00:30:54,353 --> 00:30:56,587
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
THE RIGHT CONDITIONS FOR LIFE,
499
00:30:56,589 --> 00:30:58,388
YOU WANT TO LOOK FARTHER AWAY
FROM THE STAR
500
00:30:58,390 --> 00:31:00,190
THAN MIGHT FIRST HAVE ASSUMED.
501
00:31:04,630 --> 00:31:07,598
Narrator: SCIENTISTS THINK
THAT ACROSS THE GALAXY
502
00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,534
THERE COULD BE BILLIONS
OF ICY EXOMOONS
503
00:31:10,536 --> 00:31:15,639
JUST LIKE ENCELADUS
THAT HARBOR HIDDEN OCEANS.
504
00:31:15,641 --> 00:31:21,578
THE BIG QUESTION -- COULD LIFE
EXIST INSIDE AN ICY EXOMOON?
505
00:31:33,926 --> 00:31:36,293
Narrator: SCIENTISTS SEARCHING
FOR ALIEN LIFE
506
00:31:36,295 --> 00:31:40,731
ARE TURNING THEIR ATTENTION
TO ICE MOONS WITH HIDDEN OCEANS.
507
00:31:40,733 --> 00:31:42,900
COULD SOME OF THESE MOONS
HARBOR LIFE
508
00:31:42,902 --> 00:31:46,403
BENEATH THEIR FROZEN CRUSTS?
509
00:31:46,405 --> 00:31:50,774
CHEMIST CHRISTIAN PAULIK
WANTS TO FIND OUT.
510
00:31:50,776 --> 00:31:56,246
HE STUDIES TINY, MICROSCOPIC
LIFE-FORMS CALLED "ARCHAEA."
511
00:31:56,248 --> 00:31:58,782
ARCHAEA FEED OFF
THE NUTRIENT-RICH WATERS
512
00:31:58,784 --> 00:32:00,417
AROUND HYDROTHERMAL VENTS
513
00:32:00,419 --> 00:32:03,186
AT THE BOTTOM
OF EARTH'S DEEPEST OCEANS.
514
00:32:05,524 --> 00:32:08,659
CHRISTIAN WANTS TO TEST
IF THESE MICROORGANISMS
515
00:32:08,661 --> 00:32:10,727
COULD SURVIVE
THE EXTREME ENVIRONMENT
516
00:32:10,729 --> 00:32:13,096
AT THE BOTTOM
OF AN ICE MOON'S OCEAN.
517
00:32:17,469 --> 00:32:20,737
OKAY, HERE WE HAVE
OUR LITTLE MICROORGANISMS.
518
00:32:20,739 --> 00:32:22,940
AND WE HOPE WE CAN SHOW
519
00:32:22,942 --> 00:32:25,976
THAT MICROORGANISMS
LIKE THIS ONE HERE
520
00:32:25,978 --> 00:32:30,981
CAN ALSO SURVIVE
ON CONDITIONS LIKE ON ENCELADUS.
521
00:32:30,983 --> 00:32:32,649
Narrator:
SCIENTISTS THINK THE PRESSURE
522
00:32:32,651 --> 00:32:34,885
AT THE BOTTOM
OF ENCELADUS' OCEAN
523
00:32:34,887 --> 00:32:40,757
IS EQUIVALENT TO 100 TIMES THE
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE ON EARTH.
524
00:32:40,759 --> 00:32:44,361
THE WATER IS UP TO
190 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
525
00:32:44,363 --> 00:32:47,798
AND IT'S LACED
WITH TOXIC CHEMICALS.
526
00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,801
IF YOU CAN SHOW THAT
THE MICROORGANISMS WE FIND HERE
527
00:32:50,803 --> 00:32:54,338
ON EARTH
CAN LIVE UNDER THAT CONDITION,
528
00:32:54,340 --> 00:32:55,739
THERE MIGHT BE
THE POSSIBILITY
529
00:32:55,741 --> 00:33:00,477
THAT WE ALSO FIND THIS KIND
OF ORGANISMS ON AN ICY MOON.
530
00:33:02,848 --> 00:33:04,715
Narrator:
CHRISTIAN'S COLLEAGUE, PATRICIA,
531
00:33:04,717 --> 00:33:08,585
TRANSFERS THE MICROORGANISMS
INTO A PIECE OF PIPING
532
00:33:08,587 --> 00:33:12,255
AND CONNECTS IT
TO A PRESSURE CHAMBER.
533
00:33:12,257 --> 00:33:14,925
Paulik: NOW WE CONNECT IT
TO THE REACTOR.
534
00:33:18,564 --> 00:33:22,065
Narrator:
SHE INCREASES THE PRESSURE.
535
00:33:22,067 --> 00:33:24,534
CAN THE MICROORGANISMS SURVIVE?
536
00:33:26,872 --> 00:33:30,574
PATRICIA LOOKS FOR EVIDENCE
OF ACCUMULATION OF METHANE GAS,
537
00:33:30,576 --> 00:33:35,879
A SURE SIGN THAT THE MICROBES
ARE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY.
538
00:33:35,881 --> 00:33:40,884
WHAT WE CLEARLY SEE HERE
IS THAT OUR MICROORGANISMS GROW
539
00:33:40,886 --> 00:33:44,921
AND THAT
THEY PRODUCED METHANE.
540
00:33:44,923 --> 00:33:47,657
THAT'S QUITE FINE.
[ CHUCKLES ]
541
00:33:47,659 --> 00:33:49,826
THE RESULTS ARE POSITIVE.
542
00:33:49,828 --> 00:33:52,929
THE MICROORGANISMS
ARE PRODUCING METHANE.
543
00:33:52,931 --> 00:33:55,165
THEY ARE ALIVE AND WELL.
544
00:33:55,167 --> 00:33:57,801
THE EXPERIMENT PROVES
THAT ENCELADUS
545
00:33:57,803 --> 00:34:01,371
AND ICY EXOMOONS LIKE IT
ARE HABITABLE
546
00:34:01,373 --> 00:34:04,574
AND POTENTIALLY NOT JUST
FOR SIMPLE LIFE.
547
00:34:06,645 --> 00:34:09,112
AROUND EARTH'S
HYDROTHERMAL VENTS,
548
00:34:09,114 --> 00:34:11,782
LARGER CREATURES
SUCH AS TUBEWORMS, SHRIMP,
549
00:34:11,784 --> 00:34:16,586
AND CRABS
CAN FEED OFF MICROORGANISMS.
550
00:34:16,588 --> 00:34:19,122
THIS ALLOWS A COMPLEX ECOSYSTEM
TO THRIVE
551
00:34:19,124 --> 00:34:21,291
WITH NO EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT.
552
00:34:23,462 --> 00:34:25,695
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SIMILAR
CREATURES COULD LIVE
553
00:34:25,697 --> 00:34:28,932
ON THE SEA FLOOR
OF ICY EXOMOONS, AS WELL.
554
00:34:30,903 --> 00:34:33,703
ALIEN MICROORGANISMS
COULD BE THE BOTTOM
555
00:34:33,705 --> 00:34:36,973
OF A COMPLEX FOOD CHAIN.
556
00:34:36,975 --> 00:34:38,575
Oluseyi:
THE SAME PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY
557
00:34:38,577 --> 00:34:40,377
THAT HAPPENS HERE
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
558
00:34:40,379 --> 00:34:42,145
HAPPENS EVERYWHERE
IN THE UNIVERSE.
559
00:34:42,147 --> 00:34:45,148
SO JUST LIKE WE HAVE
TIDAL HEATING ON ENCELADUS
560
00:34:45,150 --> 00:34:47,751
THAT COULD SUPPORT LIFE
AT THE BOTTOM OF ITS OCEAN,
561
00:34:47,753 --> 00:34:50,053
THE SAME THING COULD BE GOING ON
IN EXOMOONS
562
00:34:50,055 --> 00:34:51,888
ALL AROUND THE GALAXY.
563
00:34:51,890 --> 00:34:54,291
SO THE EXOMOONS COULD BE
BREEDING GROUNDS
564
00:34:54,293 --> 00:34:58,161
FOR LIFE
THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE.
565
00:34:58,163 --> 00:35:01,398
Narrator: SCIENTISTS SEARCHING
FOR HABITABLE EXOMOONS
566
00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:03,400
NOW HAVE TWO TARGETS --
567
00:35:03,402 --> 00:35:05,836
EARTHLIKE MOONS
AROUND GAS GIANTS
568
00:35:05,838 --> 00:35:08,405
AND ICE MOONS
WITH HIDDEN OCEANS.
569
00:35:11,210 --> 00:35:13,477
THEY SUSPECT
THESE COMPANION WORLDS
570
00:35:13,479 --> 00:35:15,779
COULD BE MORE LIKELY
TO HOST LIFE
571
00:35:15,781 --> 00:35:20,217
THAN THE PLANETS THEY ORBIT,
BUT THEY NEED PROOF.
572
00:35:23,288 --> 00:35:27,891
FOR THAT, MOST SCIENTISTS ARE
PINNING THEIR HOPES ON EUROPA,
573
00:35:27,893 --> 00:35:32,329
AN ICE MOON CLOSER TO EARTH
AND MUCH LARGER.
574
00:35:32,331 --> 00:35:37,467
♪
575
00:35:37,469 --> 00:35:39,169
Howett:
ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS
ABOUT EUROPA
576
00:35:39,171 --> 00:35:41,037
IS IT HAS POTENTIAL FOR LIFE,
577
00:35:41,039 --> 00:35:42,806
BUT IT'S A LOT CLOSER
THAN ENCELADUS
578
00:35:42,808 --> 00:35:44,741
AND SO IT MAKES IT
AN EASIER PLACE TO EXPLORE
579
00:35:44,743 --> 00:35:47,077
FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
580
00:35:47,079 --> 00:35:50,547
Narrator: EUROPA IS ROUGHLY
THE SIZE OF EARTH'S MOON,
581
00:35:50,549 --> 00:35:54,451
BROWN STREAKS
CRISSCROSS ITS ICY SURFACE.
582
00:35:54,453 --> 00:35:56,953
IT'S THOUGHT THESE MARKINGS
COULD BE SEA SALT
583
00:35:56,955 --> 00:35:59,289
THAT SEEPS THROUGH CRACKS
IN THE ICE.
584
00:36:02,227 --> 00:36:04,628
JUPITER'S FEROCIOUS
RADIATION BELT
585
00:36:04,630 --> 00:36:07,364
THEN BAKES THIS SALT DARK BROWN.
586
00:36:09,568 --> 00:36:12,335
NEW OBSERVATIONS BY
THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
587
00:36:12,337 --> 00:36:16,540
SUGGEST THAT, LIKE SATURN'S
SMALLER MOON, ENCELADUS,
588
00:36:16,542 --> 00:36:20,076
PLUMES OF WATER MAY ERUPT
FROM EUROPA'S SURFACE.
589
00:36:22,915 --> 00:36:24,981
Thaller: EUROPA MAY HOLD SOME
OF THE BEST CHANCES
590
00:36:24,983 --> 00:36:26,816
OF FINDING LIFE
OUTSIDE THE EARTH.
591
00:36:26,818 --> 00:36:29,686
THERE IS A LIQUID-WATER OCEAN
UNDERNEATH A LAYER OF ICE
592
00:36:29,688 --> 00:36:31,922
THAT PROBABLY CONTAINS
AS MUCH AS TWICE
593
00:36:31,924 --> 00:36:34,691
OF ALL OF THE OCEANS'
WATER ON THE EARTH.
594
00:36:34,693 --> 00:36:36,793
WE KNOW ALSO THAT THERE'S
INTERESTING CHEMISTRY THERE --
595
00:36:36,795 --> 00:36:39,062
THERE'S SALT,
THERE'S ORGANIC MOLECULES.
596
00:36:39,064 --> 00:36:42,866
THE QUESTIONS IS CAN WE ACTUALLY
GO THERE AND SAMPLE THIS WATER,
597
00:36:42,868 --> 00:36:45,168
SEE IF ANYTHING
IS LIVING INSIDE IT?
598
00:36:49,007 --> 00:36:51,141
Narrator:
TO FIND ALIEN LIFE ON EUROPA
599
00:36:51,143 --> 00:36:54,244
MEANS DRILLING THOUGH
TENS OF MILES OF ICE...
600
00:36:56,682 --> 00:37:01,017
...AND SEARCHING AN OCEAN THAT
COULD BE ALMOST 100 MILES DEEP.
601
00:37:03,188 --> 00:37:06,156
BUT ONE SCIENTIST
HAS ANOTHER PLAN.
602
00:37:06,158 --> 00:37:10,627
WILL HIS ROBOT BE THE FIRST TO
FIND ALIEN LIFE ON AN ICE MOON?
603
00:37:20,072 --> 00:37:25,175
♪
604
00:37:25,177 --> 00:37:28,378
Narrator:
IN THE REMOTE ALASKAN ARCTIC,
605
00:37:28,380 --> 00:37:32,449
NASA ENGINEER ANDY KLESH
IS READY TO TEST A ROBOT
606
00:37:32,451 --> 00:37:35,151
THAT HE HOPES
COULD ONE DAY EXPLORE THE OCEAN
607
00:37:35,153 --> 00:37:38,121
BENEATH THE ICY SURFACE
OF EUROPA.
608
00:37:41,660 --> 00:37:43,426
WE TRAVELED TO BARROW, ALASKA,
609
00:37:43,428 --> 00:37:45,795
THE MOST NORTHERN POINT
OF THE UNITES STATES.
610
00:37:45,797 --> 00:37:48,031
AND THERE WE HAVE ACCESS
TO PERMAFROST LAKES
611
00:37:48,033 --> 00:37:50,667
WITH METHANE SEEPS THAT ARE
BUBBLING UP FROM THE BOTTOM
612
00:37:50,669 --> 00:37:54,070
AND ALSO THE ARCTIC OCEAN.
613
00:37:54,072 --> 00:37:56,940
Narrator:
HERE THE ICE-COVERED LAKES
MIMIC FEATURES
614
00:37:56,942 --> 00:38:00,410
OF EUROPA'S FRACTURED SURFACE.
615
00:38:00,412 --> 00:38:03,980
ON EARTH, ALGAE AND MICROBES
LIKE TO ANCHOR THEMSELVES
616
00:38:03,982 --> 00:38:05,715
BENEATH THE ICE.
617
00:38:05,717 --> 00:38:11,721
ANDY THINKS THAT ALIEN MICROBES
ON EUROPA MAY DO THE SAME THING.
618
00:38:11,723 --> 00:38:15,225
SO HE DESIGNS HIS ROBOT
TO DRIVE UPSIDE DOWN
619
00:38:15,227 --> 00:38:18,194
UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE ICE.
620
00:38:18,196 --> 00:38:20,997
Klesh:
RATHER THAN EXPLORE THE VAST
REACHES OF OCEAN WATER,
621
00:38:20,999 --> 00:38:22,666
WE FOUND THAT IF WE BUILT
A ROVER
622
00:38:22,668 --> 00:38:25,302
THAT COULD ACTUALLY SURVIVE
AND THRIVE
623
00:38:25,304 --> 00:38:26,970
ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ICE,
624
00:38:26,972 --> 00:38:28,938
IT MIGHT BE ABLE
TO BETTER FIND SIGNS OF LIFE
625
00:38:28,940 --> 00:38:31,207
WITHOUT HAVING TO SEND DOWN
TO THE FAR DEPTHS
626
00:38:31,209 --> 00:38:34,110
AND THE HIGH PRESSURES
THAT WE HAVE AT BOTTOM.
627
00:38:34,112 --> 00:38:37,681
Narrator:
ANDY'S TEAM IS WORKING ON
A DEVICE TO ENABLE THE ROBOT
628
00:38:37,683 --> 00:38:42,152
TO EXTRACT SAMPLES
OF ICE AND WATER.
629
00:38:42,154 --> 00:38:43,920
THE ROBOT COULD ANALYZE THESE
630
00:38:43,922 --> 00:38:47,590
AND POTENTIALLY BRING THEM
BACK TO EARTH.
631
00:38:47,592 --> 00:38:50,093
Klesh: WE CAN MAINTAIN
A VERY-LOW-POWER MODE,
632
00:38:50,095 --> 00:38:52,629
BECAUSE OUR WHEELS ARE
BASICALLY CIRCULAR SAW BLADES --
633
00:38:52,631 --> 00:38:53,963
THEY DIG INTO THE ICE,
634
00:38:53,965 --> 00:38:56,466
AND THEY ALLOW US TO STAY
IN ONE PLACE UNDER THERE.
635
00:38:56,468 --> 00:38:58,301
THIS ALLOWS US TO SIT, STARE,
636
00:38:58,303 --> 00:39:00,103
AND OBSERVE
FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME,
637
00:39:00,105 --> 00:39:02,405
COLLECTING AS MUCH INFORMATION
AS WE CAN.
638
00:39:05,177 --> 00:39:07,944
Narrator: THE TEAM ALSO TESTS
THIS NEW PROTOTYPE
639
00:39:07,946 --> 00:39:10,914
THAT'S DESIGNED TO FOLD UP
AND FIT THROUGH A BOREHOLE.
640
00:39:13,485 --> 00:39:18,254
IT'S EARLY DAYS FOR A MISSION
TO EXPLORE EUROPA'S OCEAN,
641
00:39:18,256 --> 00:39:20,390
THE CHALLENGES ARE IMMENSE
642
00:39:20,392 --> 00:39:24,761
AND WILL TEST OUR TECHNOLOGY
AND INGENUITY TO THE LIMIT.
643
00:39:24,763 --> 00:39:28,331
BUT IT WILL BE WORTH IT,
BECAUSE IF SCIENTISTS CAN FIND
644
00:39:28,333 --> 00:39:31,401
EVEN SIMPLE ALIEN LIFE-FORMS
ON A MOON,
645
00:39:31,403 --> 00:39:35,538
IT WILL MEAN THAT OUR GALAXY
COULD BE FILLED WITH LIFE.
646
00:39:35,540 --> 00:39:42,445
♪
647
00:39:42,447 --> 00:39:46,182
IF THERE WAS LIFE ON ANY OTHER
PLACE IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,
648
00:39:46,184 --> 00:39:48,918
BE IT ENCELADUS,
BE IT EUROPA,
649
00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:52,856
IT WOULD BE
A TOTAL GAME CHANGER.
650
00:39:52,858 --> 00:39:56,326
Plait: IF WE EVEN FIND
A MICROBE ON EUROPA,
651
00:39:56,328 --> 00:40:00,296
THAT MEANS LIFE CAN EXIST
IN CONDITIONS
652
00:40:00,298 --> 00:40:02,065
THAT ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
653
00:40:02,067 --> 00:40:06,035
THAN WHAT HAPPENED HERE ON EARTH
4 OR SO BILLION YEARS AGO.
654
00:40:06,037 --> 00:40:07,871
IF THAT'S THE CASE,
655
00:40:07,873 --> 00:40:10,640
THEN THAT MEANS
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND LIFE
656
00:40:10,642 --> 00:40:14,577
EVERYWHERE WE LOOK
IN THE UNIVERSE.
657
00:40:14,579 --> 00:40:16,646
Narrator:
IF LIFE CAN GET STARTED
ON ANOTHER WORLD
658
00:40:16,648 --> 00:40:19,215
WITHIN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,
659
00:40:19,217 --> 00:40:22,085
THEN WE'LL KNOW FOR SURE
IT CAN GET STARTED ANYWHERE
660
00:40:22,087 --> 00:40:27,056
THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT
ON BILLIONS OF HABITABLE PLANETS
661
00:40:27,058 --> 00:40:33,196
THROUGHOUT THE MILKY WAY
AND BILLIONS OF HABITABLE MOONS.
662
00:40:35,367 --> 00:40:37,266
I THINK IF EUROPA WERE TO SHOW
663
00:40:37,268 --> 00:40:39,736
THAT LIFE IS POSSIBLE
ON THESE ICY WORLDS,
664
00:40:39,738 --> 00:40:43,573
THEN THE PUSH TO EXPLORE OTHER
ICY WORLDS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
665
00:40:43,575 --> 00:40:47,076
AND OUTSIDE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
WOULD BE HUGE.
666
00:40:47,078 --> 00:40:50,713
Narrator:
DISCOVERING ALIEN LIFE ON A MOON
COULD BE THE CATALYST
667
00:40:50,715 --> 00:40:54,217
THAT PUSHES US TO EXPLORE
BEYOND OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
668
00:40:57,189 --> 00:40:58,788
Oluseyi: NOT ONLY ARE WE GOING
TO LOOK FOR LIFE
669
00:40:58,790 --> 00:41:00,323
EVERYWHERE IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
670
00:41:00,325 --> 00:41:01,925
WE'RE NOW GOING TO LOOK FOR LIFE
671
00:41:01,927 --> 00:41:04,727
EVERYWHERE IN THE GALAXY
AND THE UNIVERSE.
672
00:41:04,729 --> 00:41:07,564
THE EXOMOONS, THE EXOPLANETS,
WHO KNOWS?
673
00:41:07,566 --> 00:41:09,299
IT CAN BE EVERYWHERE.
674
00:41:11,736 --> 00:41:13,236
Narrator:
IN THE LAST DECADE,
675
00:41:13,238 --> 00:41:15,939
WE'VE WITNESSED
A REVOLUTION IN ASTRONOMY
676
00:41:15,941 --> 00:41:19,375
AS SCIENTISTS STARTED TO FIND
PLANET AFTER PLANET
677
00:41:19,377 --> 00:41:21,878
AROUND DISTANT STARS.
678
00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:25,482
THE COMING DECADES COULD WITNESS
A SIMILAR REVOLUTION,
679
00:41:25,484 --> 00:41:29,385
AS HUNDREDS OF EXOMOONS
ARE DISCOVERED, TOO,
680
00:41:29,387 --> 00:41:33,890
ADDING A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION
TO THE SEARCH FOR LIFE.
681
00:41:33,892 --> 00:41:39,062
SOME EXOMOONS MAY EVEN BE HOME
TO ADVANCED ALIENS
682
00:41:39,064 --> 00:41:42,832
WHO MIGHT PONDER WHETHER LIFE
COULD EVER FLOURISH ON A PLANET
683
00:41:42,834 --> 00:41:46,302
AND NOT A MOON LIKE THEIRS.
684
00:41:46,304 --> 00:41:48,838
Tremblay: IF YOU CAN IMAGINE US
MAKING CONTACT
685
00:41:48,840 --> 00:41:51,274
WITH AN ADVANCED
LUNAR CIVILIZATION,
686
00:41:51,276 --> 00:41:53,309
THEY MIGHT THINK
WE'RE THE WEIRD ONES,
687
00:41:53,311 --> 00:41:57,881
BEING LIFE ON A PLANET
RATHER THAN ON A MOON.
688
00:41:57,883 --> 00:42:01,017
Oluseyi: IF THERE WERE ALIEN
INTELLIGENT BEINGS OUT THERE
689
00:42:01,019 --> 00:42:02,418
AND THEY WERE TO SEE EARTH,
690
00:42:02,420 --> 00:42:03,820
THEY PROBABLY WOULD LOOK AT US
AND SAY,
691
00:42:03,822 --> 00:42:07,223
"WHAT WEIRD KIND OF PLANET
IS THAT?"
692
00:42:07,225 --> 00:42:09,659
Narrator:
WE MIGHT BE THE ODD ONES OUT.