Podcast Summary
Bridging the gap between science and popular culture: Renowned actor Alan Alda, known for his role in M*A*S*H, uses his platform to bring science to the general public through various mediums, including PBS shows, science-themed plays, and even portraying notable scientists.
Renowned actor Alan Alda, known for his role in M*A*S*H, has dedicated half of his life to bringing science to the general public. He has hosted shows on PBS, written and performed in science-themed plays, and even portrayed notable scientists like Richard Feynman. During this StarTalk Radio episode recorded live at the Eugene Merman Comedy Festival, Alda and Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed the creativity of the universe and the limitations of Hollywood's depiction of aliens. Alda criticized the humanoid representation of aliens in movies, as there is life on Earth with whom we share DNA that looks less human than it. He explained that faces are a characteristic of vertebrates, and since most life on Earth is not vertebrate, there is much more faceless life than we might realize. The conversation highlighted Alda's passion for science and his efforts to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and popular culture.
Attempts to reach out to extraterrestrial life: Humans have tried to communicate with potential alien civilizations through spacecraft, but the methods used might not be effective. Instead, subtle forms of communication like the golden record on Voyager might be more successful.
Despite the vast amount of biomass below the Earth's surface, no life forms have intentionally traveled to space. However, humans have made attempts to reach out to extraterrestrial life through spacecraft, such as the Pioneer spacecraft in the 1970s. This spacecraft carried a plaque with our solar system's coordinates, which might not be the best way to communicate with potential alien civilizations. Instead, they might appreciate more subtle forms of communication. The Voyager 1 and 2 spacecrafts, which also exceeded the escape velocity of the solar system, carried a golden record with sounds and images of Earth's species. Overall, communicating with extraterrestrial life is a complex issue, and we need to consider the potential ways they might understand and respond to our messages.
First contact with extraterrestrial life might be through unintentional broadcasts: Unintended signals from our TV and radio could be the first contact with extraterrestrial life, but their perception and definition of life might be different
Our first contact with extraterrestrial life may not be through intentional signals or encounters, but rather through the unintentional broadcasts of our television and radio signals that have been traveling through space for decades. These aliens might have already formed opinions about us based on our media, and it's uncertain if they would even want to make contact. The definition of life is also a complex question, and it's possible that extraterrestrial life might not resemble anything we can imagine. Despite the billions of dollars spent on space exploration, there is currently no compelling evidence of extraterrestrial life or contact, and some argue that we might not even recognize it if we saw it. The search for extraterrestrial life continues, but it's important to keep an open mind and not jump to conclusions based on limited evidence.
Life on Earth might have originated from Mars: Mars could have seeded life on Earth through asteroid collisions during early solar system
Life on Earth may have originated from Mars through a process called panspermia. During the early solar system, asteroids could escape a planet's gravity with sufficient force, carrying microbes to other planets. Mars, having finished its heavy bombardment earlier than Earth, might have provided the microbes that seeded life on our planet. However, the idea of intentionally altering Mars' atmosphere to make it habitable for humans is unrealistic due to our current inability to predict even next week's weather on Earth. This discovery of potential interplanetary exchange of life adds a fascinating layer to our understanding of the universe and our place in it.
The universe's challenges to life: The universe's vastness and challenges to life emphasize the importance of cherishing and preserving Earth's habitats, and continued scientific exploration and innovation.
The idea of terraforming Mars to make it habitable for humans is unrealistic and impractical, given the numerous ways the universe poses threats to life. The universe, including Earth, presents numerous challenges to life, and we have adapted to create comfortable environments for ourselves. However, in the far future, the sun's exhaustion will eventually make Earth uninhabitable, and we may need to consider solutions such as towering planets or finding new habitable environments. The universe's vastness and the limitations of our current technology underscore the importance of cherishing and preserving the habitats we have, rather than seeking to create new ones. Additionally, the discussion highlighted the vastness of space and the challenges it poses to life, emphasizing the need for continued scientific exploration and innovation to understand and adapt to the universe's complexities.
The Carboniferous Era: Birthplace of Oil and the Fertility of Carbon: Carbon, the most chemically active element, formed diverse molecules during the Carboniferous era, which became our oil source. Black holes have immense gravitational pull, stretching and distorting matter, but pose no significant threat to Earth due to their rarity and quick evaporation.
The oil we use today is derived from the carbon-rich vegetation that thrived during the Carboniferous era. Carbon is the most chemically fertile element on the periodic table, capable of forming more diverse molecules than any other element. However, the inflexibility of silicon bonds limits the potential for creating complex life forms similar to carbon-based organisms. Moving on to black holes, they are known for their immense gravitational pull that can stretch and distort matter, including light beams. As one approaches a black hole, the tidal forces can stretch and compress the body, eventually exceeding the intermolecular bonds, causing the body to snap into two pieces. Despite their destructive power, black holes do not discriminate and can pull in anything that comes too close. It's important to note that while tiny black holes can be formed through cosmic ray collisions, they evaporate quickly and do not pose a significant threat to life on Earth. The discussion also touched on the idea that black holes may not be as destructive as previously thought, as one could theoretically survive the journey towards a black hole, experiencing a drastic change in physical form.
Body gets stretched and split during fall into black hole: A falling body undergoes spaghettification, getting stretched and split into multiple pieces, but due to the singularity's small size, it reforms into a long, skinny shape. The likelihood of Earth being consumed by a black hole is negligible, and spinning black holes lose their singularity, altering the fall's outcome.
According to the discussion, when a body falls into a black hole, it undergoes a process called spaghettification, where it gets stretched and split into multiple pieces due to the extreme tidal forces. At one point, the body would be 2 to the 10th power of its original size. However, the black hole's singularity is much smaller than the original body, causing the pieces to come back together in a long, skinny shape. Despite the existence of mini black holes and their potential creation in particle accelerators, the likelihood of Earth being consumed by one is negligible. Additionally, if a black hole spins, it loses its singularity, meaning that falling objects do not reach the singularity.
Potential creation of a new universe through a black hole: Black holes could lead to a new universe, but our current universe will eventually end in thermal death and decay
A spinning black hole could potentially create an entirely new dimensional universe within it, and if an object or person enters it at the right trajectory, they could "slingshot" into that universe. This concept, while fascinating, also brings up the realization that our current universe is expanding and eventually all stars will burn out, leading to a thermal death of the universe where the temperature approaches absolute zero, and all matter, including the protons in atoms, decays. This means that eventually, there will be no machines, no motion, and no life. So, while the idea of traveling to a new universe through a black hole is intriguing, it also highlights the inevitability of the end of our current universe.
Uncertainty about Asteroid Apophis's 2036 Approach: Despite its close approach in 2029, uncertainty about Asteroid Apophis's 2036 trajectory leaves us uncertain about whether it will hit Earth or miss us entirely, potentially causing a catastrophic impact.
Asteroid Apophis, which is larger than the Rose Bowl and was once believed to be on a collision course with Earth, will come closer than any other object in recorded history in 2029. However, we do not know if it will hit us during its next approach in 2036 because we cannot determine its orbit with enough precision. This uncertainty leaves us uncertain about whether it will thread the "keyhole," which would cause it to hit Earth, or miss us entirely. The potential impact could be catastrophic, with the asteroid plunging into the Pacific Ocean and causing a tsunami that would hit California first. Despite the uncertainty, we continue to monitor Apophis and other asteroids that pose a threat to our planet.
Tsunami caused by asteroid impact: Destruction along West Coast: An asteroid impacting an underwater trench off Santa Monica causes a devastating tsunami, resulting in the destruction of man-made structures along the Pacific Ocean coastline. Lasting for 45 minutes, the event will result in 41 destructive waves. Evacuation and preparation are crucial for residents on April 13, 2036.
A massive tsunami caused by an asteroid impacting a underwater trench off the coast of Santa Monica will result in a series of devastating waves hitting the West Coast of North America. These waves, caused by the water sloshing back into the hole left by the asteroid, will continue for approximately 45 minutes and result in the destruction of man-made structures along the coast. The first tsunami wave will be followed by 40 additional waves, each one destroying what was rebuilt by the previous one. The only fatalities are expected to be two individuals, one being a surfer attempting to ride the wave, and the other being a weatherperson trying to get too close to the storm. The asteroid, estimated to be the size of the Rose Bowl, will not end the world but will cause significant damage to the Pacific Ocean coastline. It is important for residents in the affected area to evacuate and prepare for the event, which is predicted to occur on April 13, 2036.
