PBS Space Time

Dark Forest: Should We Not Contact Aliens?

In 1974 we sent the Arecibo radio message towards Messier 13. The message was mostly symbolic; we weren’t really expecting a reply. Yet surely other civilisations out there are doing the same thing. So, why haven’t we heard anything? What if the silence from the stars is a hint that we shouldn’t be so outgoing? What if aliens are deliberately keeping quiet for fear that they might be destroyed?

Dark Forest: Should We Not Contact Aliens?

14m 12s

  • Interstellar Expansion WITHOUT Faster Than Light Travel: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Interstellar Expansion WITHOUT Faster Than Light Travel

    S10 E9 - 20m 15s

    In the far future we may have advanced propulsion technologies, but what if those technologies never materialize? Are we imprisoned by the vastness of space—doomed to remain in the solar system of our origin? Perhaps not. A possible path to a contemporary cosmic dream may just be to build a ship which can support human life for several generations; a so-called generation ship.

  • What Happens If You Jump Into A Black Hole?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    What Happens If You Jump Into A Black Hole?

    S10 E8 - 16m 19s

    Today we are jumping into a black hole. Again. Why? Well, to determine the fundamental structure of spacetime and its connection to quantum entanglement of course.

  • Why Is The World Rushing Back To The Moon?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Why Is The World Rushing Back To The Moon?

    S10 E7 - 15m 36s

    The Moon has been one of the most important theoretical stepping stones to our understanding of the universe. We’ve long understood that it could also be our literal stepping stone: humanity’s first destination beyond our atmosphere.

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