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NARRATOR:
Millions of planets
similar to our own.
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GIORGIO A. TSOUKALOS:
The discoveries of exoplanets
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over the past few years have
been absolutely extraordinary.
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NARRATOR:
And many could soon be within
the grasp of our technology.
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MICHIO KAKU:
Think about it.
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Civilizations over billions
of years could have
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risen and fallen
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even before
the Earth was formed.
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NARRATOR:
But if we can reach out in
pursuit of life on other worlds,
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might they also
be reaching out to us?
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And have they been doing so
for thousands of years?
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BILL BIRNES:
Could it be that
ancient civilizations,
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ancient aliens from far away
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migrated from their home worlds
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and they found Earth?
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WILLIAM HENRY:
The implications for humanity
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are enormous.
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NARRATOR:
There is a doorway
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in the universe.
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Beyond it is the
promise of truth.
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It demands we
question everything
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we have ever been taught.
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The evidence is all around us.
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The future is right
before our eyes.
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We are not alone.
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We have never been alone.
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NARRATOR:
Cape Canaveral, Florida.
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April 18, 2018.
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At 6:51 p. m.,
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a Falcon 9 rocket blasts off
on a mission to deploy
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NASA's newest
space telescope into orbit:
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the Transiting Exoplanet
Survey Satellite,
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or TESS.
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TESS is like a survey
of the whole sky, a survey
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of the nearest
100 light‐years or so
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of planets that would be
around these stars.
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NARRATOR:
Over the next decade,
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scientists expect that TESS
will fulfill its primary mission:
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to discover thousands
of so‐called exoplanets.
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SUMMERS:
Exoplanets are planets
that exist
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outside of our solar system.
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We're certainly in an exoplanet
golden age of discovery.
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20 years ago, we didn't know
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if there were other Earth‐like
planets in the universe.
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And now we can't imagine
how we could discover things
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at a higher rate and still
try to make sense of it.
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It's such a struggle
just to keep up
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with the discoveries that
we're making right now.
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NARRATOR:
It is only recently,
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with the development
of deep‐space satellites
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and high‐powered telescopes,
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that a more accurate
understanding of nearby planets,
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especially planets capable
of supporting human life,
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has been possible.
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But it wasn't so long ago that
the notion of Earth‐like planets
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existing in our galaxy
wasn't simply unknown;
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it was considered blasphemy.
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When the 16th century Italian
philosopher and cosmologist
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Giordano Bruno
expressed his belief
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in "an infinity of worlds"
and raised the possibility
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that other planets
could harbor life,
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he was charged with heresy
and burned at the stake.
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KAKU:
It was heretical, revolutionary,
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to believe that there
could be alien life out there.
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Giordano Bruno was burned alive
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in the streets of Rome,
and what was his crime?
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To say that there are aliens
out there on other planets.
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HENRY:
You weren't allowed
to think like that.
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It challenged
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all their predispositions
and their power structure.
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"No, there are no other worlds.
There's nothing out there."
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But there is
something out there,
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there's no question about it.
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NARRATOR:
As recently as the early 1990s,
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astronomers were still unable
to detect these distant planets,
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even with high‐powered
telescopes.
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It's hard to see an exoplanet.
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Imagine trying to look at
a firefly next to a spotlight.
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It's incredibly difficult
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because stars shine
by their own light.
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They give off their own light,
but planets reflect light.
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A typical star is about
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ten billion times
brighter than a planet.
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NARRATOR:
Thanks to remarkable
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advances in technology,
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astronomers made the very
first discovery of an exoplanet
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in 1992 using an
Earth‐based telescope.
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But that search kicked
into high gear in 2009
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with the launch of Kepler,
the first space telescope
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specially designed
to find exoplanets.
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And in 2018, Kepler was replaced
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by the even more powerful TESS.
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So, one of the really
cool things about TESS,
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the new satellite
that NASA's put up,
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is basically it was specifically
designed to detect exoplanets
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by what's called
the transit method,
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which is where, when a planet
goes in front of a star,
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it blocks the light briefly
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and you really see the
light blink on and off.
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AMY SHIRA TEITEL:
That tell‐tale dip
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is what tells you there
might be something
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that's passing in front of it.
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The regularity tells
you about the orbit,
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which is the easiest way
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to actually start looking
for new planets.
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NARRATOR:
Although the initial
objective in the search
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for exoplanets was simply
to determine how many stars
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in our galaxy might have
planets in orbit around them,
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the actual results
were staggering.
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Our galaxy has around, um,
400 billion stars.
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From what we've seen so far is,
on average,
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every star has
at least one planet.
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So that means that there
are 400 billion, at least,
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planets in our galaxy.
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NARRATOR:
400 billion planets
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in the Milky Way galaxy alone?
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The discovery of such
an extraordinary number
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of exoplanets represents
a radical change
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in our understanding
of the universe.
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But even more radical
is the notion
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that millions of those planets
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might actually be capable
of not just supporting life
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but generating it.
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And, to that end, astronomers
and astrophysicists
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actively search for
planets in a region
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they refer to as
the Goldilocks zone.
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DENNIN:
The Goldilocks zone is exactly
that range for a given star
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of where water
is gonna be liquid
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on a given type of planet.
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KAKU:
We want a planet
that is not too close,
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not too far from
the mother star,
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but just right.
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Planets that may have oxygen
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and H2O, water,
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that may make possible
an atmosphere
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and maybe even life.
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NARRATOR:
Based upon current observations,
scientists are astounded
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by the number of potentially
habitable planets that exist
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in the Goldilocks zone.
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SUMMERS:
With at least 400 billion
planets in our galaxy,
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if you just look
at one percent of that,
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you're still talking
about billions of planets
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that could potentially
be habitable.
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This is exciting 'cause we
once thought that we were
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the only game in town,
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that can only exist
on the planet Earth.
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DENNIN:
The discovery of exoplanets,
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I think it's really
changed our view
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of the potential for
life in the universe.
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Fundamentally, I think most
scientists would now agree
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that there is some form of life
elsewhere in the universe.
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NARRATOR:
But in spite of the abundance
of habitable exoplanets,
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many scientists still
cling to the notion
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that the only kind of life
likely to exist outside of Earth
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is microbial or bacterial.
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They are resistant to what they
claim are far‐fetched notions
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that these planets might not
only contain more sophisticated
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or evolved life‐forms,
but intelligent life‐forms,
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some much more evolved
or technologically advanced
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than our own.
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Think about it.
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The universe is about
13.8 billion years old.
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The Earth is
4.6 billion years old.
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Civilizations,
over billions of years,
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could have risen and fallen
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even before the Earth
was formed.
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NARRATOR:
Although the realization
that the galaxy is teeming
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with Earth‐like planets
has triggered a revolution
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in conventional
scientific thinking,
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as far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
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it merely confirms what they
have believed all along.
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TSOUKALOS:
The discoveries of exoplanets
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over the past few years have
been absolutely extraordinary.
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I remember that the
first time they discovered
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this first exoplanet, and me
and my colleagues were like...
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were saying, "Okay,
this will be the first of many."
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And now, apparently,
as many as three exoplanets
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are being discovered
on a daily basis.
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So what we've said all along,
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that Earth is not unique
in this gigantic universe,
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turns out to be correct.
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This raises the question
that we've been bringing up,
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that for thousands of years,
there's evidence
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of some type of visitation
from other civilizations.
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Hopefully, our sciences are able
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to now detect exoplanets,
will allow us to pinpoint
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some of these actual home worlds
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where aliens have
been visiting us.
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TSOUKALOS:
I propose that most
of those planets
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that are in this Goldilocks zone
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have life very similar to ours.
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The only question is:
was it them
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who came here
thousands of years ago?
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NARRATOR:
But while a growing number
of mainstream scientists
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do admit that intelligent
life can, theoretically,
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exist elsewhere
within our galaxy,
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they also argue that the
distances between those planets
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and our own are too vast for
any extraterrestrial visitation
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to take place.
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It is a position that puts
them in direct conflict
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with ancient
astronaut theorists,
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who contend that the keys
to extraterrestrial space travel
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can be found in
Albert Einstein's
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theory of relativity,
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and that a voyage to a distant
star could take not centuries
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but seconds.
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NARRATOR:
The Atacama Desert, Chile.
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August 2016.
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At the La Silla Observatory,
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astronomers searching
for exoplanets
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announce the detection
of an Earth‐like planet
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orbiting the closest star to our
solar system, Proxima Centauri.
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They name the planet Proxima b,
and describe it
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as both Earth‐like and
close enough to its star
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to be capable
of supporting life.
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One of the more interesting
exoplanets we've found recently
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is Proxima b.
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This exoplanet is about
1.3 times the size of Earth,
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so scientists think
that it might be rocky,
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which means that it could
be quite similar to Earth.
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SUMMERS:
Proxima b may be habitable.
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We'll be able to study
it in more detail
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with large telescopes.
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And in the next ten years,
we may even be able
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to get pictures of the planet.
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NARRATOR:
Proxima b is located
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just over four light‐years
from Earth,
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a distance of about
25 trillion miles.
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Despite the immense distance,
an ambitious program
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is already underway to send
spacecraft to study it.
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Called Breakthrough Starshot,
the program began
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00:12:08,361 --> 00:12:11,489
as the joint brainchild
of philanthropist Yuri Milner
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and famous cosmologist,
the late Stephen Hawking.
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For the first time
in human history,
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we can do more than
just gaze at the stars.
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We can actually reach them.
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NARRATOR:
The goal of Breakthrough Starshot
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is to send tiny probes,
mere centimeters thick,
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to the nearby planet.
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We take a computer chip,
energize it with laser beams,
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00:12:37,723 --> 00:12:39,767
add a parachute.
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00:12:39,767 --> 00:12:41,394
The laser beam inflates
the parachute
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00:12:41,394 --> 00:12:45,189
and shoots the chip
to the nearest star
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DENNIN:
You deploy this and you
basically just cruise.
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You can possibly
accelerate them fairly high,
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20% the speed of light,
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00:12:53,906 --> 00:12:58,744
and now getting to the nearest
stars becomes very reasonable.
248
00:12:58,744 --> 00:13:02,331
NARRATOR:
But even traveling
at such high speeds,
249
00:13:02,331 --> 00:13:06,210
the probes will take 20 years
to complete their journey.
250
00:13:06,210 --> 00:13:09,130
DENNIN:
Light travels at a finite speed.
251
00:13:09,130 --> 00:13:10,923
A very simple
example of this is:
252
00:13:10,923 --> 00:13:14,552
the Sun is eight minutes away
by the way light travels.
253
00:13:14,552 --> 00:13:17,263
And most things are millions
of light‐years away
254
00:13:17,263 --> 00:13:19,473
or thousands
of light‐years away.
255
00:13:19,473 --> 00:13:24,353
NICK POPE:
If we pick up a signal
from another civilization,
256
00:13:24,353 --> 00:13:27,648
uh, that's a big thing,
but it's very distant.
257
00:13:27,648 --> 00:13:30,484
They may never get here,
we may never meet them,
258
00:13:30,484 --> 00:13:32,612
indeed, because
of interstellar distances.
259
00:13:32,612 --> 00:13:36,157
NARRATOR:
If, as ancient astronaut
theorists believe,
260
00:13:36,157 --> 00:13:38,743
Earth has been visited
by alien entities
261
00:13:38,743 --> 00:13:41,829
coming from exoplanets
only now being discovered,
262
00:13:41,829 --> 00:13:44,915
such entities would have to
overcome the primary obstacle
263
00:13:44,915 --> 00:13:50,296
to space travel, the vast
distance between objects.
264
00:13:50,296 --> 00:13:52,757
You talk to many scientists,
they'll say the same thing
265
00:13:52,757 --> 00:13:54,717
over and over again:
266
00:13:54,717 --> 00:13:57,178
"The distances between
stars is so great,
267
00:13:57,178 --> 00:14:00,139
impossible that these
aliens can visit us."
268
00:14:01,891 --> 00:14:03,726
Think for a moment,
269
00:14:03,726 --> 00:14:07,855
if they're a million years
more advanced than us.
270
00:14:07,855 --> 00:14:10,066
Just realize that
modern technology,
271
00:14:10,066 --> 00:14:14,487
with all our wonders,
is only about 300 years old.
272
00:14:14,487 --> 00:14:18,449
NARRATOR:
In recent years a growing
number of astrophysicists
273
00:14:18,449 --> 00:14:20,701
have proposed
that mankind's ability
274
00:14:20,701 --> 00:14:23,704
to unlock the mysteries
of interstellar space travel
275
00:14:23,704 --> 00:14:26,665
might be much closer
than previously thought.
276
00:14:28,376 --> 00:14:30,503
And they believe
the key is by using
277
00:14:30,503 --> 00:14:34,382
a theoretically possible
structure known as a wormhole,
278
00:14:34,382 --> 00:14:37,009
a bend in space‐time
that was first proposed
279
00:14:37,009 --> 00:14:41,138
by Albert Einstein, which could
make travel times between stars
280
00:14:41,138 --> 00:14:45,059
not only shorter,
but nearly instantaneous.
281
00:14:47,061 --> 00:14:49,980
From the perspective
of ultimate space travel,
282
00:14:49,980 --> 00:14:52,066
from my point of view,
283
00:14:52,066 --> 00:14:54,985
wormholes are simply,
you take space...
284
00:14:54,985 --> 00:14:57,488
which can bend, in our
theory of general relativity,
285
00:14:57,488 --> 00:14:59,365
the modern theory of gravity...
286
00:14:59,365 --> 00:15:01,826
you bend it around on itself
so you have two layers
287
00:15:01,826 --> 00:15:04,370
that are apart and you
connect them with a tunnel.
288
00:15:04,370 --> 00:15:06,205
That tunnel is a wormhole.
289
00:15:06,205 --> 00:15:08,207
They're commonly
referred to as stargates
290
00:15:08,207 --> 00:15:10,292
because it gives
you a way to get
291
00:15:10,292 --> 00:15:14,422
faster‐than‐light space travel
across large distances.
292
00:15:14,422 --> 00:15:19,093
NARRATOR:
In theory, spacecraft
that can create wormholes
293
00:15:19,093 --> 00:15:21,470
would be able to travel
to distant exoplanets
294
00:15:21,470 --> 00:15:25,933
in just hours,
possibly even seconds.
295
00:15:25,933 --> 00:15:29,186
If extraterrestrial
civilizations,
296
00:15:29,186 --> 00:15:32,440
far more advanced
than humans, do exist,
297
00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,276
could they have discovered
the secrets of space travel
298
00:15:35,276 --> 00:15:38,988
hundreds or perhaps
thousands of years ago?
299
00:15:38,988 --> 00:15:43,617
And, if so, might they have even
traveled here to planet Earth?
300
00:15:46,954 --> 00:15:49,248
Mount Palomar, California.
301
00:15:49,248 --> 00:15:53,169
October 6, 2013.
302
00:15:53,169 --> 00:15:56,672
A massive red star in
the constellation Pegasus,
303
00:15:56,672 --> 00:15:59,884
ten times larger than our sun,
304
00:15:59,884 --> 00:16:02,761
explodes in a
colossal supernova.
305
00:16:02,761 --> 00:16:05,848
For the first time,
scientists are able to witness
306
00:16:05,848 --> 00:16:09,268
the death of a
giant star in real time.
307
00:16:09,268 --> 00:16:12,688
But perhaps even more
profound is the fact
308
00:16:12,688 --> 00:16:14,732
that, because the dying star
309
00:16:14,732 --> 00:16:17,651
is 160 million light‐years
from Earth,
310
00:16:17,651 --> 00:16:21,489
astronomers are actually
witnessing an event
311
00:16:21,489 --> 00:16:26,702
that took place
160 million years ago.
312
00:16:26,702 --> 00:16:29,371
So one of the things
to realize about astronomy
313
00:16:29,371 --> 00:16:32,666
is almost everything we are
looking at is in the past...
314
00:16:32,666 --> 00:16:35,377
'cause the light
doesn't travel instantly.
315
00:16:35,377 --> 00:16:38,964
And a supernova is
basically a star exploding.
316
00:16:38,964 --> 00:16:41,592
If it had any planets around it,
those are wiped out.
317
00:16:41,592 --> 00:16:44,428
So, if there was a civilization
or if there was life there,
318
00:16:44,428 --> 00:16:48,140
what we're seeing happen now
happened very far in the past.
319
00:16:48,140 --> 00:16:51,560
NARRATOR:
The violent death
of the star in Pegasus
320
00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:54,230
provides dramatic confirmation
that the universe
321
00:16:54,230 --> 00:16:57,066
is both ancient and dynamic.
322
00:16:57,066 --> 00:17:01,278
But ancient astronaut theorists
believe such discoveries
323
00:17:01,278 --> 00:17:03,280
also provide reasons
324
00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:07,117
why an advanced extraterrestrial
civilization might need to leave
325
00:17:07,117 --> 00:17:09,995
its home planet in
search of other worlds.
326
00:17:11,664 --> 00:17:15,292
When astronomers look
out into the, the galaxy
327
00:17:15,292 --> 00:17:18,337
for dying suns,
328
00:17:18,337 --> 00:17:22,633
if there were beings who had
an advanced civilization
329
00:17:22,633 --> 00:17:24,510
around this dying sun,
330
00:17:24,510 --> 00:17:29,139
they would, in theory, want to
migrate to another solar system,
331
00:17:29,139 --> 00:17:31,809
to another planet
that they could inhabit.
332
00:17:31,809 --> 00:17:35,771
And it's quite possible
that they did that
333
00:17:35,771 --> 00:17:38,190
and came to our planet, in fact.
334
00:17:38,190 --> 00:17:41,485
HENRY:
We know that billions
of years from now,
335
00:17:41,485 --> 00:17:44,572
our own star, our sun,
will go supernova,
336
00:17:44,572 --> 00:17:48,325
and we are very close now
to being able to venture out
337
00:17:48,325 --> 00:17:51,120
or migrate to another
habitable planet.
338
00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:54,582
We can extrapolate that to
ancient civilizations as well,
339
00:17:54,582 --> 00:17:57,126
ancient star civilizations,
who knew that their own star
340
00:17:57,126 --> 00:17:59,169
was ready to go supernova
341
00:17:59,169 --> 00:18:04,091
and they embarked on a plan
of planetary migration.
342
00:18:06,218 --> 00:18:09,013
NARRATOR:
Has the story of the
cosmos been, in part,
343
00:18:09,013 --> 00:18:11,599
a story of
the extraterrestrial migration
344
00:18:11,599 --> 00:18:14,852
of various advanced
exoplanet life‐forms?
345
00:18:14,852 --> 00:18:18,188
As far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
346
00:18:18,188 --> 00:18:21,066
the answer is a resounding yes.
347
00:18:21,066 --> 00:18:24,945
And they claim the proof can be
found by carefully examining
348
00:18:24,945 --> 00:18:28,908
everything from ancient
carvings to the religious beliefs
349
00:18:28,908 --> 00:18:32,703
of ancient cultures
from across the globe.
350
00:18:36,415 --> 00:18:39,251
RRATOR:
La Silla Observatory, Chile.
351
00:18:40,294 --> 00:18:42,796
2011.
352
00:18:42,796 --> 00:18:45,215
Astronomers announce
the discovery
353
00:18:45,215 --> 00:18:47,217
of a large Earth‐like planet
354
00:18:47,217 --> 00:18:50,930
orbiting a star
in the constellation Orion.
355
00:18:50,930 --> 00:18:54,600
The planet is located
in the Goldilocks zone,
356
00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,978
and the star it orbits
is very similar to our own,
357
00:18:57,978 --> 00:19:03,400
making it an ideal candidate
for extraterrestrial life.
358
00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,361
KAKU:
This is exciting 'cause we want
359
00:19:05,361 --> 00:19:08,155
to have a stable solar system
like the planet Earth,
360
00:19:08,155 --> 00:19:10,157
that's the goal.
361
00:19:10,157 --> 00:19:13,619
NARRATOR:
As far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
362
00:19:13,619 --> 00:19:17,289
this may be the most compelling
exoplanet discovery yet,
363
00:19:17,289 --> 00:19:20,084
because throughout the world,
numerous ancient cultures
364
00:19:20,084 --> 00:19:21,502
have told stories
365
00:19:21,502 --> 00:19:24,588
of otherworldly visitors
coming from Orion,
366
00:19:24,588 --> 00:19:26,966
and even built their most
important structures
367
00:19:26,966 --> 00:19:29,969
in alignment with
that constellation.
368
00:19:29,969 --> 00:19:33,806
TSOUKALOS:
All around the world, there
are these ancient structures
369
00:19:33,806 --> 00:19:38,227
that have been built
in the form of Orion.
370
00:19:38,227 --> 00:19:41,605
One example that comes to mind
is the Great Pyramid of Giza,
371
00:19:41,605 --> 00:19:44,608
where the three
pyramids are aligned
372
00:19:44,608 --> 00:19:47,486
according to the
belt stars of Orion.
373
00:19:48,529 --> 00:19:51,615
But also,
in the American Southwest,
374
00:19:51,615 --> 00:19:55,995
there are structures that
are in reference to Orion.
375
00:19:55,995 --> 00:20:00,958
Native American myths talk
specifically about visitors
376
00:20:00,958 --> 00:20:06,380
who came here from
the Orion constellation.
377
00:20:06,380 --> 00:20:09,341
The fact that Orion's
constellation exists
378
00:20:09,341 --> 00:20:13,470
in magnificent archaeological
monuments on Earth
379
00:20:13,470 --> 00:20:17,683
indicates to me that someone at
some point taught our ancestors
380
00:20:17,683 --> 00:20:21,311
where and how to build
these structures
381
00:20:21,311 --> 00:20:24,940
to illustrate
where they are from.
382
00:20:26,984 --> 00:20:29,653
NARRATOR:
Is it possible that
the exoplanet discovered
383
00:20:29,653 --> 00:20:32,698
in the Orion constellation
is the same place
384
00:20:32,698 --> 00:20:35,701
where extraterrestrial
visitors to Earth came from
385
00:20:35,701 --> 00:20:38,370
thousands of years ago?
386
00:20:38,370 --> 00:20:42,207
For ancient astronaut theorists,
such an audacious notion
387
00:20:42,207 --> 00:20:44,418
is a very real possibility.
388
00:20:44,418 --> 00:20:48,714
And they also insist that Orion
is not the only star system
389
00:20:48,714 --> 00:20:51,300
from where aliens may have come.
390
00:20:51,300 --> 00:20:52,926
CHILDRESS:
All over the world,
391
00:20:52,926 --> 00:20:54,762
we have different cultures
392
00:20:54,762 --> 00:20:59,933
who identify with certain
star systems as their origins.
393
00:20:59,933 --> 00:21:03,062
The Quechua people of Peru,
394
00:21:03,062 --> 00:21:06,774
they believe that we're
from the, the Pleiades.
395
00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,694
In Africa, we have the Dogon,
396
00:21:10,694 --> 00:21:13,947
who are saying that, uh,
our origin is actually
397
00:21:13,947 --> 00:21:16,742
with the Sirius star system.
398
00:21:16,742 --> 00:21:18,911
Various cultures have
imagined they have come
399
00:21:18,911 --> 00:21:22,748
from specific places, uh,
the Pleiades or Sirius.
400
00:21:22,748 --> 00:21:26,418
Well, that would be a planet
near the star system,
401
00:21:26,418 --> 00:21:29,254
suggesting that,
at least in mythology,
402
00:21:29,254 --> 00:21:31,590
there are planets
there that could be
403
00:21:31,590 --> 00:21:34,093
inhabited by creatures like us.
404
00:21:34,093 --> 00:21:36,637
NARRATOR:
While many ancient cultures
405
00:21:36,637 --> 00:21:40,307
pointed to distant star systems
as the homes of their gods,
406
00:21:40,307 --> 00:21:42,726
ancient astronaut theorists
suggest that
407
00:21:42,726 --> 00:21:45,938
one of the oldest human
civilizations, the Sumerians,
408
00:21:45,938 --> 00:21:49,733
left records of otherworldly
beings that came from a planet
409
00:21:49,733 --> 00:21:52,069
right in our own solar system.
410
00:21:52,069 --> 00:21:54,488
A planet that until
very recently
411
00:21:54,488 --> 00:21:57,699
was thought not to exist.
412
00:22:01,161 --> 00:22:02,663
New York City.
413
00:22:02,663 --> 00:22:05,249
1976.
414
00:22:05,249 --> 00:22:10,170
Author Zecharia Sitchin
publishes his landmark book
415
00:22:10,170 --> 00:22:11,964
The 12th Planet.
416
00:22:11,964 --> 00:22:14,800
The first of over
a dozen books based upon
417
00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:18,762
Sitchin's translations
of ancient Sumerian texts,
418
00:22:18,762 --> 00:22:20,806
The 12th Planet
ultimately reshapes the way
419
00:22:20,806 --> 00:22:24,977
millions of people view
the history of life on Earth.
420
00:22:24,977 --> 00:22:28,772
In it, Sitchin claims that
ancient Sumerians wrote about
421
00:22:28,772 --> 00:22:32,067
an extraterrestrial race
that once visited Earth,
422
00:22:32,067 --> 00:22:34,486
the Anunnaki.
423
00:22:37,114 --> 00:22:39,449
The term "Anunnaki"
is essentially
424
00:22:39,449 --> 00:22:41,827
interchangeable
with "extraterrestrial,"
425
00:22:41,827 --> 00:22:44,997
because the word
"Anunnaki" itself means
426
00:22:44,997 --> 00:22:48,625
"those who from
the heavens came."
427
00:22:48,625 --> 00:22:51,503
MARTELL:
There's a whole pantheon
428
00:22:51,503 --> 00:22:53,338
of Anunnaki, basically.
429
00:22:53,338 --> 00:22:55,465
There was Anu,
who is essentially
430
00:22:55,465 --> 00:22:57,176
the king of all the Anunnaki.
431
00:22:57,176 --> 00:23:00,387
And then his two
sons Enlil and Enki.
432
00:23:00,387 --> 00:23:02,848
When we look in a lot
of the Sumerian tablets,
433
00:23:02,848 --> 00:23:05,017
they seemed to have come from
434
00:23:05,017 --> 00:23:08,312
a much larger planet,
a reddish, glowing planet.
435
00:23:08,312 --> 00:23:11,023
HENRY:
One of the great questions
436
00:23:11,023 --> 00:23:14,151
about the Anunnaki is:
where did they come from?
437
00:23:14,151 --> 00:23:16,904
Well, Zecharia went back
into the ancient texts
438
00:23:16,904 --> 00:23:18,906
and began to build a theory
439
00:23:18,906 --> 00:23:21,867
that the Anunnaki came
from an as‐yet undiscovered
440
00:23:21,867 --> 00:23:25,829
12th planet in our solar system
that he called Nibiru.
441
00:23:27,039 --> 00:23:30,042
MARTELL:
Nibiru is described
442
00:23:30,042 --> 00:23:32,711
as a much larger
planet than Earth.
443
00:23:32,711 --> 00:23:35,088
And it has
a very elliptical orbit.
444
00:23:35,088 --> 00:23:37,799
More like a large
egg‐shaped orbit.
445
00:23:37,799 --> 00:23:40,844
The kicker here is that
it goes once around the Sun
446
00:23:40,844 --> 00:23:42,429
every 3,600 years.
447
00:23:42,429 --> 00:23:47,726
So a solar year for them
is 3,600 of our years.
448
00:23:47,726 --> 00:23:50,062
CHILDRESS:
Sitchin believed that there was
449
00:23:50,062 --> 00:23:54,066
a time during this
3,600‐year orbit
450
00:23:54,066 --> 00:23:58,570
when this planet was actually
relatively close to the Earth.
451
00:23:58,570 --> 00:24:01,698
And Sitchin then
theorized the Anunnaki
452
00:24:01,698 --> 00:24:03,909
would then fire their rockets
453
00:24:03,909 --> 00:24:07,037
and then they would
come here to Earth.
454
00:24:07,037 --> 00:24:12,584
And that this was how they
were interacting with humans.
455
00:24:12,584 --> 00:24:14,586
NARRATOR:
For decades,
456
00:24:14,586 --> 00:24:16,713
astronomers claimed
that no such planet
457
00:24:16,713 --> 00:24:19,508
could exist in our solar system.
458
00:24:19,508 --> 00:24:22,719
But in 2016,
Caltech astronomers
459
00:24:22,719 --> 00:24:25,180
Konstantin Batygin
and Mike Brown
460
00:24:25,180 --> 00:24:30,269
made a discovery that could
prove this theory wrong.
461
00:24:30,269 --> 00:24:32,271
Batygin and Brown were
using an interesting method
462
00:24:32,271 --> 00:24:35,274
of looking for other planets
in the solar system.
463
00:24:35,274 --> 00:24:37,109
Namely, they were looking
at dwarf planets
464
00:24:37,109 --> 00:24:40,279
and distant Kuiper belt objects
to see how they move.
465
00:24:41,613 --> 00:24:43,907
If they exhibit any
strange behavior,
466
00:24:43,907 --> 00:24:46,868
astronomers can use that
to theorize new planets.
467
00:24:46,868 --> 00:24:48,829
And what they found was
468
00:24:48,829 --> 00:24:50,872
a theoretical planet‐sized mass,
orbiting in
469
00:24:50,872 --> 00:24:53,333
a hugely elliptical orbit
around the Sun.
470
00:24:53,333 --> 00:24:56,128
CHILDRESS:
Astronomers have often
471
00:24:56,128 --> 00:24:58,130
suspected, because of certain
472
00:24:58,130 --> 00:25:00,465
gravitational anomalies
and things,
473
00:25:00,465 --> 00:25:02,259
that there is still
some other planet
474
00:25:02,259 --> 00:25:05,012
far out in our solar system,
475
00:25:05,012 --> 00:25:06,930
uh, beyond Pluto.
476
00:25:06,930 --> 00:25:10,934
Astronomers called this
other planet Planet X.
477
00:25:10,934 --> 00:25:13,812
And it could be
a very large planet.
478
00:25:13,812 --> 00:25:15,647
Astronomers cannot see it,
479
00:25:15,647 --> 00:25:17,357
but I would suspect
that astronomers
480
00:25:17,357 --> 00:25:19,318
will eventually discover it
481
00:25:19,318 --> 00:25:21,361
and‐and prove that it exists.
482
00:25:22,821 --> 00:25:24,823
NARRATOR:
Batygin and Brown estimate
483
00:25:24,823 --> 00:25:27,951
that Planet X has
a highly elliptical orbit
484
00:25:27,951 --> 00:25:29,828
and takes it thousands of years
485
00:25:29,828 --> 00:25:32,831
to make a single trip
around our sun.
486
00:25:32,831 --> 00:25:35,834
This matches exactly
what Zecharia Sitchin found
487
00:25:35,834 --> 00:25:38,795
in his translation of the
ancient Sumerian tablets,
488
00:25:38,795 --> 00:25:42,841
concerning an extra planet
in our solar system.
489
00:25:42,841 --> 00:25:44,343
HENRY:
The thing about it is, is that
490
00:25:44,343 --> 00:25:46,386
if we discover Planet X,
491
00:25:46,386 --> 00:25:49,014
then we will also
discover the Anunnaki.
492
00:25:49,014 --> 00:25:51,475
So they're absolutely entwined.
493
00:25:51,475 --> 00:25:55,103
The idea of the Anunnaki
and the discovery of Planet X
494
00:25:55,103 --> 00:25:56,646
will prove one another.
495
00:25:56,646 --> 00:25:58,523
NARRATOR:
Could extraterrestrials have
496
00:25:58,523 --> 00:26:02,527
come to Earth from a planet
within our own solar system?
497
00:26:02,527 --> 00:26:06,990
And if Earth has, in fact,
played host to alien visitors
498
00:26:06,990 --> 00:26:09,993
from multiple worlds,
what brought them here?
499
00:26:09,993 --> 00:26:12,662
According to the ancient
Sumerian tablets,
500
00:26:12,662 --> 00:26:16,541
the Anunnaki valued
one thing above all else...
501
00:26:16,541 --> 00:26:19,169
gold.
502
00:26:28,261 --> 00:26:32,432
The Trans Astronautic
Corporation announces
503
00:26:32,432 --> 00:26:36,311
a partnership with NASA to
develop a new venture in space...
504
00:26:36,311 --> 00:26:39,564
asteroid mining.
505
00:26:39,564 --> 00:26:44,236
We incorporated TransAstra
in 2015 when we saw that
506
00:26:44,236 --> 00:26:46,905
SpaceX and Elon Musk
507
00:26:46,905 --> 00:26:49,950
and Blue Origin and Jeff Bezos
508
00:26:49,950 --> 00:26:52,619
and other entrepreneurs
were developing low‐cost,
509
00:26:52,619 --> 00:26:56,081
really effective
ways to get in orbit.
510
00:26:56,081 --> 00:26:59,126
Once we have rockets that can
get into orbit inexpensively,
511
00:26:59,126 --> 00:27:01,503
then it makes sense to start
512
00:27:01,503 --> 00:27:03,713
building real
industries in space.
513
00:27:03,713 --> 00:27:06,299
And one of the first industries
is asteroid mining.
514
00:27:06,299 --> 00:27:11,263
Precious metals that we
really value on the Earth...
515
00:27:11,263 --> 00:27:14,933
things like gold and platinum...
they're called precious metals
516
00:27:14,933 --> 00:27:16,393
'cause they're not around much.
517
00:27:16,393 --> 00:27:18,103
Question is: where are they?
518
00:27:18,103 --> 00:27:20,188
And the answer is asteroids.
519
00:27:20,188 --> 00:27:22,774
NARRATOR:
Metals like gold, copper,
520
00:27:22,774 --> 00:27:25,944
and zinc have been mined on
Earth for thousands of years
521
00:27:25,944 --> 00:27:28,822
and are vital to civilization.
522
00:27:28,822 --> 00:27:31,533
But their supply is finite,
523
00:27:31,533 --> 00:27:34,870
in part because they are
not native to this planet.
524
00:27:36,705 --> 00:27:40,292
When the Earth was originally
being formed, it was molten,
525
00:27:40,292 --> 00:27:43,962
and a lot of the precious metals
526
00:27:43,962 --> 00:27:46,173
were drawn towards
the center of the Earth.
527
00:27:46,173 --> 00:27:49,384
And through this molten process,
528
00:27:49,384 --> 00:27:52,137
all the heavy elements went
down to the core of the Earth
529
00:27:52,137 --> 00:27:54,222
where we can't
get access to them.
530
00:27:54,222 --> 00:27:56,474
Then the Earth started to cool
and form a cool crust,
531
00:27:56,474 --> 00:27:59,477
which was made
of lighter materials.
532
00:27:59,477 --> 00:28:01,771
NARRATOR:
It is widely accepted that
533
00:28:01,771 --> 00:28:04,024
without access to metals,
both technology
534
00:28:04,024 --> 00:28:06,735
and civilization would
not have been possible.
535
00:28:06,735 --> 00:28:08,820
But luckily for mankind,
536
00:28:08,820 --> 00:28:12,073
some 3.8 billion years ago,
537
00:28:12,073 --> 00:28:16,244
it is estimated that trillions
of asteroids crashed
538
00:28:16,244 --> 00:28:18,830
into the Earth and deposited
a layer of heavy metals
539
00:28:18,830 --> 00:28:23,001
into the planet's
now‐hardened crust.
540
00:28:23,001 --> 00:28:26,630
These elements weren't
actually from Earth originally.
541
00:28:26,630 --> 00:28:30,342
All of these elements came to
Earth via comets and asteroids
542
00:28:30,342 --> 00:28:34,179
that impacted our planet long
ago and early in its history.
543
00:28:36,306 --> 00:28:37,891
SERCEL:
So all the precious metals
544
00:28:37,891 --> 00:28:39,684
that we mine on the Earth
545
00:28:39,684 --> 00:28:41,436
actually came
from the asteroids.
546
00:28:41,436 --> 00:28:44,481
NARRATOR:
The bombardment of asteroids
547
00:28:44,481 --> 00:28:47,901
seeded Earth's crust with
enough metals to make possible
548
00:28:47,901 --> 00:28:52,113
the Bronze Age, the Iron Age,
549
00:28:52,113 --> 00:28:55,867
and today's technological
civilization.
550
00:28:55,867 --> 00:28:59,871
But many metals, including
rare earth elements needed
551
00:28:59,871 --> 00:29:04,042
for high technology, are
in increasingly short supply.
552
00:29:04,042 --> 00:29:07,504
Because of this, many experts
believe the asteroid belt
553
00:29:07,504 --> 00:29:10,507
may once again
come to the rescue.
554
00:29:10,507 --> 00:29:13,176
SUMMERS:
You get a typical asteroid,
555
00:29:13,176 --> 00:29:14,719
a few hundred
meters in diameter,
556
00:29:14,719 --> 00:29:17,555
it will have more of those
rare earth elements
557
00:29:17,555 --> 00:29:20,809
than have been mined on Earth
in all of human history.
558
00:29:20,809 --> 00:29:24,145
NARRATOR:
Of the more than 6,000 asteroids
559
00:29:24,145 --> 00:29:28,149
in NASA's database,
it is estimated that even just
560
00:29:28,149 --> 00:29:30,485
the ten easiest
to reach and mine
561
00:29:30,485 --> 00:29:35,073
would yield an astonishing $1.5
trillion dollars in resources.
562
00:29:35,073 --> 00:29:36,908
SUMMERS:
The asteroid belt could
563
00:29:36,908 --> 00:29:40,245
provide for the needs of our
civilization for many centuries.
564
00:29:40,245 --> 00:29:42,330
Maybe thousands of
years into their future.
565
00:29:42,330 --> 00:29:45,000
SERCEL:
The natural thing to do
566
00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,252
is to build spacecraft,
567
00:29:47,252 --> 00:29:51,798
go out to the asteroids,
568
00:29:51,798 --> 00:29:54,592
mine them,
569
00:29:54,592 --> 00:29:56,344
make goods out of the asteroids.
570
00:29:56,344 --> 00:29:59,681
And we presume
that other intelligences,
571
00:29:59,681 --> 00:30:01,141
if there are other intelligence,
572
00:30:01,141 --> 00:30:03,101
would think the
same way we would.
573
00:30:03,101 --> 00:30:05,103
And so anything that
seems to make sense to us
574
00:30:05,103 --> 00:30:06,646
could make sense to others.
575
00:30:06,646 --> 00:30:09,566
NARRATOR:
If other intelligent life‐forms
576
00:30:09,566 --> 00:30:13,445
exist on nearby exoplanets,
might they too
577
00:30:13,445 --> 00:30:15,947
be aware of the vast
resources that exist
578
00:30:15,947 --> 00:30:20,827
in the asteroid belt
and also on planet Earth?
579
00:30:20,827 --> 00:30:23,413
Ancient astronaut
theorists say yes
580
00:30:23,413 --> 00:30:27,792
and suggest that Earth
is rich in another commodity
581
00:30:27,792 --> 00:30:31,212
that would be of great value
to any advanced civilization
582
00:30:31,212 --> 00:30:34,299
looking to mine
for precious metals...
583
00:30:34,299 --> 00:30:36,718
liquid water.
584
00:30:38,595 --> 00:30:41,639
If aliens wanted to mine
the asteroid belt,
585
00:30:41,639 --> 00:30:46,519
they'd need a base,
somewhere to regroup and refuel.
586
00:30:46,519 --> 00:30:48,855
As it happens,
there's one pretty close,
587
00:30:48,855 --> 00:30:50,565
and it's called planet Earth.
588
00:30:50,565 --> 00:30:54,152
BIRNES:
Why aliens come here
589
00:30:54,152 --> 00:30:57,155
might well be
because we're mostly
590
00:30:57,155 --> 00:30:59,115
water on planet Earth.
591
00:30:59,115 --> 00:31:01,868
They stop here
because they could
592
00:31:01,868 --> 00:31:04,913
break down water into hydrogen
593
00:31:04,913 --> 00:31:08,500
and oxygen as fuel.
594
00:31:08,500 --> 00:31:12,587
So, if you have a craft
595
00:31:12,587 --> 00:31:14,714
that somehow uses
hydrogen power,
596
00:31:14,714 --> 00:31:17,884
you have all the hydrogen
you'll ever need.
597
00:31:17,884 --> 00:31:20,678
It well could be that this is
598
00:31:20,678 --> 00:31:24,140
a way station
for extraterrestrials.
599
00:31:24,140 --> 00:31:27,143
NARRATOR:
Is it possible
600
00:31:27,143 --> 00:31:29,813
that extraterrestrial
civilizations have come to Earth
601
00:31:29,813 --> 00:31:33,733
not only as refugees from
planets orbiting dying stars
602
00:31:33,733 --> 00:31:36,111
but also to mine precious metals
603
00:31:36,111 --> 00:31:39,239
or abundant natural
resources like water?
604
00:31:39,239 --> 00:31:42,867
And if so, would that indicate
605
00:31:42,867 --> 00:31:45,620
that these Earth visitors
might be physically
606
00:31:45,620 --> 00:31:47,705
very similar to ourselves?
607
00:31:54,254 --> 00:31:56,172
NARRATOR:
La Silla Observatory.
608
00:31:56,172 --> 00:31:59,426
Chile. 2009.
609
00:32:00,385 --> 00:32:02,554
Astronomers identify
610
00:32:02,554 --> 00:32:08,518
a potentially habitable planet
orbiting the star Gliese 667 C.
611
00:32:08,518 --> 00:32:10,395
It's a large Earth‐like planet
612
00:32:10,395 --> 00:32:13,731
located firmly in
the Goldilocks zone.
613
00:32:13,731 --> 00:32:16,568
While evidence of life
has yet to be discovered,
614
00:32:16,568 --> 00:32:18,736
scientists are able to speculate
615
00:32:18,736 --> 00:32:22,240
as to how life on this
planet would evolve.
616
00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:25,577
When we imagine life
on other planets,
617
00:32:25,577 --> 00:32:27,036
we have to imagine that
618
00:32:27,036 --> 00:32:29,706
the environment on those planets
619
00:32:29,706 --> 00:32:33,877
will determine what the
creature may look like.
620
00:32:33,877 --> 00:32:37,464
DENNIN:
In considering planets
larger than Earth,
621
00:32:37,464 --> 00:32:39,591
the increased gravity
will likely result
622
00:32:39,591 --> 00:32:41,801
in shorter complex life‐forms.
623
00:32:41,801 --> 00:32:45,054
This results in a more stable,
um, life‐form
624
00:32:45,054 --> 00:32:46,431
and protects against falls.
625
00:32:46,431 --> 00:32:50,435
So life‐forms on larger planets
would likely be smaller
626
00:32:50,435 --> 00:32:52,061
than those on smaller planets.
627
00:32:52,061 --> 00:32:56,399
NARRATOR:
Like Earth, a major evolutionary
force on the planet
628
00:32:56,399 --> 00:32:59,486
is the strength of its sun.
629
00:32:59,486 --> 00:33:04,073
Gliese 667 C is a red
dwarf star, an M star,
630
00:33:04,073 --> 00:33:07,243
that's about 1.4%
as bright as our sun.
631
00:33:07,243 --> 00:33:10,622
Because M‐dwarf stars
are much smaller than our sun,
632
00:33:10,622 --> 00:33:13,458
they're much cooler and they
give off a lot less light.
633
00:33:13,458 --> 00:33:17,295
Because the star gives out such
low light compared to our sun,
634
00:33:17,295 --> 00:33:20,965
any life on those planets
would look much different.
635
00:33:20,965 --> 00:33:22,926
BIRNES:
Let's assume,
for the sake of argument,
636
00:33:22,926 --> 00:33:26,387
that there is life
on Gliese 667 C,
637
00:33:26,387 --> 00:33:30,892
such life would be living
in kind of eternal darkness.
638
00:33:30,892 --> 00:33:32,810
In order for life‐forms
639
00:33:32,810 --> 00:33:34,479
on a planet like that to see,
640
00:33:34,479 --> 00:33:36,981
they'd be like owls
on planet Earth.
641
00:33:36,981 --> 00:33:39,692
They would have
very, very large eyes
642
00:33:39,692 --> 00:33:41,986
to capture as much
light as possible.
643
00:33:41,986 --> 00:33:45,490
CHILDRESS:
They are going to develop eyes
644
00:33:45,490 --> 00:33:48,660
that are perhaps more
like a insect's eyes,
645
00:33:48,660 --> 00:33:51,496
where you're seeing
different light spectrums
646
00:33:51,496 --> 00:33:53,831
and heat signatures.
647
00:33:53,831 --> 00:33:58,127
Something completely different
than the way we see.
648
00:33:58,127 --> 00:34:00,463
NARRATOR:
For ancient astronaut theorists,
649
00:34:00,463 --> 00:34:03,174
these descriptions
share a curious similarity
650
00:34:03,174 --> 00:34:07,011
to accounts reported
by alleged alien abductees.
651
00:34:08,054 --> 00:34:09,847
BIRNES:
Alien abductees
652
00:34:09,847 --> 00:34:13,351
give very consistent accounts
of some of the types
653
00:34:13,351 --> 00:34:16,354
of aliens they see.
654
00:34:16,354 --> 00:34:18,356
The most consistent account is:
655
00:34:18,356 --> 00:34:21,651
four feet, short, gray,
656
00:34:21,651 --> 00:34:24,445
big‐headed, big‐eyed aliens.
657
00:34:24,445 --> 00:34:28,074
And this would fit what
we might expect with gravity
658
00:34:28,074 --> 00:34:31,327
so intense that you
couldn't grow to six feet.
659
00:34:31,327 --> 00:34:36,541
NARRATOR:
Short, gray aliens
with large, black eyes?
660
00:34:36,541 --> 00:34:39,544
Is it possible that
the habitable planet
661
00:34:39,544 --> 00:34:43,047
orbiting Gliese 667 C
is the home world
662
00:34:43,047 --> 00:34:45,300
of the beings known
in the UFO community
663
00:34:45,300 --> 00:34:47,719
as the Greys?
664
00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:51,723
As far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
665
00:34:51,723 --> 00:34:54,934
the planet orbiting Gliese 667 C
666
00:34:54,934 --> 00:34:57,896
is just one of a number
of recently discovered worlds
667
00:34:57,896 --> 00:35:01,316
that could represent places
of origin for extraterrestrials
668
00:35:01,316 --> 00:35:05,945
encountered both in modern
times and in the distant past.
669
00:35:08,615 --> 00:35:11,242
Mountain View, California.
670
00:35:11,242 --> 00:35:14,454
April 2013.
671
00:35:15,538 --> 00:35:18,708
NASA scientists at the
Ames Research Center
672
00:35:18,708 --> 00:35:21,044
announce that the
Kepler space telescope
673
00:35:21,044 --> 00:35:23,212
has discovered
two new exoplanets
674
00:35:23,212 --> 00:35:25,340
that seem highly
promising for life.
675
00:35:25,340 --> 00:35:29,427
Named Kepler‐62e and 62f,
676
00:35:29,427 --> 00:35:31,429
they are so‐called water worlds,
677
00:35:31,429 --> 00:35:36,059
planets covered by an
all‐encompassing global ocean.
678
00:35:36,059 --> 00:35:39,938
DENNIN:
The planets 62e and f are
very exciting because they are
679
00:35:39,938 --> 00:35:42,649
ocean‐covered planets
and in the habitable zone.
680
00:35:42,649 --> 00:35:44,943
So if you're an
ocean‐covered planet,
681
00:35:44,943 --> 00:35:46,361
it increases the chance
682
00:35:46,361 --> 00:35:48,905
that there's actually
life on that planet.
683
00:35:48,905 --> 00:35:51,074
BIRNES:
If there is a water world
684
00:35:51,074 --> 00:35:54,035
with an atmosphere, with water,
685
00:35:54,035 --> 00:35:59,415
the creatures that may inhabit
there are waterborne creatures.
686
00:35:59,415 --> 00:36:02,085
They wouldn't necessarily
look like human beings
687
00:36:02,085 --> 00:36:04,128
standing up on two
legs and two arms.
688
00:36:04,128 --> 00:36:06,464
They might look
more like mermaids.
689
00:36:06,464 --> 00:36:09,842
NARRATOR:
Ancient astronaut
theorists point out
690
00:36:09,842 --> 00:36:13,137
that many early civilizations
reported sky visitors
691
00:36:13,137 --> 00:36:16,099
with amphibious,
fish‐like characteristics.
692
00:36:16,099 --> 00:36:20,186
Considered to be gods,
they were seen in China,
693
00:36:20,186 --> 00:36:23,439
sub‐Saharan Africa,
Central America,
694
00:36:23,439 --> 00:36:25,608
and Egypt, just to name a few.
695
00:36:25,608 --> 00:36:28,569
These amphibian beings
696
00:36:28,569 --> 00:36:30,989
were said to interact
with humans by day
697
00:36:30,989 --> 00:36:34,826
and retreat to rivers
or lakes at night.
698
00:36:34,826 --> 00:36:38,162
Could such entities have come
from so‐called water worlds
699
00:36:38,162 --> 00:36:41,624
like Kepler 62‐e and f?
700
00:36:41,624 --> 00:36:43,459
POPE:
Creatures like that,
701
00:36:43,459 --> 00:36:47,296
if they existed,
would evolve on water worlds,
702
00:36:47,296 --> 00:36:49,424
planets with a global ocean,
703
00:36:49,424 --> 00:36:53,177
and it just so happens that
in the ongoing search
704
00:36:53,177 --> 00:36:57,515
for exoplanets, many such
worlds are being discovered.
705
00:36:57,515 --> 00:37:02,478
CHILDRESS:
These half‐human,
half‐fish‐type gods
706
00:37:02,478 --> 00:37:05,690
that are like us
but are still aquatic
707
00:37:05,690 --> 00:37:08,568
are coming from
these water planets.
708
00:37:08,568 --> 00:37:11,362
Extraterrestrials may be
very attracted to planet Earth
709
00:37:11,362 --> 00:37:14,824
because the oceans
are huge and vast.
710
00:37:14,824 --> 00:37:16,451
So aquatic extraterrestrials
711
00:37:16,451 --> 00:37:21,122
could find a‐a‐a very happy
home here on planet Earth.
712
00:37:22,874 --> 00:37:26,210
KAKU: So, when we encounter
alien life‐forms out in space,
713
00:37:26,210 --> 00:37:28,463
are they gonna look like us? No.
714
00:37:28,463 --> 00:37:30,840
They could look completely
different from us
715
00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:33,843
and have a different
pathway to intelligence.
716
00:37:33,843 --> 00:37:37,388
NARRATOR:
In their search for
habitable exoplanets,
717
00:37:37,388 --> 00:37:40,224
could mainstream scientists
be discovering the home worlds
718
00:37:40,224 --> 00:37:43,436
of extraterrestrial
visitors to Earth?
719
00:37:43,436 --> 00:37:48,399
For ancient astronaut theorists,
the answer is a resounding yes,
720
00:37:48,399 --> 00:37:51,402
and they suggest
that the search for life
721
00:37:51,402 --> 00:37:54,739
is about to be
revolutionized once again
722
00:37:54,739 --> 00:37:58,910
as NASA prepares to launch
an extraordinary new technology
723
00:37:58,910 --> 00:38:01,496
into space.
724
00:38:11,089 --> 00:38:15,927
Astronomers Michel Mayor
and Didier Queloz
725
00:38:15,927 --> 00:38:19,097
are awarded the Nobel Prize
in Physics for discovering
726
00:38:19,097 --> 00:38:22,433
the first exoplanet in 1992.
727
00:38:22,433 --> 00:38:24,644
In the years since,
728
00:38:24,644 --> 00:38:27,980
more than 4,000 have been
examined and categorized,
729
00:38:27,980 --> 00:38:30,566
and more are being
found every day.
730
00:38:32,610 --> 00:38:35,446
KAKU:
Let's do a science
experiment tonight.
731
00:38:35,446 --> 00:38:37,532
Go outside, look up,
732
00:38:37,532 --> 00:38:40,284
and see all the
thousands of stars you see.
733
00:38:40,284 --> 00:38:42,829
Every single one, on average,
734
00:38:42,829 --> 00:38:45,123
has a planet going around them,
735
00:38:45,123 --> 00:38:47,416
and about one in 20
736
00:38:47,416 --> 00:38:49,627
has an Earth‐like planet.
737
00:38:49,627 --> 00:38:52,880
And so, when you look
at the stars tonight,
738
00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:56,300
realize that somebody
could be looking back at you
739
00:38:56,300 --> 00:38:58,219
from outer space.
740
00:39:00,471 --> 00:39:02,807
NARRATOR:
In 2021,
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NASA will launch the
James Webb Space Telescope,
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a satellite that can
do something
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once thought impossible:
take detailed, color images
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of an exoplanet.
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The James Webb Space Telescope
is, um, a‐a different type
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of telescope than we've
had in space before.
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It will give us the ability
to look at the reflected light
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from exoplanets and the
infrared part of the spectrum
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and to search for the potential
for biology being present.
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NARRATOR:
But when we look upon
the images of other worlds,
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and possibly even the beings
that inhabit them,
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what will we find?
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CHILDRESS:
I think that what's really lying
in store for humanity now
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is that we will prove that there
are these exoplanets out there,
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that they have life
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and quite possibly
intelligent life
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capable of coming
to our solar system.
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This will cause a sea change
all over the world,
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within scientific communities
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and within the religious
communities, too.
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NARRATOR:
If astronomers
discover exoplanets
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with intelligent
alien life‐forms,
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will they appear
eerily familiar?
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Could they find amphibious
humanoid beings,
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like the gods depicted
in ancient times?
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Small, gray aliens like those
reported by alleged abductees?
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And is it possible
that some visitors,
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perhaps coming from worlds
very similar to Earth,
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might look remarkably like us?
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Within established
ancient astronaut theory,
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it's generally thought
that these
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extraterrestrial beings coming
from outside of our solar system
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were interacting
with our society
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and they were manipulating
our DNA and, in a sense,
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creating people
on this planet, us,
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who look like them
and are similar to them.
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HENRY:
As we discover more
and more exoplanets,
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the implications for
humanity are enormous.
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I think it's very possible
that we're on the verge
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of discovering our home planet,
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the place of our origins.
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TSOUKALOS:
The big revelation will not be,
"Do they look like us?"
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But we look like them
'cause we are their offspring.
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NARRATOR:
As scientists continue their
search for habitable worlds,
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are we on the verge of
discovering not only alien life
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but the very extraterrestrials
that came to Earth
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centuries ago?
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And will we find
that the strange gods
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depicted by our ancestors
as mythological creations
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were very real flesh
and blood entities
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not so different from ourselves?
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Perhaps one day
soon we will look
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at the satellite image
of a distant exoplanet
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and see not only
mankind's future home
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but one that could have
once been inhabited
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by our ancient alien ancestors.