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NARRATOR:
Strange signals
from outer space.
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SETH SHOSTAK:
That's the kind of thing
we're looking for.
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NARRATOR:
The building blocks of life
traveling on a meteorite.
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You're looking at a speck
of water in a meteorite.
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This is extraordinary.
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NARRATOR:
An otherworldly presence
found in our atmosphere.
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MILTON WAINWRIGHT:
So, this is a titanium sphere
with life inside
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and life on the outside.
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Now, what on earth is it?
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Absolutely amazing.
It's blowing my head off.
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NARRATOR:
For more than a decade,
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Ancient Aliens has
followed investigators
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across the globe
as they've gone directly
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to the sites where signs
of alien life have been found.
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Now we take a look back
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at some of the most
incredible evidence we've seen.
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Evidence that, according
to ancient astronaut theorists,
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provides undeniable proof
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that we are not alone
in the universe.
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♪ ♪
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On Ancient Aliens,
we have traveled the globe
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investigating everything
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from tiny microbes
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to massive megaliths,
all in the quest to find proof
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of extraterrestrial life.
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And one of the most
incredible places
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we've ever visited
is a field study site
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for an organization called SETI,
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or the search for
extraterrestrial intelligence.
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In 2016,
I got the rare opportunity
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to tour the grounds
and learn about how they listen
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for signs of intelligent life
in the universe.
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NARRATOR: Shasta County,
Northern California, March 2016.
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Ancient astronaut theorist
Giorgio Tsoukalos
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travels to the Allen
Telescope Array in Hat Creek
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to meet with the director
for SETI research Seth Shostak.
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This is truly amazing.
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What can you tell me
about this place?
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Well, this place
is, uh, an observatory,
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but it's a radio observatory,
so these things around us,
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these 42 antennas,
they pick up radio waves.
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And we're trying to pick up
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very special sort
of radio waves,
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namely, some that would
tell us somebody's out there.
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By having lots
of these dishes here,
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we can look at
more of the sky at once.
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We can look at
multiple star systems at once.
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Why radio waves?
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What's so significant
about radio waves?
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SHOSTAK:
Radio waves go
at the speed of light,
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and they also, by the way,
go through all the gas and dust
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that's between the stars.
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So, you know,
if you want to communicate
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from one part of the galaxy
to another,
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radio waves
are a great way to do it.
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So the way this works
is actually kind of simple.
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I mean, the cosmic radio static,
it comes in from the sky
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and it bounces off
that big reflector there--
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that first one, okay?
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That's-that's a mirror
for radio waves.
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And that redirects
into this secondary reflector,
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on the end, on the nose there.
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And then they're directed to
the receiver, and that's inside.
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That information goes
through a fiber optic
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over to the control room.
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So, this is where the, uh, data
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coming through the fiber optics
kind of ends up
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after it's been processed
in a display like this.
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And what are we looking at
right here?
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So, we're looking, in this case,
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at three star systems
at once, okay?
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So that speeds up the search.
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It also allows us to determine
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whether we're really seeing E.T.
or just interference.
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The data from one
of these star systems
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is being displayed over
on this part of the screen here.
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This is called a waterfall plot.
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That. Can you see,
can you see that line
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-of brighter dots there?
-This right here, yes. Mm-hmm.
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SHOSTAK:
Yeah, that's a slightly
more static
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at that frequency,
slowly going down the dot.
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That's the kind of thing
we're looking for.
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So then, if this here
were an actual E.T. signal,
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how would
it differentiate itself?
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Uh, would it be a bit thicker,
a bit more pronounced,
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a bit longer, or...
What are you looking for?
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It could be all of those things.
So, what you do is,
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when you find a signal
like this, you make a test.
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You'll just move
the antennas a little bit
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and see if the signal goes away.
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And then, point it back at the
star and see if it comes back.
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You say, "Well,
that's looking promising."
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You do that again, go off,
go on, go off, go on.
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If you do that
five or ten times,
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you start to get excited.
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I hope that
that day will come very soon.
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NARRATOR:
Although the SETI Institute
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formally came
into existence in 1984,
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the practice of listening
for extraterrestrial life
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has been underway
since the 1960s.
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Astronomers based
at various universities
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throughout the U.S.
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have pointed their radio
telescopes into the cosmos
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in hopes of capturing signals
of intelligent life.
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And sometimes,
they receive a transmission
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they can't explain.
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Delaware, Ohio,
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August 15, 1977.
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At Ohio State University's
Big Ear radio telescope,
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astronomer Jerry R. Ehman
conducts research for SETI.
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While reviewing recorded data,
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he detects
a highly unusual signal
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originating from
the constellation Sagittarius.
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DAVID CHILDRESS:
They were looking
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for a 72-second signal
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that would be coming
from extraterrestrials.
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And as Dr. Jerry Ehman
monitored the output
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of the-the pages
that were coming from space,
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he suddenly found
a signal that matched
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exactly what they
were looking for.
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And so, he circled
the page of data
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that had that
72-second window on it
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and wrote "Wow!" next to it.
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And this became known
as the Wow! signal.
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And it essentially was the kind
of extraterrestrial SETI signal
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that they were all looking for,
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and had suddenly,
briefly, found it.
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NARRATOR:
While there are various theories
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as to what may have caused
the now-famous Wow! signal,
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from terrestrial radio
broadcasts to comet trails,
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SETI has not ruled out
the possibility
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that it may represent
modern man's first radio contact
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with extraterrestrials.
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SHOSTAK:
The Wow! signal
continues to intrigue people.
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So we are going to use
the Allen Telescope Array
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to reobserve the Wow! signal,
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look in the same spot
on the sky,
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look over a wider range
of frequencies.
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And-and if there's
something up there
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and it's still broadcasting,
of course we would find it.
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NARRATOR:
Might the discovery
of the Wow! signal
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bring us one step closer
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to discovering that we are
not alone in the universe?
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Perhaps further clues can be
found by examining life-forms
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on Earth that are capable
of surviving
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inside a comet.
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The possibility of
finding evidence of alien life
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by receiving a message from
space is a thrilling prospect.
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But many scientists are looking
for clues right here on Earth.
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And in 2019,
I got the incredible opportunity
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to meet with a scientist
who believes
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he may have found
extraterrestrial life
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in one of the most inhospitable
environments on the planet.
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NARRATOR:
Whistler, Canada.
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April 17th, 2019.
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Ancient astronaut theorist
Giorgio Tsoukalos
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and retired NASA scientist
Dr. Richard Hoover
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are about to board a helicopter
bound for a massive ice cave
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-in the Canadian wilderness.
-All right, you ready for this?
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-Yes, absolutely.
-All right.
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NARRATOR:
Dr. Hoover spent most of
his career studying fossils
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for signs of extraterrestrial
microscopic life
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and is a leading proponent
of panspermia,
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the idea that life on Earth
originally rained down
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from comets in outer space.
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He has invited Giorgio
to accompany him
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while he investigates
the Whistler ice cave...
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I always love this.
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NARRATOR:
...where he is confident
that they will find
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the glacial ice
teeming with microbial
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and perhaps even more
sophisticated life-forms.
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Life-forms that may be
thousands of years old.
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HOOVER:
Oh, this is just
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-absolutely magnificent.
-It really is.
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NARRATOR:
If alien microbes
are reaching Earth,
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Dr. Hoover suggests
that they could survive
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within such an environment
for long periods of time.
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Today, he'll examine the glacier
for the perfect samples
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to analyze in his laboratory.
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So, Richard,
how excited are you to be here
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to conduct this experiment?
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(chuckles):
Well, I'm tremendously excited.
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-This is, this is absolutely
a-a marvelous opportunity
-Yeah.
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to do more studies
of life in ice.
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NARRATOR:
After a 20-minute
helicopter ride,
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the team arrives
at the Whistler ice cave
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in the Pemberton glacier.
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TSOUKALOS:
Wow, this is incredible.
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HOOVER:
Yeah, amazing.
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Look at that.
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There must be a thousand
shades of blue in this ice cave.
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Just absolutely fantastic.
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And here we see all of these
magnificent shades of blue
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and up there,
you see big streaks of black.
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Glaciers like to eat rocks
and as they eat rocks,
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the rocks gather inside,
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and when the sun shines through
the ice and hits the rocks,
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it can cause it to melt and form
nice little pools of water.
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And then when bacteria
and algae grow in there
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and respire and produce
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their-their
photosynthetic products,
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they make their own atmosphere.
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So, around every
tiny rock in this glacier,
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there is a tiny planetary system
with its own biology,
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00:10:02,167 --> 00:10:05,375
its own atmosphere,
its own soil, in effect.
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And its own oceans.
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NARRATOR:
The ice here is tens
of thousands of years old.
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But Dr. Hoover believes
it is teeming with life.
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Wow, I mean,
this is, uh, spectacular.
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So you just described,
basically, our environment
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-on a microscopic level.
-Exactly.
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HOOVER:
There is an enormous amount
of biology
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00:10:25,375 --> 00:10:29,250
above us and throughout
this wonderful glacier.
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00:10:33,708 --> 00:10:36,167
What we're about to do
is take a core sample
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00:10:36,333 --> 00:10:37,875
of this beautiful blue ice.
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TSOUKALOS:
So, what are you
looking for, specifically,
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00:10:41,042 --> 00:10:43,000
-right now?
-What I want to do first
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00:10:43,125 --> 00:10:46,542
is chop away an outer layer
and get into the inner ice.
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We'll be looking
inside of the ice
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for the ice microorganisms.
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Now we know there can't
possibly be any contamination
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because this ice
has been in the glacier
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00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,083
and now is only freshly exposed.
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And now we take the core.
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Now we're into the ice.
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I'll pull the ice core out.
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-So, okay...
-Mm-hmm. And that's
enough, right?
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00:11:27,542 --> 00:11:30,333
-That's enough.
Yeah, that's first sample.
-Okay, great.
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00:11:30,500 --> 00:11:32,167
-Yeah, c-cap that.
-Okay.
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00:11:32,292 --> 00:11:34,583
All the microorganisms
that grow in ice
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typically grow
very, very slowly.
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So, in fact, there are
some microorganisms
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that only reproduce
once every half a century
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00:11:41,875 --> 00:11:43,292
-or once a century.
-Mm-hmm.
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00:11:43,417 --> 00:11:45,625
So, th-the microbes
that are found in here,
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are they in
suspended anim-animation
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or are they moving around?
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00:11:49,083 --> 00:11:50,375
Probably both.
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00:11:50,500 --> 00:11:52,042
So essentially,
what you're saying
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is that this entire cave
is filled with life.
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00:11:56,375 --> 00:11:58,875
Yes. But not just that.
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00:11:59,042 --> 00:12:02,000
This entire ice cap
is filled with life.
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00:12:02,167 --> 00:12:06,083
There is this enormous amount
of microorganisms
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00:12:06,208 --> 00:12:09,042
that live and thrive
and love to live
245
00:12:09,208 --> 00:12:12,208
in these low temperatures
of the, of the ice cave
246
00:12:12,333 --> 00:12:16,458
that we have here and ice caves
and icy, uh, glaciers
247
00:12:16,583 --> 00:12:17,750
all over the planet Earth.
248
00:12:17,875 --> 00:12:20,792
And probably
all over icy regions
249
00:12:20,875 --> 00:12:23,250
within our entire
solar system and mainly--
250
00:12:23,375 --> 00:12:26,333
maybe widely distributed
throughout the entire universe.
251
00:12:26,500 --> 00:12:31,792
Are we essentially inside
the interior of a, of a comet?
252
00:12:31,875 --> 00:12:34,167
-Is this what it looks like?
-Well, yes.
253
00:12:34,333 --> 00:12:36,958
HOOVER:
Microorganisms can live in ice,
254
00:12:37,083 --> 00:12:40,958
and ice is the dominant
component of comets.
255
00:12:41,042 --> 00:12:44,375
Organisms can
remain alive and protected
256
00:12:44,500 --> 00:12:47,708
by the icy material
of the comet until it arrives
257
00:12:47,875 --> 00:12:49,792
into another solar system
258
00:12:49,875 --> 00:12:52,042
and blows off
chunks of material
259
00:12:52,167 --> 00:12:56,375
that can find a planet that it
can consider a wonderful home.
260
00:12:56,500 --> 00:13:00,000
And so, this basically ties into
the whole idea of panspermia.
261
00:13:00,125 --> 00:13:03,417
Water is a wonderful
radiation shield,
262
00:13:03,542 --> 00:13:08,583
and when you have a comet
that is a few miles in diameter,
263
00:13:08,708 --> 00:13:11,208
on the inside
of that cometary crust,
264
00:13:11,375 --> 00:13:13,667
there is all of this
magnificent ice
265
00:13:13,792 --> 00:13:15,583
that has been frozen
and then reworked
266
00:13:15,708 --> 00:13:17,833
with material going in and out.
267
00:13:17,958 --> 00:13:20,292
So, comets are not just
a magnificent place
268
00:13:20,375 --> 00:13:23,583
for panspermia,
I am convinced that comets
269
00:13:23,708 --> 00:13:26,833
are absolutely a wonderful place
for the origin of life.
270
00:13:28,792 --> 00:13:31,042
NARRATOR:
As Giorgio and Dr. Hoover
271
00:13:31,208 --> 00:13:34,000
take their samples
to a lab to be analyzed,
272
00:13:34,083 --> 00:13:36,958
what kind of life-forms
might they find
273
00:13:37,083 --> 00:13:39,500
within the Pemberton glacier?
274
00:13:39,625 --> 00:13:42,333
Could it support the theory
that life on comets
275
00:13:42,500 --> 00:13:46,500
is more common
than we ever thought possible?
276
00:13:46,667 --> 00:13:49,333
First sample that we got.
277
00:13:49,417 --> 00:13:51,917
NARRATOR:
Now back in the lab,
they are hoping
278
00:13:52,042 --> 00:13:55,042
to observe microorganisms
that remained dormant
279
00:13:55,208 --> 00:13:58,250
within the glacial ice and are
just now returning to life
280
00:13:58,375 --> 00:14:01,333
for the first time
in thousands of years.
281
00:14:01,458 --> 00:14:03,167
-TSOUKALOS: Do you see anything?
-Oh, yes. Oh, yes, yes.
282
00:14:03,292 --> 00:14:05,625
HOOVER:
We've got bacteria.
283
00:14:05,708 --> 00:14:07,792
This is fantastic.
284
00:14:07,875 --> 00:14:09,875
I mean, look at this one--
it's spinning right here.
285
00:14:10,042 --> 00:14:12,875
-Yeah.
-This one just moves
straight across the screen.
286
00:14:13,042 --> 00:14:14,917
HOOVER:
And this one is tumbling.
And notice there's a cell
287
00:14:15,042 --> 00:14:17,000
that has just undergone
cell division.
288
00:14:17,125 --> 00:14:19,000
Here's another one that's
just undergone cell division.
289
00:14:19,125 --> 00:14:20,333
TSOUKALOS:
Okay.
290
00:14:22,292 --> 00:14:24,167
The quest
for extraterrestrial life,
291
00:14:24,292 --> 00:14:28,500
to me, has been a lifelong one,
as it has been with you.
292
00:14:28,583 --> 00:14:31,000
So I've traveled around
the world climbing pyramids,
293
00:14:31,083 --> 00:14:32,292
I've looked at statues,
294
00:14:32,417 --> 00:14:34,583
I've been to hundreds
of museums,
295
00:14:34,708 --> 00:14:36,708
I've read
countless ancient texts,
296
00:14:36,833 --> 00:14:39,500
and here we are
looking at something
297
00:14:39,625 --> 00:14:42,833
that shows extraterrestrial life
298
00:14:42,958 --> 00:14:45,875
that may have come here
millions of years ago.
299
00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,875
The fascinating thing is,
300
00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:51,583
that a far more
extraordinary hypothesis
301
00:14:51,708 --> 00:14:54,250
than the existence
of extraterrestrial life
302
00:14:54,375 --> 00:14:57,708
is the hypothesis that life
exists on the planet Earth
303
00:14:57,875 --> 00:14:59,500
and nowhere else
in the universe.
304
00:14:59,667 --> 00:15:03,167
If that were to turn out
to be what really is the case,
305
00:15:03,333 --> 00:15:06,333
then we would be
completely unique
306
00:15:06,458 --> 00:15:10,208
and we would be different from
everywhere else in the universe,
307
00:15:10,375 --> 00:15:13,208
and that would be
an amazing discovery.
308
00:15:13,333 --> 00:15:16,667
Much more amazing
than finding out that bacteria
309
00:15:16,792 --> 00:15:21,000
or ice worms are crawling around
on the surface of Europa today.
310
00:15:21,167 --> 00:15:22,958
This is incredibly fascinating.
311
00:15:23,083 --> 00:15:25,333
You know, and it's also
refreshing to hear
312
00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:29,208
an actual NASA scientist
telling me these things.
313
00:15:30,167 --> 00:15:32,667
NARRATOR:
If, as Dr. Hoover's
research indicates,
314
00:15:32,833 --> 00:15:37,125
icy comets are ideal incubators
for extraterrestrial life,
315
00:15:37,208 --> 00:15:38,917
and if microorganisms
316
00:15:39,042 --> 00:15:41,917
are incredibly common
in the universe,
317
00:15:42,042 --> 00:15:44,542
is the Earth being
regularly bombarded
318
00:15:44,667 --> 00:15:47,083
by tiny alien life-forms?
319
00:15:47,208 --> 00:15:50,125
Perhaps further clues
can be found
320
00:15:50,208 --> 00:15:52,667
by examining recent
scientific evidence
321
00:15:52,833 --> 00:15:55,292
that supports
the once-fringe theory
322
00:15:55,375 --> 00:15:59,167
that life on Earth was
seeded from outer space.
323
00:16:03,667 --> 00:16:06,000
On Ancient Aliens,
we have found abundant evidence
324
00:16:06,125 --> 00:16:08,500
that alien life has
made its way to Earth.
325
00:16:08,583 --> 00:16:10,208
But what if these life-forms
326
00:16:10,333 --> 00:16:12,875
were deliberately sent
out into the universe
327
00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,458
and possibly even
directed right at our planet?
328
00:16:16,542 --> 00:16:21,083
In 2018, Andrew Collins
met with researchers who believe
329
00:16:21,208 --> 00:16:23,125
that they have found proof
330
00:16:23,250 --> 00:16:26,083
that Earth is being
regularly bombarded
331
00:16:26,208 --> 00:16:29,208
by microbial life-forms.
332
00:16:34,042 --> 00:16:37,042
NARRATOR: Author and researcher
Andrew Collins
333
00:16:37,208 --> 00:16:41,167
travels to Sheffield to witness
a remarkable demonstration.
334
00:16:41,250 --> 00:16:44,292
-Hi, guys, uh... Chris.
-Andrew, how are you?
335
00:16:44,417 --> 00:16:46,417
-About the same. Hi, Milton.
-Pleasure.
-NARRATOR: He is meeting
336
00:16:46,542 --> 00:16:48,625
with microbiologist
Milton Wainwright
337
00:16:48,708 --> 00:16:50,500
and engineer Chris Rose,
338
00:16:50,625 --> 00:16:54,125
two members of the research team
who are convinced
339
00:16:54,208 --> 00:16:57,417
that life on Earth may have
originated in space
340
00:16:57,542 --> 00:17:00,750
through a process
known as panspermia.
341
00:17:00,875 --> 00:17:03,000
I understand you've made
some incredible discoveries.
342
00:17:03,125 --> 00:17:04,417
Please tell me all about it.
343
00:17:04,542 --> 00:17:06,708
WAINWRIGHT:
In the early 2000s, my colleague
344
00:17:06,875 --> 00:17:08,333
Chandra Wickramasinghe,
345
00:17:08,458 --> 00:17:10,792
um, we were launching balloons
from India.
346
00:17:10,875 --> 00:17:14,750
And these were, uh, sampling
the air at 41 kilometers.
347
00:17:14,875 --> 00:17:16,875
And th-they showed
that organisms
348
00:17:17,042 --> 00:17:19,750
are continually
arriving all the time.
349
00:17:19,875 --> 00:17:21,625
Panspermia is
an extremely simple idea.
350
00:17:21,750 --> 00:17:24,667
Basically, it's the idea
that life came from space.
351
00:17:24,792 --> 00:17:27,917
Instead of being formed on
this planet, it came from space.
352
00:17:28,042 --> 00:17:30,333
My findings relate
to panspermia simply,
353
00:17:30,500 --> 00:17:33,083
and th-they show
that organisms are coming in
354
00:17:33,208 --> 00:17:35,083
at this very moment from space.
355
00:17:35,208 --> 00:17:38,375
Tell me how you actually
collect these samples.
356
00:17:38,500 --> 00:17:40,958
This is our-our balloon that's
gonna give us the buoyancy
357
00:17:41,042 --> 00:17:43,792
from the-the hydrogen gas here.
358
00:17:43,917 --> 00:17:45,375
Now, our capture mechanism
is right here.
359
00:17:45,542 --> 00:17:48,042
Let me show you this.
This exposes little, uh,
360
00:17:48,167 --> 00:17:50,292
metal stubs to the environment.
361
00:17:50,375 --> 00:17:52,083
A-And you're look--
you're looking to see
362
00:17:52,208 --> 00:17:55,125
if you can get microbes
coming from the upper atmosphere
363
00:17:55,208 --> 00:17:57,958
-and not from the Earth itself?
-WAINWRIGHT: That's right.
364
00:17:58,083 --> 00:17:59,667
All the critics say
they're coming from Earth
365
00:17:59,792 --> 00:18:01,167
because we're surrounded
by life.
366
00:18:01,292 --> 00:18:03,208
But we have lots of evidence
that this material
367
00:18:03,333 --> 00:18:06,667
is not coming from Earth,
it's incoming from space.
368
00:18:06,792 --> 00:18:08,083
I mean, this sounds incredible.
369
00:18:08,208 --> 00:18:09,833
I mean, have you ever
lost any of these?
370
00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:11,375
-No, and we're not
about to start today.
-(laughter)
371
00:18:11,542 --> 00:18:13,500
-So, fingers crossed, guys.
-Brilliant.
372
00:18:13,625 --> 00:18:16,375
NARRATOR:
The team moves the balloon
into launch position,
373
00:18:16,542 --> 00:18:20,083
from which it will ascend
more than 37 kilometers,
374
00:18:20,208 --> 00:18:22,167
or 23 miles, into the air.
375
00:18:22,250 --> 00:18:24,167
ROSE:
Okay, guys. Ready?
376
00:18:24,292 --> 00:18:25,958
-Andrew, won't you
count down, please?
-COLLINS: Okay.
377
00:18:26,042 --> 00:18:28,792
Five, four, three,
378
00:18:28,875 --> 00:18:30,250
two, one.
379
00:18:30,375 --> 00:18:32,417
-Let it go.
-ROSE: Oh, there it goes...
380
00:18:35,292 --> 00:18:37,667
NARRATOR:
Once the balloon reaches
its target altitude
381
00:18:37,833 --> 00:18:39,500
within the Earth's stratosphere,
382
00:18:39,583 --> 00:18:42,875
the capture mechanism
will hopefully collect samples
383
00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,250
of non-Earth-based
microbial life.
384
00:18:46,375 --> 00:18:48,667
After the sampling is complete,
385
00:18:48,792 --> 00:18:51,167
the balloon bursts,
and the capture mechanism
386
00:18:51,250 --> 00:18:55,375
descends back to Earth
under the safety of a parachute.
387
00:18:57,042 --> 00:19:00,250
The team uses
GPS tracking to locate
388
00:19:00,375 --> 00:19:02,000
where the mechanism lands.
389
00:19:02,125 --> 00:19:04,833
Once retrieved,
the sample is quickly secured
390
00:19:04,958 --> 00:19:08,833
in a sealed container so that
it does not become contaminated
391
00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,250
with microbes from Earth.
392
00:19:14,167 --> 00:19:16,208
Moments later,
Andrew joins Milton and Chris
393
00:19:16,333 --> 00:19:19,042
at a nearby laboratory.
394
00:19:19,167 --> 00:19:20,667
Here they will extract
the microbes
395
00:19:20,750 --> 00:19:24,333
inside a sterilized clean room
and then analyze them
396
00:19:24,458 --> 00:19:27,083
to make sure no Earth microbes
397
00:19:27,208 --> 00:19:29,125
have contaminated the sample.
398
00:19:29,250 --> 00:19:30,958
COLLINS:
A clean room.
399
00:19:31,083 --> 00:19:33,667
How can you ensure
the sterilization?
400
00:19:33,750 --> 00:19:37,500
What are the protocols
behind this process?
401
00:19:37,667 --> 00:19:40,292
It's really all about
sterilizing the air inside.
402
00:19:40,417 --> 00:19:43,167
To make sure the air inside
contains no microorganisms.
403
00:19:43,292 --> 00:19:45,292
So all the air is filtered.
404
00:19:55,917 --> 00:19:57,833
(indistinct chatter)
405
00:20:01,958 --> 00:20:05,083
NARRATOR:
Milton and Chris
remove the carbon tabs
406
00:20:05,208 --> 00:20:06,625
from the capture mechanism
407
00:20:06,708 --> 00:20:10,042
and place them
into vacuum-sealed containers.
408
00:20:10,167 --> 00:20:11,958
This will further prevent
contamination
409
00:20:12,083 --> 00:20:15,583
while they view the samples with
a scanning electron microscope.
410
00:20:17,542 --> 00:20:19,458
COLLINS:
Wow. What on earth is that?
411
00:20:19,583 --> 00:20:22,042
I can tell
that this is biological.
412
00:20:22,833 --> 00:20:24,708
If you analyze this,
I'm pretty certain
413
00:20:24,833 --> 00:20:28,500
this will show as carbon, oxygen
and a little bit of nitrogen.
414
00:20:28,625 --> 00:20:31,250
Now, that's the signature
for life.
415
00:20:31,375 --> 00:20:35,500
COLLINS:
We're saying that this piece
of biological life
416
00:20:35,625 --> 00:20:38,625
-could potentially be
extraterrestrial in origin?
-Right.
417
00:20:38,708 --> 00:20:40,417
WAINWRIGHT:
There's nothing
from Earth around it.
418
00:20:40,542 --> 00:20:43,458
It's pristine, so it's incoming.
419
00:20:43,542 --> 00:20:46,458
Now, if we do a bit
of, um, modeling studies,
420
00:20:46,542 --> 00:20:48,500
we come to the conclusion
that nothing bigger
421
00:20:48,625 --> 00:20:51,500
than six microns can go out.
422
00:20:51,667 --> 00:20:53,167
And this is 200.
423
00:20:53,333 --> 00:20:58,000
So it's a very large particle,
and it's coming in.
424
00:20:58,167 --> 00:21:00,208
What we actually
could be looking at here
425
00:21:00,375 --> 00:21:03,417
is a genuine alien life-form.
426
00:21:03,542 --> 00:21:06,333
What you're looking at there
is an organism
427
00:21:06,500 --> 00:21:10,708
or a clump of organisms that
is incoming from space to Earth.
428
00:21:12,375 --> 00:21:15,250
Nothing bigger
than six microns can go
429
00:21:15,375 --> 00:21:17,833
from the surface of the Earth
to these altitudes
430
00:21:17,917 --> 00:21:19,458
that we sample at.
431
00:21:19,583 --> 00:21:24,542
And yet we are finding particles
all the way up to 200.
432
00:21:24,667 --> 00:21:26,708
They can't be coming up
from Earth.
433
00:21:26,833 --> 00:21:29,542
Absolutely amazing.
It's blown my head off.
434
00:21:29,708 --> 00:21:32,250
NARRATOR:
Biological organisms,
435
00:21:32,375 --> 00:21:35,792
not from Earth
but from somewhere in space?
436
00:21:35,875 --> 00:21:38,333
Could we be looking
at actual evidence
437
00:21:38,458 --> 00:21:42,292
of a living organism
from a world other than our own?
438
00:21:42,375 --> 00:21:44,000
COLLINS:
We've actually found
439
00:21:44,167 --> 00:21:46,042
evidence of what could be
440
00:21:46,208 --> 00:21:50,000
extraterrestrial
biological entities.
441
00:21:50,167 --> 00:21:54,000
To see those images
was extraordinary,
442
00:21:54,125 --> 00:21:57,208
and it's convinced me
that the Earth
443
00:21:57,333 --> 00:21:59,250
is surrounded by life
444
00:21:59,375 --> 00:22:04,208
that almost certainly
came from outer space.
445
00:22:04,375 --> 00:22:06,417
This is one we took earlier,
as they say.
446
00:22:08,500 --> 00:22:11,792
This is the most amazing image
I've ever seen in my life.
447
00:22:11,875 --> 00:22:14,208
It's got biological
material here,
448
00:22:14,333 --> 00:22:17,208
and this material
we know contains carbon,
449
00:22:17,375 --> 00:22:20,750
oxygen and nitrogen,
so this is biological.
450
00:22:20,875 --> 00:22:23,875
When we analyzed the ball,
we found it contained titanium
451
00:22:24,042 --> 00:22:25,333
and a small amount of vanadium.
452
00:22:25,417 --> 00:22:27,500
So, this is a titanium sphere
453
00:22:27,583 --> 00:22:30,292
with life inside
and life on the outside.
454
00:22:30,375 --> 00:22:32,333
Now, what on earth is it?
455
00:22:32,417 --> 00:22:35,875
One possibility is that
this is directed panspermia.
456
00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,667
Some civilization
has put biological material
457
00:22:39,792 --> 00:22:42,000
inside and just
on the outside of this thing
458
00:22:42,083 --> 00:22:43,750
and they've spewed it out.
459
00:22:43,875 --> 00:22:47,167
And this suggests
that some alien civilization
460
00:22:47,250 --> 00:22:48,667
is seeding planets.
461
00:22:48,750 --> 00:22:53,125
This smoking gun
of, uh, panspermia,
462
00:22:53,208 --> 00:22:55,167
or even directed panspermia
463
00:22:55,292 --> 00:22:58,417
could give us
the best evidence yet
464
00:22:58,542 --> 00:23:04,500
that aliens in some form
seeded life on this Earth,
465
00:23:04,625 --> 00:23:07,000
which is an incredible thought.
466
00:23:08,750 --> 00:23:10,583
NARRATOR:
Is it possible
467
00:23:10,708 --> 00:23:12,708
that extraterrestrial life-forms
468
00:23:12,833 --> 00:23:16,375
are being deliberately sent
to planet Earth?
469
00:23:16,500 --> 00:23:19,125
Ancient astronaut theorists
say yes
470
00:23:19,250 --> 00:23:24,000
and suggest that archaeologists
may have actually found
471
00:23:24,125 --> 00:23:28,458
physical remains of the beings
who are sending them.
472
00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:36,333
On Ancient Aliens,
we have traveled
473
00:23:36,417 --> 00:23:38,292
around the world looking
for definitive evidence
474
00:23:38,417 --> 00:23:41,292
to prove that we are
not alone in the universe.
475
00:23:41,375 --> 00:23:43,333
And what could be
more definitive
476
00:23:43,417 --> 00:23:45,000
than a human-like skull
477
00:23:45,083 --> 00:23:47,875
that appears to be something
other than human?
478
00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:53,333
In 2017, I got to examine
an elongated skull up close,
479
00:23:53,500 --> 00:23:57,917
and what I discovered
was absolutely mind-blowing.
480
00:24:01,083 --> 00:24:02,750
NARRATOR:
New York City,
481
00:24:02,875 --> 00:24:06,875
February 2017.
482
00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,750
At New York University,
Giorgio Tsoukalos meets
483
00:24:09,875 --> 00:24:12,500
with art collector
Jared Collins,
484
00:24:12,625 --> 00:24:17,250
who is in possession of a
2,000-year-old elongated skull.
485
00:24:17,375 --> 00:24:20,000
Oh, wow.
486
00:24:20,125 --> 00:24:22,667
That is fantastic.
487
00:24:22,792 --> 00:24:26,000
NARRATOR:
The skull is incredibly
well-preserved,
488
00:24:26,125 --> 00:24:29,000
and Jared is having it tested
at the university
489
00:24:29,125 --> 00:24:32,708
to find out if it might
possibly contain abnormalities
490
00:24:32,833 --> 00:24:35,875
that indicate it is
something other than human.
491
00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,292
He agreed to meet Giorgio
outside of the anthropology lab
492
00:24:39,417 --> 00:24:42,958
for a first look at the skull.
493
00:24:43,042 --> 00:24:44,667
So how did this come
to be in your possession?
494
00:24:44,833 --> 00:24:47,625
Well, it's not actually mine.
It is on loan to me.
495
00:24:47,750 --> 00:24:50,167
Me and one of my colleagues
contacted a museum
496
00:24:50,250 --> 00:24:53,250
and we asked them,
"Do you have an elongated skull
497
00:24:53,375 --> 00:24:54,708
in your collection?"
498
00:24:54,833 --> 00:24:57,500
And they said they have
just one, this one.
499
00:24:57,625 --> 00:25:00,583
TSOUKALOS:
And have they told you
anything about it?
500
00:25:00,708 --> 00:25:03,500
-Actually, strangely...
-TSOUKALOS: Like the providence?
501
00:25:03,667 --> 00:25:06,125
...this has been
in storage for decades.
502
00:25:06,208 --> 00:25:08,667
They have never tested it,
503
00:25:08,792 --> 00:25:10,208
they had very little
information on it.
504
00:25:10,375 --> 00:25:13,583
They know
it's absolutely Paracas.
505
00:25:13,708 --> 00:25:15,667
So, this skull was found
in the Paracas region
506
00:25:15,750 --> 00:25:17,500
-of Peru.
-That's right.
507
00:25:17,625 --> 00:25:20,375
But no real modern testing
has ever been done on this.
508
00:25:20,542 --> 00:25:22,000
Oh, this is amazing.
509
00:25:22,125 --> 00:25:24,167
So, let's go, right?
510
00:25:24,292 --> 00:25:26,083
Okay.
511
00:25:29,625 --> 00:25:33,542
NYU Professor of Anthropology
Dr. Todd Disotell
512
00:25:33,708 --> 00:25:36,208
agreed to conduct
a forensic evaluation
513
00:25:36,375 --> 00:25:38,167
of the elongated skull.
514
00:25:38,292 --> 00:25:41,417
I've seen casts,
I've never seen one in person.
515
00:25:41,542 --> 00:25:44,167
-Okay.
-Wow.
516
00:25:44,333 --> 00:25:46,958
DISOTELL:
That is freaky.
517
00:25:47,083 --> 00:25:51,083
I mean, I just can't come up
with another term.
518
00:25:51,208 --> 00:25:53,500
I love that your first reaction
is that it's freaky,
519
00:25:53,583 --> 00:25:54,833
-'cause I agree with you.
-Yeah, well, I mean,
520
00:25:54,917 --> 00:25:57,125
-look at it. That's...
-It's-it's quite bizarre.
521
00:25:59,583 --> 00:26:00,833
DISOTELL:
Let me just, uh, move it over
522
00:26:00,958 --> 00:26:03,917
-to the sterile bench surface.
-Mm-hmm.
523
00:26:04,042 --> 00:26:05,875
Wow.
524
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:07,958
So, what's very fascinating--
525
00:26:08,042 --> 00:26:10,667
-besides the shape...
-(laughter)
526
00:26:10,750 --> 00:26:16,667
The sagittal suture looks
like it has completely fused.
527
00:26:16,750 --> 00:26:18,417
I'm holding it,
I'm looking at it,
528
00:26:18,542 --> 00:26:21,292
and it's just been
completely obliterated.
529
00:26:21,417 --> 00:26:23,708
NARRATOR:
The sagittal suture
530
00:26:23,833 --> 00:26:26,458
is the seam where the two
parietal bones of the skull
531
00:26:26,542 --> 00:26:28,875
come together.
532
00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:33,917
Although the markings may be
faint due to fusing over time,
533
00:26:34,042 --> 00:26:36,542
all human skulls are expected
534
00:26:36,667 --> 00:26:39,833
to have some evidence
of this feature.
535
00:26:39,958 --> 00:26:43,792
So it is curious
that this skull does not.
536
00:26:43,875 --> 00:26:47,333
Nor do the skulls of a number
of other mysterious specimens
537
00:26:47,458 --> 00:26:53,000
that have been collected
and examined by various experts.
538
00:26:53,125 --> 00:26:56,167
One of the great enigmas
of planet Earth
539
00:26:56,250 --> 00:26:58,292
is that all over the world,
540
00:26:58,417 --> 00:27:01,417
we find skeletons
541
00:27:01,542 --> 00:27:05,958
with people having
these elongated skulls.
542
00:27:08,708 --> 00:27:11,625
NARRATOR:
For centuries,
various Native cultures
543
00:27:11,708 --> 00:27:13,667
have engaged
in the ritual practice
544
00:27:13,792 --> 00:27:16,167
of artificially elongating
their skulls
545
00:27:16,250 --> 00:27:20,500
by tightly wrapping the heads of
their children through infancy.
546
00:27:20,583 --> 00:27:24,083
However, these skulls
still feature evidence
547
00:27:24,208 --> 00:27:25,917
of the cranial sutures.
548
00:27:27,958 --> 00:27:30,958
Okay, let's move onto extracting
549
00:27:31,083 --> 00:27:35,292
some tooth and bone powder
to get DNA out of that.
550
00:27:35,375 --> 00:27:37,667
Okay, excellent.
551
00:27:37,792 --> 00:27:39,333
In order to obtain
552
00:27:39,417 --> 00:27:41,708
the needed genetic material
from the artifact,
553
00:27:41,833 --> 00:27:45,125
Dr. Disotell will need
to remove a tooth
554
00:27:45,250 --> 00:27:47,625
and drill into it
to extract the samples.
555
00:27:50,208 --> 00:27:52,708
The analysis of the material
will determine the sex,
556
00:27:52,833 --> 00:27:56,667
ancestral lineage of both
the father and the mother,
557
00:27:56,750 --> 00:27:59,417
and any DNA anomalies
when compared
558
00:27:59,542 --> 00:28:01,833
with the current
human genetic database.
559
00:28:05,792 --> 00:28:07,042
Looks pretty good.
560
00:28:07,167 --> 00:28:09,292
We will pack this up
and send it off,
561
00:28:09,417 --> 00:28:13,583
and in four to six weeks
they should have the result.
562
00:28:13,708 --> 00:28:15,583
TSOUKALOS:
Four to six weeks, okay.
563
00:28:15,708 --> 00:28:17,917
-Thank you very much, really
appreciate your input on this.
-Okay.
564
00:28:18,042 --> 00:28:19,375
-Take care, gentlemen.
-Thanks a lot.
-You got it.
565
00:28:19,500 --> 00:28:21,917
NARRATOR:
Los Angeles, California,
566
00:28:22,042 --> 00:28:25,042
April 2017.
567
00:28:25,167 --> 00:28:28,208
All right, Todd,
you got the results?
568
00:28:28,333 --> 00:28:30,833
Yeah, and they're
very, very interesting.
569
00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,750
NARRATOR:
Two months after
their initial examination,
570
00:28:33,875 --> 00:28:36,833
Giorgio is online
with Dr. Disotell
571
00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,417
to receive the results
of the DNA test
572
00:28:39,542 --> 00:28:42,083
they performed
on the elongated skull.
573
00:28:42,208 --> 00:28:46,708
They did get
a good, clean DNA profile
574
00:28:46,833 --> 00:28:48,750
from the maternally
inherited DNA.
575
00:28:48,875 --> 00:28:53,958
So, this particular specimen
is actually not found
576
00:28:54,042 --> 00:28:57,875
in the New World, not found
amongst Native Americans,
577
00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:02,167
and it's typically found amongst
Europeans and Middle Easterners.
578
00:29:02,292 --> 00:29:03,750
In fact,
579
00:29:03,875 --> 00:29:06,042
the 100% match was
to a Scottish individual.
580
00:29:06,167 --> 00:29:09,500
This makes no sense whatsoever.
581
00:29:09,625 --> 00:29:12,458
Really?
In a South American skull?
582
00:29:12,542 --> 00:29:13,958
This is all very strange.
583
00:29:14,042 --> 00:29:16,667
That could mean
that people from Europe
584
00:29:16,833 --> 00:29:19,875
got to South America
585
00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:26,083
1,500 years earlier than
we currently understand that.
586
00:29:26,208 --> 00:29:27,792
That's amazing.
587
00:29:27,917 --> 00:29:31,417
Unfortunately,
the condition of the sample
588
00:29:31,542 --> 00:29:34,458
did not yield any Y chromosome.
589
00:29:34,542 --> 00:29:36,833
But that's not surprising.
590
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,500
There is between
a couple hundred
591
00:29:40,583 --> 00:29:43,833
to a couple thousand times
as much
592
00:29:43,917 --> 00:29:47,042
maternal DNA
in every cell of the body.
593
00:29:47,167 --> 00:29:49,667
So what does that mean,
what have we not
594
00:29:49,750 --> 00:29:52,042
found out because of that?
595
00:29:52,167 --> 00:29:54,833
Well, so, one, that would
allow us to definitively
596
00:29:54,958 --> 00:29:56,125
determine the sex,
597
00:29:56,208 --> 00:29:59,750
and knowing who the father was
598
00:29:59,875 --> 00:30:02,750
would be very, very informative.
599
00:30:02,875 --> 00:30:05,042
Unfortunately,
we're missing that.
600
00:30:05,208 --> 00:30:06,583
Right.
601
00:30:06,708 --> 00:30:09,083
Do you think that a case
can be made at all--
602
00:30:09,208 --> 00:30:12,833
and again,
this is complete speculation--
603
00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:16,958
that perhaps
it is not necessarily human?
604
00:30:17,042 --> 00:30:19,417
Is that a possibility?
605
00:30:19,542 --> 00:30:21,708
Well, it's possible.
606
00:30:21,833 --> 00:30:24,833
But still, we actually
don't know what this is.
607
00:30:24,958 --> 00:30:27,250
Since we didn't get
any definitive result,
608
00:30:27,375 --> 00:30:30,333
obviously, a scientist
always wants to try to do that.
609
00:30:30,417 --> 00:30:32,208
Uh, this is extraordinary.
610
00:30:32,375 --> 00:30:35,500
Yeah, it still leaves open
the possibility
611
00:30:35,667 --> 00:30:37,417
of something interesting.
612
00:30:37,542 --> 00:30:42,083
The results confirmed the fact
that there is a mystery there.
613
00:30:42,208 --> 00:30:44,875
First of all,
we couldn't figure out
614
00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:47,333
who the father is of that thing.
615
00:30:47,500 --> 00:30:50,750
Number two, it has European DNA.
616
00:30:50,875 --> 00:30:54,000
Two things that make no sense.
617
00:30:54,083 --> 00:30:56,500
And it had a missing
sagittal suture.
618
00:30:56,583 --> 00:31:01,708
So I do think that that is
an extraterrestrial skull.
619
00:31:01,833 --> 00:31:05,958
NARRATOR:
Could the elongated skull
analyzed by Dr. Disotell
620
00:31:06,042 --> 00:31:09,000
provide evidence
that a human-like species
621
00:31:09,167 --> 00:31:13,833
walked planet Earth
that wasn't entirely human?
622
00:31:13,917 --> 00:31:16,417
Perhaps further clues
can be found
623
00:31:16,542 --> 00:31:18,625
by examining recent
scientific evidence
624
00:31:18,750 --> 00:31:21,625
that supports the theory
that life can exist
625
00:31:21,708 --> 00:31:24,458
where we least expect it.
626
00:31:31,333 --> 00:31:33,917
Many of the scientists we've
spoken to on Ancient Aliens
627
00:31:34,042 --> 00:31:36,083
believe that the best place
to search for evidence
628
00:31:36,208 --> 00:31:40,333
of alien life is on meteorites
that have crashed to Earth.
629
00:31:40,417 --> 00:31:44,500
A few years ago, I met with
a planetary scientist in England
630
00:31:44,625 --> 00:31:48,333
who showed me incredible
evidence that these space rocks
631
00:31:48,458 --> 00:31:52,708
could be delivering microbial
extraterrestrial life-forms
632
00:31:52,875 --> 00:31:55,833
right here to our planet.
633
00:31:55,917 --> 00:31:58,375
NARRATOR:
Milton Keynes, England,
634
00:31:58,500 --> 00:32:02,000
March 2019.
635
00:32:02,083 --> 00:32:06,750
Ancient astronaut theorist
Giorgio Tsoukalos
636
00:32:06,875 --> 00:32:08,500
travels to The Open University
637
00:32:08,583 --> 00:32:12,375
to meet with planetary scientist
Dr. Queenie Chan.
638
00:32:12,500 --> 00:32:14,000
Dr. Chan?
639
00:32:14,125 --> 00:32:16,000
-Giorgio.
-Hello.
640
00:32:16,083 --> 00:32:17,500
-Great pleasure to meet you.
-Welcome here.
641
00:32:17,625 --> 00:32:18,917
Nice to meet you, too. Welcome.
642
00:32:19,042 --> 00:32:20,667
Thank you so much
for bringing me here.
643
00:32:20,833 --> 00:32:23,208
NARRATOR:
Dr. Chan recently analyzed
644
00:32:23,333 --> 00:32:26,917
two meteorites
recovered in 1998
645
00:32:27,042 --> 00:32:31,208
and discovered something
incredibly unexpected,
646
00:32:31,333 --> 00:32:35,417
a salt crystal
containing liquid water.
647
00:32:35,542 --> 00:32:38,500
Giorgio is eager to find out
what the implications
648
00:32:38,583 --> 00:32:40,250
of this discovery could be,
649
00:32:40,375 --> 00:32:42,917
and if it might provide
further evidence
650
00:32:43,042 --> 00:32:46,042
that life on Earth
was seeded by extraterrestrials.
651
00:32:48,042 --> 00:32:50,000
CHAN:
Within a stony meteorite,
652
00:32:50,167 --> 00:32:53,708
we've got something called
the chondritic meteorite.
653
00:32:53,833 --> 00:32:54,875
They are interesting
because they have
654
00:32:55,042 --> 00:32:57,458
organic materials in it.
655
00:32:59,542 --> 00:33:03,000
The meteorite that I found
extremely interesting,
656
00:33:03,167 --> 00:33:05,833
uh, special--
two meteorites, actually--
657
00:33:05,958 --> 00:33:08,000
Zag and Monahan's meteorite.
658
00:33:08,125 --> 00:33:10,917
They are both
ordinary chondrites,
659
00:33:11,042 --> 00:33:13,500
but they are not ordinary.
(chuckles)
660
00:33:15,167 --> 00:33:18,708
They both fell to Earth in 1998.
661
00:33:18,833 --> 00:33:22,583
And what's more interesting
is, both of these meteorite
662
00:33:22,708 --> 00:33:27,542
have salt crystal, that stunning
blue coloration to them.
663
00:33:27,667 --> 00:33:31,625
More interesting is,
within these salt crystals,
664
00:33:31,708 --> 00:33:33,000
we found water,
665
00:33:33,125 --> 00:33:36,750
liquid water inclusion
within them.
666
00:33:36,875 --> 00:33:38,500
I'm trying to wrap
my mind around this.
667
00:33:38,583 --> 00:33:40,625
So, you're telling me
that you found meteorites
668
00:33:40,708 --> 00:33:43,417
that actually contain
liquid water in them.
669
00:33:43,542 --> 00:33:45,042
Should we have a look at it
in the clean lab?
670
00:33:45,167 --> 00:33:46,750
Yes, please,
that would be amazing.
671
00:33:46,875 --> 00:33:48,125
Absolutely.
672
00:33:49,417 --> 00:33:51,333
NARRATOR:
Before they can examine
673
00:33:51,500 --> 00:33:55,375
the meteorite sample,
Giorgio and Dr. Chan change
674
00:33:55,500 --> 00:33:59,000
into protective gear that will
keep the laboratory sterile.
675
00:34:00,708 --> 00:34:02,000
TSOUKALOS:
Oh, nice.
676
00:34:03,792 --> 00:34:05,875
-And so, this is it.
-This is it.
677
00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,375
-Should we have
a look under the microscope?
-Yes, please, yes.
678
00:34:12,083 --> 00:34:14,250
CHAN:
Trying to move that
in focus now.
679
00:34:14,375 --> 00:34:16,417
There it is.
680
00:34:16,542 --> 00:34:20,208
I'm going to enlarge it
on my screen.
681
00:34:20,333 --> 00:34:24,333
This is it. You're looking at
a speck of water in a meteorite.
682
00:34:24,458 --> 00:34:26,500
This is the first time
that we've found
683
00:34:26,667 --> 00:34:29,167
amino acids with water.
684
00:34:29,292 --> 00:34:31,167
This is extraordinary.
685
00:34:32,875 --> 00:34:34,417
NARRATOR:
Amino acids?
686
00:34:34,542 --> 00:34:37,667
These organic compounds
are the building blocks of life,
687
00:34:37,833 --> 00:34:41,000
so finding them within
liquid water on a meteorite
688
00:34:41,125 --> 00:34:43,542
is extraordinary.
689
00:34:43,667 --> 00:34:48,583
Could alien proteins like these
have started life on Earth?
690
00:34:50,667 --> 00:34:52,833
One of the exciting things about
the discovery of the blue
691
00:34:52,958 --> 00:34:55,250
salt crystals in the asteroids
that crashed to Earth
692
00:34:55,375 --> 00:34:58,083
is really the amino acids.
693
00:34:58,208 --> 00:35:00,667
Amino acids are
the building block of protein,
694
00:35:00,833 --> 00:35:04,333
and so it really shows
that Earth isn't the only place
695
00:35:04,458 --> 00:35:07,583
where the right chemistry exists
for which you can get life.
696
00:35:07,708 --> 00:35:09,542
In another laboratory,
697
00:35:09,667 --> 00:35:12,667
Dr. Chan shows Giorgio
the machine that analyzed
698
00:35:12,750 --> 00:35:15,625
the meteorite samples
on a nanometer scale.
699
00:35:15,708 --> 00:35:19,542
The results are then
displayed on a computer screen,
700
00:35:19,708 --> 00:35:22,167
showing a comparison
between amino acids
701
00:35:22,292 --> 00:35:25,708
found on Earth and those
that arrived here from space.
702
00:35:25,875 --> 00:35:29,208
This is very interesting,
because, uh, first of all,
703
00:35:29,375 --> 00:35:31,125
we see a bunch of amino acids
704
00:35:31,250 --> 00:35:34,583
that are common
in-in terrestrial life.
705
00:35:34,708 --> 00:35:36,792
And over here,
we've got other extraterrestrial
706
00:35:36,875 --> 00:35:38,875
-amino acid inside.
-Really?
707
00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,250
This is
a revolutionary discovery.
708
00:35:42,375 --> 00:35:46,333
I immediately go to the idea
of panspermia,
709
00:35:46,458 --> 00:35:50,417
that life has been brought
throughout the entire galaxy
710
00:35:50,542 --> 00:35:55,083
by means with which we can't
even fathom how it was done.
711
00:35:55,208 --> 00:35:57,042
The building blocks of protein
712
00:35:57,167 --> 00:35:59,375
that we know to be
necessary for life,
713
00:35:59,500 --> 00:36:01,042
these very building blocks,
714
00:36:01,167 --> 00:36:02,875
the same amino acids
that we found on Earth,
715
00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:05,333
is ubiquitous
in the, in the universe.
716
00:36:05,458 --> 00:36:07,333
It's everywhere.
It's found on-on asteroid.
717
00:36:07,458 --> 00:36:09,792
It's found on-on comets, too.
718
00:36:09,917 --> 00:36:12,833
So, in your estimation,
what is the likelihood
719
00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:17,042
of life having begun elsewhere?
720
00:36:17,167 --> 00:36:19,417
We've got so many
different galaxies
721
00:36:19,542 --> 00:36:22,208
and there are
so many Earth-like planets
722
00:36:22,333 --> 00:36:25,125
and, uh, we-we could have
water elsewhere.
723
00:36:25,250 --> 00:36:26,542
We know that amino acids,
724
00:36:26,667 --> 00:36:28,792
building blocks of life,
are ubiquitous,
725
00:36:28,875 --> 00:36:32,667
um, so I think
it's-it's totally possible.
726
00:36:35,125 --> 00:36:39,375
NARRATOR:
Could these incredible findings
be proof that the seeds of life
727
00:36:39,542 --> 00:36:43,167
traveled to Earth from
other planets in our galaxy?
728
00:36:43,292 --> 00:36:46,375
Ancient astronaut theorists
say yes
729
00:36:46,542 --> 00:36:49,333
and believe that further
evidence can be found
730
00:36:49,417 --> 00:36:51,000
in the recent NASA discovery
731
00:36:51,125 --> 00:36:54,417
that there might be
life on Mars.
732
00:37:00,333 --> 00:37:02,208
The search for evidence
of extraterrestrial life
733
00:37:02,375 --> 00:37:05,000
has taken Ancient Aliens
from deep in the jungle
734
00:37:05,083 --> 00:37:07,458
all the way up
to a remote mountain cave.
735
00:37:07,542 --> 00:37:10,333
But perhaps one of the most
compelling places to look
736
00:37:10,458 --> 00:37:12,583
is not on our planet at all.
737
00:37:12,708 --> 00:37:15,167
In recent years,
new research has suggested
738
00:37:15,292 --> 00:37:18,833
that Mars
may actually support life.
739
00:37:18,917 --> 00:37:23,500
And in 2018, aerospace engineer
Dr. Travis Taylor
740
00:37:23,625 --> 00:37:27,542
traveled to NASA to learn
about an exciting new discovery
741
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and to see a piece of the Red
Planet right here on Earth.
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NARRATOR:
Scientist and aerospace engineer
Dr. Travis Taylor
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travels to Johnson
Space Center and meets
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with NASA exploration mission
scientist Dr. Elizabeth Rampe.
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Dr. Rampe analyzes data obtained
by the Mars Curiosity rover,
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which, six years
into its mission,
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is sending back some of its most
extraordinary findings yet.
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So, there was very
late-breaking news recently
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from the Curiosity rover.
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And some interesting
information came out
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of the Sample Analysis at Mars,
or SAM, instrument.
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-Okay.
-So, SAM can measure gases
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in the atmosphere,
and it can also measure gases
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that are evolved from samples.
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So basically, we drill a rock,
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deliver that powder
to the instrument,
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and then that instrument
heats up the sample
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and measures the gases
that are coming off.
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Whatever out gas is,
it can tell you what this--
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-what that is, right? Okay.
-Exactly.
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So, a big piece of information
from the atmosphere
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is that we've been
tracking methane
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over the last few Martian years,
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and what we see is that
there is a cycle to it,
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where it spikes late summer,
early autumn,
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and then dips again.
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-Wow. Yeah.
-Yeah, so the big question
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-is, why is that happening?
-Right, that-- it-it, so--
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that's-- could possibly be due
to an organic material, right?
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-Or a biological source.
-Exactly.
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-So, that's...
-Meaning life.
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-Right, I know, so: huge.
-Right-right. Wow.
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I-It's not the only
hypothesis out there...
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-Sure.
-...but you know,
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there is the possibility
that there is
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extant life on Mars
that is creating this methane.
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Wow.
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The fact that NASA has now
released information
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that they've measured
a cycle of methane
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that goes up in the summer
and down in the winter,
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it sounds very similar
to how biological processes
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create methane here on Earth.
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That could be evidence
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that there's life,
right now, on Mars.
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NARRATOR:
Life on Mars?
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According to NASA,
such a profound notion
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is a distinct possibility.
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And other discoveries
made by the space agency could
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reveal something even more
incredible,
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that life on Earth
actually originated on Mars.
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So what is this?
Tell me what this is.
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Okay, so this is
a Martian meteorite.
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So this is a rock
that came from Mars.
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-TAYLOR: How long ago?
-The rock itself is about
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180 million years old.
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-Wow.
-So that's when
it crystallized on Mars.
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And to give you some context,
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180 million years ago,
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-dinosaurs were
roaming the Earth.
-Right.
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TAYLOR:
Well, we know that this rock
came from Mars.
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So if there was
organic material on Mars
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three and a half
billion years ago,
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something could have
caused that organic material
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to go from there to here, right?
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Right, and what's interesting
about, you know,
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"three and a half
billion years ago"
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is, that's when life
was taking hold on Earth.
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-Right.
-So-- And-and Mars
was once very Earth-like,
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with, uh, rivers and lakes.
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So why not Mars?
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We've got all the building
blocks for life on Mars,
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-so why couldn't
it happen there?
-So it's very possible
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that we're descendants
of Martians.
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-I-I... I'm not gonna
rule that out.
-(chuckles)
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When you look at all of
the evidence that's out there,
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from microbes
in the stratosphere
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to strange signals
coming from space
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and even ancient bones
that defy explanation,
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you have to ask, have we already
discovered alien life?
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The answer is a resounding yes.
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And I have no doubt
that far more incredible proof
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is yet to come.
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