Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00 We've long wondered whether we're alone in the universe.
00:05 In the past century, the search for extraterrestrial life has gotten fully underway, as we look
00:11 for signs within our own solar system as well as in other star systems.
00:17 Evidence of alien life has eluded us, but there's a strong possibility that what we're
00:23 looking for will find us first.
00:27 This is Unveiled, and today we're answering the extraordinary question; what happens if
00:33 aliens discover Earth?
00:36 Do you need the big questions answered?
00:39 Are you constantly curious?
00:41 Then why not subscribe to Unveiled for more clips like this one?
00:45 And ring the bell for more thought-provoking content.
00:49 If other intelligent species exist outside our own solar system, it's likely that they
00:56 too are searching for signs of alien life.
01:00 Human intelligence and scientific advancements have made us aware of our place in the universe,
01:05 leaving us curious as to whether or not we're alone in such thoughts.
01:10 Theoretically, intelligent life elsewhere would, at some point, face the same questions.
01:16 With 100 billion stars in the Milky Way, it wouldn't be that surprising to discover
01:22 that life is abundant within our galaxy.
01:25 Even if extraterrestrial civilizations are unable to reach Earth due, for example, to
01:31 the sheer distances involved, we would still expect to find signals sent by them, or biosignatures.
01:39 Unfortunately, no such evidence has been found, at least so far.
01:45 Lacking evidence for sentient life beyond Earth, it could be inferred that it's very
01:50 rare for a planet to develop life.
01:53 This discrepancy between the lack of evidence for alien life and its high likelihood is
01:59 called the Fermi Paradox, and there have been many attempts to solve it.
02:04 One of the common theories to explain our solitude in the universe is called the Great
02:09 Filter.
02:11 The idea is that somewhere in the evolutionary process, there's a great barrier that makes
02:17 detectable extraterrestrial life incredibly uncommon.
02:21 Currently, we can only guess whether this filter lies before or behind our current stage
02:27 of development.
02:28 Historically, humans have adapted their technology to expand outwards as much as possible.
02:35 Life has always dispersed and spread into new frontiers.
02:39 Generally, human technology has always moved forwards.
02:43 So, if we extrapolate to our future, we would expect ourselves to continue to expand outwards,
02:51 slowly colonizing the galaxy and learning to harness new forms of energy.
02:57 But with the universe approaching its 14 billionth birthday, why does it seem like no other form
03:05 of life has left its mark on the universe?
03:09 This is what the Great Filter seeks to answer.
03:12 The easier it is for life to evolve to our stage of development, the less optimistic
03:18 our future becomes, and the more likely it is that the Great Filter lies ahead of us.
03:24 This could be, for example, in the form of nuclear war or global warming.
03:30 On the other hand, the filter could also be long behind us, being at the earliest stages
03:36 of evolution.
03:38 Neither are particularly encouraging, with one side saying we're heading towards probable
03:43 extinction and the other suggesting that we're likely to be entirely alone.
03:48 There are other proposed solutions to the Fermi Paradox, however.
03:53 One is that aliens do exist in abundance, we just simply can't see evidence of them.
04:00 Another idea is that it's too resource-heavy to expand through a galaxy, and space is really
04:05 just too large to traverse.
04:08 It could also be the case that the galaxy actually is colonized, but Earth resides in
04:14 an isolated backwater region too distant to be worth colonization.
04:19 Additionally, it might be the case that it's dangerous to communicate with other civilizations,
04:25 and that many are actively hiding.
04:28 Or perhaps the next stage of evolution won't be to expand outwards, but to focus inwards,
04:35 in the form of virtual realities.
04:38 Why bother to explore space, which is harsh and dangerous, when we can create and enter
04:44 limitless virtual universes instead?
04:47 Potentially, all life ends up finding happiness in a simulated paradise, and gives up on outward
04:54 expansion.
04:55 And that's why we haven't found anything.
04:58 If aliens did discover Earth, first off, it would help us understand where the great filter
05:05 lies.
05:06 It all depends on the manner of discovery.
05:09 The idea of first contact, the first meeting of humanity with extraterrestrials, is a common
05:15 theme in science fiction.
05:17 It was popularized by H.G. Wells in The War of the Worlds, released in 1897.
05:24 The novel tells the story of Martians arriving on Earth, resulting in a brutal conflict that
05:30 eventually ends with them dying from bacteria.
05:33 If aliens did discover Earth, their intentions might not be benevolent.
05:39 We know this to be true looking at our own history, especially with regard to colonialism.
05:45 There's a high chance that if aliens came to Earth, it would be to harvest our resources
05:51 and control our planet.
05:53 Of all first contact scenarios, this is certainly the bleakest.
05:58 It could be that the great filter is actually, in itself, another civilization that works
06:05 to destroy all others.
06:07 The signals we send into space might then be unwittingly inviting destruction.
06:14 It's a real concern for some.
06:16 Of course, there are other, more optimistic visions of first contact, too.
06:22 The popular franchise Star Trek portrays a future where humanity has abandoned all materialistic
06:28 desires in favor of learning and exploring the universe.
06:32 When new, intelligent lifeforms are discovered, humankind avoids interacting with them until
06:38 they progress to a certain level, specifically when they develop spacefaring technology.
06:45 Perhaps aliens do the same thing in reality to avoid interfering with other civilizations'
06:50 development.
06:51 In this scenario, it might be the case that aliens have already discovered Earth, but
06:57 deemed us not advanced enough to justify making first contact.
07:02 Maybe aliens visited Earth millions of years ago when dinosaurs controlled the planet,
07:07 long before the dominance of primates.
07:11 If this happened, they would be unlikely to have any meaningful interactions with Earth's
07:16 past habitants.
07:17 For all we know, they may have left equipment behind to watch our planet's growth, potentially
07:23 hidden on the moon, elsewhere in the solar system, or even on our planet itself, according
07:29 to some theories.
07:30 Currently, though, no evidence supports this claim.
07:34 Then again, perhaps aliens will make first contact in our lifetimes, and it will be peaceful.
07:42 There are actually various protocols drawn up by researchers for what to do.
07:47 There are still potential problems, though.
07:50 None of these protocols are binding under any nation's laws, and scientists therefore
07:56 believe that they are likely to be ignored.
07:59 The first was created by the SETI Institute, and is called the "Declaration of Principles
08:05 for Activities Following the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence."
08:10 This protocol contains eight steps.
08:12 The first is that once a sign of alien life is detected, it must be verified.
08:18 Once verified, various global scientific unions need to be informed, and following on from
08:25 this, the discovery needs to be made public.
08:29 The discoverer has the right to make the announcement themselves.
08:32 However, no one is authorized to reply to any signals without international agreement.
08:39 A separate protocol, called the "Proposed Agreement on the Sending of Communications
08:45 to Extraterrestrial Intelligence," has also been formulated.
08:49 It recommends that an international committee would be formed to create a reply, forbidding
08:54 any messages being sent without the committee's clearance.
08:58 This is in case the alien life is deemed to pose a threat to humanity, and aims to prevent
09:04 replying in a fashion that would strengthen this danger.
09:08 This protocol hasn't been made into law, however.
09:12 Unfortunately, extraterrestrials are friendly towards humankind, and we may share knowledge
09:17 with each other, resulting in benefits on both sides.
09:21 Unfortunately, our own human history has many examples of civilizations meeting new ones,
09:28 and it usually leads to invasion and colonization.
09:32 We would like to think this age is behind us, but if other life has evolved similarly
09:38 to us, it may not be a feature exclusive to humanity.
09:43 If aliens discovered Earth, there's a chance it could usher in a new age of technological
09:49 advancements and developments.
09:52 On the other hand, it could also bring about our destruction.
09:57 We will only be able to know for certain once first contact is made.
10:13 [BLANK_AUDIO]