[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] imagine if you wake up tomorrow and the
imagine if you wake up tomorrow and the
imagine if you wake up tomorrow and the first thing you hear in the news is that
first thing you hear in the news is that
first thing you hear in the news is that scientists have received a clear
scientists have received a clear
scientists have received a clear unambiguous signal from extraterrestrial
unambiguous signal from extraterrestrial
unambiguous signal from extraterrestrial intelligence that’s right we were just
intelligence that’s right we were just
intelligence that’s right we were just contacted by aliens how would that make
contacted by aliens how would that make
contacted by aliens how would that make you feel what do you think that would
you feel what do you think that would
you feel what do you think that would mean for all of us here on earth right
mean for all of us here on earth right
mean for all of us here on earth right now we are living in a period of history
now we are living in a period of history
now we are living in a period of history where we may be able to answer the
where we may be able to answer the
where we may be able to answer the question of whether we’re alone or
question of whether we’re alone or
question of whether we’re alone or whether we have companions in the
whether we have companions in the
whether we have companions in the universe I loved to ponder these
universe I loved to ponder these
universe I loved to ponder these questions when I was a little girl and I
questions when I was a little girl and I
questions when I was a little girl and I brought these questions into my career
brought these questions into my career
brought these questions into my career today it started for me when I was
today it started for me when I was
today it started for me when I was studying physics at University of
studying physics at University of
studying physics at University of California Santa Cruz I was bogged down
California Santa Cruz I was bogged down
California Santa Cruz I was bogged down by equations and homework wandering the
by equations and homework wandering the
by equations and homework wandering the physics building halls when I saw an ad
physics building halls when I saw an ad
physics building halls when I saw an ad on the side of the wall that that said
on the side of the wall that that said
on the side of the wall that that said the first ever astrobiology conference I
the first ever astrobiology conference I
the first ever astrobiology conference I thought it sounded so cool that there
thought it sounded so cool that there
thought it sounded so cool that there were scientists out there thinking about
were scientists out there thinking about
were scientists out there thinking about life on other worlds it was so cool to
life on other worlds it was so cool to
life on other worlds it was so cool to me that I cut class for a week and
me that I cut class for a week and
me that I cut class for a week and attended the conference at this
attended the conference at this
attended the conference at this conference I was attending a lunch were
conference I was attending a lunch were
conference I was attending a lunch were where I I know now I met a rare breed of
where I I know now I met a rare breed of
where I I know now I met a rare breed of scientist these scientists were talking
scientist these scientists were talking
scientist these scientists were talking about new methods for the search for
about new methods for the search for
about new methods for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence otherwise
extraterrestrial intelligence otherwise
extraterrestrial intelligence otherwise known as study and it was here that I
known as study and it was here that I
known as study and it was here that I signed up for the SETI mission now to
signed up for the SETI mission now to
signed up for the SETI mission now to get to why I’m here today I need to take
get to why I’m here today I need to take
get to why I’m here today I need to take us all the way back to the beginning of
us all the way back to the beginning of
us all the way back to the beginning of the universe to do this I’m going to
the universe to do this I’m going to
the universe to do this I’m going to show you my most favorite
show you my most favorite
show you my most favorite image ever taken by humanity and I mean
image ever taken by humanity and I mean
image ever taken by humanity and I mean ever it was taken by the hubble space
ever it was taken by the hubble space
ever it was taken by the hubble space telescope on a tiny patch of the sky if
telescope on a tiny patch of the sky if
telescope on a tiny patch of the sky if you extended your arm out you held a
you extended your arm out you held a
you extended your arm out you held a pencil it’s the tip of that pencil on
pencil it’s the tip of that pencil on
pencil it’s the tip of that pencil on the area of the sky
the area of the sky
the area of the sky Hubble focused on that tiny patch of sky
Hubble focused on that tiny patch of sky
Hubble focused on that tiny patch of sky for 50 straight days allowing all that
for 50 straight days allowing all that
for 50 straight days allowing all that light from the distant universe to come
light from the distant universe to come
light from the distant universe to come in every smudge you see here is another
in every smudge you see here is another
in every smudge you see here is another galaxy we know that there are a hundred
galaxy we know that there are a hundred
galaxy we know that there are a hundred billion observable galaxies in our
billion observable galaxies in our
billion observable galaxies in our universe and galaxies are made up of
universe and galaxies are made up of
universe and galaxies are made up of hundreds of billions of stars this is a
hundreds of billions of stars this is a
hundreds of billions of stars this is a photograph of a nearby galaxy that’s
photograph of a nearby galaxy that’s
photograph of a nearby galaxy that’s similar to our own Milky Way if you take
similar to our own Milky Way if you take
similar to our own Milky Way if you take a hundred billion galaxies and you
a hundred billion galaxies and you
a hundred billion galaxies and you multiply that by a hundred billion stars
multiply that by a hundred billion stars
multiply that by a hundred billion stars you get a whole lot of stars okay back
you get a whole lot of stars okay back
you get a whole lot of stars okay back you get ten to the twenty two stars
you get ten to the twenty two stars
you get ten to the twenty two stars one with 22 zeroes at the end of it and
one with 22 zeroes at the end of it and
one with 22 zeroes at the end of it and our Sun is just one of those 10 to the
our Sun is just one of those 10 to the
our Sun is just one of those 10 to the 22 this photograph here is taken by the
22 this photograph here is taken by the
22 this photograph here is taken by the Cassini spacecraft sitting right
Cassini spacecraft sitting right
Cassini spacecraft sitting right underneath Saturn’s rings that speck you
underneath Saturn’s rings that speck you
underneath Saturn’s rings that speck you see in the distance as Earth we’re all
see in the distance as Earth we’re all
see in the distance as Earth we’re all existing right now on this little speck
existing right now on this little speck
existing right now on this little speck hurtling through space together 25 years
hurtling through space together 25 years
hurtling through space together 25 years ago we only knew of one solar system in
ago we only knew of one solar system in
ago we only knew of one solar system in the universe and that was our own
the universe and that was our own
the universe and that was our own through remarkable strides with
through remarkable strides with
through remarkable strides with technology astronomers now know that
technology astronomers now know that
technology astronomers now know that there are thousands of other solar
there are thousands of other solar
there are thousands of other solar systems nearby to our Sun three years
systems nearby to our Sun three years
systems nearby to our Sun three years ago we now know statistically one out of
ago we now know statistically one out of
ago we now know statistically one out of five stars in our Milky Way has an
five stars in our Milky Way has an
five stars in our Milky Way has an earth-sized planet that’s 20% of those
earth-sized planet that’s 20% of those
earth-sized planet that’s 20% of those hundreds of billions of stars has a
hundreds of billions of stars has a
hundreds of billions of stars has a planet that’s
planet that’s
planet that’s similar in size to earth now it’s just
similar in size to earth now it’s just
similar in size to earth now it’s just left to our imaginations to wonder if
left to our imaginations to wonder if
left to our imaginations to wonder if there’s other life on those earths are
there’s other life on those earths are
there’s other life on those earths are there’s oceans full of jellyfish does
there’s oceans full of jellyfish does
there’s oceans full of jellyfish does that primitive life evolve into
that primitive life evolve into
that primitive life evolve into intelligent life and does that
intelligent life and does that
intelligent life and does that intelligent life advanced into a
intelligent life advanced into a
intelligent life advanced into a civilization and if there was a
civilization and if there was a
civilization and if there was a civilization existing with us today
civilization existing with us today
civilization existing with us today would they be communicating with us now
would they be communicating with us now
would they be communicating with us now to think about communication over large
to think about communication over large
to think about communication over large interstellar distances we need to think
interstellar distances we need to think
interstellar distances we need to think about communication here on earth now
about communication here on earth now
about communication here on earth now we’ve done this by using mail we’ve
we’ve done this by using mail we’ve
we’ve done this by using mail we’ve draped our globe with telephone lines
draped our globe with telephone lines
draped our globe with telephone lines and we’ve used light like radio
and we’ve used light like radio
and we’ve used light like radio wavelengths and many of us now can hold
wavelengths and many of us now can hold
wavelengths and many of us now can hold cellular devices and communicate easily
cellular devices and communicate easily
cellular devices and communicate easily worldwide now light is a fantastic
worldwide now light is a fantastic
worldwide now light is a fantastic message carrier it travels at the
message carrier it travels at the
message carrier it travels at the fastest speed limit of the universe your
fastest speed limit of the universe your
fastest speed limit of the universe your message will get there quickest but if
message will get there quickest but if
message will get there quickest but if you’re trying to receive that signal you
you’re trying to receive that signal you
you’re trying to receive that signal you need to know what frequency and what
need to know what frequency and what
need to know what frequency and what energy they’re sending their message is
energy they’re sending their message is
energy they’re sending their message is it radio wavelengths is it visible or
it radio wavelengths is it visible or
it radio wavelengths is it visible or optical light like we see with their
optical light like we see with their
optical light like we see with their eyes or is it high-energy light like
eyes or is it high-energy light like
eyes or is it high-energy light like x-rays and gamma rays now it’s no
x-rays and gamma rays now it’s no
x-rays and gamma rays now it’s no surprise the first SETI search started
surprise the first SETI search started
surprise the first SETI search started where our technology was the matura s–
where our technology was the matura s–
where our technology was the matura s– we started in 1959 Frank Drake used the
we started in 1959 Frank Drake used the
we started in 1959 Frank Drake used the Green Bank telescope in West Virginia
Green Bank telescope in West Virginia
Green Bank telescope in West Virginia and pointed at two nearby stars to
and pointed at two nearby stars to
and pointed at two nearby stars to listen for any radio communication that
listen for any radio communication that
listen for any radio communication that may be emanating from another
may be emanating from another
may be emanating from another civilization that same year the laser
civilization that same year the laser
civilization that same year the laser was invented immediately after its
was invented immediately after its
was invented immediately after its invention scientists realized that this
invention scientists realized that this
invention scientists realized that this would be a remarkable way to communicate
would be a remarkable way to communicate
would be a remarkable way to communicate over interstellar distances why lasers
over interstellar distances why lasers
over interstellar distances why lasers are powerful if I beam that signal to
are powerful if I beam that signal to
are powerful if I beam that signal to you whoever is at that end that laser
you whoever is at that end that laser
you whoever is at that end that laser has a bright signal
has a bright signal
has a bright signal and you can pack a ton of information
and you can pack a ton of information
and you can pack a ton of information into that signal as well now this brings
into that signal as well now this brings
into that signal as well now this brings me back to that lunchtime conversation
me back to that lunchtime conversation
me back to that lunchtime conversation when I was in university those
when I was in university those
when I was in university those scientists were talking about new
scientists were talking about new
scientists were talking about new methods for detecting optical laser
methods for detecting optical laser
methods for detecting optical laser signals when I signed up I got involved
signals when I signed up I got involved
signals when I signed up I got involved with building an optical SETI instrument
with building an optical SETI instrument
with building an optical SETI instrument we put this instrument on a telescope we
we put this instrument on a telescope we
we put this instrument on a telescope we looked at thousands of nearby stars over
looked at thousands of nearby stars over
looked at thousands of nearby stars over several years and we continued on but
several years and we continued on but
several years and we continued on but there is something that bothered us at
there is something that bothered us at
there is something that bothered us at the time and it had to do with the
the time and it had to do with the
the time and it had to do with the selection of optical wavelengths if you
selection of optical wavelengths if you
selection of optical wavelengths if you look at the Milky Way disk you notice
look at the Milky Way disk you notice
look at the Milky Way disk you notice that it looks blotchy that’s because
that it looks blotchy that’s because
that it looks blotchy that’s because there’s gas and dust between the stars
there’s gas and dust between the stars
there’s gas and dust between the stars optical light that’s traversing through
optical light that’s traversing through
optical light that’s traversing through the galaxy gets absorbed so your signal
the galaxy gets absorbed so your signal
the galaxy gets absorbed so your signal would be diminished but if you go to
would be diminished but if you go to
would be diminished but if you go to longer wavelengths into the infrared
longer wavelengths into the infrared
longer wavelengths into the infrared wavelengths all of those infrared light
wavelengths all of those infrared light
wavelengths all of those infrared light gets just accrues on through being
gets just accrues on through being
gets just accrues on through being uninhibited by that gas and dust we
uninhibited by that gas and dust we
uninhibited by that gas and dust we didn’t have the technology back then to
didn’t have the technology back then to
didn’t have the technology back then to build an infrared SETI search but we do
build an infrared SETI search but we do
build an infrared SETI search but we do today three years ago we built the
today three years ago we built the
today three years ago we built the first-ever near-infrared study
first-ever near-infrared study
first-ever near-infrared study experiment we took this instrument we
experiment we took this instrument we
experiment we took this instrument we put it on a telescope we currently are
put it on a telescope we currently are
put it on a telescope we currently are observing with this telescope about a
observing with this telescope about a
observing with this telescope about a dozen nights per month or even observing
dozen nights per month or even observing
dozen nights per month or even observing tonight and we’re looking again at
tonight and we’re looking again at
tonight and we’re looking again at thousands of nearby stars we’re looking
thousands of nearby stars we’re looking
thousands of nearby stars we’re looking at one star at a time we look at one
at one star at a time we look at one
at one star at a time we look at one star over here we look at one star over
star over here we look at one star over
star over here we look at one star over here and we try to pick them all out but
here and we try to pick them all out but
here and we try to pick them all out but I started by telling you that there were
I started by telling you that there were
I started by telling you that there were hundreds of millions and billions of
hundreds of millions and billions of
hundreds of millions and billions of ours so right now we’re working on a new
ours so right now we’re working on a new
ours so right now we’re working on a new design where we continuously can scan
design where we continuously can scan
design where we continuously can scan the entire sky at optical and infrared
the entire sky at optical and infrared
the entire sky at optical and infrared wavelengths to look for any signals to
wavelengths to look for any signals to
wavelengths to look for any signals to increase our odds of potentially ever
increase our odds of potentially ever
increase our odds of potentially ever getting a detection now these are just a
getting a detection now these are just a
getting a detection now these are just a few ideas and search techniques for
few ideas and search techniques for
few ideas and search techniques for setting what I have found most
setting what I have found most
setting what I have found most astonishing as a scientist is that for
astonishing as a scientist is that for
astonishing as a scientist is that for one of the most fundamental questions of
one of the most fundamental questions of
one of the most fundamental questions of whether we’re alone in the universe
whether we’re alone in the universe
whether we’re alone in the universe Humanity is hardly committed themselves
Humanity is hardly committed themselves
Humanity is hardly committed themselves to the search in truth there are only a
to the search in truth there are only a
to the search in truth there are only a mere two dozen dedicated study
mere two dozen dedicated study
mere two dozen dedicated study researchers worldwide we truly are a
researchers worldwide we truly are a
researchers worldwide we truly are a rare breed now that we know that planets
rare breed now that we know that planets
rare breed now that we know that planets are plentiful and earth-sized planets
are plentiful and earth-sized planets
are plentiful and earth-sized planets are common this should only encourage
are common this should only encourage
are common this should only encourage our search we need to wake up and
our search we need to wake up and
our search we need to wake up and realize that today we have the
realize that today we have the
realize that today we have the technology and the prowess to do a
technology and the prowess to do a
technology and the prowess to do a comprehensive search this brings me back
comprehensive search this brings me back
comprehensive search this brings me back to that original question to you of what
to that original question to you of what
to that original question to you of what it would mean to each of us and all of
it would mean to each of us and all of
it would mean to each of us and all of us here on earth if we ever did make
us here on earth if we ever did make
us here on earth if we ever did make contact I know that we each may draw a
contact I know that we each may draw a
contact I know that we each may draw a different meaning to that discovery but
different meaning to that discovery but
different meaning to that discovery but I know for myself it would give me hope
I know for myself it would give me hope
I know for myself it would give me hope because if there’s another civilization
because if there’s another civilization
because if there’s another civilization out there that has survived their own
out there that has survived their own
out there that has survived their own challenges and are now prospering
challenges and are now prospering
challenges and are now prospering perhaps we to here on earth can prosper
perhaps we to here on earth can prosper
perhaps we to here on earth can prosper this fresh cosmic perspective is within
this fresh cosmic perspective is within
this fresh cosmic perspective is within our grasp
our grasp
our grasp we just need to commit our financial
we just need to commit our financial
we just need to commit our financial and our intellectual resources to
and our intellectual resources to
and our intellectual resources to answering one of the most mental
answering one of the most mental
answering one of the most mental questions thank you
questions thank you
questions thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
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