Are Aliens Smarter Than Us? With Neil deGrasse Tyson and David Grinspoon

Can there be life on planets without magnetic fields? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice discuss exoplanets, extraterrestrials, and answer extraordinary questions from our fans with astrobiologist, David Grinspoon.
Can we entertain the idea of non-carbon-based life? We explore why carbon works so well for the basis of life and whether silicon-based life seems possible. What chemistry is different between the two elements? Learn about agnostic biosignatures and what the basic definition of life is. Is chemistry the same everywhere?
Why do we assume that any life we find will be more advanced than us? What would we do if we discovered life less technologically advanced than us? We discuss the SETI protocol and the likelihood that we would be able to communicate with aliens once we found them. Why are there supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies? How did they get there? Could there be life on a planet without a magnetic field?
How many Earth-like planets do we know about that reside in habitable orbits? We get into the JWST’s contributions to exoplanetary discovery and whether it would be possible to achieve a fully scientifically literate population like in The Orville. What aspects of planets are scientists looking for in the search for life? How close to a planet do we have to be to confirm these attributes? Was Venus once a habitable planet? We talk about runaway greenhouse effects and whether Earth could ever become what Venus is now. And finally our most important question: does weed still work in space?
Thanks to our Patrons el EC Podcast, neutronforce, Jim Crutcher, S Mokry, and Sly Sparkane for supporting us this week.
NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.
About the prints that flank Neil in this video:
"Black Swan” & "White Swan" limited edition serigraph prints by Coast Salish artist Jane Kwatleematt Marston. For more information about this artist and her work, visit Inuit Gallery of Vancouver. inuit.com/
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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
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[@StarTalk]

What's the first question you would ask a visiting alien?

[@skywindow6764]

wow, i 'm 1st! "What are we doing wrong?" and then "What are the economicopolitical systems in the universe?", all these after "Why did you come here?"

[@majorhowell1453]

Jesus? Is that you?

[@davetom8517]

Are you here to do to us what we do to each other?

[@KingCobbones]

"Klaatu barada nikto?"

[@rogergeyer9851]

@@skywindow6764: When I was 12, reading the great Heinlein's "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" did a great job on speculating, re how such things might work out. No doubt wrong, but very interesting and decent philosophy. That novel is so good, I re-read it roughly once a decade, just to enjoy the romp, though at age 12 it seemed like a long complex novel.

[@mollybell5779]

Thank you to everyone that brings StarTalk to us. I just love this show. Can't get enough of you guys. 💗

[@tripendicular]

David needs his own show. He’s a wealth of knowledge and so pleasant to listen to.

[@carnitagroves7758]

Neil and Chuck could discuss burnt toast and I'd still be enthralled. Its so cathartic to see how these two finesse science. NEVER stop!!!!!!

[@dawnhansen7886]

100 % Agree ❕️

[@cherub3624]

Thats because Neil would have some way of bringing an obscure fact about burnt toast to the table.

[@the_Acaman]

And now we have a toast episode- well done

[@TheNightcrowsNest]

Wow.... Chuck had the best questions...he was on the same level as the other 2... Loved the silicon and conditions question... It blew my mind that someone had the boldness to think outside of our own understanding.... Good on ya Chuck!

[@curtskywalker7441]

Well, he was reading questions that other people had posed, but it blows my mind that someone in the comment section had the boldness to avoid thinking OR understanding that which they are commenting on. ;)

[@TheNightcrowsNest]

@@curtskywalker7441 maybe he stole some questions... But usually when it's someone else's questions he states who is asking the question.... What I'm referring to is when he asked questions and didn't state they were from someone else... So I'm going on assumption that they were his own questions or comments.... Not saying he couldn't have stole them from someone, as you are implying... But it never crossed my mind, as I'm sure Chuck is a man of integrity.

[@Mahlak_Mriuani_Anatman]

​@@TheNightcrowsNest you can't steal questions

[@riopugliese]

Always a pleasure to listen to this show. Keep it up, guys. You rock! 👍👍

[@nichmoore19]

I so love love love StarTalk!!! Thank you for always educating and enlightening us. Dr. Tyson and Lord Chuck Nice are such a great duo! - Fan and follower for life!🥰🌠

[@GillMac666]

I’m new to Startalk, but it’s my favorite “channel” (I turfed out the telly years ago). Intriguing subject matter, an intelligent presenter and guests; served with humour and good cheer.

[@BeamMonsterZeus]

The top like 5% of bears are smarter than our bottom percentile. Algae makes better choices than some people. I'm giving it a preliminary yes.

[@connorlappe2418]

Fret not my friend, our greatest intelligence is our group intelligence. If we set our minds to a task as a species, there would be no comparison. Our collective brain power and ability, in my opinion, rivals all.

[@Danboi.]

And they're all in government and at the top of corporations.

[@AngelNearDestruction]

@@connorlappe2418 the internet and the wisdom of the crowd phenomenon both prove this to be true.

[@zaclemon3207]

🤡🤡🤡

[@trevorwestendorf3679]

Hey everybody. This guy is making fun of the mentally handicap and democrats. Get him

[@kimberliwilliams7385]

Thank you Neil for bringing love for science back

[@SV_OceanGirl]

On the question in science fiction about encountering intelligent but less advanced civilizations, this theme comes up repeatedly in the Star Trek canon, where humans (and other advanced species) decided on a policy of non-intervention and non-contact with any civilization not capable of interstellar travel, aka The Prime Directive. Humans themselves were left to themselves until the the moment they developed faster-than-light travel, at which point the Vulcans initiated First Contact. There’s also the famous quote from Arthur C. Clarke, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

[@goldman2188]

Always a great privilege of learning new knowledge from you guys 🙏🏽

[@ButtbuttButt-in4np]

Yes it is...

[@ClassicRoc87]

Thanks for the wonderful videos on discussions guys. They mean a lot to me

[@N0LAB3L]

Love this one thank you for being honest and smart ❤️

[@D.B..]

When discussing the limitations of variation between silicon bonds and carbon bonds, I wonder if there are places in the universe where some of our specialized and sophisticated materials occur naturally. Does plastic exist beyond our influence, occurring naturally? Are there mountain-sized semiconductors of silicon/germanium that could operate as giant, functional transistors, just as they are?

[@glamourandgloom]

Love these talks, where can one submit questions for the show

[@heatherdumas6775]

I remember back in 2011 or so seeing Neil deGrasse Tyson at our Phi Theta Kappa convention in Seattle. I was so impressed by his speech and presentation, just as I am by StarTalk. I'm glad I found this on YT. And I'm glad I found a brilliant mind like Mr. Tyson, who loves to question the Universe as much as the rest of us! Keep it up, Neil 🤗

[@AnalogX64]

I love StarTalk and all the hosts and guests always presented in an easy digestable format :)

[@Missnips24]

It takes time. But if you think as deep as possible, over and over and over again, you start to notice how unfathomable our universe is. Also human beings and consciousness, we must being missing something. Something we just can’t understand.

[@Folkstone57]

And yet we can “fathom our universe” & what is your point about consciousness ? How do you know “….we just can’t understand…” consciousness or do you mean we don’t yet fully understand it ?

[@xPhen]

I disagree. The mind allows us to discover anything we put it to. Name one thing on this planet and its been named because we have discovered it. Once we understand something, it becomes facts in a systematic values and becomes tested repeatedly. Though we haven't discovered something doesn't mean we don't understand it. We are logical beings not reactive beings. IF we ant to know something we can learn it by asking the right questions and testing theories. We're fairly amazing beings.

[@Folkstone57]

@@xPhen And the even better news is we probably have a great deal more to discover & learn. For instance, the Big Bang model is supported by a great deal of evidence, yet we have not been able to observe the processes prior to the Planck time because we currently have no way to do that & it may be a limitation that cannot be overcome.

[@xPhen]

@@Folkstone57 Maybe. Or we know it all already and we just haven't wasted the time to turn theories into tests. Which become facts that value proof. That then turns into truth. So its purely the mentality we have approaching subjects or things we don't understand at this time. Its all out there its dependent on us finding it or allowing ourselves to discover without hiding out intentions. Like meditation, those who don't practice don't know the effects and never will without testing it for themselves.

[@Folkstone57]

@@xPhen I don’t think it’s even remotely possible that “…we know it all already….” as that flies in the face of human history. I’m not sure what you mean by facts becoming truth. I don’t agree with your meditation example, as you may “practice” meditation & so does someone else, but that’s no guarantee either of you will know the effects or even have the same experience.

[@leomartin1903]

I'd LOVE TO SEE a probe STUDY and photograph TRITON. I LOVE moons that have geological activity.

[@leswhitehouse]

Great show guys! The issue of finding less intelligent life is often addressed in Star Trek - hence the "prime directive" which says humans must not interfere with the development of species less advanced than ourselves

[@user-tc1fw5ms5s]

The episodes with Chuck are always 🔥

[@user-yc3fw6vq5n]

Yep

[@1MarkKeller]

He's the bridge we need

[@MikeJamesMedia]

Thanks everybody, for the fun and interesting conversation!

[@resonant_theories]

around minute 07:00 to 07:40... life signature, very well spoken!

[@swapnifty]

CHUCK NICE IN THE HOUSE!!!! I LOVE YOU CHUCK!!!! NEIL YOU ARE GREAT ALSO!!!!

[@Mr-Evil-Dave]

I nominate Chuck as President of StarTalk. And also he should get an honorary doctorate for his efforts to educate and relate the science of climate change for the rest of us.

[@capnd.g.4711]

@3:04 I love that chuck knows he does that in the book because it shows he actually read it and wasn't just doing a sponsor script

[@aaroncamss1623]

please keep posting in general and please keep posting about aliens as long as you feel it's important, because we deff wanna hear you talk about aliens more please

[@Gabeyre]

I use these videos for sleeping. So I am always happy when I see a new vudeo notification from this channel during the day.

[@mickeybrumfield764]

Really enjoyed listening to your conversations. It seems that when the question is asked what kind of life there might be out there, that is something that we are really blind to. We really only know of one form of life, that being the cellular based life that we have here on this planet. If we did not have ourselves to observe, we would never be able to imagine our own form of life, the cell based variety. It seems really far beyond what our imaginations are capable of thinking of when we ask what types of life are possible other than our own cell based life. We could really be in for some big surprises someday when we run into life elsewhere.

[@Chris-vs6ll]

[@jthonn]

We have no other type of life to compare with. That is why we are searching for life as we know it.

[@Theegoaat]

We really could be living in the matrix controlled by other lifeforms not so far fetched when you dwell on it.

[@mickeybrumfield764]

@Stocks With Fabian You attribute a base low human quality of wanting to control others to beings that are supposed to be more advanced. Don't think so.

[@charlesbrightman4237]

Consider the following: a. I am a human as defined by humans. b. I am an energy based quarkelectronian as modern science claims that all matter is made up of quarks, electrons and interacting energy and I am made up of matter and interacting energy. c. I am a being of 'light', 'if' my current theory of everything is correct whereby the 'gem' photon is the energy unit of this universe that makes up everything in this universe, including space, time and numbers. (Currently dependent upon the results of my gravity test). d. "I" do not even actually exist but eternally existent space time exists as me, currently in the forms as above. * I exist and yet "I" simultaneously do not exist, dependent upon perspective. But yet, do "I" not truly exist in absolute truth reality as only eternally existent space time exists as all things in absolute truth reality? * "I" can mentally change between perspectives thereby experiencing existence from those various perspectives. "My" mind continues to expand, but is it truly 'my' mind that is expanding or is it eternally existent space time's mind that is expanding? In absolute truth reality, it would seem to be the later. * 'To Be or Not To Be'. I am both, 'I Am and I Am Not.' But I Am Not it appears more than I Am. * Consider also: If asked the general question, 'What do you know?'. My current answer would be, 'Not much compared to all that can be known.' (I Am Not, More than I Am). It's humbling.

[@krishnabhutada3983]

Fantastic episode,Greetings from India...Happy stargazing...Keep looking up!

[@reedhaley15]

i don't believe i am particularly smart, so when I have not heard anyone else express this, I have to assume I'm missing something obvious. Why are we even looking for organic life forms? In my lifetime we have gone from prosthetics being wooden legs and arms to prosthetics and neural enhancements that are on the verge of giving people advantages over unenhanced humans. Assuming other civilizations have had thousands of years head start on us, why wouldn't they have long since gotten rid of their physical bodies? In other words, why would they still be shipping meat across the galaxy? Couldn't they exist on planets outside the Goldilocks Zone if they have artificial bodies?

[@sikturbogst]

I agree completely. To be so naive to think that "intelligent life" has to take on some similar carbon based humanoid form shows our arrogance and ignorance. Guess that is what makes us human after all 😂

[@frankwestphal8532]

Great episode. Dr. Funkyspoon is always great.

[@KiiC.]

9:21 🤣🤣💀These are helping me through COVID 2024 😩😪

[@nitchipa2]

chuck always makes me happy

[@frogz]

lord chuck, master of smart people comedy(sometimes he thinks so deeply on subjects, he makes neil look clueless with HIS smarts)

[@ahulin49]

@@frogz chuck is actually very versed...he surprises neil sometimes with his remarks. But Neil is hard to overshine....

[@Justus_Patrick]

JACQUE FRESCO- "if we really wish to put an end to our ongoing international and social problems we must eventually declare Earth and all of its resources as the common heritage of all the world's people."

[@theonyxcodex]

44:10 Perhaps one of the most interesting possibilities in a hypothetical multiverse is that there’s one wherein Chuck is known for pronouncing each name correctly.

[@brentday5388]

My favorite episode of South Park was when the aliens spoke to cows lol

[@davemmar]

When we think of the evolutionary development of advanced alien species we assume that they went through the phase we are at now. Thinking outside the box let’s consider that they may have skipped that stage and went on to super-intelligence instantly. Let’s also assume that they are a benevolent species. We can start there and then bring other evolutionary traits in to consideration to explain their development. Evolutionary development like ours probably is not the only way. But it is fun to consider all the different possibilities. I love how Neil, David and Chuck get me to think outside the box. Thanks guys.

[@KingSkrap]

Wouldn’t intellectual capability and capacity plateau eventually? Assuming the species has not artificially made themselves smarter wouldn’t there be a space in which a further intellectual ability is not needed? As you can accomplish anything you need, and there is no reason for the species to become smarter.

[@adrianrobinson7953]

I love this show I have only found it here on KZbin thoe.does this come on tv?can I get this on firestick?

[@no1onu2be19]

A Great episode! Thank you to Neil, Chuck, and Funky spoon 💗 Respect.

[@freddymngadi6135]

Very good, thank you!... 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 Or, as they say in French: "Très bien, merci"!! The #CosmicQueriesEpisodes are UNDERRATED, we need more, more, more...

[@Shamsithaca]

No one is smarter than Neil deGrasse Tyson. Not even aliens.

[@jettmthebluedragon]

Well I’m maybe not smart however….can he say things about life and death ?😐or the mistake on black holes ?or the illusion of free will ?😐Beacuse I can 😎that is it you say RED and want the truth 😐if you say blue I’ll leave you be 😐remember all I’m offering is the truth nothing more 😑

[@doordashpro9110]

When he mentioned his band has a Nasa employee . I immediately thought of Rajesh and Howard ( 🎶Thor and Doctor Jones ) 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@sorindanu6317]

Great video. Verry interesting 4 me. Pls do more like this. We want more!!

[@eddpix]

The last question saved the world thank you Chuck 🙏

[@MrGMawson2438]

Evening from the UK

[@michaelworkman4057]

We might be getting pranked by aliens but it should be of some consolation that they probably had to go through this phase too at some point. And it may be that we as individuals aren't able to communicate with, say, a single relatively hyper-intelligent alien but perhaps as a species or when they look at our collective efforts we hold up better.

[@jahvongrey5663]

We may be a young and arrogant species, but we hold up the ones we love and learn & fight when it matters, I think we can become something great

[@Sammasambuddha]

So we're being "hazed"? Yikes!

[@michaelworkman4057]

@@jahvongrey5663 yes I agree, the star trek episode where the Q test humanity is very interesting, the Q seem to be like a multi-species Omniversal society of hyper intelligent faempirions equivalent of the earth humans in the federation you know as Picard was later offered a role as a Q, maybe all of us have such potential eventually

[@rianmacdonald9454]

When you look at humanity as a collective - only one thing comes to mind - wipe them out.

[@Mahlak_Mriuani_Anatman]

​​@@jahvongrey5663 when it matters? We fight for bs reasons and barely learn anything as a species, destroy our environment until its too late and wondered why it happen And "great" is subjective

[@shaunhall6834]

Wonderful episode!

[@peterbaxter8151]

What is intelligence? Given that we are limited in our understanding of the environment around us by our senses, there could well be many other life forms around us that are far more advanced, but don’t interact with us in a way that we are aware. Trees may think we are not intelligent life because they speak to us below 8hz and we don’t respond. Bats may consider us unintelligent because they ask us to respond above 20kHz.

[@victorcapel2755]

It's quite amazing that we've existed as a speices for 300 000 years (give or take) and never been able to see more than a couple of miles with any real accuracy, but the development in tech the last 100 years have enable us to read atmospheres a couple of hundred lightyears away. That's some serious exponential development we more or less take for granted.

[@juliam7056]

25:00 awesome! !So, it's the black holes that form galaxies ?

[@samanthanor332]

Just because silicone could not be the base of life in experiments because it does not bond in different directions does not exclude that it could not become attached to carbon in a way that it can change shape. As you said about the Legos, do they not come with attachments that bend?

[@jamesmiddleton8128]

Word! Ignorance is bliss. Chemistry's probly not the same everywhere, and we probly don't have everything in the universe here. Until we know, we don't!

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

I've wondered this very question for ... probably at least 4 decades, since I ran across the concept in a science fiction story (thank you, Asimov!). I'm going to be interested in what you all have to say!

[@NRT-xy8if]

Always love the show

[@skylarsmith966]

thank you chuck for always asking what i'm thinking

[@jeremymoses7401]

I would think one of the biggest proponents of assuming they are more advanced than us is because we accept that when we view these far away places is that we are peering through the lens of time. We arent seeing the object as it is but as it was. So, to "see" a civilization on a far out planet in another galaxy, or even our own, it would have to have been there long enough to affect the light we are currently viewing. This adds to the complexity of the window with which we can visably detect. We may view a planet that appears devoid of life that is teaming with it because its fairly recent; or we may see an active civilisation.... which could actually be long gone.

[@nicksakoyannis4808]

Nice Chuck

[@olympiakos7Peiraias]

How can we make questions for the next cosmic queries episode?

[@vapandrei]

Money. Just money. It didn't use to be this way.. but green paper matters.

[@frogz]

Moneyyyyyyyyyyyyy as chuck always says "GIVE US YOUR MONEY, questions available to patreons" at the low low price of $1...... wish i could afford that $1 but im poor and would rather buy something to eat with that dollar than have my existence acknowledged by one of my favorite comedians....and also lord chuck nice

[@Capnsafetypants]

Goto their patreon in the description, there should be more info there. The next level above entry level is what you want i believe

[@madeincda]

@@vapandrei Yes, how dare they ask for money to support their channel. We deserve to get everything they do for us for free!

[@J040PL7]

@@madeincda flat earthers do it for free, it's all about marketing and ease of use, not truth 🤣

[@karlgoebeler1500]

And yes they would be far older than we can understand. Anybody who understands the concept of "Deep time" should be able to "See" the concept.

[@anonam0us328]

My question would be to Ask what types of bonds scientists have tried on earth with silicon. Knowing it's bonds are more rigid is fine, but considering how little we know about universe now - wouldn't there be some possible combinations we havn't tried yet that could be possible for alternate forms of life?

[@danieldalton7673]

Great topics, and as a side note; thanks to my poor screen I thought his hat was a bowl cut for a good portion.

[@fraliexb]

Everyone forgot to mention that a major difference between Carbon and Silicon is that water is just a better solvent with Silicon, since the Silicon rather pair with it than itself. So if there were Silicon based life it would have to have another solvent than H²O.

[@NightmareCourtPictures]

This of course Assumes that a solvent is a requisite for life. Machines and AI don’t use solvents for example

[@durgaagrawal3817]

Hey Neil plz do a video on Dr paradox . He is a character in the famous animated series Ben 10. In short he is a time traveller who forgot his name and hence got the name paradox. Thank you Love from India 👍

[@Sivispacem84]

I love the Star Trek talk in between the Star Talk. :D LLAP

[@turnerthomas5627]

I’m here for a great science talk!

[@TheOldHippiebilly]

Even as a little kid I was bothered by the phrase "life as we know it"...what about life as we don't know it? And also as a little kid who LOVED Star Trek it always bothered me that on every planet they visited they never wore any kind of spacesuit or even breathing apparatus. Sure it was better for TV drama but kinda unrealistic. Great show! Love y'all, The Old Hippiebilly

[@rustyburridge408]

Very very funny as well as mind expanding.

[@peterkirby1753]

A bit of trivia. There is an Australian band called "Grinspoon" named after David's father Prof Lester Grinspoon who (from the bands point of view) is best known for his groundbreaking works on the science and social policy of cannabis.

[@jasonsmith373]

I loved "Venus Revealed." I wish it was available on Audible.

[@rusnikfromtranscarpathia]

Remember, the Silicon-based Horta lived within a mining colony inside an asteroid..

[@paulhislop4591]

A great Star Trek episode.

[@12jalbrandao]

I have a question, maybe someone here knows the answer to. How far off are those 12 earth- like planets? Did our radio get to them? How long till we hear back?

[@ClintonFerrara]

A great show. You guys are really informative and funny. Did I say smart? Go Boston I grew up there.

[@supercommie]

I personally think we should be systematically under-counting the number of earth-like planets in habitable zones because our solar system had 3. Mars, Venus and Earth. All of them had Oceans at different points, Mars lost it's atmosphere so it got too cold, and Venus had a runaway greenhouse effect happen. Invoking the anthropic principle here, stating we are not in a special part of the Universe, the Universe must be littered with places like this.

[@phil20_20]

Ask the alien in your window... 👽 Don't you mean we're miss-shaping the world? Speaking of Star Trek, have you ever heard of the Prime Directive? I love that laugh when you say we had 3 data points and decided all galaxies have black holes in the middle. Maniacal 🤣 You know, technically, Noon is when the Sun is at its appex in the local sky, so why aren't we calling it, One O'Clock Noon? This is a question for those who believe we actually save daylight by shifting the clock (as opposed to just resetting your alarm.)

[@pogers625]

Yo what's up Neil degrasse tyson big fan of your line of work of the podcast and especially that one time you talked withJoe Rogan

[@pjftoo7588]

Love the show guys. Always informative and provocative. The question of having a contact protocol, or protocols, for alien life brings up some serious moral questions that we must ask and answer first, IMO. I think that the whole issue may turn out to be much more complex than the cliché of a superior space faring civilization dropping by and asking us to take them to our leader. In that situation we certainly need some advance and agreed upon principles, but realistically, we would almost certainly have very little control over that situation. It is all the other possible subsets that may require some serious soul searching from humanity et al. If carbon/water based life is the only, or the most common, form in the universe, I suspect that we will encounter complex, possibly even intelligent, alien carbon based life in our own solar system long before contact with any extra solar civilization. Who is to say that moons with tidally heated sub surface oceans are not a more stable and more common location for carbon based life than, habitable zone, rocky, water/atmosphere planets, with long lasting magnetic fields, and stable suns, are. If that is the case, and we encounter a totally alien eco system, we will be on the other side of such contact protocols, and we will be judged by those choices. The question that I ask myself is in such a situation what would we do? Will we be cautious, respectful and altruistic towards this alien life or will we build some nice big habitats, and pillage local resources to support it, while we plan the full colonization, and possibly contaminate a fragile ecosystem with some new opportunistic organisms. What I hope we would do, and what I believe we would do, are two very different things, unfortunately. Another protocol question is if we do find even alien microbial life on a planet or moon in the solar system, do we have the right to interfere with even that simple life? Just because life on a body is simple at the moment does not mean that as conditions change over hundreds of millions of years or longer that the simple life may not evolve into a complex or even a sentient technological species. Who are we to make such decisions? Posit a hypothetical, compatible, space faring species landing here 3.4 billion years ago, looking around and saying, sweet, nothing here but these oxygen producing bacteria and we want that, lets move in. None of us would be reading this now. Personally I think the default position for contact with any less complex alien life discovered by us should be the LITFA protocol (Leave It The Fu** Alone).

[@Mahlak_Mriuani_Anatman]

I love LITFA, especially if we stumble upon super advance civilization, trying to pull a gangsta As the saying goes faq around and you'll find out Tho i doubt humans will survive 200 more years

[@daverandall803]

Edibles are not the same drug as smoking.when you ingest thc it turns into 11 hydroxy metabolite which is 4 time more psychoactive than thc. This isn't a bad thing. The fact people have no idea this is a thing, is a problem.

[@asan1050]

Thanks Much !

[@konjel]

Actually Strugatsky brothers touched upon idea of finding less advanced civilisations in their books. Earth emissaries are called Progressors and monitor development of other civilisations. Book Hard to be God explores this idea brilliantly.

[@sikturbogst]

21:30 Close Encounters of the 5th kind is how we will communicate.

[@michaelworkman4057]

It's probably smartest and safest to assume we're pretty dumb compared to potential intelligent aliens, but yes the possibility that we are at least at our best or collectively more capable than our lowest estimates should be considered too I think.

[@gumunduringigumundsson4315]

Dumbness comes in different forms.. the most intelligent might develope a self I am best so fu.. kind of ego based view.. etc etc.. lets be cool. 😉

[@ddsjgvk]

Why are we dumb and they are smart but we can sit it a lot of animals dumb but it's been proven time and time again that there's a lot of smart animals out there is it because they don't speak a language

[@jwig8385]

Fascinating🤓

[@theperfectbotsteve4916]

i need to become a patron now to ask what we do if we just find a bunch of life on a planet but nothing intelligent like earth before humans theres just animals left no ones to talk to

[@chrissidiras]

20:30 We can communicate with chimps and we do. We communicate with other animals every day. It's just that we communicate messages and thoughts that we think are trivial. People that have dogs for instance know this pretty well.

[@jfreshh330]

Why does Funkyspoon say we’ve been human for a couple million years? I thought humans were like 200,000 years old.

[@anzacavin7403]

Depends on your definition of human 😊

[@cuttlefishn.w.2705]

I forgot if it was this one or another video with David, but if this is that video, then I'm disappointed that there was no mention of hydrothermal vents (underwater volcanoes) or any other similar/alternative structure/mechanism of (probably) consistently seeding the oceans with organic molecules that eventually become new algae/bacteria before bottom feeders feed on the absolute bottom of the food chain.

[@northstargaming2363]

What does one need to do to become an astrobiologist? Id love a job like that but I don't feel like there's alot of job opportunities for it

[@kpw84u2]

I super appreciate chuck coming in at the end and setting the record straight about climate change and runaway greenhouse gas effects... i would have just added, we don't need levels of it as seen on Venus to wipeout the Human Species -- so the fact burning all the fossil fuels would not precipitate a venus style catastrophe, it could still spell the end of Humans, and significantly alter life on Earth as we know it today and in the past.

[@LW1Tok]

We'll be alright 😂

[@WyteDevil420]

Neil Tyson, do you believe it's possible for black holes to have been at the center core of all mass before the big bang,such as heavy materials sink towards the core or center mass of planets?

[@jeremytipton6076]

Not 100% Sure, but at higher temperatures and in the presence of certain other elements, Doesn't silicon loosen up a bit and start forming more flexible variations of molecules?

[@jamespatrick5930]

In the original Star Track, Captain Kirk’s crew encountered a “species that was dumber than humans” that stole technologies

[@sparkyprojects]

If there was an earth like planet that developed at the same time, and had intelligent life like us on it, when we observe them from here it would be way in their past, maybe in their dinosaur era, they would see the same when they observe us.

[@frogz]

bad news, i've observed earth and cant detect any intelligence anywhere

[@nyc220guy]

Basically, It would be the same observable time period from both planets... Assuming they are relatively near each other. There are other factors to consider which would change that result. For example acceleration apart from each other or large areas of gravity affecting one more than the other.

[@aliciabracy-cruz3635]

I am so glad someone has brought this up. I think about it all the time. Because…. How many full extinctions have other planets experienced? What if our dinosaurs weren’t ever made extinct? And if there were intelligent life that were at the same tech level…whatever we can’t do… they can’t do either! Like snail mail or a message in a bottle waiting to reach the recipient…

[@bkimab]

In what direction does space go? And in what direction do Scientists send space telescopes? Do space telescopes also orbit the sun? Once they are outside of the suns orbit do space telescopes continue “straight”?

[@zaclemon3207]

Chuck is why this show is good

[@toby9999]

Except when he interrupts the flow by cutting off the guest.

[@mazdavorot]

Always with pleasure!

[@the_Acaman]

It's not that super massive black holes just happen to be in the center of every galaxy, it's that they are needed for a galaxy to even begin to form around them. At least that's how I understand it. I was expecting Niel to say that when a question about them appeared

[@johnsimpson4868]

Am i the only one here that can think of scientific things but do not know how to explain it in words????????

[@zachl1159]

Same here

[@josesalcedo4244]

same, i try to explain or define them to my fiance but i always loose my words

[@Songoftiffany]

I agree with you completely. I can understand everything when Neil breaks it down but can’t explain it to my husband at all .

[@jasonproprietary2300]

I'm pretty sure every unexplained aspect of science has been thought of, but not put into words. that's why it's unexplained....

[@justanartist3086]

If you can't explain it, you don't understand it well enough

[@PronatorTendon]

I think DNA is more common in the cosmos than we suspect. If planets exist that have similar conditions to earth during the early days, they would also have DNA arise as the most reliable self replicating nucleotide. It happened here over the course of hundreds of millions of years, when essentially evolution of molecules by natural selection occurred. Less efficient molecules or those that replicated less reliably would be superseded by better models.

[@louissport6663]

Dr. Tyson, does the black hole at the center of the galaxy the engine that drives the galaxy? Meaning the spin.

[@Desertphile]

Smarter than what sample of "us?" Some USA insurgents call themselves "patriots...."