Civilizations at the Beginning of Time

Our Universe is billions of years older than our planet, and we often contemplate alien civilizations that might have arisen early than us in our galaxy, but just how early could life have arisen?
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Credits:
Civilizations at the Beginning of Time
Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Episode 272; January 7, 2021
Produced, Written, and Narrated by Isaac Arthur
Editors:
Jason Burbank
Jerry Guern • Paleontology - by Jerr...
Keith Blockus
Cover Art:
Jakub Grygier www.artstation.com/jakub_grygier
Graphics:
Jeremy Jozwik www.artstation.com/zeuxis_of_...
Music by Stellardrone:
stellardrone.bandcamp.com/

[@karlthemel2678]

There is a novel called Dragon´s Egg. It features life based on the interaction of subatomic particles on the surface of a neutron star.

[@wolfvale7863]

Isaac has mentioned that book. It was a great read.

[@DanielGenis5000]

There’s another book about life on a neutron star, less well known but quite brilliant: Flux, by Stephen Baxter. Check it out!

[@blakena4907]

I was just about to say. This entire episode immediately brought that to mind. It's such a good read.

[@DanielGenis5000]

@@blakena4907 someone else mentions the Xeelee and Photino birds in the comments!

[@netbotcl586]

In Stephen Baxter Xeelee Sequence, there are life from spacetime-defect, quark-gluon plasma, dark matter.

[@humiecrusher]

For whatever reason I like to imagine some people at the end of time might give up years of their life to keep a clock running as long as possible.

[@TreyNitrotoluene]

Dark Souls set in Sci Fi

[@bucketlist3727]

@@TreyNitrotoluene oh god yes we need this

[@Splaccemttv]

@@TreyNitrotoluene a fellow dark soul player havent seen someone talk abt it in sooooo long

[@Trans4mers84561]

Or sign a contract and become a magical girl :3

[@Napoleonic_S]

@@TreyNitrotoluene It already exist : The Surge.

[@d-l-d-l]

Let's hope that life in the beginning of time had a drink and snack 🥤🍪

[@robinchesterfield42]

They got it at the Big Bang Burger Bar! :D

[@Midnightspecia1]

Do you understand the observer affffffff please sit down and have a snack.

[@billwaterson9492]

I will hope with you. 🙏

[@keithseltzer7289]

😂

Well the End of The Universe does, just make sure you book now to get a spot at Milliways

[@Sherubim]

Can we all just acknowledge how much Isaac Arthur has expanded our horizon with his videos? You‘re an amazing human being.

[@cyruspowers6373]

I agree

[@ontoya1]

I would like this comment as I completely agree but... 42!

[@Harkeilla]

NO, 'we all can't just acknowledge'!

[@HebaruSan]

If you can open portals to other universes as you please, you could open one to a hot young universe for a heat source and another portal to a cold old universe for a heat sink. Talk about a good energy source! Now your matrioshka brain can run forever, regardless of what happens in your own universe.

[@JohnDlugosz]

See Asimov's _The Gods Themselves_

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

Real carnot engine.

[@mohammadyuzerirosoneri9098]

infinite carnot engine in nutshell

[@urmensch12]

I am also too hot and too dense to exist. But hey here i am.

[@dv2915]

It means you are not too thick to exist.

[@urmensch12]

@@dv2915 say that to my butt.

[@dv2915]

@@urmensch12, bad luck bruh.

[@DNihilHEAVYIndustries]

Good for you playboy

[@john-paulsilke893]

Are you also too sexy for your hat? Too sexy for your hat. What do you think about that? 'Cause I'm a model, you know what I mean And I do my little turn on the catwalk Yeah, on the catwalk On the catwalk, yeah I shake my little tush on the catwalk

[@kingali1606]

Scientists: The heat death of the universe will eventually end civilization as we know it. Isaac Arthur: *Yeah i'm gonna have to stop you right there*

[@programmingwithian]

Entropy: “Am I a joke to you?”

[@nunyabizniss570]

"as we know it" I love this channel for speculating ideas of how there might be life as we don't know it

[@alexanderkorol677]

That's one of the many things that I absolutely love about him

[@commode7x]

Since when was Isaac Arthur not a scientist?

[@dansmith1661]

Universal Cooling? That means global warming is not permanent.

[@thedoruk6324]

Imagine the sheer terror and immense fear that any civilization that evolved right after the first planets have formed, the universe would have looked like not a pleasant place to discover neither colonize

[@Deadpool-su2po]

I mean you would assume that any civilization that would thrive in such times would be specifically adapted to those environments so what might be hell for us might just be a thursday for them

[@thedoruk6324]

@@Deadpool-su2po Or they would evolved to exist within more fortunate circumstances (either subterranean or an extremely well goldilocks territory)

[@Nethan2000]

It doesn't really look pleasant now either.

[@thedoruk6324]

@@Nethan2000 at the very least its borderline colonizable

[@mikicerise6250]

The bathwater epoch has always fascinated me.

[@erwinkonopka7071]

So when are we going to be able to buy First Civilizations' Bathwater?

[@marcopohl4875]

have the space-simps learned nothing?

[@Archgeek0]

And what the crap do we do if that turns out to be us?

[@erwinkonopka7071]

@@Archgeek0 We sell our bathwater?

[@sheldoniusRex]

@@erwinkonopka7071 you bet your ass we do. Momma needs some new Vuitton pumps!

@@erwinkonopka7071 And make big mega space bucks in the process!

[@drbonerstein8411]

Me: Playing dark souls while listening to Issac Arthur. Issac: The early universe was hot. Me: This was the age of fire.

[@GeneralSpecific]

Wanna like this, but you've got 69 likes. Nice.

[@jryan5984]

Definetly needed a video like this to break the news/political funk.

[@Helljumper_Fanatic]

Very good idea, no bullshit just pure entertainment.

[@nugsymalone1247]

I feel you, I swear the government does that on purpose to keep us all confused, angry, and fighting each other. Its not healthy

[@pimpabootejettanut122]

Wait... SEVEN SEASONS ALREADY!?

[@jamesw3413]

I found your channel about a week ago and I've been binge watching ever since. And now I'm this early to one of your videos! Great start to 2021

[@wolfvale7863]

Have any favorites? Where would you like to colonize? Flosting on a gas giant?

[@outandabout259]

@@wolfvale7863 I would love to become immortal, able to survive in the vacuum of space, take a space ship and fly around upgrading it and learning about other civilizations. With no hurry, billions of years to spend looking for the wonders of the universe.

[@javierzurera986]

Welcome!

[@jamesw3413]

@@wolfvale7863 I love the civilisations at the end of time series, (but I guess everyone else does too). I'm most interested in interstellar spacecraft like the space ark, von neumann probe, exodus fleet etc. For now let's colonize asteroids (it's one of the easier options and has a lot of opportunities) but I think moving to black holes is also cool as hell

[@wolfvale7863]

@@jamesw3413 The Ark was great. I would like Isaac to dig deeper into actual designs. He has an engineering background... I think. I would like to know what living in an Isaac Arthur inspired colony/ spaceship etc. would be like.

[@dokenboken5542]

I love how Isaac obliterates the notion that having a speech impediment equates to having a low intellect, a prevalent notion thanks to Warner Brother's Elmer Fudd.

[@QuinSkew]

I always just assumed Elmer needed glasses.

[@ccvcharger]

@@QuinSkew His aim and inability to distinguish a human woman from a wabbit in disguise definitely supports that notion.

[@wiwersewindemer4437]

I tend to even forget Isaac has a speech impediment and only think of it as an accent I have minor problems understanding. It's certainly ore understandable than some accents and dialects I've heard.

[@raidermaxx2324]

@@DanielScutt-nq6ky yea im gonna have to agree, that was a strange take lol

[@raidermaxx2324]

@@ccvcharger well cant really argue that point lol but again, bad eyesight could still factor in.. lol

[@Cooky00123]

An episode about how different elements can form would be interesting. I did not know White Dwarf stars could explode.

[@animistchannel2983]

Some of it is new science. "Astronomy Cast" channel (Frasier Cain publisher of Universe Today, & Dr. Pamela Gay of Cosmoquest etc) covered it some last autumn in a series of episodes: #579 White and Black Dwarfs [Sep 25], #580 Exploding Dwarfs [Oct 2], and #581 Other Kinds of Novae [Oct 9]. It's a great channel/show for keeping up with current astronomy & astrophysics news and space missions, and they do a good job of translating technical papers for non-specialists. On his solo channel, "Frasier Cain" he also does Q&A episodes on general space stuff, plus interviews and commentary. He also does "Weekly Space Hangout" channel, a panel discussion with both regulars & special guests of various specialties. The man keeps busy! Another channel with a lot of crossover to the SFIA audience here is John Michael Godier's "Event Horizon" channel. He does great long-form (30-60 minute) interviews with space, science, & futurism specialists. Isaac, Frasier, and JM have done crossover episodes. A couple weeks ago, Isaac and JM did an hour-long casual hangout covering a bunch of concepts. Fun conversation.

[@cherrybomb0388]

Yeah, a video where Issac goes through the periodic table and explains how each of these elements forms initially would be great.

[@jeffreysoreff9588]

Yeah, if they accrete enough matter they become type 1a supernovae en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_Ia_supernova

[@achtsekundenfurz7876]

TL;DR version: some white dwarf stars try to eat enough to level up to neutron stars but roll a natural 1 at 9,999 / 10,000XP.

[@FirstRisingSouI]

Black Hole Farming was the first IA episode I saw, looking for research for my first National Novel Writing Month in 2016. Then I subscribed and watched all your videos-a much easier feat back then than it is now.

[@Andrew-zq3ip]

NNWM 2016... I started a short story for that which turned into a 500k word epic. Still trying to get it published...

[@ernestolombardo5811]

"...late-Universe civilizations would regard our current era as so short and hot and dense that the period of star formation would simply seem like part of the Big Bang." Now that's a perspective-shifter of a single sentence as has ever been uttered.

[@ArticBlueFox96]

I would love a video that is just recommendations for science fiction reading

[@gruthakhul100]

@Robin Yabanks nice one :O

[@meowmeowmeow594]

Say hello to the Xeelee and Photino Birds for me.

[@netbotcl586]

*laughs in Monads*

[@DanielGenis5000]

Yes! Baxter! That’s what I’m talking about!

[@alphadraconis9898]

Yeah, they make a human K3 civilisation look primitive by comparison.

[@robinchesterfield42]

I wish I knew what a monad was, but all I could find was stuff about programming... Oh, and a Robert Silverberg book that doesn't seem to be it either. It takes place in the future, and apparently we're talking about super ANCIENT creatures here...?

[@robinchesterfield42]

@@netbotcl586 Ah! I've been (slowly) reading my way through Stephen Baxter's Xeelee Saga, so I guess I'll hit that book eventually. I found Baxter's stuff through the "Long Earth" series because I'm a Discworld fan, and so the chain continues on...

[@briancates3576]

I feel like I may be solely responsible for making Iron Stars your most viewed video.

[@TovenDo.O.Video-]

That's one of my favorite videos ever, what a trip.

[@Andrew-zq3ip]

One of my favorites too

[@AugustusBohn0]

so you're the one keeping that video on my homepage after all these years.

[@Globovoyeur]

"Think of such civilizations, masters of a universe so young that life had come to only a handful of worlds! Theirs must have been a loneliness we cannot imagine -- the loneliness of gods looking out across infinity and finding none to share their thoughts." -- Arthur C. Clarke

[@abaddon1953]

Congratz on season 7 mate, been listening to you for years and still loving it!

[@vonwux]

It always feels like a gift when you somehow miss an SFIA episode and youtube decides to tell you about it 6 months later. A thoroughly enjoyable episode at that!

[@ThirstyFish3918]

8 seconds ago, a new record for me

[@Arbenowskee]

That's what she said.

[@alfredsutton7233]

Another great video, Sir. You brought up issues today that I’ve never thought of, never even heard of before. DANG! What a brain stretch! Love your work Isaac. Thank you.

[@randomsleepyness]

Can you just imagine how cozy the universe must of been when it was all bath water temperature

[@hynjus001]

Cosy vacuum and clouds of unbreathable hydrogen.

[@dansmith1661]

All that wonderful radiation.

[@john-paulsilke893]

And can you imagine how terrible earth was all flat and flying at the speed of gravity though the universe. 🤣

[@john-paulsilke893]

I’m guessing the great ice walls at the Antarctic edge were barely 10ft high at the time. What with it being so warm and all. 😅

[@achtsekundenfurz7876]

> Can you just imagine how cozy the universe must of been _B R U H_ I can't even imagine how there can be life that managed to breathe without any major accidents for at least a decade, yet still uses "of" as a verb

[@PureMagma]

Opened my eyes this morning... checked my phone (yes, I admit it)🙄 ... saw THIS and decided everything else can wait!!! 💫💯💝🥳

[@73kiaranod]

Congratulations on the 7yr anniversary Issac. Don't stop, been binge watching for weeks now. Love your work.

[@chojinnppp]

I've said it before - this channel is a welcome oasis.

[@ExzcellionGamma]

Yay early for this! The first video that I've watched in this channel was the Iron Stars episode. And now we're here. Have a nice 2021 as well, Isaac!

[@jonnomonodesu]

Happy New Year and thank you for the amazing videos you produce.

[@Hoagsgalaxynetwork]

This channel has helped and inspire my sci-fi writings more than anything else. Thanks Isaac for all the work you put into these videos and giving me something to look forward to every week!

[@osmio8780]

The most awaited sequel.

[@adolfodef]

[Ackchyually...] Technically Speaking, this is a "Prequel".

[@osmio8780]

@@adolfodef You're right

[@friedrichsanktgermain7632]

@@adolfodef Civilizations at a Point in Time: The Pre-Sequel

[@wefuntw]

Issac is such a genius to contemplate with such unthinkable civilizations.

[@bobinthewest8559]

Plot twist: Isaac is actually a member of the civilization that seeded our universe.

[@universalparadoxes2081]

Love your narration. Great vids. Keep going until the end of time please.

[@levigriffin5553]

This is the perfect thing to watch while sipping on some canna-coffee to get my day started.

[@levigriffin5553]

@@sid2112 cannabis and coffee

[@snickle1980]

Over here in daytona, It's been a "resin ball and coffee" for the Isaac Arthur show...starring Isaac Arthur. Gotta get over to trulieve today and pick up that ground goodness.

[@victordelmastro8264]

What Brand?

[@KnufWons]

@@levigriffin5553 So you want to be chill (cannabis) but also want to be wired (coffee)?

[@tareks-j8940]

I listen to it while trying to sleep brah

[@nathanhearn356]

You are awesome Mr Arthur! Congratulations on 7 great seasons!

[@paxdriver]

This was a great episode, thank you.

[@soliel5680]

Belle Delphine is working hard to bring back the bathwater Epoch

[@alphadraconis9898]

Great video and already over 600K! Congrats and well deserved!

[@PeetaProduction]

The best birthday present! Thank you Issac, keep up the great work :) 🎂🎂

[@johnyoung8577]

Minor discrepancy- on the episode Phosphorus Problem it was explained that Phosphorus was only generated during collisions between Neutron Stars however on this episode there is shown an Origin of Elements chart that shows Phosphorus only being generated by Supernova (type 2) events. Please Explain

[@HuntingTarg]

I would venture to say that they are the same class of event; dense, hot, non-black hole matter (atomic or neutronic) compressing and then exploding at high energy, allowing atomic nuclei to fission and fuse, for a short time, into higher-binding-energy configurations, producing elements not normally made during a star's lifespan.

[@Schtekberg]

This episode is one of your greatest yet!

[@NitrogenNO2]

i love the end of time video so much, rewatched so many times

[@AlohaMilton]

So weird, I was thinking about this last week, the habitability of the early universe and strange forms of life. Perfect timing Arthur!

[@3ddan148]

ooooooh ooooh new sfia video. im so excited.

[@grayfiresoul]

Thank you for the insight into your music choices! I've been wondering for ages.

[@aureliusmcnaughton6133]

Amazing as always Isaac! I do believe you are possibly the best science commentator living. I would love to hear more about the possibilities of actual civilizations themselves in terms of your feedback on the many novels you mention at the end. Cheers!

[@ChronitonMechanics]

The bathwater early universe theory made me immediatly think of specie 8472 "undines" and their fluidic space in star trek voyager...

[@robinchesterfield42]

Hey, yeah! I never really thought about that, but maybe "fluidic space" is that way because their universe is way younger...!

[@cosmic_gate476]

Omg! Haven't watched yet but the title and video idea seem genius! Well done Isaac!

[@ND_]

Within a week this has surprisingly become my new favorite channel. 👌😎

[@deadlyviper3]

Hell yeah let’s get this day going! Thanks for the early upload

[@reallyryan_]

Loved this one 👍

[@fubaralakbar6800]

Yes! I've always wanted to see this!

[@cordatusscire344]

As always, excellent video and presentation.

[@albertmccune2734]

Congratulations for seven years, Isaac! I look forward to every Thursday!

[@bowdownclown]

Anything by Baxter is mind-blowing.

[@prasanttwo281]

Happy Arthursday everyone!

[@SSSyndrome214]

This content is so juicy. Thank you very much!

[@ItRemindMeOfHome]

I can tell you were very excited about this topic, because I had to watch the episode a few times to really grasp the concepts discussed

[@velestis3225]

Please consider going in depth about the black hole era. I know you've mentioned it before, but I looked and I don't see a video on that topic alone.. The very idea of its length is awe-inspiring. Plus, people always like the black hole videos. I really don't think there's many people out there who aren't fascinated and curious about black holes. Thanks for all the knowledge!

[@bobinthewest8559]

If a civilization has the technology and understanding to "spawn" a new universe just before the heat death of their own... I imagine that they would be able to work out all of the necessary details so that they could "set" (whatever "device", or "elements") at some point with a "timer" that would give them just the right amount of time to move away from it, so that its expansion overtakes them at just the right "time" to comfortably "enter" it.

[@Caius1930]

These videos are my way of meditation. Really a cure for insomnia, boredom and curiosity

[@dixiebiscuit5623]

I may just be a sucker that loves space, but I still love your content.

[@cannonfodder4376]

Couldn't sleep so I watched this on Nebula to pass the time. And look what just dropped on KZbin. 😁 Splendidly informative as always Isaac and team. And Happy Seventh Season of the show! May we have many more to come! 🥰👍

[@CChissel]

I love this!!

[@DeusExAstra]

Given the events currently happening in this universe, leaving for another one is becoming more and more appealing.

[@MrGoodeats]

Agreed. But wouldn’t doing so just doom us to the same fate wherever else we would go?

[@marcosmos7478]

@@MrGoodeats yeah seriously, unless we can find the "perfect" universe or become so advance to create our own perfect physical universe (not a simulation, but an actual physical one) then we will eventually just run into the same problem we are running away from. i mean it just a thought. im still trying to fathom the info in this video lol im not that smart to begin with lol

[@fuzzy4461]

I love your videos man, please keep it up

[@sharkylpd4]

Thank you sir.

[@Perserra]

Another great Arthursday.

[@MisterG2323]

Still one of the best channels of its kind, I see. Always entertaining, always informative, always well-presented. Thank you!

[@thoreau283]

Isaac Arthur is one of the best presenters on KZbin. Thanks for your work Mr. Arthur!

[@chrisgriffith1573]

Bathwater epoch? Great filter: Not many elements to build with.

[@GEXGE11]

Great driller: life can be simple survive on ice and then panfertilize all the universe.

[@choonbox]

I want Isaac Arthur to sell me his bathwater.

[@Bibibosh]

BELLE DEPHINE 2021

[@scottpaulhubbard8771]

7 and still as great as ever keep up the great work isaac . Here's to the next 7 well done

[@louithrottler]

"For every third word used - just take it for granted I've done a video on that word"

[@upaya7178]

“Hither and Dither” is forever tied to Stapledon in my head... Praised be Olaf!🙌😌

[@Ottee2]

Gordelpus

[@magnusnilsson6217]

Extremely good! And watching episodes is all I can do now. Covid hit me terribly this third time. Beware. By the way, your 'show' is the best!

[@raidermaxx2324]

dude seriously, if you are not a health care professional, which is how you caught covid three times being a front line hero, you need to start wearing a fucking mask man cmon...three times dude???? i gotta get back to work man.. ive been isolating in my crib for a YEAR!!!! how da fuck are you catching the RONA three times, if by not being reckless and anti-science?? Please tell me you are a front line worker

[@freethinkersonly8509]

@Isaac arthur Love your work 👍🏼

[@chownful]

Great interview last night on Fade To Black!!!

[@goldenbananas1389]

you should do on video on programmable matter / claytronics

[@angryginger791]

I've started hitting the "Like" button as soon as I start an episode of SFIA. 1) Because the chances of me not liking it are Planck scale, and 2) because I'll feel bad if I forget.

[@jonathanhensley6141]

Even old videos are as great as the new videos. Awesome video.

[@LightsaberAddict]

Just popped up in my notifications now but the video actually came out 4 days ago. Darn KZbin. Great video as always.

[@crisalexcris15]

I am following you since November but I almost finished watching all your videos

[@Russmayra]

That's the thing we cant fathom. There was no beginning.

[@thomasrial4444]

1 new existential crisis added to my list

[@michal_king478]

yay Im early :D I absolutely love your videos. I love wondering about stuff like this and just imagining

[@HOLDENPOPE]

Wow nice!

[@hope_13]

This thumbnail is fantastic. Kudos to Jakub Grygier!

[@reporeport]

5th time listening. Favorite

[@ManiusCuriusDenatus]

Posting these videos at the beginning of my work day is uncivilized 😉

[@fatgrunt]

Anyone else think about species 8472 coming from a bath water epoch universe or is it just me?

[@MarshallTheArtist]

You mean the Undine? They are from fluidic space, so you have the right idea. 😄

[@BaseDeltaZero1972]

2020 was consistatly rubbish 2021 looks like it will be the same Isaac is constantly informative, entertaining and productive - It's a sort of ballance to the bad stuff these days. Another awesome episode.

[@unintentionallydramatic]

Hey IA, could you please cover Penrose's CCC at some point? inb4 this vid does Thanks for the great vids. Really keeps me looking forward.

[@thebaccathatchews]

Waited for Xeelee mention. Was not disappointed.

[@palfers1]

What a topical title!

[@DreamskyDance]

10:20 : i saw that you used that periodic table a few times now in videos, it is really cool...so cool i paused the video and explored a bit which elements get manufactured in which types of events. Maybe merch in style of Sfia periodic table big poster with that kind and other useful / interesting info ( aproximation of how many kilograms of a given element is in existance, place with highest known quantity of an element ...etc.. ) on it would be cool. XD

[@annemarieanderic2874]

Love your show. The sheer volume of your work is amazing. You're essentially teaching a university futurology class online for free. Superb! You must have inspired millions of ideas by now. Love playing your vids with space games like Oxygen Not Included. Happy New Year!

[@winterramos4527]

Damn that 1million subs coming soon

[@nathanjora7627]

It’s been some months since I was last here, is it me or did he get a rather big growth in the meantime ?

[@benjano100]

Energy-intense, hot and dense! *drops the mic* Droppin some rhymes isaac. Nice one! XD

[@minebidw1291]

Second video on Christmas. Good job, Isaac. There are holidays your episode won't hit until 2025. Guess which these are.