Life in the Universe

How can life form in the Universe, and what are the necessary ingredients for habitability so that planets can sustain life? Can we expect life elsewhere in the solar system, or on exo-planets?
This lecture offers a broader perspective from astrobiology, astrochemistry, and astrophysics on the habitability or otherwise of other planets beyond Planet Earth.
A lecture by Katherine Blundell
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/l...
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[@markharris1223]

A crystal-clear voice. So refreshing.

[@bazsnell3178]

Professor Katherine, you're up there in my Top 5 of experts in your (their) fields who educate and inform interested ordinary people like me. Very well done, as always.

[@liamcelt1321]

You got your pronouns right, that`s the main thing.

[@irawilliams5620]

If we looking for another life like us in the universe , we are looking for our twin sister. In other words there are more than 10 billion human on earth and he or she is not my twin sister no twin brother.

[@rodfaragini7110]

My first time listening to you. Very interesting and such a crisp clear voice.

[@kenchesnut4425]

Professor Katherine..You are such a wonderful communicator...Love your Lectures...MUCH LUV FROM N.AUGUSTA S.C

[@slysynthetic]

I absolutely adored the lectures by Prof. Carolin Crawford, I bet this will be awesome too. Watching now.

[@JerOCx]

Your videos are absolutely fantastic (even when you fill in last second, with a quick flight from India)... Amazing! Your topics are both highly educational whilst having the ability to open up most of the subjects to everyday people interested in physics. Not to mention your tone, delivery & accent completely compliment your lectures. I look forward to many more (hopefully) lectures, and the new shows, podcasts, media in your future 👏🎉

[@seazenbones6945]

I have thoroughly enjoyed the entire series. Thank you 😊

[@vladimirp2674]

One of the most interesting lectures (astronomy) since the advent of internet.

[@oddlyoz]

RIP Frank Drake 🕊

[@stephenede-borrett1452]

Brilliant! Absolutely fascinating. Thankyou Professor and thankyou Gresham

[@monicaaparecidaoliveira8063]

What an interesting lecture. I wish I could watch other lectures given by Prof. Katherine.

[@v.prestorpnrcrtlcrt2096]

Awesome, thx

[@PetroicaRodinogaster264]

2:23 could not agree more with this opening few minutes. I have always said (and I am not even well educated let alone a scientist) …If we cannot get along with ourselves how could we hope to get along with Aliens. If we ever do have contact with the “Others”; perfect or not, we should avoid them because we will only spoil things.

[@paulstewart6293]

I loved star trek. Thursday night if I recall. No one told me that they dealt with social problems. Just a wee boy.

[@stoptheworldiwanttogetoff3350]

Is there panna cotta elsewhere in the cosmos?

[@expatexpat6531]

Maybe in the Milky Whey?

[@PetroicaRodinogaster264]

we keep thinking that life can only be like ours! But just as we began because things were right then other places may have different needs to begin. It should be…another line from Star Trek….it’s life …but not as we know it!

[@gabrieldunn7384]

How does obliquity change on Mars ?

[@johnhead1643]

When the question of the possibility of life in the Universe is considered, the 2 extreme possibilities are usually quoted. "Are we alone in the Universe or is the Universe teeming with life?" Maybe it's neither. Perhaps life is rare and only occurs on a smattering of planets throughout the Universe where the conditions are just right. Given that the number of galaxies runs in to the billions, possibly trillions, this might still lead to a lot of life but very widely scattered and thus very difficult to detect. We know life in the Universe is possible because we are here.

[@irawilliams5620]

Life in the universe is vastly different from what we understand the definition of life. The answer is in front of our eyes, for example the vastness of life on is less than .0000000001 vastness of life in the universe.

[@irawilliams5620]

Life on earth is so vast that one life from can not exists in another environment, where another life from exists. In other words life in the universe is vast beyond our knowledge and understanding. Two or more atoms can share the space at the same time and have no effect on each other.

[@johannageisel5390]

Caffeine molecule in space? You mean like: "There is coffee in this nebula!"?

[@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts]

Perhaps a cosmic latte?

[@johannageisel5390]

@@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts From spherical cows in a vacuum, lactating evenly in all directions?

[@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts]

@@johannageisel5390 "That thing's too small to be a moon..." "It's not a moon. It's a moooon."

[@ArtDocHound]

✨💖✨

[@learnerm3120]

There is a perplexing fascination with alien life , especially in America. perhaps more so in America than anywhere else. But I find the word it's self to carry negative undertones and connotations.Maybe it's because for a long time , this word was used to refer me as someone who was born elsewhere and them moved to the US. Your words regarding some self introspection regarding our record of treating others different from us before meeting aliens, do resonate with me.

[@darrellfennell4985]

Somewhat ironic to point out a split infinitive in a sentence that ends in a preposition, no?

[@johnwebstet8132]

When the human race learns to read the misunderstood language of symbolism a great veil will fall from their eye's Those who venture into space do it because they feel they must For me I believe we should focus on the challenge others are already here It's a taboo subject why? We look vigerously for life on Mars and else where To me that's distraction from what's already taking place closer to home I base my reason's not on having a Phd but on personal experiences (plural) but follow with interest the efforts of Elon Musk!?

[@pseudonym745]

Pah, BS! Elon Musk will put us on Mars in no-time ! For 100 grand each. You will see! PROMISE!

[@douglaswatt1582]

A wildly optimistic number - it's much closer to $1 million per person to get to Mars. And then there's the problem of staying there with no ecosystem. No one has survived for any length of time absent an ecosystem and we don't know how to build one of those in a dome. We don't know how it would adapt or not adapt to the strange Martian environment and the relative lack of gravity, and of course we'd have to shield everything from the solar wind. So this wild optimism about how we're just a few dollars away from colonizing Mars is just plain nuts.

[@pinosantilli3371]

It's NORMAL to be fearful or weary of the unknown whether its people or land or whatever. I don't know why these folks have to talk negatively about meeting the unknown and having outcomes they are not privy to. Do you really think the American Indians would be building telescopes so this woman could do her studies? Please.

[@pdelong42]

Fair enough, Pino, it's certainly conceivable we could discover alien life that is actually more hostile towards us than we are to them. But I think her point still stands, we could stand to learn from our own history. I also feel you could've stated your point a bit more gracefully, without denigrating her or being vaguely racist towards native Americans (it seems as if you're implying they would never build telescopes themselves, if history had turned-out differently).

[@pinosantilli3371]

@@pdelong42 They are denigrating that's my point! It's called SELF DENIGRATING. At the rate the Indigenous people were progressing scientifically (if any) they certainly would not have the tech we have today. Just sayin. I don't really care what other cultures do. Just don't self denigrate European Culture and Race. Wake up dude!

[@pdelong42]

@@pinosantilli3371 Not being able to be self-critical is a sign of decline / ignorance. As with any culture, there are plenty of positive contributions from European cultures, as well as negative ones. But I don't know what you mean by the term "race" (that word has been misused to the point of meaninglessness). Anyway, from one "awake dude" to another: enjoy your coffee.

[@pinosantilli3371]

@@pdelong42 I dont why YOU use the work "race" if you think its meaningless...

[@pdelong42]

​@@pinosantilli3371 I did *not* use that word. Okay man, this is getting beyond juvenile. Just stop, please. Update: you're right, I did use the phrase "vaguely racist". But while racism is real, "race" is a totally arbitrary category system with no real meaning. Anyway, like I said earlier, this conversation is getting counter-productive.

[@pinosantilli3371]

SHE should not be mixing social issues with science!

[@douglaswatt1582]

Proof that you're not really listening. What about the science of our social dysfunction? Does that have any validity or interest for you. She's discussing our deep tribalism, its polarizing effects, and treating it as the vulnerability that it is. Do you lay claim to any better perspectives? If so, please advise. If not, please just listen, which does not appear to be your forte.

[@TheYorkie2]

Love the sarcasm are you British?😅😅