mysteries

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Synopsis

The biggest question humankind faces is Are we alone?

Are we the only intelligent species alive in the universe? For years scientists believed that the amazing chain of events that led to intelligent life on Earth was truly a one off. We just got lucky. But today, most scientists are convinced that we are not alone. We examine the latest evidence in the search for E.T. and interview the key players, from planet hunters to UFO experts and the people who will be the first to hear from outer space. For the last fifty years, weve been transmitting powerful radio and TV signals around the planet. Those signals have leaked off the planet and are racing into deep space at the speed of light. Right now, a more advanced race may be listening to our transmissions and deciding how to reply. Will they come in peace or destroy us?

HOW CAN WE BE SO SURE?

There are more stars in the universe than all the grains of sand on all the beaches of Earth. That fact alone is enough for most scientists to believe we are not alone. With that many stars and solar systems there must be a chance that intelligent life exists. Our planet is but a small ball of rock around an ordinary star, one of ten thousand billion billion billion stars in the universe.

WHOS LISTENING OUT?

There is only one place to go and thats Mountain View, California. Home of the SETI Institute. Here the search for extra terrestrial intelligence is led by chief astronomer Seth Shostak. We interview Seth and his team and discovers they are about to embark on the most ambitious search for E.T. to date. Right now in the mountains north of San Francisco, theyre building the largest array of radio telescopes on Earth. Three hundred and fifty dishes, each twenty-five feet in diameter, are being constructed. SETI scientists will be able to listen out twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

THE PLANET HUNTERS

Other researchers are trying to narrow down the search for intelligent life. They are looking for Solar Systems that have Earth type planets. Debra Fischer, an astronomer at Berkeley can find such planets, So far planet hunters including Debra have found over 130 new planets.

LIFE IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

We know that the search for intelligent life must be conducted out in deep space. But what life exists in our own back yard our Solar System? Researchers are encouraged by recent findings here on Earth. Life finds a way even in the harshest of environments places where we used to think it was impossible for life to flourish. The Lechuguilla cave in New Mexico, the deepest in the U.S. is teeming with microbial life. Scientists have found bacteria living happily two thousand feet below the ground. If organisms can thrive without sunlight in this sulphur laden environment than why not on other planets in our Solar System?

This film will be keeping a close watch on the current raft of missions exploring the Martian surface. Mars, for so long everyones hot favourite for hosting life may be soon overshadowed. Orbiting Jupiter is Europa, an icy moon where the surface temperature is 170 degrees C. But this frozen planet may harbour an underground ocean of liquid water one of the essential ingredients for life.

SHOULD WE RESPOND?

There are some who think we should remain silent when we receive the first confirmed alien signal. But ignoring the signal is not an option. We have after all been transmitting for over fifty years. They know we are here. And if they find us interesting enough and they have the technology to travel to earth what will they look like?

ASPECT RATIO 4.3
MAIN SOUNDTRACK English Stereo
DISC FORMAT DVD 5
REGION 1 NTSC
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
NOTE Not available for shipment outside the USA

Runtime: 54 minutes