Watch Life in Our Universe

Name: Life in Our Universe
Genre: Documentary & Biography
Released: 2013-01-01
Cast: Laird Close

TV-PG
2013
1 Season
7.7 (21)

Life in Our Universe is a series of lectures delivered by Laird Close, a renowned astrophysicist and professor from the University of Arizona. The lectures delve into some of the greatest mysteries of our universe - is there life beyond Earth and what would it look like?

Close uses his expertise in astronomy, physics, and astrobiology to explore the potential for extraterrestrial life, the conditions that might be necessary for life to exist, and the methods scientists use to identify planets and search for signs of life beyond our own solar system.

The first few lectures lay out the foundations for understanding the probability of life beyond Earth. Close presents the various theories on the origin of life on Earth and debunks popular myths surrounding the topic, such as the belief that life on Earth was seeded by aliens. He explains that while the basic building blocks for life may exist elsewhere in the universe, the conditions necessary for life to emerge and thrive are incredibly complex and rare.

The course then delves into what scientists know about different types of planets and their suitability for life. Close explains the various factors that determine habitability, including the planet's distance from its star, the presence of a strong magnetic field and atmosphere, and the types of molecules present. He also provides an in-depth overview of the various techniques scientists use to detect exoplanets and assess their habitability.

The series also explores the various forms life could take beyond Earth. Close provides an overview of the different types of life we know of on our own planet, from microbes to complex multicellular organisms. He then discusses how these forms of life might evolve on other planets, given different environmental conditions.

Throughout the series, Close presents many thought-provoking ideas and theories. He raises questions about how we might communicate with extraterrestrial life, and whether we should even try. He also discusses the potential risks of encountering intelligent life that may not have our best interests in mind.

The lectures are accompanied by beautiful visuals, including animations of exoplanetary systems and images of alien-looking creatures that could potentially exist in different environments. Close is an engaging speaker who is able to explain complex scientific concepts in an accessible way, making the material interesting and easy to understand for a lay audience.

Life in Our Universe is an excellent series for anyone interested in the big questions surrounding the search for life beyond our planet. The lectures are both informative and entertaining, and do an excellent job of presenting the latest theories and research on this fascinating topic. Whether you're a seasoned astronomer or just have a casual interest in the subject, these lectures are sure to inspire awe and wonder at the mysteries of the universe.

Life in Our Universe is a series that ran for 1 seasons (24 episodes) between January 1, 2013 and on The Great Courses

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Seasons

24. The Search for Another Earth

March 2, 2013

Now that you've seen why humanity will eventually have to leave Earth, consider astronomers' next steps, challenges, and planned missions. Examine why specialized optical systems called coronagraphs are necessary to detect habitable Earths, and how the use of direct imaging spectra is crucial to identifying whether the biomarkers of life are present on other worlds.

23. The Future of Terrestrial Life

March 2, 2013

Professor Close highlights why we shouldn't be complacent about the long-term viability of Earth and presents the timescale in which humans will need to leave Earth or become vulnerable to extinction. Inspect historical evidence indicating that Earth is warming, and learn what will happen to the atmosphere in the future.

22. Terraforming a Planet

March 2, 2013

Terraforming is a new scientific concept whereby an uninhabitable planetary environment is engineered to become more Earth-like to support human life. Explore how this complex process would play out on the two planets considered potential candidates, Mars and Venus, to fully understand the individual steps involved and the technologies necessary to achieve those steps.

21. Space Travel - A Reality Check

March 2, 2013

Space is so vast that inventing a method of faster-than-light travel is the only way humans could conceivably travel the cosmos conveniently. How hard is space travel, really? In this mind-bending lecture, review the obstacles to space travel and consider their theoretical solutions - from combining matter and antimatter into energy, to taking "short cuts" via warp drive and wormholes.

20. The Fermi Paradox - Where Is Everyone?

March 2, 2013

After 50 years of SETI, we have zero hard evidence of alien civilizations, "cosmic wanderlust" resulting in Earth visitations, or UFOs being extraterrestrial in nature, despite - or perhaps because of - the expansiveness of the galaxy. Speculate on reasons for, and solutions to, this so-called Fermi Paradox.

19. SETI - The Search for Intelligent Life

March 2, 2013

Delve into the search for extraterrestrial life, or SETI, as the method used to gauge the likelihood of intelligent communicating civilizations is known. Look closely at the Drake Equation - the mathematical rubric commonly used in the field of SETI - and consider the challenge of communicating across our enormous galaxy.

18. Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life

March 2, 2013

How common is simple life is in our universe? What about intelligent life? Start to answer these questions by estimating the prevalence of prokaryotic single-celled microbes and reviewing the process of evolution. Evaluate arguments in the book Rare Earth by Ward and Brownlee claiming that while microbial life is common, only Earth has intelligent life. Finally, touch on how aliens might appear.

17. A Tour of Exotic Alien Solar Systems

March 2, 2013

Based on data from Kepler, there are thought to be four main classes of transiting planets: hot Jupiters, hot Neptunes, super-Earths, and Earth-like planets. In this lecture, you will look at detailed highlights of the most fascinating examples of each of these new classes of alien worlds, from most to least massive.

16. The Kepler Spacecraft's Planets

March 2, 2013

The Kepler mission is changing everything we know about extrasolar planets. Learn how this supersensitive-imaging instrument works to monitor 157,000 stars continuously for years and what it has uncovered since launching in 2009. But first, review the transit effect created when a parent star crosses its orbiting planet.

15. Discovery of Extrasolar Planets

March 2, 2013

Is our solar system common or rare? As you investigate planets orbiting around other stars, learn how the use of adaptive optics allows extrasolar planetary scientists to discover new alien solar systems with ground telescopes, and explore the three main ways astronomers detect planets: small "radio velocity wobbles," "transits," and direct imaging.

14. Liquid on Titan and Enceladus

March 2, 2013

Continue traveling to the cold gas giant Saturn and its large moon, Titan. Watch a video featuring actual data taken by the Huygens Probe as it pierces the thick atmosphere and lands on the surface of this frozen world, and witness the surprising Earth-like structures this probe and its mother ship found on their journey to Saturn's moons.

13. Liquid Assets - The Moons of Jupiter

March 2, 2013

Gas giant Jupiter is unlikely to inhabit life - but what about its moons? Look quickly at the importance that Galileo's discovery of Jupiter's moons had for the powerful Medici family before moving on to examine the connection between the moons' mean motion resonance and the possibility of subsurface life existing in the ice-covered oceans of Europa, Ganymede, and possibly, Callisto.

12. Could Life Ever Have Existed on Venus?

March 2, 2013

Venus is the closest planet to the Earth and the next planet moving toward the sun, so it is a logical place to look for life. However, Venus is extremely hot and dry. Could life ever have existed? Explore the nightmarish conditions on Venus and learn why all the water vanished.

11. Evidence for Fossilized Life from Mars

March 2, 2013

In 1996, NASA claimed to have found evidence of past life on Mars inside an unassuming meteor. Evaluate the three points scientists gave in support of the microbes being Martian in origin to determine their validity. Then, learn about the theory of panspermia and meet the water bear, a tiny animal capable of surviving the extreme conditions of outer space.

10. Has Mars Always Been Dead?

March 2, 2013

Mars ranks as NASA's number one priority in the search for exolife. Here, you delve into why Mars is so intriguing to astrobiologists and what the search has found to date. Start with a comparison of Mars and the Earth, then watch the first-ever observation of water ice on Mars sublimating into vapor.

9. Astrobiology - Life beyond Earth

March 2, 2013

Why is liquid water so important? Why do icebergs float? After quickly reviewing what you have learned about the requirements for terrestrial life, take a closer look at the "liquid water carbon chemistry juggernaut," which allows organic life to thrive on Earth. Consider whether other liquids could operate as solvents for life.

8. Origin of Terrestrial Life

March 2, 2013

For something to be "living," it generally must use energy to drive chemical reactions, be capable of reproduction, and undergo some degree of evolution. Sort through science's best educated guesses for how and why life sprang from nonliving matter. Watch an animation of protocells growing and splitting to replicate genetic information.

7. Common Themes for All Life on Earth

March 2, 2013

Now that you have covered the key elements necessary for life to exist, take a closer look at the things all life on Earth shares. Learn why the Biosphere 2 experiment in the 1990s failed, examine the behavior of microbes - the most important constituents of our biosphere - and trace life back to your universal ancestor.

6. Fermiâ' Paradox: Where Is Everyone?

January 1, 2013

Examine the implications of why, after half a century of concerted effort, we have not discovered any tangible evidence of extraterrestrial life.

5. SETI: The Search for Intelligent Life

January 1, 2013

Examine the methods and findings of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, humankind's best scientific effort to discover alien life.

4. Calling All Life Forms

January 1, 2013

Examine the diversity of life on Earth through a new lens. What do studies of microbial and intelligent life imply for life elsewhere in our universe?

3. A Tour of Alien Solar Systems

January 1, 2013

Take a fascinating tour of other star systems in our galaxy and uncover the four main classes of extrasolar planets.

2. The Planet Hunter: Kepler Spacecraft

January 1, 2013

Meet the Kepler Space Observatory, a half-billion-dollar NASA spacecraft designed to hunt for Earth-like planets that monitors over 140,000 stars.

1. The Search for a New Earth

January 1, 2013

Are there other planets in the universe like Earth? See how scientists detect new extrasolar planets and target those most likely to sustain life.

Description

Where to Watch Life in Our Universe

Life in Our Universe is available for streaming on the The Great Courses website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Life in Our Universe on demand at Apple TV Channels, Amazon Prime, Amazon and Hoopla.