TTC Video – The Search for Intelligent Life in Space

“Is it possible that somewhere in the myriad starfields of the universe, other intelligences as sophisticated as our own exist? For thousands of years, humankind could only wonder. But science and technology now offer us the opportunity to conduct a search for such cosmic company.”

For the first time, we can actually hope to answer questions that previous generations could only ask:
* In a universe so vast, can we really be alone?
* Is the life we have often thought of as a miracle simply a statistic?
* If others are out there, are they also thinking about us?
* Will we encounter them someday?
* What will it mean if and when we do?
Have you ever stopped to really consider the implications?
“At the very least,” says Dr. Seth Shostak, “we should be prepared for the simple fact of finally knowing that we’re not alone.”

As the third millennium begins, humankind has finally achieved the technical means to address a question that is both old and profound: are we alone in the universe? Despite the fact that alien beings regularly infest movies and television shows, there is still no compelling evidence for any living creatures beyond Earth. But there are highly suggestive reasons to believe that the star fields of the cosmos are teeming with life, some of it intelligent. In this series of twelve lectures, we consider what science can tell us about the possibility of intelligent life in space, how we might find it, and what it would mean if we did.