Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Depictions of first contact with aliens may not accurately show how challenging it would really be to communicate with aliens, let alone collaborate on scientific endeavours. If we ever meet aliens, would it really be so easy to communicate with them? Would we be able to share scientific ideas? Would we be curious about the same things?
In our second instalment of “Ideas for our Time”, we speak with Daniel Whiteson about his Extended Drake Equation, which seeks to capture the different factors we may not have previously considered in stories of first contact. Turning to human history, we consider whether aliens would even do science in the first place, why communication may be almost impossible, and whether human science is uncovering the true nature of reality.
You can read Daniel's article here:
iai.tv/articles/aliens-might-not-have-the-same-physics-as-us-auid-3466?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=description
The article is an excerpt of "Do Aliens Speak Physics", which you can find here: wwnorton.com/books/9781324064657
Hosted by Zeb Goriely.
#physics #firstcontact #aliens #cosmology
00:00 Intro
04:34 Part 1: Science
07:30 Part 2: Communication
17:46 Part 3: Questions
28:17 Part 4: Answers
32:16 We should be our own aliens
Dive into our full archive, including more debates, interviews, and solo talks on the brain and consciousness — plus loads more!
iai.tv/debates-and-talks?medium=description&utm_campaign=video-essay-brain
The Institute of Art and Ideas features videos and articles from cutting-edge thinkers discussing the ideas that are shaping the world, from metaphysics to string theory, technology to democracy, aesthetics to genetics. Subscribe today! iai.tv/subscribe?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=video-essay-brain
For debates and talks: iai.tv
For articles: iai.tv/articles
For courses: iai.tv/iai-academy/courses
For our podcast: pod.link/1151965239?view=apps&sort=popularity
Depictions of first contact with aliens may not accurately show how challenging it would really be to communicate with aliens, let alone collaborate on scientific endeavours. If we ever meet aliens, would it really be so easy to communicate with them? Would we be able to share scientific ideas? Would we be curious about the same things?
In our second instalment of “Ideas for our Time”, we speak with Daniel Whiteson about his Extended Drake Equation, which seeks to capture the different factors we may not have previously considered in stories of first contact. Turning to human history, we consider whether aliens would even do science in the first place, why communication may be almost impossible, and whether human science is uncovering the true nature of reality.
You can read Daniel's article here:
iai.tv/articles/aliens-might-not-have-the-same-physics-as-us-auid-3466?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=description
The article is an excerpt of "Do Aliens Speak Physics", which you can find here: wwnorton.com/books/9781324064657
Hosted by Zeb Goriely.
#physics #firstcontact #aliens #cosmology
00:00 Intro
04:34 Part 1: Science
07:30 Part 2: Communication
17:46 Part 3: Questions
28:17 Part 4: Answers
32:16 We should be our own aliens
Dive into our full archive, including more debates, interviews, and solo talks on the brain and consciousness — plus loads more!
iai.tv/debates-and-talks?medium=description&utm_campaign=video-essay-brain
The Institute of Art and Ideas features videos and articles from cutting-edge thinkers discussing the ideas that are shaping the world, from metaphysics to string theory, technology to democracy, aesthetics to genetics. Subscribe today! iai.tv/subscribe?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=video-essay-brain
For debates and talks: iai.tv
For articles: iai.tv/articles
For courses: iai.tv/iai-academy/courses
For our podcast: pod.link/1151965239?view=apps&sort=popularity
