Uploaded January 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Get 50% off your SciShow Space calendar today by heading to complexlycalendars.com/products/scishowspace
Astronomers have found more than 5,000 planets in the last three decades, but that’s not nearly as exciting as potentially coming across the first extraterrestrial creatures. And we may finally be in a position to make that discovery.
Hosted by: Hank Green (he/him)
Thumbnail Courtesy: TMT Observatory Corporation
----------
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporter for helping us keep SciShow Space free for everyone forever: Jason A Saslow, David Brooks, and AndyGneiss!
Support SciShow Space by becoming a patron on Patreon: patreon.com/SciShowSpace
Or by checking out our awesome space pins and other products over at DFTBA Records: dftba.com/scishow
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
SciShow on TikTok: tiktok.com/@scishow
SciShow Tangents Podcast: scishowtangents.org
Facebook: facebook.com/scishow
Twitter: twitter.com/scishow
Instagram: instagram.com/thescishow
----------
Sources:
exoplanets.nasa.gov/faq/6/how-many-exoplanets-are-there
sciencefocus.com/space/how-far-from-earth-could-aliens-detect-our-radio-signals
seti.org/primer-seti-seti-institute
centauri-dreams.org/2020/07/03/a-seti-reality-check
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK540092
astrobiology.nasa.gov/about
exoplanets.nasa.gov/resources/2312/spectroscopy-detection-of-biosignatures
http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/resceu/lectures/spectra/spectra.html
http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/resceu/lectures/spectra/ans_trans_frac.txt
academic.oup.com/mnras/article/448/3/2546/1109920
astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/detecting-lifes-influence-on-planetary-atmospheres
liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/ast.2017.1727
bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Book%3A_Microbiology_(Boundless)/8%3A_Microbial_Evolution_Phylogeny_and_Diversity/8.15%3A_Euryarchaeota/8.15C%3A_Methane-Producing_Archaea_-_Methanogens
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4323125
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rog.20011
pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2117933119
arxiv.org/pdf/2208.07393.pdf
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ac8cfb
exoplanets.nasa.gov/trappist1
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aa7fea
newscientist.com/article/mg25233640-700-3-of-the-most-exciting-space-telescopes-planned-for-launch-by-2034
asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/luvoir/design
asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/luvoir/reports/LUVOIR_FinalReport_2019-08-26.pdf
arxiv.org/abs/2105.09990
researchgate.net/publication/7801784_Vegetation's_Red_Edge_A_Possible_Spectroscopic_Biosignature_of_Extraterrestrial_Plants
phys.org/news/2020-03-clouds-obscure-view-exoplanet-surfaces.html
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/facilities-technology/telescopes-instruments/giant-magellan-telescope
arxiv.org/pdf/1705.05791.pdf
nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-detects-carbon-dioxide-in-exoplanet-atmosphere
nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-reveals-steamy-atmosphere-of-distant-planet-in-detail
Images:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NASA-Exoplanet-WaterWorlds-20180817.jpg
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13375
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Artist%E2%80%99s_impression_of_the_European_Extremely_Large_Telescope_(15761494008).jpg
nasa.gov/image-feature/a-spin-around-an-exoplanet-most-like-earth
exoplanets.nasa.gov/resources/2312/spectroscopy-detection-of-biosignatures
nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-reveals-steamy-atmosphere-of-distant-planet-in-detail
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Exoplanet-WASP-39b-20180301.jpg
eurekalert.org/news-releases/772739
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sea_lettuce_in_Brofjorden_1_-_cropped.jpg
flickr.com/photos/ex_magician/4235161003
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NASA-RedDwarfPlanet-ArtistConception-20130728.jpg
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/30870
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Plato_factsheet
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rendering_of_LUVOIR-A_observatory,_2019.png
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hubble_ultra_deep_field.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giant_Magellan_Telescope_-_artist%27s_concept.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Top_view_of_tmt_complex.jpg
Get 50% off your SciShow Space calendar today by heading to complexlycalendars.com/products/scishowspace
Astronomers have found more than 5,000 planets in the last three decades, but that’s not nearly as exciting as potentially coming across the first extraterrestrial creatures. And we may finally be in a position to make that discovery.
Hosted by: Hank Green (he/him)
Thumbnail Courtesy: TMT Observatory Corporation
----------
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporter for helping us keep SciShow Space free for everyone forever: Jason A Saslow, David Brooks, and AndyGneiss!
Support SciShow Space by becoming a patron on Patreon: patreon.com/SciShowSpace
Or by checking out our awesome space pins and other products over at DFTBA Records: dftba.com/scishow
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
SciShow on TikTok: tiktok.com/@scishow
SciShow Tangents Podcast: scishowtangents.org
Facebook: facebook.com/scishow
Twitter: twitter.com/scishow
Instagram: instagram.com/thescishow
----------
Sources:
exoplanets.nasa.gov/faq/6/how-many-exoplanets-are-there
sciencefocus.com/space/how-far-from-earth-could-aliens-detect-our-radio-signals
seti.org/primer-seti-seti-institute
centauri-dreams.org/2020/07/03/a-seti-reality-check
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK540092
astrobiology.nasa.gov/about
exoplanets.nasa.gov/resources/2312/spectroscopy-detection-of-biosignatures
http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/resceu/lectures/spectra/spectra.html
http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/resceu/lectures/spectra/ans_trans_frac.txt
academic.oup.com/mnras/article/448/3/2546/1109920
astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/detecting-lifes-influence-on-planetary-atmospheres
liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/ast.2017.1727
bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Book%3A_Microbiology_(Boundless)/8%3A_Microbial_Evolution_Phylogeny_and_Diversity/8.15%3A_Euryarchaeota/8.15C%3A_Methane-Producing_Archaea_-_Methanogens
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4323125
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rog.20011
pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2117933119
arxiv.org/pdf/2208.07393.pdf
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ac8cfb
exoplanets.nasa.gov/trappist1
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aa7fea
newscientist.com/article/mg25233640-700-3-of-the-most-exciting-space-telescopes-planned-for-launch-by-2034
asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/luvoir/design
asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/luvoir/reports/LUVOIR_FinalReport_2019-08-26.pdf
arxiv.org/abs/2105.09990
researchgate.net/publication/7801784_Vegetation's_Red_Edge_A_Possible_Spectroscopic_Biosignature_of_Extraterrestrial_Plants
phys.org/news/2020-03-clouds-obscure-view-exoplanet-surfaces.html
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/facilities-technology/telescopes-instruments/giant-magellan-telescope
arxiv.org/pdf/1705.05791.pdf
nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-detects-carbon-dioxide-in-exoplanet-atmosphere
nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-reveals-steamy-atmosphere-of-distant-planet-in-detail
Images:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NASA-Exoplanet-WaterWorlds-20180817.jpg
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13375
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Artist%E2%80%99s_impression_of_the_European_Extremely_Large_Telescope_(15761494008).jpg
nasa.gov/image-feature/a-spin-around-an-exoplanet-most-like-earth
exoplanets.nasa.gov/resources/2312/spectroscopy-detection-of-biosignatures
nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-reveals-steamy-atmosphere-of-distant-planet-in-detail
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Exoplanet-WASP-39b-20180301.jpg
eurekalert.org/news-releases/772739
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sea_lettuce_in_Brofjorden_1_-_cropped.jpg
flickr.com/photos/ex_magician/4235161003
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NASA-RedDwarfPlanet-ArtistConception-20130728.jpg
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/30870
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Plato_factsheet
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rendering_of_LUVOIR-A_observatory,_2019.png
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hubble_ultra_deep_field.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giant_Magellan_Telescope_-_artist%27s_concept.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Top_view_of_tmt_complex.jpg
