Why haven’t we found aliens? A physicist shares the most popular theories. | Brian Cox
1,789,277
Published 2023-09-29
This question is known as the Fermi paradox, and it continues to go unsolved. However, some theories could offer potential solutions.
Physicist Brian Cox explains the paradox and walks us through our best guesses as to the reason for our quasi-isolation.
0:00 Who is Enrico Fermi?
0:22 What is the Fermi Paradox?
1:29 Rare Earth Hypothesis
2:41 Extinguished Civilizations
3:51 Technological Singularity
4:34 Vast Distances
5:14 Cosmic Quarantine
7:31 The Great Filter
9:51 The Great Silence
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Go Deeper with Big Think:
►Become a Big Think Member
Get exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_mediu…
►Get Big Think+ for Business
Guide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_sou…
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About Brian Cox:
Brian Cox obtained a first class honors degree in physics from the University of Manchester in 1995 and in 1998 a Ph.D. in High Energy Particle Physics at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. Brian is now Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester, The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Brian is widely recognized as the foremost communicator for all things scientific, having presented a number of highly acclaimed science programs for the BBC watched by billions internationally including ‘Adventures in Space and Time’ (2021), ‘Universe’ (2021), ‘The Planets’ (2018), ‘Forces of Nature’ (2016), ‘Human Universe’ (2014), ‘Wonders of Life’ (2012), ‘Wonders of the Universe’ (2011) and ‘Wonders of the Solar System’ (2010).
As an author, Brian has also sold over a million books worldwide including ‘Black Holes’, ‘Universal: A Guide to the Cosmos’, ‘Quantum Universe’ and ‘Why Does E=mc2?’ with co-author Professor Jeffrey Forshaw. He also wrote the series of books to accompany his popular television and radio programs.
All Comments (21)
-
"The moment you are shown to be wrong, you learn something" Words to live by!
-
It's fascinating how Brian Cox have gone over these theories 1000 times already and he's still as enthusiastic about telling them to potential new ears listening as he was the first time he went over the theories. Just wanted to point out how awesome that is.
-
Idk if it's his accent or what , but the way he explains things and breaks things down for us normal people to grasp is just beyond awsome. Hes amazing
-
I love and appreciate how Brian Cox, a brilliant physicist, can speak to the majority, in plain English, with great enthusiasm and passion. Thank you, Sir!
-
Best explanation I heard, was a lady scientist at SETI, who posed, " you can dip a child's fishing net into the sea, a thousand times, and it's unlikely you'll catch a fish. Yet, we know our oceans are teaming with life".
-
The fact that we only started to understand space in the blink of an eye relative to the time life emerged, leads me to believe either we don't have the technology to detect them, or we just haven't found the needles in the hay stack yet.
-
Simply brilliant and concise. Enables a layman to grasp some understanding.
-
One of the most excellent and thought provoking presentations I have seen for a vey long time.
-
"Every scientist should be delighted it they're shown to be wrong, because the moment you've been shown to be wrong, that means you've learned something, and that's the way knowledge progresses." That's brilliant and beautiful.
-
"If we destroy ourselves, we might destroy meaning in an entire galaxy forever." That's some responsibillty that. Thanks Brian...
-
when you think about it, Star Trek's prime directive would make a lot of sense in how we've never noticed extraterrestrial life.
-
Odd example,, of the orchid opening for a day. Orchids open but most of them that we have in our homes stay in bloom for months, unlike most non-orchid plants.
-
I love how Brian Cox presents this type of information, he almost makes it more accessible for non scientific people. Could listen to him all day.
-
Prof. Cox is by far my most favourite science communicator. Thank you for this vid.
-
Great explanations! Much appreciated.
-
8. We are the most advanced species in the galaxy. This is one theory of my own which I don’t see mentioned often. Most people think of extraterrestrial life as technologically way more advanced than we are. But what if WE are the most advanced ones? That could explain a lot.
-
I love how Dr Cox is able to present complex information at a human level that anyone can understand. While at the same time accepting that he could be wrong, because there’s so much we don’t know.
-
“There are but two possibilities. Either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” -Arthur C Clarke
-
WOW - THANK YOU!! Very well done and interesting !
-
Really enjoyed this video!
