Beautifully done. I don't think "there's no life out there" is the simplest answer to the Fermi Paradox. "The universe is too effing big for us to expect evidence of life to have reached us" is the simplest answer.

The harsh reality is, theres a strong chance that none of us alive now will ever know if there is other life.

What’s more terrifying than being alone? Not being alone, when thinking we are.

The idea that we're totally alone. Just makes me feel even more lucky and special. It doesn't get me down.

You Sir, are a great communicator. That was 19 minutes of pure interest, fascinating, to coin a phrase.

“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” - Arthur C. Clarke

*Out of the 4.5 billion years the planets been around we have only been detectable for 0.00000000000001% in a radius of 100 light years, so we are going to have to look at A LOT of planets to catch that small percentage*

I think it'd be neat (if not slightly depressing) if we actually were the only intelligent life to exist so far. That means that if we somehow manage to live long enough for other species to finally exist, we could very well get to be one of those super mysterious/powerful/ancient "elder" species that they always have in Science Fiction. Ha, the thought of aliens thinking of us as wise is kinda hilarious. Maybe someday! Edit: aww cute lol, pluto was lonely but she found a friend! I like the way you put that!

"This moment of Existential Dread is brought to you by Curiosity Stream..." HAHAHAHA!!

"this moment of existential dread is brought to you by curiosity stream: Best curiosity stream ad ever :DDDDDD

"If you like my channel" Ma man, I loooove your channel

I’ve watched this video many times and Each time, the ‘last sigh’ kind of sums it up for me. We are so so lucky to be here. Can we just take care of the earth and each other please?

I can't get enough of this guy. He's such a great story teller and he always has interesting subjects to talk about. Great job, Joe!

Well I guess it's Existential Crisis Monday again...

Whenever I want my Science Fiction dreams crushed, I just come here. Still, very well done.

This video makes me love Earth so much.

“Where is everybody"? A better question, albeit a more troubling one, might be “What happened to everybody?"

One of the only channels I keep coming back to, simple informative and a likeable guy. Keep it up dude!

I was feeling so small throughout this video but then Joe was like "okay what is that" made me laugh so hard. I wish I had you as a teacher in school, I would've probably focused more. I'm so interested in any topic you talk about. Thank you for providing an A1 learning atmosphere for people of all backgrounds. I really appreciate it.

You're starting to sound like one of those round earthers.

This is one of the best channels, shocking it has less than a million subscribers. Joe you rock!

*“The universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space.”* ― _Carl Sagan, Contact_ 👽👌

There could be civilizations like us out there looking to the stars wondering the same thing we are wondering, “are we alone” and “where is everybody”

I would really LOVE to see a video on alternative forms of life; like ammonia- or silicate-based life.

Intelligent life might be a bit kind. It would really suck to find out we're the cousin Eddie of the universe.

I agree with the final point that, mathematically, even a 'rare' Earth means loads of nearly identical planets.

I think proving there isn't life out there is impossible but that proving there is life is possible but will never happen in our lifetime. In a few million years, whatever we evolve into will maybe figure it out, but it's arrogant of us to assume we would know by now. In the future, they'll look back at us and laugh at the dumb shit we did and believed and didn't know. Personally I think it's possible but not as likely as people say it is. But also its crazy to think we know or should know at this point in time. Like why now? Maybe we will in the future, but not now.

Is the Rare Earth Hypotheses really just an updated version of the Drake Equation? We just learned there are sooo many more factors that really narrowed the odds down and point out how we might be one of one?

Hey, think the good side of being alone in the universe: _It's free real estate_

We could just be the first intelligent civilization Maybe we’ll be the alien invaders of some distant primitive world

Me having watched 100+ videos on the subject but still clicking and expecting to find new answers. 🤠

Isaac Asimov said in one of the Galactic Empire novels that every galaxy has one dominant life form to expand and inhabit it. It was an interesting theory. 😊

"Do you want an Olympus Mons? Because that's how you get an Olympus Mons. " Really good Archer reference 👌

If we are really alone in the universe then the universe is full of free realestate

I loved this video. Thank you! Really looking forward to my first Patreon Zoom.

Great work. I appreciate all the research that went into putting this together.

5 views 25 likes Proof of extraterrestrial life

this is exactly the kind of theory which gives rise to the simulation theories

Hey Mr. Scott just subbed to Curiosity Stream/ Nebula with your code, love your channel so much. Keep it up my guy!

The formation of the moon stripped away a lot of the Earth's crust, exposing metals for us to dig up much more easlily

How I wish my science teachers as I was growing up we're more like you u make science learning so much fun and love ur joke's it makes it more interesting and fun learning thank u so much.

Why is this channel so addictive

I discovered your channel only today. I've been watching for 4 hours straight now, and I absolutely LOVE your content and your wry delivery on so many different subjects. This particular video totally pushed all my buttons. Thank you for FINALLY allowing me to find an intelligent You Tuber with wonderous content!

One of the best pieces of informed speculation I've seen in a long time. Thanks 👍

Good morning Joe! I will always be alone in the universe lol

So glad to hear you say "other life that doesnt fit our definition, isnt composed of DNA or Carbon ". It drives me nuts to watch How the Universe Works and hear these scientists say how life would be impossible on [some exoplanet or moon] because of the absence of water. We evolved needing water because its present on earth. Life on other planets would evolve utilising elements and compounds found there. That's what evolution is. This moment of existential dread brought to you by..... Joe.

"B-But the Bible never talked about alien life!"

Hands down the best channel ive ever come across, thank you for your videos

I was just watching some of your videos, letting autoplay do its thing, and when you started talking about a galactic Goldilocks Zone and planets forming in the core of the galaxy, my ears pricked up. It's pretty much a brief summary of my PhD research!

4:12 It's the CAAAmbrian explosion. - Bill Wurtz

The chance of intelligent life being “detectable” by us in OUR timeframe has got be be REALLY small - and rare enough that no systems within 100 light years or so have transmitted any radio signals. If we take time out of the equation perhaps we would detect other life - both in our distant past AND in our distant futures.

You gave us a lot of reasons why carbon based earth life would be so rare in the universe but we have to remember that things can adapt to live in different conditions, like more radiation

I see Joe, I hit like. Life is simpler that way. And it makes me feel not alone. 😊

We are the aliens: we just haven't got there yet.

This is a very interesting video. It does a fine job of explaining the factors that are required for live to form on this planet. It does a fine job of explaining these factors in a way that can be understood.

Love your channel! Keep up the great work.

i dont have anything to say but i still want to comment for that algorithm boost

I watched this when you first released this video, after learning more about science and how life evolved it just clicked......... galaxies most likely have a goldilocks zone which may be between the spiral arms, the way you explain things is great love you Joe, you make me want to learn more more 🙂

This guy asks all the right questions. I'm glad I came across this channel.

As Joe said, there are millions of "Fermi Paradox/Are We Alone?" videos on UKposts. That said, _this_ is the clearest, most concise, most informative and enjoyable episodes you'll see on the subject. This richly illustrates why Joe is one of the best science/ content creators on this platform. He doesn't go down any rabbit holes nor does he delve so deeply into science that you need an astronomy/physics/math degree to understand him. Here, he hits every major facet of the subject to fully flesh out the most important points. Just listen to how perfectly he describes the action and important of Earth's tectonic plate activity. Good Show, Old Chap!

It's insane that we have to convince people to maintain the one and only planet we know supports human life. 😒 😒

I'm not sure planet detection has developed to the point where we can conclusively say that we live in an oddball solar system. Certainly there are vastly different solar systems, but I think we would have trouble detecting a solar system like ours with our present instruments, so we are biased towards the kinds of solar systems that are currently easiest for us to detect. The big waiting period between the two main events in the history of life on Earth - single celled and multicelluar organisms - is very suggestive though of multicellularity being rare.

People often say to me that it’s impossible to say that we’re alone in the universe because of its size but I’ve always maintained that it’s entirely possible that this is the only one. The only planet capable of sustaining an ecosystem of our complexity and duration. So many factors go into making earth a habitable place that it rules out nearly all the stars and planets in the universe.

We have to pay 20$ to reach the next level and meet aliens.

Nice overview Joe; balanced, thoughtful and thorough without driving off into the weeds of all the absolutist theories. Thank you for keeping it real.

Your UKposts postings are very interesting and well presented. This one, in particular, is exceptionally thoughtful. Well done. Regards, Geoff. Reeks

all of your video's are absolutely fantastic Joe' ...you talk about all things i thought most everyone else in the world never thought about asking before, i been Subscribed here for over 3 years, thank you very much for taking your time to make them,

Thank you for another insanely fantastic video! :)

"Do you want multicellular life? Because thats how you get multicellular life!"

Hey Joe! Man, your channel is really growing! I remember when your sub amount was only a little feller.. its growing into a giant now! Congrats! *Cheers* here's to a million more!

Having watched this video a few times, I just realized that it may just be the best video ever, on this subject! :)

Two other things to consider. First, the rare Earth hypothesis, as I understand it, isn’t that life is rare, but that complex, and intelligent life is rare. Simple, single-cell organisms are possibly quite common. Indeed, one of the challenges of exploring deep under the Martian soil, and in the oceans of Europa (and a handful of other moons), is ensuring that our probes are sterile, and don’t contaminate the sample. We have learned that some microbial life can survive for relatively short periods of time in the vacuum of space, something we cannot do. So microbial life may be very common, but complex life may be rare. The second point is this. It’s extremely difficult to detect exoplanets, especially Earth sized exoplanets. The two methods being employed, observing the wobble of stars, and observing the cyclical changes of luminosity of stars which could indicate the passage of planets transiting the star, are going to favor the detection of large planets, in close orbits. Plus, the second method requires the star system to be in exactly the right alignment as we observe from Earth. The big problem is like trying to distinguish a candle from a nearby wildfire - the light from these stars dwarfs the reflective light of a much smaller planet, and as of this moment, we are using indirect means of observing these exoplanets, by observing the effects they have on their stars. When we manage to develop the technology, and can do spectral analysis of the atmosphere of these Earth-type planets, the key item to look for will be molecular oxygen. That is most likely caused by life, since oxygen is so reactive. Indeed it was early, anaerobic life which transformed our early, oxygen absent atmosphere, into one that was abundant with oxygen, which was bad news for many of these early life forms (for which oxygen was toxic) but fueled the formation of complex life. Finding an exoplanet with an atmosphere abundant with molecular oxygen would be a good sign that complex life existed there, if not life intelligent enough to create a technological civilization. Photosynthesis is critical. On the downside, while the vast majority of stars are small, red main-sequence stars, which have incredibly long lives, they have another property which may prevent large numbers of them developing life. They have a tendency to produce extremely violent flares, which would be harmful to life, and also harmful to technology. Our Solar System’s closest neighbor is Proxima Centauri, a red dwarf star (not to be confused with a white dwarf - red dwarfs are on the main-sequence, still fusing hydrogen in their cores). Apparently such low mass stars are so small that they lack a convective zone, which thus makes them prone to far more frequent and violent flares.

Joe, you really do an amazing job at bringing the existential dread in all of us. Something that I think allot more people should experience every once in a while.

Imagine discovering life from the moon Europa. Europeans...

Help out Joe, great shirts, this is UKpostss’ purpose, a platform to share knowledge and educate. Pretty much the best Encyclopedia Brittanica I’ve had the privilege to flip through. I spent a lot of time in the library in 1984, I had to learn as much as I could, because I was driven. Love the content, Joe hits all the mental nails on the head, and the humor is digestible too.

Love ur videos joe Keeping my mind busy during quarantine

“Are we really alone in the universe” One of the most surreal questions a human can ask

1:02 wait..... Yet? 2020 : Thats another one for apocolapse bingo

One of your best videos keep up the great work

I told vividly remember watching shoemaker-levy but I have an extra added bonus to that; my dad was one of the secondary team fixed the defects in the Hubble telescope lens

the careful thoughtful awareness you bring to every topic you cover is why I sub you on patreon, thank you

would be a terrible waste of space if we were alone in the universe IMO, but then again one could argue that in that case it would be humanity's duty to populate it

such a classic. congrats on 1mil =)

I'm so excited about the James Webb launch. It will answer so many questions about space and our place in the universe.

I don't think that "life" itself is rare. but intelligence, that's a whole different ballgame. I mean, just look how long it took to emerge here on earth. and then it only manifests in one species. there are probably billions of planets with sponges and stuff, but very few with libraries

Thank you Joe! "Until that happens, let's do our best to treat this planet like the rare precious jewel that it is" 🖖

Your the best.. Love your show.. Keep up great work. One of your bests episodes

1. U know joes vids are good when 2-3 years later they’re still amazing. 2. It’s a crazy thought. Just like thinking life is abundant. I feel like it’s one of those questions that’ll get answered with time. In the future we find out an alien species, great answered. If we never do in the, millions of years (random years) we live, we might as well be alone. And what if we did, in a way would be not interact to observe. If even able to with the distance of space

I honestly think it's a time problem. In the time that the light travels to meet our eyes intelligent life could have evolved, been wiped out and we would never have known it.

Carl Sagan: "We are but star stuff". Joe Scott: "We are but muck and slime!" You choose! LOL. :D

Awe! Joe! You're amazing! Thank you for your content!!

"O. K. What is that?" 🤣 I think you played it down. I would go "Holy crap! What I'm the name of heavens are those things?"

Omg I felt that moment of existential dread 💯

You would be the coolest science teacher.

I'm not a scientist, and I love the way you make the complex understandable for the "rest of us". Thank you, Joe.

Tearing up the floor in our living room, you're getting me through it lol

One of the best AWJ videos. Congrats.

Nah.. I look at the Stars every night when I take my dogs out , an am out in the Boondooks and I like to think theres maybe someone or something doin the same thing way out there.

The tectonics issue also presents the problem of becoming a technologically advanced species. You need a planet where heavier elements can come to the surface. When life began on earth, the moon was so close to the planet that the tide was a thousand feet high and almost every square inch of the planet was a tidal pool. Our moon also had, at that time, a molten core capable of creating a magnetic field linked to Earth's magnetic field. The book 'Rare Earth' is more than 2 decades old but most of what we have learned in those 20 years has upheld the hypothesis that simple life is likely common and intelligent, complex life is exceedingly rare.

Joe, I'm still combing thru your videos. I really enjoy them! Wouldn't mind a longer one honed in a major point or blah blah blah 🤣