The Oldest Question: Is There Life Beyond Earth? - YouTube

Christopher D. Impey, Distinguished Professor, Astronomy/Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona. Presented March 8, 2011.

Our reconstruction of the chronology of events that led to the origin of the Earth and subsequent chemical evolution on our planet informs us that nothing unusual was required for the origin and development of terrestrial life, and that therefore life may be pervasive throughout the cosmos. Whether extraterrestrial life exists is so ancient and beguiling a question that humankind is actively seeking the answer in its explorations of the planetary systems in our solar system. It may one day transpire that we discover that genesis has occurred, independently, not once but twice in our solar system. At that point, we could safely infer that life is a fundamental feature of our universe ... along with dark matter, supernovae, and black holes.

Cosmic Origins is the story of the universe but it's also our story. Hear about origin of space and time, mass and energy, the atoms in our bodies, the compact objects where matter can end up, and the planets and moons where life may flourish. Modern cosmology includes insights and triumphs, but mysteries remain. Join the six speakers who will explore cosmology's historical and cultural backdrop to explain the discoveries that speak of our cosmic origins. http://cos.arizona.edu/cosmic




The Oldest Question: Is There Life Beyond Earth? - YouTube:

'via Blog this'

Brian Cox Lecture - GCSE Science brought down to Earth

The hugely popular scientist held his second 'Star Lecture' at The University of Manchester on Wednesday 8 June. Brian is an academic in the School of Physics and Astronomy,
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/briancox/
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=7095

STARS & PLANETS - Astronomy Lectures

Astronomy Lecture 1: What Is a Star?
Link
1:02:02
In this first lecture video of three in the Frontiers of Science unit on astronomy, Columbia University professor David Helfand sifts through astrophysics jargon to explain the basic physics behind stars—"our signposts for measuring our place in the Universe and its history"—and how they evolve over cosmic time. A lecture transcript and companion PowerPoint presentation are also available on FoSO.




Astronomy Lecture 2: Lives of the Stars
Link
1:09:42
In this second lecture video of three in the Frontiers of Science unit on astronomy, Columbia University professor David Helfand explores the life history of a star, a biography encompassing millions of years, and how astrophysicists are able to trace stellar evolution. A lecture transcript and companion PowerPoint presentation are also available on FoSO.



Astronomy Lecture 3: Planets Everywhere
Link
53:29
In this third lecture video of three in the Frontiers of Science unit on astronomy, Columbia University professor David Helfand describes methods of detecting other solar systems and planets and their properties in the interest of answering the question: Is our solar system unique, or are there others like it in the Universe? A lecture transcript and companion PowerPoint presentation are also available on FoSO.

FORA.tv - Ian Morison: God and the Universe

How many civilizations ? Only 1. -
Min 40

FORA.tv - Ian Morison: God and the Universe

'A Universe From Nothing' by Lawrence Krauss

Lawrence Krauss gives a talk on our current picture of the universe, how it will end, and how it could have come from nothing. Krauss is the author of many bestselling books on Physics and Cosmology, including "The Physics of Star Trek."

Introduction to Astrophysics - YALE COURSE

Course Description :
This course focuses on three particularly interesting areas of astronomy that are advancing very rapidly: Extra-Solar Planets, Black Holes, and Dark Energy. Particular attention is paid to current projects that promise to improve our understanding significantly over the next few years. The course explores not just what is known, but what is currently not known, and how astronomers are going about trying to find out.

1. Introduction to Astrophysics
2. Planetary Orbits
3. Our Solar System and the Pluto Problem
4. Discovering Exoplanets: Hot Jupiters
5. Planetary Transits
6.Microlensing, Astrometry and Other Methods
7. Direct Imaging of Exoplanets
8. Introduction to Black Holes
9. Special and General Relativity
10. Tests of Relativity
11. Special and General Relativity (cont.)
12. Stellar Mass Black Holes
13. Stellar Mass Black Holes (cont.)
14. Pulsars
15. Supermassive Black Holes
16. Hubbles Law and the Big Bang
17. Hubbles Law and the Big Bang (cont.)
18. Hubbles Law and the Big Bang (cont.)
19. Omega and the End of the Universe
20. Dark Matter
21. Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe and the Big Rip
22. Supernovae
23. Other Constraints: The Cosmic Microwave Background
24. The Multiverse and Theories of Everything

Cosmic Quandaries with Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

An out of this world event, Cosmic Quandaries, held at The Palladium in St. Petersburg.

First Things in the Universe - SETI Institute Lecture

Tom Abel of Stanford University discusses how supercomputer simulations allow us to visually show the origin of the first stars, their ultimate demise and the impact on their future, which is our past.

Are We Alone?

A documentary that explores the possibilities of Life

1934 Explanation of the creation and end of the Moon

1934 Explanation of the creation and end of the Moon.

The Universe Has No Center... and You're Not There

Join the Astronomical Society of the Pacific's James White as he discusses how we think the universe appears, and more importantly, how we know that. Presented by the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. Series: "Eyes on the Universe"

The God of the Gaps (by Neil deGrasse Tyson)

God at the end of the knowledge.
From: Beyond Belief 2006

Aliens on Earth ? - Life - Drake Equation - Universe - Astronomer Mario Di Maggio

Join Mario Di Maggio, the Thinktank astronomer, to hear about the facts and the fantasies about Aliens on Earth. Determine the likelihood of extraterrestrial intelligence and learn how to track it down.

Minute 1 OFOs
Minute 23 Life
Minute 33 Life out side Earth
Minute 37 Milky Way photo size scale
Minute 39 Elements of Life
Minute 40 Drake Equation estimation

Interactive Periodic Table

The Big Bang

Professor Jim Al Khalili delves into over 50 years of the BBC science archive to tell the story behind the emergence of one of the greatest theories of modern science, the Big Bang.

The remarkable idea that our universe simply began from nothing has not always been accepted with the conviction it is today and, from fiercely disputed leftfield beginnings, took the best part of the 20th century to emerge as the triumphant explanation of how the universe began.

Using curious horn-shaped antennas, U-2 spy planes, satellites and particle accelerators, scientists have slowly pieced together the cosmological jigsaw, and this documentary charts the overwhelming evidence for a universe created by a Big Bang. (Excerpt from bbc.co.uk)

Cosmologist Ian Morison: It’s About Time

Summary
Professor Ian Morison discusses time, one of the most mysterious concepts in our Universe. It is easy to describe how we define its passage and how we can make exceedingly accurate clocks but questions as to what determines the arrow of time and whether time travel is possible can tax the most brilliant minds!

The Legacy of Einstein : Kip S. Thorne - Life in the Universe

Nobel Conference 41, 'The Legacy of Einstein,' celebrates the 100th anniversary of Einstein's annus mirabilis. The series links a general audience in debate with some of the World's foremost scientists in the areas of statistical physics, relativity, cosmology, and unified theories. In addition, the impact of Einstein's discoveries and his social and political views has had on science and humanity.This episode features speaker Kip S. Thorne. This forum was held at Gustavus Adolphus College.

The Legacy of Einstein :Wendy L. Freedman

Nobel Conference 41, 'The Legacy of Einstein,' celebrates the 100th anniversary of Einstein's annus mirabilis. The series links a general audience in debate with some of the World's foremost scientists in the areas of statistical physics, relativity, cosmology, and unified theories. In addition, the impact of Einstein's discoveries and his social and political views has had on science and humanity.This episode features speaker Wendy L. Freedman. This forum was held at Gustavus Adolphus College.

The Legacy of Einstein : Sylvester Gates

Nobel Conference 41, 'The Legacy of Einstein,' celebrates the 100th anniversary of Einstein's annus mirabilis. The series links a general audience in debate with some of the World's foremost scientists in the areas of statistical physics, relativity, cosmology, and unified theories. In addition, the impact of Einstein's discoveries and his social and political views has had on science and humanity.This episode features speaker Sylvester James Gates Jr. This forum was held at Gustavus Adolphus College.

Seeing the Universe

Seeing the Universe - 29:00 - Feb 28, 2008

When Will We Discover the Extraterrestrials?

Google TechTalk
April 24, 2007
Speaker: Dr. Seth Shostak
The scientific hunt for extraterrestrial intelligence is now into its fifth decade, and we still haven't uncovered a confirmed peep from any cosmic company. Could this mean that finding aliens, even if they exist, is a project for the ages -- one that might take centuries or longer?
New technologies for use in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) suggest that, despite the continued dearth of signals from other societies, there is good reason to expect that success might not be far off -- that we might find evidence of sophisticated civilizations within a few decades.
Why this is so, what contact would tell us, and what such a discovery would mean, are the subject of this talk on the continuing efforts to establish our place in the universe of thinking beings.