The Fermi Paradox

It is soft, common, and something most people wear almost every day. Yet behind this humble fabric lies one of the most dramatic stories in human history. Cotton connected ancient civilizations, built global trade networks, fueled the Industrial Revolution, enriched empires, and ...  Show more

Most riots are born from serious grievances: politics, poverty, religion, or oppression. Yet history is also filled with eruptions of violence that began for reasons so strange, so unexpected, and so absurd that they almost defy belief. Some changed cities, some embarrassed gover ...  Show more

Ever wondered where all the aliens are? It’s actually very weird that, as big and old as the universe is, we seem to be the only intelligent life. In this episode, Josh examines the Fermi paradox, and what it says about humanity’s place in the universe. (Original score by Point L ...  Show more

Are we alone in the universe? If so, why? If not, where is everybody? Thankfully, math can help us with these astronomically profound questions. Keep on listening to learn all about the probability of extraterrestrial life. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2isqx83 Hos ...  Show more

Melvyn Bragg examines Extra Terrestrials. New planets have been observed far beyond our solar system and telescopes are being built that will enable us to look for water and oxygen on these distant planets. If water and oxygen are present, there is every reason to suppose that so ...  Show more

In 1950 Enrico Fermi sat down to have lunch with his friends and colleagues at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. While discussing UFOs, Enrico asked a simple question: if aliens exist, where are they? This conflict between the high likelihood of alien life and the lac ...  Show more