Curiosity Stream features famous Physicist Stephen Hawking in a 25-minute film. The recently released "Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places" also details Hawking's pursuit of alien life.
Hawking And Planet Gliese 832c
Hawking revealed that scientists have already found thousands of planets outside the solar system. He added that some are burning hells featuring gates of fire and lava. He mentioned that others are solid diamond made in deadly x-rays from a dying star. Hawking considers some of them as more like Earth.
According to the USA Today, the film takes Hawkings and his viewers on a trip around the universe. He is aboard a CGI spaceship. One of their destinations is the planet Gliese 832c. So far, it could be one of the closest habitable planets in the universe.
Hawking described Gliese 832c as a super-Earth five times more massive than our planet. He expressed that it's actually a breathtaking sight. Though scientists are not certain that it is habitable.
He admitted that its atmosphere may be so thick. It will cause the surface to be concealed by super heat and smog. Gliese 832c's spin could be locked by the gravity of its sun. It means that one side of the planet is always facing the sun.
Establishing Contact With The Alien Life
However, Hawkings is still hopeful. He said that there could be life in Gliese 832c. That is if the planet could have Earth-like temperatures with an abundant liquid water. Apparently, his Breakthrough Listen Initiative is in the range of Gliese 832c.
The said initiative uses sensitive radio telescopes. It pick-up potential signals from other planets. According to Hawking, they might receive a signal back from a planet like Gliese 832c. But he reminds people to be wary of answering it back.
The meeting of an advanced civilization may not turn out so well. He compared it to when the Native Americans encountered Christopher Columbus. Even so, he did acknowledge that such a discovery would be the greatest scientific discovery in history.
According to Christian Science Monitor, the Breakthrough Listen Initiative is specifically searching for signs of communication from outer space. He said that it's time to commit in finding life beyond Earth.
