Narrator: NASA's MISSION
IS TO EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN. Man: THERE'S MORE THAT WE DON'T
KNOW THAN WE DO KNOW. THAT'S JUST THE NATURE
OF THE UNIVERSE. Narrator:
IN THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS, IT LAUNCHES
ITS SCIENTISTS INTO SPACE, ITS CRAFT BEYOND THE LIMITS
OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM. Williams: TAKING RISKS IS PART
OF MAKING DISCOVERIES. SPACE EXPLORATION
IS LIKE LIGHTING A MATCH, AND WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT LURKS IN THE SHADOWS. THERE COULD BE ANYTHING
OUT THERE. Narrator: MYSTERIOUS TRACKS, HUNTED ASTRONAUTS, FOUNTAINS OF LIFE
ON SATURN'S MOON, AND POSSIBLE EVIDENCE
OF AN ALIEN INVASION -- NASA's MISSIONS HAVE UNCOVERED
DISTURBING ANOMALIES... MAN: Okay, we're seeing
three or four objects. MAN #2: Yeah,
there are three objects. ...THAT CONTINUE TO PERPLEX
OUR FINEST SCIENTIFIC MINDS. THESE ARE
NASA'S UNEXPLAINED FILES. --<font color="#FFFF00"> Captions by VITAC --</font><font color="#00FFFF">
www.vitac.com</font> CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS A MYSTERIOUS OBJECT
FLOATS ABOVE OUR ATMOSPHERE. IT LOOKS LIKE
A KLINGON BIRD-OF-PREY. Narrator:
SOME SAY IT'S A STEALTH CRAFT FROM A SECRET DEFENSE PROJECT... Oberg:
THE BLACK KNIGHT GOES BACK TO THE EARLY YEARS OF
THE SPACE AGE AND EVEN BEFORE. Narrator: ...OR SOMETHING
EVEN MORE SINISTER. Friedman: THERE'S A BLACK WORLD
OUT THERE -- LOTS OF THINGS WE CAN'T EXPLAIN. THAT'S THE WAY LIFE IS. [ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ] Narrator: DECEMBER 1998 -- SIX NASA ASTRONAUTS ARE ABOUT TO OPEN A NEW CHAPTER
IN SPACE EXPLORATION. THEIR MISSION -- TO ASSEMBLE
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, THE FIRST
PERMANENTLY MANNED SATELLITE TO ORBIT THE EARTH. JERRY ROSS IS THE SPACEWALK
MISSION SPECIALIST. WHEN YOU'RE STARTING TO LAY
THE CORNERSTONES OF SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, YOU'RE PUMPING AND YOU WANT TO GET ON
WITH THE PROGRAM. MAN: But the other one
has a dash-one, and you've hit
the nail on the head. Narrator:
SEVEN DAYS INTO THE MISSION, ROSS AND FELLOW ASTRONAUT
JIM NEWMAN ARE INSTALLING
THERMAL PROTECTION ON THE NEW SPACE STATION WHEN SOMEONE SPOTS
SOMETHING UNEXPECTED. A CREW MEMBER SAID,
"WHAT'S THAT?" AND I'M STARTING TO LOOK AROUND,
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND -- "WHAT'S THAT?
WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT?" Narrator:
THE CREW IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW NASA's UFO-SIGHTING PROTOCOL. THE FIRST THING WE TRY TO DO IS
TO TAKE PICTURES OF WHAT WE SEE SO THAT WE HAVE
PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE. [ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ] Narrator: BACK ON EARTH, THE PHOTOGRAPHS CREATE
AN INSTANT SENSATION IN THE UFO COMMUNITY. THEY SEE A LINK TO A MYSTERIOUS
OBJECT FROM THE 1950s KNOWN AS THE BLACK KNIGHT. SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS
EXTRATERRESTRIAL IN ORIGIN, OTHERS THAT IT CAME
FROM CLOSER TO HOME. THE BLACK KNIGHT GOES BACK TO THE EARLY YEARS OF
THE SPACE AGE AND EVEN BEFORE. PEOPLE WERE BEGINNING
TO WATCH THE SKIES, LOOKING FOR SATELLITES --
SECRET ONES. Narrator: THESE SO-CALLED
"DARK SATELLITES" WERE UNEXPLAINED BLIPS THAT
MYSTERIOUSLY APPEARED ON RADAR. AND SOMETIMES
OMINOUS BLACK SHAPES WERE SPOTTED
HOVERING IN THE SKY. AT THE TIME, THE RUSSIANS ACCUSED THE U.S.
OF SPACE ESPIONAGE, WHILE THE U.S. SUSPECTED
THE SAME. THE BLACK KNIGHT
IS JUST ONE OF MANY THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE
EXPLANATIONS FOR. CERTAINLY,
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT JUST BECAUSE IT'S OURS DOESN'T MEAN
WE TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT IT. MAN: Do it.
I'll guarantee you. Narrator: BUT JERRY ROSS DOESN'T
BUY THE DARK SATELLITE THEORY. HE BELIEVES
THERE'S A SIMPLER EXPLANATION. Ross: JIM WAS SUPPOSED TO PUT
A THERMAL BLANKET ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE STATION
TO PROTECT IT FROM HEAT LOSSES. MAN: We'll start at the base
and then work our way up. Ross: I WAS AHEAD ON MY TASK, SO JIM OFFERED TO GIVE ME
THE THERMAL BLANKET AND LET ME ATTACH IT, WHEN SOMEONE SAID,
"WHAT'S THAT FLOATING AWAY?" I LOOKED,
AND I SAW THIS BLANKET. I LOOKED AT THE TETHER
OF WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, AND IT WASN'T THERE. IN THIS CASE,
IT'S A STORY OF AN OOPS -- DROPPING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. IT WASN'T ALIEN.
IT WAS A MISTAKE. IT WAS A REALLY BAD FEELING. Narrator:
THE BLANKET LOOKS BLACK BECAUSE ITS REFLECTIVE SURFACE
IS FACING AWAY FROM THE EARTH, OUT TOWARDS
THE DARKNESS OF SPACE. BUT NOT EVERY SIGHTING
OF THE BLACK KNIGHT CAN BE SO EASILY EXPLAINED. THERE WERE REPORTS IN THE '50s OF STRANGE THINGS IN ORBIT
AROUND THE EARTH. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE. THEY WEREN'T OURS,
AS FAR AS WE KNOW. WE DON'T THINK
THEY WERE RUSSIA'S, EITHER. WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE? WHO KNOWS? Narrator: CONVENTIONAL
SCIENTIFIC WISDOM SUGGESTS THAT ANY ALIEN INTRUDER WOULD HAVE TO TRAVEL LIGHT-YEARS
TO REACH US... BUT ONE NASA CRAFT HAS DISCOVERED POTENTIAL SIGNS
OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE RIGHT NEXT DOOR. [ MORSE CODE BEEPING ] A NASA PROBE DETECTS
A MYSTERIOUS ENERGY SOURCE ON ONE OF SATURN'S DEAD MOONS, AND THE SEARCH FOR LIFE TAKES
AN UNEXPECTED LEAP FORWARD. ENCELADUS IS NOW
MY NUMBER-ONE CHOICE FOR WHERE WE MIGHT FIND LIFE. WE THOUGHT ENCELADUS WAS DEAD.
IT BLEW OUR MINDS. WHEN WE SEE A PUZZLE LIKE THIS,
WE WANT TO FIGURE IT OUT. D'Antonio: IT'S SPECTACULAR -- NOTHING LIKE IT
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM THAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR. Narrator: NASA's CASSINI PROBE
TRANSMITS MISSION DATA ACROSS A BILLION MILES OF SPACE. [ MORSE CODE BEEPING ] WHEN IT PASSES 700 MILES
ABOVE SATURN'S MOON ENCELADUS, PROJECT INVESTIGATOR
MICHELLE DOUGHERTY CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT SHE SEES. Dougherty: I LOOK AT THE DATA. I SEE THESE LARGE CHANGES,
AND I THINK, "THIS IS WEIRD. "I DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT'S GOING ON AT ALL. WHAT COULD IT BE TELLING US?" I TAKE A DEEP BREATH,
AND I PHONE THE CASSINI PROJECT. AND I SAY, "WE THINK WE'RE SEEING
AN ATMOSPHERE AT ENCELADUS. ENCELADUS IS ALIVE." Narrator: PUTTING HER REPUTATION
ON THE LINE, DOUGHERTY PERSUADES NASA
TO INTERRUPT ITS MISSION, TURN THE PROBE AROUND, AND TAKE AN EVEN CLOSER LOOK
AT ENCELADUS. [ MORSE CODE BEEPING ] WHAT HAPPENS
IF WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING? NO ONE'S EVER GONNA BELIEVE
ANYTHING I SAY AGAIN. Narrator:
SKIMMING SATURN'S RINGS, CASSINI TAKES A CLOSER LOOK
AT ENCELADUS. THE IMAGES IT SENDS BACK
ARE ASTONISHING. ENORMOUS PLUMES OF LIQUID WATER SPEW OUT OF A MOON
THAT SHOULD BE DEAD. THE PLUMES THAT WE'RE SEEING
AT ENCELADUS ARE HUGE... ...HALF THE SIZE
OF THE MOON ITSELF. IT VALIDATES THE DECISION
THAT WE MADE TO GO CLOSE AND REALLY GIVE US
A NEW DISCOVERY THAT NO ONE ACTUALLY THOUGHT
WAS EVER GONNA BE THERE. SO, IT'S REALLY COOL. Narrator:
THE SENSATIONAL DISCOVERY HITS THE WORLD'S HEADLINES, BUT PLANETARY SCIENTISTS
ARE BAFFLED BY THE GIANT LIQUID PLUMES. Dr. Brines:
IT SHOULD BE COMPLETELY FROZEN, BUT YET WE HAVE LIQUID WATER, 32 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT
AND WARMER, COMING OUT OF THIS THING,
SPEWING INTO SPACE. Narrator: SOMETHING OR SOMEONE
IS HEATING UP A MOON THAT SHOULD HAVE FROZEN TO DEATH
MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO. WE EXPECT
THAT THE SURFACE OF ENCELADUS HAS A LITTLE BIT OF HEAT ON IT BECAUSE OF THE SOLAR RADIATION
COMING IN, BUT YOU COULD POWER
20 COAL POWER STATIONS WITH THE HEAT THAT WE FIND. AND THAT'S A REAL SURPRISE. WHAT IS POWERING ENCELADUS? Narrator: ONE THEORY IS THAT THE MYSTERIOUS ENERGY
EMANATES FROM SATURN'S
EXTREME GRAVITATIONAL FORCE. D'Antonio:
ENCELADUS ISN'T LIKE OUR MOON. IT HAS A ROCKY CORE, BUT IT ACTUALLY HAS
A WATER OCEAN BENEATH A MANTLE OF THICK ICE. AS ENCELADUS ORBITS SATURN, SATURN'S MASSIVE GRAVITY
SQUISHES IT, PUTTING A LOT OF ENERGY INTO THAT LITTLE, TINY,
300-MILE-DIAMETER BALL. AND SO, THAT'S HELPING TO PUSH
THAT ICE WATER OUT OF THESE FISSURES
AT HIGH VELOCITY. Narrator:
CASSINI FLIES THROUGH A PLUME SPEWING FROM
THE ICY MOON'S GEYSER. WHAT IT DISCOVERS TURNS ENCELADUS FROM A BARREN,
FREEZING WASTELAND INTO A PROMISING PLACE
FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE. D'Antonio:
THE INTERESTING THING IS,
COMING OUT WITH THOSE GEYSERS, WE'RE ALSO SEEING
HYDROCARBONS -- BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE. ENCELADUS IS NOW
MY NUMBER-ONE CHOICE FOR WHERE WE MIGHT FIND LIFE. Dr. Reid:
IF YOU FIND LIQUID WATER, YOU CAN START TO TALK ABOUT
THE POSSIBILITIES FOR PERHAPS FINDING
SOME KIND OF ALIEN LIFE BENEATH THE SURFACE
OF ENCELADUS. I THINK IF SOMEBODY
HAD SUGGESTED THAT BEFORE THE MISSION WENT THERE, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CARTED OFF
INTO A SMALL ROOM. Dr. McKay: THE NEXT STEP IS
DIRECTLY SEARCH FOR LIFE. WE WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PLUME WITH MORE SOPHISTICATED
INSTRUMENTS, AND I THINK EVEN GRAB A SAMPLE
AND BRING IT BACK TO EARTH. Narrator: UP NEXT... SUN DAMAGE ON A COSMIC SCALE... THERE IS A HOLE --
NOTHING THERE. Narrator:
...AND SOMETHING OUT THERE MAY BE WATCHING US. WHY WOULDN'T AN ALIEN CULTURE
USE SPY SATELLITES? WE'RE COMPLETELY
AT THE MERCY OF OUR SUN. WE CAN'T CONTROL IT,
WE BARELY UNDERSTAND IT, AND ALL LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. Narrator: BUT HAS OUR SUN
TURNED TO THE DARK SIDE? WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON THERE? Narrator: A GIANT CHUNK
OF THE SUN IS MISSING. THERE IS A HOLE --
NOTHING THERE. IT'S AS IF ALIENS
HAD SCOOPED THE SURFACE. Narrator: JULY 2013, GODDARD SPACE CENTER -- THE HEADQUARTERS OF NASA's
SOHO SOLAR OBSERVATORY. ITS MISSION -- TO KEEP AN EYE
ON OUR FIERY STAR. THE SOHO PROJECT
IS AN EARLY-WARNING SYSTEM ABOUT NEW PHENOMENA WHICH COULD HAVE AN IMPACT
HERE ON EARTH. Narrator: SCIENTISTS MONITORING
THE SATELLITE FEEDS SEE SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY -- A GIGANTIC SHADOW
CREEPING ACROSS THE SUN... ...A 500,000-MILE-WIDE HOLE. AS NASA STRUGGLES
TO ASSESS THE THREAT, THE DRAMATIC IMAGES
FUEL A STORM OF SPECULATION. Friedman: THIS WAS WEIRD. WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT WAS
ARTIFICIALLY INDUCED ON THE SUN. IT'S AS IF ALIENS
HAD SCOOPED THE SURFACE. Narrator: WHATEVER THE CAUSE, THE RESULTS COULD BE
CATASTROPHIC FOR US. A DIP OF EVEN 7%
IN THE SUN'S OUTPUT COULD CAST THE EARTH
INTO ANOTHER ICE AGE. ON NASA's SATELLITE FEEDS, THE STRANGE BLACK VOID
IS UNMISTAKABLE. BUT OUTSIDE, THE SUMMER SUN SEEMS TO SHINE
AS BRIGHTLY AS EVER WHILE THE HOLE REMAINS INVISIBLE
TO THE NAKED EYE. SO, HERE WE ARE ON EARTH,
LIVING OUR NORMAL LIVES, AND THERE'S A DISASTER MOVIE
GOING ON ON THE SUN. Narrator: IN AN EFFORT
TO EXPLAIN THE HOLE, SCIENTISTS TURN TO A SATELLITE THAT CAPTURES PICTURES
OF SUPER-HOT GASES IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE. ITS HIGH-TECH CAMERAS
SEE THINGS THAT HUMANS CAN'T -- THINGS VISIBLE ONLY
IN THE ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRUM. SUDDENLY,
THE HOLE LOOKS DIFFERENT. Dr. Raferty: WHAT APPEARS TO BE
AN AREA OF DARK, EMPTY SPACE, IN ACTUAL FACT, IT'S FILLED WITH GASES
THAT ARE MUCH COLDER THAN THOSE THAT WE CAN SEE
IN THE AREA AROUND IT. Narrator: THE GIANT SHADOW IS REALLY A COLD PATCH
IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE. WHEN WE'RE TALKING A COLD PATCH,
WE'RE NOT TALKING ALASKA. IT'S STILL A MILLION DEGREES. Narrator: SOLAR SCIENTISTS CALL THESE COOLER AREAS
CORONAL HOLES. CORONAL HOLES ARE PLACES
WHERE MATERIAL CAN ESCAPE AND GET OUT INTO
THE INTERPLANETARY MEDIUM. Narrator:
TO THE HORROR OF SCIENTISTS, THIS CORONAL HOLE... COULD BE IN A PERFECT POSITION TO BLAST THE EARTH
WITH SOLAR PARTICLES. Dr. Brin:
THIS GIANT CORONAL HOLE IS SPEWING CHARGED PARTICLES
ACROSS SPACE, AND WHEN THE EARTH
HAPPENS TO BE IN THE WAY, YOU CAN GET A SOLAR STORM. Friedman: A SOLAR STORM
CAN KNOCK OUT SATELLITES. ELECTRONICS
WON'T FUNCTION PROPERLY. AND WE HAVE OCCASIONALLY HAD
THAT HAPPEN. THAT'S REAL.
IT'S NOT AN IMAGINARY CONCERN. IF WE ARE HIT,
IT'S REALLY A BIG DEAL. Narrator: TRAVELING
AT 1.5 MILLION MILES AN HOUR, THE DEADLY SUNBEAM WILL TAKE
58 HOURS TO REACH THE EARTH. WHEN IT HITS, THE FIRST SIGN SHOULD BE
A SPECTACULAR LIGHT SHOW AT THE AURORA BOREALIS AS THE PLANET'S MAGNETOSPHERE
FIGHTS TO PROTECT US BY ABSORBING THE ENERGY
OF THE BOMBARDING PARTICLES. JULY 20, 2013, 2 1/2 DAYS AFTER SCIENTISTS
FIRST SPOTTED THE HOLE, THE NORTHERN SKY ERUPTS
WITH FLASHING COLORS. COULD THIS BE THE OPENING ACT
IN A GLOBAL MELTDOWN? THE AWESOME DISPLAY LASTS
FOR TWO DAYS... THEN DIMS. TO THE SCIENTISTS' RELIEF, THE STORM WAS NOTHING MORE
THAN A BEAUTIFUL LIGHT SHOW. IT DEALT EARTH A GLANCING BLOW. NEXT TIME,
WE MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY. THE SUN CAN HAVE QUITE A TEMPER AND CAN TURN INTO
A REAL POTENTIAL FOE. Friedman:
STRANGE AS IT MAY SEEM, THERE'S A LOT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT BIG ORANGE BALL
UP THERE. Narrator:
HUMANITY'S KNOWLEDGE OF PHYSICS COMFORTS US
WHEN FACING THE UNKNOWN. BUT IN DEEP SPACE, SOMETHING APPEARS TO BE PLAYING
BY A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES. Capps: WE'RE CONSTANTLY
DISCOVERING THINGS THAT DON'T FIT
ANY OF THE THEORIES, AND THEN WE COME UP
WITH NEW THEORIES. WHAT'S GOING ON?
WE DON'T KNOW. Narrator: A BRIGHT OBJECTS
ENTERS EARTH'S ORBIT. HOLY COW! THIS IS THE MOST ODD THING
WE'VE EVER SEEN. Narrator: OFFICIAL EXPLANATIONS
DON'T ADD UP. THEN EXPERTS BEGIN TO THINK
THE UNTHINKABLE... COULD THIS BE
AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL PROBE WITHIN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM? Narrator: ...COULD WE BE LOOKING
AT SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO LOOKING BACK AT US? ♪ WE ON THE EDGE ♪ ♪ OF MASS DESTRUCTION ♪ Narrator:
EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA -- AMATEUR ASTRONOMER BILL YEUNG IS ONE OF A SELECT GROUP
OF STARGAZERS WITH A VERY IMPORTANT TASK. BILL YEUNG IS
AN ARIZONA-BASED ASTRONOMER WHO'S TAKEN IT AS HIS MISSION TO WATCH OUT
FOR NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS THAT COULD POSE A DANGER TO US. Narrator: IN SEPTEMBER 2002, YEUNG SPOTS A BRIGHT OBJECT
IN ORBIT AROUND THE EARTH, WHICH SETS OFF ALARMS. THIS OBJECT BECAME VERY APPARENT
AS SOMETHING UNUSUAL, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF ITS MOTION. IT WAS MOVING VERY FAST
AND MOVING IN A VELOCITY THAT'S VERY MUCH LIKE
THE VELOCITY OF THE EARTH. IT'S TOO BIG TO BE A SPANNER
DROPPED BY AN ASTRONAUT. IT'S TOO BIG TO BE A SATELLITE.
SO, WHAT IS IT? Narrator: THE MYSTERIOUS OBJECT
IS MORE THAN 60 FEET ACROSS AND ORBITING CLOSE TO THE EARTH. YEUNG IMMEDIATELY REPORTS
THE SIGHTING TO THE AUTHORITIES. THE FIRST THOUGHT IS,
"THIS IS AN ASTEROID." Narrator: NASA TAKES THE THREAT
OF AN ASTEROID IMPACT VERY SERIOUSLY. Friedman:
ASTEROIDS ARE KIND OF IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY MIGHT OCCASIONALLY BEAT THE HECK OUT
OF THE SURFACE OF THE PLANET. Binzel: ASTEROIDS ARE TRAVELING
AT ABOUT 30 MILES PER SECOND. THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE VELOCITY. AND WHEN YOU HAVE AN OBJECT
THAT HAS MASS, THAT'S A LOT OF KINETIC ENERGY. IT'S PROBABLY
WHAT DID IN THE DINOSAURS. [ ROARING ] Narrator: BUT ASTEROID J002E3 ISN'T BEHAVING
LIKE AN ASTEROID AT ALL. MOST ASTEROIDS TRACE
A REGULAR ORBIT AROUND THE SUN WITHIN THE BELT
BETWEEN MARS AND JUPITER, BUT THIS MYSTERIOUS OBJECT
DOESN'T DO THAT. Pope: THIS THING
GOES AROUND THE EARTH, THEN IT SHOOTS OFF. IT GOES SEVERAL TIMES
AROUND THE SUN. IT COMES BACK. Narrator: CONCERNED,
NASA's JET PROPULSION LABORATORY JOINS OTHER SCIENTISTS
IN THE INVESTIGATION. Binzel:
THE FIRST QUESTION WE ASKED -- IS IT REAL AS A NATURAL OBJECT, OR IS IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, SOMETHING THAT
WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND? Narrator: THEY DIRECT THE
INFRARED TELESCOPE IN HAWAII TOWARDS THE OBJECT
FOR A CLOSER LOOK. AS THE FIRST SET OF DATA
CAME THROUGH THE PIPELINE, WE TOOK ONE LOOK AT IT... AND I WAS LIKE, "HOLY COW!" THIS IS THE MOST ODD THING
WE'VE EVER SEEN. AND WE PULLED UP THE SPECTRUM,
AND IT WAS FULL OF PAINT. Narrator:
THE EXOTIC ANOMALY HAS A COATING WITH THE SAME CHEMICAL SIGNATURE
AS INDUSTRIAL PAINT. Binzel: THIS OBJECT
WAS NO NATURAL ASTEROID. IT WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING
WE'D EVERY SEEN BEFORE. IT'S PAINT.
THIS CAN'T BE AN ASTEROID. Narrator: NO KNOWN NATURAL
OBJECT IS COVERED IN PAINT, BUT WHEN NASA CHECKS
IF ANY MAN-MADE SATELLITES ARE STATIONED
IN THAT AREA OF SPACE, THEY DRAW A BLANK,
RAISING AN ALARMING POSSIBILITY. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
WE USE SPY SATELLITES, AND HERE'S THIS OBJECT
ORBITING THE EARTH. WHY WOULDN'T AN ALIEN CULTURE
USE SPY SATELLITES? [ BEEPING ] Narrator: NASA's JIM OBERG
DOESN'T BUY THAT THEORY. HE SUPPORTS
FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE PAINT EVIDENCE. THE PAINT IS THE CLUE.
THE PAINT IS THE PROOF. Narrator:
DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE DATA REVEALS THE ENTIRE SURFACE
OF THIS 60-FOOT OBJECT IS COVERED IN TITANIUM DIOXIDE, A COMPOUND
THAT MAKES PAINT WHITE... ...THE COLOR OF NASA HARDWARE. MAN: 3...2...1...0. All engines running. Narrator: BUT IF THIS IS
A PART OF A ROCKET, IT'S IN A VERY STRANGE PLACE. THE QUESTION IS,
HOW DID IT GET THERE? Narrator: NASA CONNECTS THE DOTS AND COMES UP
WITH A PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION. BASED ON THE ORBIT AND BASED ON THE FACT THIS
OBJECT IS COVERED IN PAINT, WE ARE ABLE
TO CALCULATE BACKWARD AND DETERMINE
THAT THIS OBJECT... ...IS THE THIRD STAGE
OF THE SATURN V ROCKET THAT CARRIED ASTRONAUTS CONRAD,
BEAN, AND GORDON TO THE MOON ON APOLLO 12. Narrator: ASTRONAUT ALAN BEAN
REMEMBERS WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO RIDE ON THAT SATURN V. I'VE BEEN A LOT OF VEHICLES
ON EARTH, IN AIRPLANES AND ALL THAT. I FELT NOTHING THAT HAD
THE VIBRATION AND SHAKING THAT THE SATURN V HAD. THERE'S 7.5 MILLION POUNDS
OF THRUST GOING ON DOWN THERE, AND WHEN IT'S GOING, THAT'S THE BIGGEST,
MOST POWERFUL ENGINE EVER BUILT ON EARTH. Narrator: NASA CONCLUDES THAT THE OLD ROCKET BOOSTER
JETTISONED EN ROUTE TO THE MOON SOMEHOW FOUND ITS WAY BACK
INTO EARTH'S ORBIT. THEY JUST FLOAT AWAY,
BUT YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. Narrator: NASA CLOSES THE CASE. BUT FOR SOME,
THE THEORY SEEMS TOO CONVENIENT. THE FACT IS, WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT THIS THING IS. TO THIS DAY,
IT REMAINS A MYSTERY. Narrator: COMING UP NEXT... ...DID JOYRIDING ALIENS
TEAR UP THE RED PLANET? LOOKS LIKE
SOMEONE DID WHEELIES ON MARS. Narrator: AN UNMANNED PROBE BEAMS BACK SOME OF
THE VERY FIRST IMAGES OF MARS... WE HAD TO BE THERE.
WE HAD TO GO THERE. Narrator: ...BUT UNEXPECTED
TRACKS RAISE FEARS THAT WE MAY NOT BE
THE FIRST EXPLORERS. COULD THEY BE ANIMALS
OR VEHICLES PERHAPS OR SOME OTHER PHENOMENON? Friedman:
IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME AT ALL IF THERE WERE TRACKS
FROM PREVIOUS VISITORS ON MARS. Narrator: NOVEMBER 1971 -- AFTER ITS 5 1/2-MONTH VOYAGE
TO MARS, UNMANNED PROBE MARINER 9 IS
HEADING STRAIGHT INTO A STORM. THERE WERE NO SURFACE FEATURES.
IT WAS JUST BLANK. [ THUNDER CRASHES ] Narrator: THE PLANET-WIDE DUST
STORM RAGES FOR TWO MONTHS BEFORE MARINER 9
BEGINS BEAMING BACK IMAGES OF THE MARTIAN SURFACE TO EARTH. Schultz: AS THE DUST CLEARED, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE
THIS BIG REVEAL. HERE WAS THIS PLANET
EMERGING FROM BELOW WITH COMPLEXITIES AND FEATURES
THAT WE JUST HAD HINTS AT. Narrator: AMONG THE FIRST
CRYSTAL-CLEAR IMAGES OF GIANT VOLCANOES
AND SPRAWLING CANYONS, THE PROBE PICKS UP
SOMETHING ELSE. [ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ] Dr. Treiman: MANY OF THE IMAGES
SHOWED DARK TRACKS, MANY, MANY TRACKS --
PARALLEL, SOME OF THEM WITH LOOPS
AND WIGGLES IN THEM. AND THERE WAS A QUESTION --
WHAT ARE THESE TRACKS? THESE TRACKS ARE VERY BIZARRE BECAUSE THEY GO UP
AND OVER RELIEF, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE. THEY'RE STRANGE,
BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY BIG. MAYBE YOU THINK IT'S AN ANIMAL
OR A VEHICLE. IS THAT WHAT CAUSED THE TRACKS? Schultz:
IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE DID
WHEELIES ON MARS. Narrator: VIKING 1
IS STILL FIVE YEARS AWAY FROM TOUCHING DOWN
ON THE MARTIAN SURFACE. WHATEVER LEFT
THESE MYSTERIOUS TRACKS DIDN'T COME FROM EARTH. MARTIAN TRACKS ARE ANOTHER AREA
THAT WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE, BUT IT'S NOT EASY TO DO. YOU GOT TO BE
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, SO TO SPEAK, WITH THEM
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEM. Narrator:
SEARCHING FOR EXPLANATIONS, GEOLOGISTS LOOK AT OTHER
FEATURES OF MARS' SURFACE, BUT THE WEIRD TRACKS' APPEARANCE
GENERATES THE MOST BUZZ. ONE OF THE IMPORTANT CLUES
TO THE ORIGIN OF THE TRACKS WAS THAT THEY JUST START
AND STOP. SOME OF THEM
JUST START OUT OF NOWHERE. OTHERS END IN A CIRCLE
OR A CURLICUE. Narrator: THE CIRCULAR ENDING
TO SOME OF THE TRACKS SUGGESTS SOMETHING
EXTRAORDINARY. ONE POSSIBILITY FOR THESE TRACKS
IS DUST DEVILS. Narrator: DUST DEVILS
ARE SMALL, SWIRLING COLUMNS FORMED BY RISING HOT AIR. ON EARTH, THEY CAN FORM
IN DESERT LANDSCAPES. ORBITERS TAKE PICTURES OF
THE AREAS WHERE THE TRACKS FORM, SEARCHING FOR SIMILAR PHENOMENA
ON THE MARTIAN SURFACE. THE IMAGES THAT COME BACK SEND SHOCKWAVES THROUGH
THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY -- IMPOSSIBLY HIGH DUST DEVILS. Schultz:
SOME OF THESE DUST DEVILS GOT UP TO ALTITUDES OF,
SAY, THREE MILES. THEY'RE ENORMOUS. SOME OF THEM GET AS HIGH
AS MOUNT EVEREST, AND SO THEY DEVELOP
THIS INSTABILITY AND THEY JUST KEEP ON MOVING. Dr. Treiman:
THERE ARE ACTUALLY MOVIES TAKEN BY THE MARS EXPLORATION ROVERS OF DUST DEVILS GOING BY, AND YOU CAN SEE
IN SUCCESSIVE FRAMES THE COLUMN OF DUST MOVING
ACROSS THE FIELD OF VIEW. Narrator:
FOR NOW, SCIENTISTS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE DUST-DEVIL EXPLANATION
REMAINS JUST A THEORY. Schultz:
WELL, WE HAVE GOOD HYPOTHESES, GOOD THEORIES ON HOW
THESE FEATURES ARE FORMED, BUT A LOT OF THIS IS BASED ON WHAT WE UNDERSTAND
FOR THE EARTH. BUT WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. WE'VE ONLY BEEN
TO COUPLE OF PLACES, SO MARS IS JUST ONE MYSTERIOUS
PLACE AFTER ANOTHER. Narrator:
IN THE QUEST TO UNRAVEL
THE MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE, THE ONLY TOOLS WE CAN TRUST
ARE THE LAWS OF PHYSICS. BUT WHEN A SCIENTIST GAZES
INTO THE ABYSS OF DEEP SPACE... TAKING RISKS
IS PART OF MAKING DISCOVERY. Narrator: ...HE DETECTS
THOUSANDS OF OBJECTS TRAVELING AT IMPOSSIBLE SPEEDS. SOMETHING OUT THERE IS DEFYING THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS
OF THE UNIVERSE. DECEMBER 1995... [ BEEP ] ...THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE. PROFESSOR BOB WILLIAMS POINTS THE MOST EXPENSIVE TELESCOPE
EVER MADE AT A COMPLETELY EMPTY
PATCH OF SKY JUST TO SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE. THERE WERE NO BRIGHT STARS. THERE WERE NO KNOWN RADIO
SOURCES, X-RAY SOURCES, AND JUST TRIED TO PICK OUT
A RANDOM AREA OF THE SKY THAT WE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT. Narrator:
THE FIRST HUBBLE IMAGES WERE COMPLETELY ORDINARY. THEY APPEARED TO SHOW GALAXIES. Williams: IT WASN'T UNTIL
WE ADDED THEM ALL UP THAT IT WAS APPARENT THAT THERE WERE 2,500 GALAXIES, MOST OF THEM REALLY FAINT. Narrator: AND THOSE GALAXIES
WERE MOVING VERY FAST. THEY SEEM TO GOING AWAY FROM US
FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT. Narrator: BUT NOTHING TRAVELS
FASTER THAN LIGHT. YOU JUST CAN'T SEND PHYSICAL
OBJECTS OR EVEN INFORMATION FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT. THE SPEED OF LIGHT
IS THE ULTIMATE SPEED LIMIT. Narrator: EVERYTHING IN NATURE
IS BASED ON THIS SIMPLE FACT. IF SOMETHING VIOLATES
THIS CONSTANT SPEED... ...THE LAWS OF PHYSICS
BREAK DOWN. SOMETHING WAS SOMEHOW VIOLATING ONE OF THE UNIVERSE'S
MOST FUNDAMENTAL LAWS. Capps: YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN
TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE THEORIES WE KNOW,
PHYSICS, WE MIGHT BE MISSING SOMETHING. WAS EINSTEIN RIGHT,
OR IS HE MAYBE SLIGHTLY WRONG? OR IS THERE SOME WAY TO BEAT
EINSTEIN BY WARPING SPACE? Narrator: WHAT IF THE OBJECTS
BOB WILLIAMS SAW WEREN'T GALAXIES AT ALL? WHAT IF THEY WERE ARTIFACTS HURTLING THROUGH
INTERSTELLAR SPACE? IF A CRAFT COULD DISTORT SPACE
USING A WARP DRIVE, IT COULD TRAVERSE THE COSMOS
IN HOURS RATHER THAN BILLIONS OF YEARS. IT WOULD SHRINK THE SPACE
IN FRONT OF THE SPACECRAFT AND DILATE IT BEHIND, SO IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THE SPACECRAFT WOULD RIDE A WAVE
TOWARDS THE DESTINATION STAR FASTER THAN LIGHT. Narrator: THE SIGNATURE
OF SUCH A WARP DRIVE COULD LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO
THE LIGHT GIVEN OFF BY A GALAXY THAT APPEARS TO BE MOVING FASTER
THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT, BUT WARP TECHNOLOGY IS WELL BEYOND HUMANITY'S
CURRENT CAPABILITIES. Shostak:
THERE HAVE BEEN PROBABLY
PLENTY OF OTHER CIVILIZATIONS WHO'VE ALREADY FIGURED THAT OUT, AND THERE COULD BE,
YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF, I DON'T KNOW,
INTERSTELLAR COMMERCE GOING ON WITH CIVILIZATIONS
WHO KNOW ABOUT THIS. Narrator:
BUT THE IDEA OF WARP DRIVES IS TOO INCREDIBLE
TO BOB WILLIAMS. Williams: ONE COULD SAY
ABOUT THE FAINT OBJECTS, "WHAT YOU ACTUALLY SEE THERE ARE WITCHES RIDING AROUND
ON BROOMSTICKS." I CAN'T DISPROVE THAT. SO, FINE. YOU CHOOSE NOT TO BELIEVE
THAT THEY'RE GALAXIES? GREAT. WHAT IS YOUR EVIDENCE? Narrator:
IF THESE REALLY ARE GALAXIES, THE EXPLANATION
FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY SPEED COULD BE EVEN WEIRDER
THAN A WARP DRIVE. SPACE IS BENDY. EINSTEIN SHOWED
WITH GENERAL RELATIVITY THAT SPACE HAS A FABRIC -- IT WILL STRETCH, IT WILL WARP, IT WILL DEFORM,
IT WILL COMPRESS. Narrator:
ACCORDING TO EINSTEIN'S THEORY, ANYTHING OBSERVED
FROM A MOVING OBJECT APPEARS TO BE TRAVELING FASTER
THAN IT ACTUALLY IS... LIKE WHEN THE TRAIN YOU'RE ON
PULLS OUT OF A STATION AND THE PLATFORM
SEEMS TO BE MOVING INSTEAD OF THE TRAIN. ON TOP OF THAT,
SPACE-TIME ITSELF IS EXPANDING. SO, AS THE TRAINS SPEED AWAY
FROM ONE ANOTHER, THE VERY TRACK THEY ARE ON
IS STRETCHING BETWEEN THEM. THE POINTS WILL MOVE AWAY WITHOUT HAVING TO
REALLY TRAVEL ANYWHERE. SO, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THE DISTANCE IS INCREASING
AT A VERY HIGH RATE. AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO LIMIT ON HOW FAST YOU CAN STRETCH
SPACE-TIME. Narrator: IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN THESE GALAXIES ONLY<i> APPEAR</i>
TO DEFY THE LAWS OF PHYSICS BECAUSE THE SPACE BETWEEN THEM
IS EXPANDING. BUT THAT ONLY PARTIALLY EXPLAINS THE INCREDIBLE SPEED
OF SOME OF THESE GALAXIES. WE'RE CONSTANTLY STUDYING THINGS
THAT MAKE NO SENSE, THAT DON'T FIT
ANY OF THE RULES WE HAVE, DON'T FIT ANY OF THE THEORIES, AND THEN WE COME UP
WITH NEW THEORIES. Narrator: COMING UP... STALKING THE SHUTTLE... NORMALLY, AN OBJECT
WOULDN'T CHANGE DIRECTION UNLESS IT WAS
UNDER INTELLIGENT CONTROL. Narrator:
...AND A RADICAL NEW THEORY THAT IS TRULY OUT OF THIS WORLD. THE UNIVERSE COULD BE
FULL OF THE SEEDS OF LIFE. Narrator: IN EARTH ORBIT, SPACE SHUTTLE<i> DISCOVERY'S</i>
ONBOARD CAMERAS CAPTURE SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY. THEY'D NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. Friedman: DEBRIS BEHAVING
IN A PECULIAR WAY LIKE THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. IT CAN'T BE NATURAL.
IT MUST BE ARTIFICIAL. Narrator: 2 1/2 YEARS AFTER THE<i> COLUMBIA</i> SHUTTLE
DISINTEGRATES ON RE-ENTRY, NASA SENDS SPACE SHUTTLE<i>
DISCOVERY</i> INTO ORBIT. THE PLAN IS TO DOCK WITH
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND RESUPPLY
THE TWO PEOPLE ON BOARD, BUT THE MISSION'S PRIME FOCUS
IS SAFETY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE
GONNA BREAK OUT RIGHT AWAY IS GONNA BE THE CAMERAS. Narrator: WITHIN MINUTES,
NASA FINDS UNNERVING EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE TO THE SHUTTLE'S
THERMAL SHIELDING. FOR<i> DISCOVERY'S</i> SEVEN CREW,
THIS IS A NIGHTMARE SCENARIO. NASA's EXPERTS REALIZE THAT A SMALL SECTION
OF THE HEAT SHIELD BECAME DEFORMED DURING LAUNCH. IF SOMETHING ISN'T DONE, IT COULD CATASTROPHICALLY
ENDANGER THE SHUTTLE'S RE-ENTRY. Man: GO FOR THE DEPRESSURIZATION
OF THE AIR LOCK. ROBINSON:
Copy that, Houston. Narrator:
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, ASTRONAUTS ATTEMPT TO REPAIR
THE UNDERBELLY OF THE SHUTTLE. WITH HIS FEET CLAMPED TO
THE SPACE STATION'S GRAPPLE ARM, MISSION SPECIALIST
STEVE ROBINSON RISKS HIS LIFE TO ENSURE THAT HIS CREW
WILL GET HOME SAFELY. VETERAN ASTRONAUT LEROY CHIAO KNOWS EXACTLY
HOW THE SPACEWALKER FEELS. YOU'RE KIND OF IN THIS
BATTLE MODE, IF YOU WILL. YOU HAVE A VERY HEIGHTENED SENSE
OF AWARENESS. IF YOU SOMEHOW BECOME
DISCONNECTED FROM THE STATION, WELL, YOU'RE JUST
GONNA FLOAT AWAY, AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH OVER
FOR YOU. Here we go. THE STAKES
HAVE NEVER BEEN HIGHER, BUT STEVE ROBINSON
KEEPS HIS COOL. <i> Discovery,</i> Houston.
Everyone is extremely happy. You're go to wrap it up, and we'll prep
for the next step. Okay. Will do that. Narrator: ROBINSON'S REPAIR
APPEARS TO BE A SUCCESS, BUT AS THE SHUTTLE
PREPARES FOR RE-ENTRY, ONE OF ITS CAMERAS CAPTURE A STRANGE OBJECT
SWEEPING THE AREA, AND THE WORLD BEGINS TO WONDER
IF THE ASTRONAUTS ARE SAFE. Dr. Birnes: WHAT THEY SAW HAS BEEN DESCRIBED
AS "THE BOOMERANG" -- AN OBJECT HEADING
IN ONE DIRECTION AND CHANGING DIRECTION
AND HEADING AWAY. Narrator: THE BOOMERANG'S COURSE
CHANGE LOOKS SO DELIBERATE SOME OBSERVERS SPECULATE
THE SHUTTLE IS BEING STALKED. Pope: WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? NORMALLY, AN OBJECT
WOULDN'T CHANGE DIRECTION UNLESS IT WAS
UNDER INTELLIGENT CONTROL. Narrator:
ALTHOUGH NASA HASN'T RELEASED
AN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION, A SEPARATE SCIENTIFIC
INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES THE BOOMERANG IS SPACE DEBRIS WHOSE TRAJECTORY IS INFLUENCED
BY DRAG FROM EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE. BUT NOT EVERYONE AGREES. DEBRIS BEHAVING
IN A PECULIAR WAY LIKE THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. AND YET, WHEN YOU STOP TO THINK
ABOUT IT, IF THIS IS AN INTELLIGENTLY
CONTROLLED VEHICLE, THAT'S A VERY BIG STORY INDEED. Narrator: SUCH A BIG STORY
THAT THE BOOMERANG FOOTAGE BECOMES
A SOCIAL-MEDIA PHENOMENON. OVER 100,000 PEOPLE WATCH ITS DISTURBING SWITCHBACK
THROUGH SPACE. IF THE BOOMERANG
EVER COMES BACK, THE WORLD WILL BE WAITING. POP CULTURE DEPICTS E.T.
WITH A SPACESHIP, BUT SOME SCIENTISTS BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING
CLOSER TO HOME FOR ALIEN LIFE. LIFE HERE BEGAN OUT THERE. Narrator: ARE<i> WE</i> THE ALIENS? Narrator: WE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED
TO THE SKIES TO FIND ALIENS, SEARCHING THE COSMOS
FOR THE TELLTALE SIGNS OF LIFE, BUT NOW A RADICAL NEW IDEA IS INFECTING
THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. OUR ORIGINAL CONCEPTION
OF LIFE IS THAT IT MUST HAVE STARTED
HERE ON EARTH, BUT WE DON'T KNOW
THAT THAT'S THE CASE. Narrator: WHAT IF WE'RE NOT
EARTH LIFE AT ALL? WHAT IF WE'RE INVADERS
FROM ANOTHER WORLD? WHAT IF<i> WE</i> ARE THE ALIENS? EARTH 3.8 BILLION YEARS AGO, A RAGING, MOLTEN INFERNO UNDER CONSTANT
METEORITE BOMBARDMENT. NO PLACE FOR LIFE. BUT WHAT IF THIS RAIN
OF ROCK AND FIRE ALSO BROUGHT LIFE TO OUR WORLD? WHAT IF A ROCK
FROM AN ALIEN WORLD ARRIVED CARRYING ALIEN CARGO... ...US. A THEORY KNOWN AS "PANSPERMIA." PANSPERMIA IS THE NOTION THAT
LIFE HERE BEGAN OUT THERE... ...THAT A PLANET WITH AN ACTIVE
ECOSYSTEM CAN HAVE AN IMPACT... ...AND THAT IMPACT CAN KNOCK MATERIAL
WITH BIOLOGY ABOARD INTO SPACE. SOME FORMS OF LIFE
ARE SUFFICIENTLY ROBUST THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY SURVIVE
THAT IMPACT... ....AND THEN, IF YOU LIKE,
POLLUTE THAT PLANET. Narrator: MAYBE<i> WE</i> ARE ALIENS
FROM OUTER SPACE. SOUNDS CRAZY.
SOUNDS LIKE SCIENCE FICTION. EXCEPT WE HAVE SEEN
THERE'S METEORITES THAT HAVE LANDED ON EARTH
THAT CONTAIN AMINO ACIDS -- THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE. Narrator: IF LIFE DID SPRING
FROM AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL ROCK, WHERE<i> DID</i> THAT ROCK COME FROM? SCIENTISTS
MAY NOT HAVE TO LOOK FAR TO FIND A PLACE
THAT COULD HAVE SPAWNED LIFE WHEN THE EARTH WAS YOUNG. IN 2003, THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE
TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LARGEST OBJECT
IN THE ASTEROID BELT... ...CERES, A MINI PLANET
AMONG THE ROCKS AND DEBRIS. Dr. Reid:
CERES IS THE LARGEST ASTEROID. HUBBLE'S BEEN STUDYING IT
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
ITS COMPOSITION, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT THE SOLAR SYSTEM WAS LIKE DURING ITS EARLIEST YEARS. Narrator: BUT CERES IS MORE THAN JUST A LUMP
OF ASTEROIDAL ROCK. WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING
ABOUT CERES IS THAT IT'S SPHERICAL AND THE FACT THAT
IT SEEMS TO BE COATED IN ICE. Narrator:
BUT THE DATA ALSO REVEALS THAT CERES IS WARMER
THAN EXPECTED. Garvie:
THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE ON CERES
IS ACTUALLY FAIRLY WARM. IT'S ONLY AROUND
MINUS-30 CENTIGRADE, AND THAT'S AT A TEMPERATURE WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY GET
AN ENVIRONMENT THAT COULD BE CONDUCIVE
TO SOME LIFE-FORMS. Narrator:
SO WHILE EARTH WAS STILL BURNING 3.8 BILLION YEARS AGO, CERES COULD HAVE BEEN
A SAFE HAVEN FOR LIFE. THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN
HOW LIFE ARRIVED ON EARTH, BUT A GIANT WHITE SPOT
ON CERES' SURFACE OFFERS A CLUE. THE SPOT IS AS LARGE AS INDIANA. ASTRONOMERS SUSPECT THAT IT'S
ACTUALLY A GIANT CHUNK OF CERES WHICH HAS BEEN RIPPED AWAY... THE RESULT
OF A CATACLYSMIC IMPACT 4 BILLION YEARS AGO. WHAT IF A CHUNK OF CERES WAS RIPPED
FROM THE ASTEROID'S SURFACE AND HURLED TOWARDS THE EARTH, INFESTING IT WITH ALIEN LIFE? WHAT IF IT EMBEDDED ITSELF
DEEP INTO THE BEDROCK... ...COLONIZING OUR VIRGIN WORLD? NASA TAKES THE IDEA
OF LIFE SURVIVING IN SPACE VERY SERIOUSLY. IN 1984, THE AGENCY LAUNCHED
12.5 MILLION SEEDS INTO ORBIT. THE SEEDS
SPENT SIX YEARS IN SPACE ON BOARD THE LONG DURATION
EXPOSURE FACILITY BEFORE THEY WERE BROUGHT BACK
TO EARTH. THEY BROUGHT THEM BACK DOWN AND DISTRIBUTED THEM
ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES TO PLANT AND SEE IF THEY GREW. AND SURE THEY DID. Narrator: IF A TERRESTRIAL SEED CAN SURVIVE
A VOYAGE THROUGH SPACE, SO COULD THE SEEDS OF LIFE
BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO. Dr. McKay: WE DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHERE LIFE STARTED OR HOW. THE UNIVERSE COULD BE FULL
OF THE SEEDS OF LIFE, AND A PLANET LIKE EARTH
GETS THOSE SEEDS FROM OUTSIDE. Narrator: NASA's SEARCH FOR LIFE HAS TAKEN US TO FAR-FLUNG WORLDS
WITH ALIEN ENVIRONMENTS, REVEALED MYSTERIOUS PHENOMENA
THAT DEFY OUR PHYSICAL LAWS, AND TESTED ASTRONAUTS
WITH UNIMAGINED DANGER. NASA's FILES
REVEAL STRANGE NEW HORIZONS, WEIRD ENCOUNTERS,
AND MIND-BLOWING FORCES. STILL, MANY OF THESE ANOMALIES
REMAIN UNEXPLAINED.
