Narrator: NASA's MISSION
IS TO EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN. Kavelaars: 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. Man: 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 CRAFT
AND SYMBOLS IN SPACE, ALIENS THAT LIVE
FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS, DEATH RAYS CAPABLE
OF DESTROYING WORLDS. NASA's MISSIONS HAVE UNCOVERED
DISTURBING ANOMALIES... MAN: Okay, we're seeing
three or four objects. JETT: There are --
there are three objects. Narrator:
...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> THREE OBJECTS FLOAT
IN A TRIANGULAR FORMATION. Doesn't look like
anything I've ever seen on the outside
of the shuttle. That's for sure. NASA SAYS IT'S SPACE JUNK. WHY ARE THEY FILMING
IF IT'S JUST SPACE JUNK? Oberg: YOU DON'T START
BY ELIMINATING THE OBVIOUS. YOU START BY OPENING YOUR MIND
TO ALL THE POSSIBILITIES. Narrator:
BUT THESE UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS COULD THREATEN
AN ENTIRE SHUTTLE MISSION. Okay, we're seeing
three or four objects. Yeah, there are --
there are three objects. MAN: Okay, copy.
The next is to mate P5 to J5. Narrator: SEPTEMBER 20, 2006. SPACE SHUTTLE<i> ATLANTIS</i>
PREPARES TO COME HOME. ITS CREW HAS SPENT
THE LAST 12 DAYS ASSEMBLING
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS
THAT NO ONE EXPECTS. MAN: Okay. Um... Houston.<i> Atlantis.</i> Go ahead. THE DAY BEFORE THE SHUTTLE
RETURNS BACK TO EARTH, THE COMMANDER REPORTS
KIND OF SIGHTING SOMETHING THAT HE'S NOT SEEN BEFORE. JETT: There's some kind
of reflective structure. Narrator: MISSION CONTROL ASKS
COMMANDER BRENT JETT TO DESCRIBE WHAT HE SEES. JETT: A structure that's
definitely not rigid or... It's not a, you know,
solid, metal structure. Doesn't look like
anything I've ever seen on the outside of the shuttle. That's for sure. MISSION CONTROL TAKE
REMOTE CONTROL OF THE PAYLOAD BAY CAMERA. THAT'S WHEN THINGS START
TO REALLY GET INTERESTING. Okay, we're seeing
three or four objects. JETT: Yeah, there are --
there are three objects. STRANGELY ENOUGH, AT THAT POINT,
YOU HAVE MULTIPLE OBJECTS -- THREE, YOU KNOW,
TWO MORE THAT JOIN IN, ESSENTIALLY FORM SOME SORT
OF TRIANGULAR FORMATION. Narrator: FOR 20 MINUTES, <i> ATLANTIS</i> TRACKS THE FLASHING
LIGHTS ACROSS THE SKY, BEAMING IMAGES
BACK TO MISSION CONTROL. MAN:
They're going over the video that you guys sent down. THE VIDEO IS LOOKED AT
RIGHT AWAY. AND ENGINEERS JUMP ON IT
RIGHT AWAY. "FIND OUT WHAT IT IS." Narrator:
WHEN NEWS OF THE SIGHTINGS REACHES THE MEDIA, IT CAUSES A SENSATION. Woman: EVERYONE'S BUZZING ABOUT THESE THREE OBJECTS
THAT WERE SEEN. [ BEEPING ] [ KEYBOARD CLACKING ] WE ARE AWASH WITH STORIES
ABOUT UNEXPLAINED CRAFT. BUT WHEN YOU GET THESE
FROM ASTRONAUTS, YOU PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE
ATTENTION. IN THE LORE OF WHAT ARE TERMED
UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS, ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC SHAPES
IN ALL OF THAT IS THE TRIANGLE, SO THIS FITS THE BILL. Narrator: BASED ON THE WAY
THE OBJECTS ARE MOVING, NASA ASSUMES
THIS IS SPACE DEBRIS REFLECTING THE SUNLIGHT. YOU ARE FLYING THROUGH A VACUUM, SO THINGS THAT ARE OUT IN SPACE WILL GENERALLY TEND
TO HANG OUT TOGETHER. HAVING THREE OBJECTS,
YOU ALWAYS HAVE A TRIANGLE. Narrator:
BUT NOT EVERYONE AGREES WITH THE OFFICIAL EXPLANATION. NASA's EXPLANATION
OF SPACE JUNK, TO ME, IS JUST, YOU KNOW,
JUST RIDICULOUS. THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE
WHAT SPACE JUNKS ARE. THESE GUYS ARE ASTRONAUTS, OKAY? THEY'RE TRAINED FOR THIS. Narrator:
BUT NASA REALLY DOES SUSPECT THEY'RE TRACKING SPACE JUNK,
AND THEY'RE WORRIED. BECAUSE THREE YEARS EARLIER, SHUTTLE DEBRIS BROUGHT DOWN
THE SHUTTLE<i> COLUMBIA.</i> FOLLOWING WHAT OCCURRED
ON STS-107, WHEN WE LOST<i> COLUMBIA,</i> NASA IS VERY INTERESTED IN TRACKING VIRTUALLY
EVERY PIECE OF DEBRIS. Narrator: NASA FEARS
THE<i> ATLANTIS</i> IS SEEING A CRITICAL PIECE OF ITS HARDWARE
THAT'S BROKEN OFF. Oberg: IN MISSION CONTROL, WE REALLY WANT
TO GET PICTURES LIKE THIS OF ANYTHING FLOATING
NEARBY ANY SHUTTLE, ESPECIALLY IF IT APPEARS
TO HAVE COME OFF THE SHUTTLE. THIS KIND OF WARNING
THAT WAS MISSED IN 2003 ARE THE WARNINGS YOU WANT TO GET
EVERY TIME. AND YOU WANT TO FIND THEM OUT,
YOU WANT TO SEE THEM, YOU WANT TO REPORT THEM,
AND YOU WANT TO REACT TO THEM. Narrator: UNSURE WHAT THESE
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS ARE, NASA DOESN'T TAKE ANY CHANCES. MAN: They decided that based
on this object that we saw that we're gonna wave off
tomorrow. So our next deorbit opportunity
is gonna be on flight day 13. WOMAN:<i> Atlantis,</i> we copy. Narrator:
NASA DELAYS THE LANDING SO THEY CAN CHECK THAT<i> ATLANTIS</i>
HAS NOT BEEN COMPROMISED. Woman:
THIS IS MISSION CONTROL HOUSTON. I'M DOING THE SURVEY TO CONFIRM THE INTEGRITY OF<i> ATLANTIS'</i>
HEAT SHIELD. IN THIS CASE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MORE LIKELY TO BE
AN INCIDENTAL OBJECT BROKEN FREE ACCIDENTALLY
FROM THE SHUTTLE. AND I BELIEVE THAT'S,
IN THE END, THE NASA DECISION. Narrator:
ONE DAY AFTER FIRST SIGHTING THE MYSTERIOUS FLASHING LIGHTS, STS-115 IS FINALLY CLEARED
TO LAND. Man:<i> 15,400 MILES AN HOUR.</i> <i> OFF 2 TO 25 FEET.</i> Narrator: WHEN THEY LATER
EXAMINE<i> ATLANTIS,</i> NASA CONFIRMS THAT IT WAS HIT
BY A MICRO-METEORITE. Man:<i> TOUCHDOWN.</i> MAN: Welcome back. Congratulations
on return to assembly. Narrator:
NO ONE KNOWS IF THIS WAS RELATED TO THE TRIANGULAR FORMATION
SPOTTED BY THE CREW. BUT NASA's CAUTION
BRINGS THE SHUTTLE SAFELY HOME. Man:<i>
ATLANTIS</i> WAS A TERRIFIC SHIP. IT WAS REALLY CRITICAL THAT
SHE PERFORM WELL, AND SHE DID. Narrator: TRIANGLES ARE NOT THE ONLY STRANGE SYMBOLS
FOUND IN SPACE. A STUNNING OBSERVATION SHOCKS ASTRONOMERS SEARCHING
FOR ROGUE ASTEROIDS. WHAT IS THIS THING? Narrator: A FORCE OF NATURE
OR AN ALIEN SYMBOL... IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SOMETHING
THAT WAS MADE NATURALLY. Narrator:
...MARKING A POINT IN SPACE. WOW, LOOK AT THAT. IT'S LIKE SOMEONE HAD PUT
AN X IN THE SKY AND SAID, "LOOK HERE. SOMETHING INTERESTING
IS GOING ON." Narrator:
KITT PEAK OBSERVATORY, ARIZONA. ASTRONOMER JIM SCOTTI
HEARS REPORTS OF AN UNUSUAL-LOOKING COMET
STREAKING THROUGH SPACE. HE DECIDES TO TAKE A LOOK. Scotti: I SET UP
WITH MY 1.8-METER TELESCOPE AND TAKE SOME IMAGES. AND, IN FACT, IT DOES HAVE
SORT OF A WEIRD LOOK. Narrator: THE OBJECT IS UNLIKE
ANY COMET HE'S EVER SEEN. IT'S GOT A LONG, NARROW TAIL AND A LITTLE FUNNY BUSINESS
GOING ON AROUND THE HEAD OF THE COMET. IT'S REALLY HARD TO TELL
EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT SOMETHING IS INTERESTING
THERE. Narrator: THE FUZZY IMAGE
APPEARS TO HAVE A PROBE-LIKE ARM REACHING OUT
FROM THE MAIN STRUCTURE. NEWS OF THE BIZARRE OBJECT HURDLING THROUGH
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM PROMPTS NASA
TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK USING THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL
IN ITS ARSENAL, THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE. IMAGES FROM
ITS GIANT 8-FOOT MIRROR ARE SENT DIRECTLY
TO NASA SCIENTISTS. WHAT THEY SEE
IS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED. WHEN YOU FIRST SEE IT,
YOU THINK, "WELL, THAT CAN'T BE NORMAL. THAT CAN'T BE NATURAL." WE ALL STEP BACK
FROM THE SCREEN. AND IN EVERY IMAGE, IT'S THERE. IT'S IN THE SHAPE OF AN X. IT'S AN X IN THE SKY. LITTLE X GOING ON. VERY PECULIAR. Narrator: THE X SHAPE ISN'T COMMONLY FOUND
IN ASTRONOMY. WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE AN X? IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SOMETHING
THAT WAS MADE NATURALLY. Narrator:
THE OBJECT IS TRAVELING
AT 11,000 MILES PER HOUR. IS IT SOME KIND OF CONSTRUCTION?
IS IT SOME KIND OF SPACECRAFT? Narrator: THE GIANT X
IS MORE THAN 1,500 MILES ACROSS. NO MACHINE REMOTELY LIKE IT
IS MANUFACTURED ON EARTH. BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T RESEMBLE
ANY KNOWN NATURAL PHENOMENON. ASTRONOMER J.J. KAVELAARS
PUZZLES OVER THE EVIDENCE, CONCLUDING
THAT THE INTERSECTING STRUCTURE IS A RESULT OF A FREAK EVENT -- PERHAPS A COLLISION
BETWEEN TWO ASTEROIDS. WHEN YOU DO THE SIMULATIONS... ...YOU SEE THAT, IN FACT,
IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN SUCH A STRUCTURE
BEING FORMED. Narrator:
BUT THIS REMAINS ONLY A THEORY. Kavelaars: THERE'S MORE THAT
WE DON'T KNOW THAN WE DO KNOW. THAT'S JUST THE NATURE
OF THE UNIVERSE. Narrator: WE MAY NEVER KNOW IF THE GLOWING X
MOVING THROUGH SPACE AT 15 TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND IS A SIGN
OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE. SOME SCIENTISTS BELIVE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING
FOR SOMETHING SLOWER-MOVING. McKay:
TO THEM, A MILLION YEARS MIGHT BE THE NATURAL
REPRODUCTIVE TIME SCAPE. Narrator: WHILE OTHERS HOPE
THAT THEY DON'T FIND US FIRST. Narrator: ALIEN CREATURES,
MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD... [ CREATURE GROWLS ] ...EXISTING IN SLOW MOTION ON A STINKING, HELLISH PLANET. McKay: THEIR LIFE FORM WOULD
BE SO DIFFERENT THAN OURS THAT WE CAN'T IMAGINE IT,
NOR COULD THEY IMAGINE US. Narrator:
SUCH ALIEN LIFE COULD EXIST IN OUR OWN COSMIC BACKYARD. AFTER TEARING THROUGH SPACE
FOR SEVEN YEARS, THE CASSINI ORBITER FINALLY
ARRIVES AT SATURN IN 2004. IT CARRIES A PRECIOUS PAYLOAD -- THE HUYGENS PROBE. ITS MISSION -- TO LAND ON THE RING PLANET'S
MOST MYSTERIOUS MOON, TITAN. PERMANENTLY SHROUDED
WITH CLOUDS, WE'VE NEVER SEEN
THE MOON'S SURFACE UNTIL NOW. AS HUYGENS PLUMMETS
THROUGH TITAN'S ATMOSPHERE, MISSION CONTROL SEES A COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED
LANDSCAPE. TITAN HAS MOUNTAINS... RIVERS... EVEN LAKES. THEY HAD NO IDEA
THAT WHEN WE ARRIVED AT TITAN WE WOULD FIND
ALL THESE SURFACE FORMS JUST LIKE WHAT WE HAVE ON EARTH. Narrator:
TO SOME, TITAN LOOKS LIKE PREHISTORIC EARTH
BEFORE IT HAD LIFE. D'Antonio:
TITAN REPRESENTS A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE MIGHT HAVE
LOOKED LIKE IN OUR EARLY EVOLUTION. Narrator:
IT MAY APPEAR EARTHLIKE, BUT OUR RIVERS AND LAKES
ARE FULL OF WATER. TITAN'S CONTAIN FREEZING-COLD
LIQUEFIED METHANE. AND ON EARTH,
ONE SOURCE OF METHANE IS THE FOUL GAS
FROM ANIMAL WASTE, A PRODUCT OF LIFE. HERE ON EARTH,
WE KNOW THAT METHANE IS CREATED PREDOMINANTLY BY LIFE FORMS. SO, IF YOU LOOK AT TITAN
AND YOU SEE THIS METHANE, WELL,
YOUR FIRST THOUGHT MIGHT BE, "GEE,
MAYBE THERE'S LIFE ON TITAN." COULD THERE BE LIFE LIVING
IN THAT LIQUID, USING THAT LIQUID THE WAY
LIFE ON EARTH USES WATER? Pope:
IF YOU CAN HAVE LIFE IN WATER, WHY NOT LIFE IN METHANE? IT'S ALL LIFE. IT'S JUST LIFE,
BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT. Narrator:
BUT WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF -289 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, TITAN IS BEYOND FROZEN. NO EARTH ORGANISM
COULD SURVIVE HERE. McKay:
I THINK IT'D BE A BIG MISTAKE
TO THINK THAT LIFE ON TITAN IS GONNA LOOK
ANYTHING LIKE LIFE ON EARTH. LIVING IN WATER
IS VERY, VERY DIFFERENT THAN LIVING IN LIQUID METHANE. Narrator:
TITAN IS SO COLD THAT THE METABOLISM OF ANY
LIFE FORMS LIVING IN THE METHANE WOULD BE INCREDIBLY SLOW. McKay: ON TITAN,
TEMPERATURES ARE SO LOW THAT THE PACE OF LIFE
WOULD BE SO SLOW THAT TO THEM, A MILLION YEARS MIGHT BE THE NATURAL REPRODUCTIVE
TIME SCAPE. THINK OF THEM AS BEING LIKE A
BIG, GIANT, FLAT SHEET OF PAPER, MAXIMIZING THEIR SURFACE AREA BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING
AT VERY LOW TEMPERATURES. TEMPERATURES ARE LOW,
THINGS GO SLOW. IF WE FIND LIFE ON TITAN,
WE HAVE CERTAINLY FOUND SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFERENT
FROM US AND THAT FUNDAMENTALLY EXPANDS THE POSSIBILITIES FOR LIFE
IN THE UNIVERSE. Narrator:
THE VASTNESS OF THE COSMOS
COULD CONCEAL LIFE FORMS WHO'VE EVOLVED
OVER BILLIONS OF YEARS. SUCH ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY BE
TECHNOLOGICALLY SUPERIOR TO US, AND THEIR WEAPONS COULD POSE
A THREAT TO THE VERY FABRIC
OF THE UNIVERSE. AN ORBITING SATELLITE DETECTS
A DEATH RAY. WHERE THE HECK
DID THAT COME FROM? Narrator: MASSIVE X-RAY PULSES
RIP THROUGH THE COSMOS. COULD THOSE X-RAYS EMANATING
FROM CYGNUS BE A WEAPON? Narrator:
THE POWER BEHIND THE X-RAY BEAM IS THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE FORCE
IN THE UNIVERSE. MAYBE IT WAS
ADVANCED CIVILIZATIONS ENGAGING
IN INTERSTELLAR WARFARE. [ MACHINE BEEPING ] Narrator: AS THE BEAM HITS
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, NASA SPRINGS INTO ACTION. Narrator: IN DECEMBER 1970, SMALL ASTRONOMY SATELLITE UHURU
LAUNCHES INTO SPACE ON A QUEST TO SEEK OUT X-RAYS. X-RAYS ARE EXTREMELY ENERGETIC
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES. SO, BASICALLY
LIKE LIGHT ON STEROIDS. WE DON'T DETECT X-RAYS ON EARTH BECAUSE THE ATMOSPHERE
PROTECTS US, WHICH IS BAD
FOR X-RAY ASTRONOMERS. IT'S VERY GOOD
FOR HUMANS IN GENERAL 'CAUSE X-RAYS ARE BAD FOR YOU. Narrator: IN TINY DOSES, WE USE X-RAYS
FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES, ALLOWING US TO SEE THROUGH FLESH
TO DIAGNOSE ILLNESS. HIGHER-ENERGY X-RAYS
CAN BE FOCUSED TO KILL CANCER CELLS. BUT ABOVE EARTH,
UHURU DETECTS A SOURCE OF X-RAYS BILLIONS OF TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN THE ENERGY NEEDED
TO KILL ALL LIFE ON THIS PLANET. TO FIND THIS SOURCE OF X-RAYS -- IT'S NOT COMING FROM THE SUN
OR ANY NEARBY THINGS, BUT FROM SOME PLACE IN SPACE HUNDREDS, MAYBE THOUSANDS
OF LIGHT-YEARS AWAY. Narrator: THE DEATH RAY
IS COMING FROM THE CONSTELLATION
OF CYGNUS. SCIENTISTS LABEL THE SOURCE
OF THE X-RAYS CYGNUS X-1, BUT NO ONE CAN SEE IT. WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?
THAT CAN'T BE JUST ANOTHER STAR. THEY DON'T MAKE ENOUGH X-RAYS
FOR US TO SEE FROM 1,000 LIGHT-YEARS AWAY. IN TERMS OF CYGNUS X-1, WE JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS. WHAT WAS PRODUCING THOSE X-RAYS?
IT WASN'T STARS. COULD IT BE SOME SORT OF, I DON'T KNOW,
EXTRATERRESTRIAL ACTIVITY? COULD IT BE INTERSTELLAR WARFARE
USING ADVANCED WEAPONS? [ MACHINE BEEPING ] Narrator: IT MAY SOUND
LIKE SCIENCE FICTION, BUT X-RAY WEAPONS EXIST. THAT WAS PART OF RONALD REAGAN'S
STAR WARS PROGRAM. <i> TO DEFEND OURSELVES
FROM NUCLEAR ATTACK.</i> ONE OF ITS ELEMENTS WAS TO USE MICRO ATOMIC BOMBS
IN JUST THE RIGHT WAY SO THAT THEIR EXPLOSION POWERED
A LASER MADE OF X-RAYS. <i> PART OF OUR WEAPONS RESEARCH
FOCUSES ON LASERS.</i> USING VERY POWERFUL X-RAYS
TO DESTROY GUIDED MISSILES. NOW, THINK ABOUT
AN OLDER CIVILIZATION THAN OURS THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR MILLIONS
OF YEARS WITH LASERS AND WHAT THEY COULD DO WITH IT. I HOPE THEY'LL BE WISE ENOUGH
TO BE CAREFUL AND TO ONLY USE IT
WHEN IT'S REALLY, REALLY NEEDED. Narrator:
BUT IF CYGNUS X-1 IS A WEAPON, IT'S PART OF
A VERY DESTRUCTIVE WAR. THE ENERGY IT'S PRODUCING
IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO DESTROY ANY CIVILIZATION
ATTEMPTING TO HARNESS IT. ONCE YOU FIRE IT, MAN,
YOU JUST GOT TO LEAVE FAST. Narrator:
BUT THE CYGNUS X-1 FORCE IS MORE LIKELY TO BE NATURAL. IN 2009, SCIENTISTS USING
HIGH-POWERED RADIO TELESCOPES RECEIVED A CLUE
ABOUT WHAT THAT FORCE COULD BE. IT WAS DARK.
IT WASN'T EMITTING ANY LIGHT. AND YET, THERE WAS ALL THIS
X-RAY RADIATION COMING FROM IT. THIS WAS NOT
INTERSTELLAR WARFARE. THIS WAS THE RESULT OF A...
BLACK HOLE. Narrator: THIS IS THE MOST
POWERFUL FORCE IN THE COSMOS, A COLLAPSED DEAD STAR
CONSUMING EVERYTHING AROUND IT. Brin: ALL OF THAT MASS
GATHERED IN THERE IS PULLING SPACETIME
INTO A FUNNEL SO THAT IT'S SO INTENSE
THAT LIGHT THAT TRIES TO ESCAPE, IT NEVER MAKES IT. Narrator: THE BLACK HOLE'S
GRAVITY IS SO POWERFUL THAT IT'S TEARING
A NEIGHBORING STAR APART. AS THE STAR IS CONSUMED, ITS SUPER-HEATED MATTER
PRODUCES X-RAYS, AND THIS CREATES
THE X-RAY PULSE OF CYGNUS X-1. SLOWLY, THE MATERIAL
THAT MAKES UP THAT STAR IS BEING SUCKED
INTO THE BLACK HOLE. Narrator:
BEFORE IT FINALLY SUCCUMBS TO THE BLACK HOLE'S
AWESOME POWER. Capps: I LOVE THE EXPLANATION
THAT CYGNUS X-1 IS COOL, ALIEN X-RAY WEAPONRY,
BUT, COME ON. IT'S A BLACK HOLE, IF NOT,
AND BLACK HOLES ARE COOL ENOUGH. I MEAN, THERE'S ONE
AT THE CENTER OF OUR GALAXY KEEPING US SPINNING, RIGHT? IT'S JUST AMAZING. Narrator:
THE WEIRD SIGNALS OF CYGNUS X-1 ARE NOT EVIDENCE OF APOCALYPTIC
ALIEN TECHNOLOGY THOUSANDS OF LIGHT-YEARS
FROM EARTH. BUT ONE ASTRONAUT HAS FILMED SOMETHING DISTURBING
MUCH CLOSER TO HOME, SOMETHING LURKING
IN THE NORTHERN LIGHTS. Man:
THIS OBJECT LOOKS JUST LIKE THE STARSHIP<i> ENTERPRISE</i>
FROM "STAR TREK". Narrator:
IS THIS FIRST CONTACT? Narrator: SOMETHING HAS INVADED
EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE. THIS IMAGE LOOKS LIKE A CRAFT. THIS OBJECT LOOKS JUST LIKE THE STARSHIP<i> ENTERPRISE</i>
FROM "STAR TREK". Narrator: IT'S HOVERING
IN THE AURORA BOREALIS, A.K.A. THE NORTHERN LIGHTS. Capps: I'M THINKING
THIS IS SOMEONE WATCHING US. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS
INTELLIGENT LIFE AND CONTACT. Narrator:
IS THIS REALLY FIRST CONTACT OR IS IT ALL IN THE EYE
OF THE BEHOLDER? IN 2006, THE 13th CREW ARRIVES AT THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION. OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, THEY ORBIT EARTH
ALMOST 3,000 TIMES. NASA ASTRONAUT AND
KEEN PHOTOGRAPHER JEFF WILLIAMS DOCUMENTS EVERYTHING... FROM LIFE INSIDE THE STATION TO THE DESERTS, VOLCANOES,
WEATHER SYSTEMS ON EARTH... AND THE CAPTIVATING LIGHT SHOW
AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD. WHAT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING
THAT WE GET TO SEE FROM SPACE? THE AURORA. ANYTIME WE'RE BY THE AURORA,
NOBODY'S WORKING. EVERYBODY'S AT THE WINDOW. Narrator: BUT WHEN JEFF WILLIAMS
PHOTOGRAPHS THE AURORA, HE CAPTURES
MORE THAN ITS INNER LIGHT. HE SNAPS SOMETHING
STRAIGHT OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION. Capps: IT LOOKS JUST LIKE A
SPACECRAFT PARKED IN OUR AURORA. GAME CHANGER. Narrator: A STARSHIP
WOULDN'T ACCIDENTALLY HOVER IN THE SKY
ABOVE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS. THE AURORA BOREALIS IS
AN ELECTROMAGNETIC PHENOMENON. Birnes: IS IT FEASIBLE --
AND I BELIEVE IT IS -- THAT THIS CRAFT CAN BE ACTUALLY
REFUELING WIRELESSLY FROM BEING INSIDE
THE AURORA BOREALIS? AND IF SO, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THERE ARE ENERGY SOURCES
ALL AROUND US? MAYBE WE CAN'T USE THEM,
BUT EXTRATERRESTRIALS CAN. Narrator: ANY ANOMALY
IN THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD COULD BE DANGEROUS
IF IT AFFECTED ITS STABILITY... ...BECAUSE THE AURORAE ARE MORE
THAN A PRETTY LIGHT SHOW. THEY'RE PATTERNS OF FORCE CAUSED
BY THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD. THEY PROTECT THE PLANET
FROM CHARGED PARTICLES SENT HURDLING THROUGH SPACE
BY SOLAR EXPLOSIONS. Raftery: IF THE EARTH'S
MAGNETIC FIELD FAILED, WE ON THE SURFACE OF THE PLANET
WOULD BE EXPOSED TO WHATEVER RADIATION WAS COMING
FROM THE SUN. Narrator: IF IT WEREN'T
FOR OUR OWN MAGNETIC FIELD
AROUND OUR PLANET, DIVERTING
ALL THESE CHARGED PARTICLES DOWN TO THE POLES WHERE
THEY MAKE BEAUTIFUL AURORAE, WELL, WE'D BE IN TROUBLE
HERE ON THE EARTH'S SURFACE. Narrator:
SOLAR PHYSICISTS DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS AN ALIEN VESSEL
ASSIGNED TO EARTH. IT'S NOT A STARSHIP. [ LAUGHS ] I'M AFRAID THAT'S
THE LEAST LIKELY EXPLANATION. PERHAPS IT WAS A COSMIC RAY HIT THAT DID SOME DAMAGE
TO THE DETECTOR IN THE CAMERA. Capps: IT SEEMS LIKE
ALL THE BEST STUFF IS EXPLAINED AWAY
WITH COSMIC RAYS. ONE LITTLE THING WE SAW
JUST FOR A MOMENT, WHAT COULD IT BE? COSMIC RAYS IS A LITTLE TO EASY
OF AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT. Narrator: NO ONE KNOWS IF A STARSHIP REALLY HOVERED
OVER THE AURORA, BUT IT WAS GONE
IN THE WINK OF AN EYE. PERHAPS IT HAD FULFILLED
ITS MISSION AND RETURNED HOME. YOU KNOW, I GREW UP
ON SCIENCE FICTION, NOT SCIENCE. SO MY FIRST THOUGHT WHEN I SEE A LITTLE DARK SPOT
IN THE PICTURE, I'M THINKING, "MAYBE
THIS IS SOMEONE WATCHING." AND THEN THE SCIENTIST IN ME
TAKES OVER, AND I START LOOKING FOR
EXPLANATIONS. BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN, THERE AREN'T
ANY GOOD EXPLANATIONS, AND THAT'S WHERE
THE EXCITING MYTHOLOGY IS. Narrator:
THE EXPLORERS OF PAST CENTURIES WOULD OFTEN RETURN
FROM THEIR VOYAGES WITH FANTASTIC TALES
OF FABULOUS CREATURES. HUNDREDS OF YEARS LATER,
SPACE EXPLORERS CONTINUE TO SEE THINGS THAT DEFY
EXPLANATION. I GOT NO ANSWERS. Narrator:
A SECRET SHUTTLE MISSION, AT A CRITICAL MOMENT,
IS INTERRUPTED. ALL OF A SUDDEN... IT WASN'T THERE,
AND NOW IT'S THERE. Narrator:
SLITHERING THROUGH SPACE, A WEIRD ENTITY. IT'S MOVING LIKE A SNAKE. Narrator: ARE THERE CREATURES
LIVING ABOVE OUR ATMOSPHERE? THE TAIL IS THERE, RIGHT THERE. Narrator:
230 MILES ABOVE EARTH... AND YOU'RE GO
TO MANEUVER TO... Narrator:
...SPACE SHUTTLE<i> ATLANTIS</i> OPERATES COVERTLY IN THE VOID. ASTRONAUT STORY MUSGRAVE DEPLOYS
A SECRET DEFENSE SATELLITE. IT WAS AN INFRARED SATELLITE,
VERY POWERFUL INFRARED CAMERA, WHICH IS ABLE TO DETECT
ROCKET LAUNCHES. Narrator: AFTER HE RELEASES THE MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR
SPY SATELLITE... MAN:
Does the data look okay? Narrator: ...STORY MAKES
ONE LAST VISUAL CHECK. I'M LOOKING
STRAIGHT OUT OVER THE TAIL. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM. THERE'S AN OBJECT
THAT CAME FROM NOWHERE. IT WASN'T THERE,
AND NOW IT'S THERE. IT'S A SNAKE-LIKE OBJECT,
6 FEET, 7 FEET, AND I'M WONDERING WHAT IT IS. Narrator: STORY WATCHES AS THE ENTITY SLITHERS
THROUGH SPACE. Musgrave:
THERE'S INTERNAL MOTION IN IT, AND IT CONTINUES TO MOVE FURTHER OUT
RIGHT IN THAT DIRECTION. THE TAIL IS THERE, RIGHT THERE. Narrator:
THE STRANGE, WRIGGLING OBJECT ALARMS NASA, AS WELL. JIM OBERG EXAMINES
THE VIDEO FOOTAGE, LOOKING FOR THE MOST RATIONAL
EXPLANATION. Oberg: WE KNOW
THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF THINGS THAT BREAK LOOSE OF THE SHUTTLE
THAT LOOK LIKE THAT. THERE ARE STRIPS
OF INSULATION BETWEEN THE TILES. THERE ARE STRAP-DOWNS
ON THE PAYLOAD. AND, OF COURSE, THEIR MAIN MECHANISMS
FOR DEPLOYING THESE PAYLOADS HAVE THINGS DESIGNED
TO BE THROWN OVERBOARD. Narrator: EVERY NUT AND BOLT
ON THE SHUTTLE IS CAREFULLY LOGGED
BEFORE TAKEOFF. SO NASA BELIEVES
IDENTIFYING THE MISSING PIECE WILL SOLVE THE MYSTERY. MAN: Main gear touchdown. Narrator:
BUT WHEN STORY LATER CHECKS IN WITH THE SHUTTLE MECHANICS
BACK ON THE GROUND, THE MYSTERY DEEPENS. THE VEHICLE WAS NORMAL
WHEN IT CAME HOME. THERE WAS NOTHING MISSING THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
MISSING. I GOT NO ANSWERS. Narrator: IF THIS IS NOT
A MANMADE ARTIFACT, THAT LEAVES OPEN OTHER OPTIONS. STORY MUSGRAVE DOESN'T RULE OUT
LIFE IN SPACE. SPACE ITSELF IS NOT HOSTILE. THAT'S THE HUMAN PERSPECTIVE
ON IT. IT'S ONLY HOSTILE
TO THE HUMAN CONDITION. LIFE IS POWERFUL. IT ARISES, AND IT HAPPENS, AND IT LIVES
IN ALL THE ENVIRONMENTS. AND I THINK
LIFE IS EVERYWHERE OUT THERE. Narrator:
RECENT DISCOVERIES OF LIFE IN EARTH'S
MOST HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS SUPPORT STORY'S ENTHUSIASM. Friedman:
WHEN YOU BOIL IT DOWN, WE HAVE FOUND LIFE IN ALL KINDS
OF UNEXPECTED PLACES -- LIFE IN ROCKS,
LIFE AT HIGH TEMPERATURE, LIFE AT HIGH PRESSURE. EVERYBODY SAID, "IMPOSSIBLE!" BUT IT WAS FOUND. SO, I DON'T THINK
YOU CAN RULE IT OUT. MAN #1: Lift-off. MAN #2: 8.1 bravo. Narrator: IN 2007, A HANDFUL OF TINY INSECT-LIKE
CREATURES CALLED TARDIGRADES WERE SENT INTO ORBIT. AFTER 10 DAYS EXPOSED
TO THE VACUUM, THE TINY ASTRONAUTS
ARE STILL ALIVE AND HEALTHY. THE BUGS' ENDURANCE
IS IMPRESSIVE. BUT NASA ASTROBIOLOGIST
CHRIS McKAY DOESN'T BELIEVE ANYTHING COULD PERMANENTLY LIVE
IN SPACE. WE CAN WONDER
IF LIFE COULD LIVE IN SPACE -- NOT ON A PLANET,
BUT JUST FLOATING IN SPACE. THERE'S CERTAINLY ENOUGH
ENERGY COMING FROM THE SUN. THE HARD THING FOR ME TO IMAGINE IS HOW THAT LIFE
COULD GET MATERIAL. HOW DOES IT GET FRESH NUTRIENTS AND WHERE DOES IT SEND
ITS WASTE? WHO KNOWS? Narrator:
THE EERIE, SNAKE-LIKE OBJECT IS UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE
EVER RECORDED. AND TO DATE, NASA HAS
NO OFFICIAL EXPLANATION. BUT FOR STORY MUSGRAVE,
HIS ENCOUNTER WITH THE SPACE EEL HIGHLIGHTS JUST HOW LITTLE
WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE COSMOS. Musgrave:
TO WHAT EXTENT DO WE UNDERSTAND
EVERYTHING OUT IN SPACE? WE DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING. SHE'S NOT GONNA UNDRESS FOR US. Narrator: EVEN ON EARTH'S
NEAREST NEIGHBOR, WE FIND THINGS
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND. WE EVEN GIVE THEM NAMES
TO DISGUISE OUR FEAR. [ ALARM BLARING ] COMING UP... NASA's MYSTERIOUS MOON PIGEONS. EVERYTHING STARTS GOING WRONG
WHEN THESE MOON PIGEONS APPEAR. Narrator:
APOLLO 10's LUNAR MODULE IS SECONDS FROM CATASTROPHE. Birnes: APOLLO 10, THE LAST
MISSION BEFORE THE LANDING, CAME THIS CLOSE
TO ABSOLUTE DISASTER. Narrator: WHAT IF SOMETHING
TAMPERED WITH NASA's SHIP? Birnes:
EVERYTHING STARTS GOING WRONG... [ ALARM BLARING ] ...WHEN THESE MOON PIGEONS
APPEAR. Narrator: MAY 1969. APOLLO 10's EIGHT-DAY MISSION
TO THE MOON CAPTIVATES AN ENTIRE PLANET. Orwoll:
APOLLO 10 IS GOING TO BE
A FULL-UP DRESS REHEARSAL FOR THE LANDING THAT'S GOING
TO BE OCCURRING ON APOLLO 11. BUT THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO ACTUALLY LAND. THEY'RE ONLY GONNA GO DOWN WITHIN ABOUT EIGHT MILES
OF THE SURFACE. Narrator: AFTER SEPARATING
FROM THE MOTHERSHIP, THE LUNAR MODULE ORBITS EIGHT MILES ABOVE
THE MOON'S SURFACE, PRECISELY MAPPING A LANDING AREA
FOR THE NEXT APOLLO MISSION. AS THEY'RE APPROACHING
THE LUNAR SURFACE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
THEY HAVE TO DO IS GET A LOCK. BECAUSE WITHOUT KNOWING
YOUR EXACT ALTITUDE, YOU COULD RUN INTO PROBLEMS. [ ALARM BLARES ] Narrator: BUT THE COMMAND
MODULE'S TRANSPONDER FAILS, LEAVING THE MISSION IN JEOPARDY AND THE LUNAR MODULE HANGING
HELPLESSLY IN SPACE. WITHOUT A LOCK,
IT WON'T BE ABLE TO DOCK BACK WITH THE COMMAND MODULE. [ ALARM BLARING ] Orwoll:
THEY TRY MANUAL OVERRIDE.
THAT DOESN'T' WORK. AND THEY REPEATEDLY TRY,
AND IT IS NOT OPERATING. SO, FINALLY, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY
ON THEIR LAST CHANCE. Narrator: MEN AT THE CONSOLES
IN MISSION CONTROL AND THE FOLKS IN THE BACK ROOM
ARE NOW FRANTICALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO. Narrator:
LUNAR MODULE PILOT EUGENE CERNAN CATCHES THE UNFOLDING DRAMA
ON CAMERA. AS HIS CRAFT DRIFTS
ABOVE THE COMMAND MODULE, CERNAN'S CAMERA CAPTURES
SOMETHING BELOW HIM -- WHAT LOOKS LIKE
ANOTHER SPACECRAFT. NASA HAS A CODE
FOR SOMETHING LIKE THESE. THEY CALL THEM MOON PIGEONS. THIS IS PART OF THE IMAGERY
THAT LED NASA TO COMMISSION THIS STUDY
OF WHAT THEY CALL MOON PIGEONS, THINGS SEEN OUT THE WINDOW. Friedman: SEEMS WEIRD THAT NASA
CALLS THESE THINGS MOON PIGEONS. THAT'S A WEIRD TITLE. WE KNOW THERE AREN'T PIGEONS
FLYING OUT IN DEEP SPACE. Narrator: AS QUICKLY
AS THE MOON PIGEON APPEARED, IT DISAPPEARS. AND WITHIN MOMENTS, THE SITUATION ON BOARD
THE LUNAR MODULE IMPROVES. Orwoll: THEY FLIP
THE TOGGLE SWITCH ONE LAST TIME AND THE RADAR SYSTEM
STARTS OPERATING. THEY START GETTING THE DATA. THEY CONFIRM THIS
WITH MISSION CONTROL, AND THEY GET THE AUTHORIZATION TO MAKE THE APPROACH
TO THE LUNAR SURFACE. Narrator: THE MISSION FINISHES
WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL DRAMA. BUT WHEN CERNAN'S FILM
REACHES THE PUBLIC, SOME SEE THE MOON PIGEON'S
SUDDEN APPEARANCE AS MORE THAN COINCIDENCE. I BELIEVE
WE'RE BEING WARNED OFF. "STAY AWAY,
AND DON'T COME BACK." Narrator: SOME SPECULATE
THAT AN ADVANCED INTELLIGENCE COULD BE JAMMING
APOLLO'S SYSTEMS. OTHERS BELIEVE FRIENDLY ALIENS ARE SOMEHOW FIXING
THE TRANSPONDER. I THINK THE EXTRATERRESTRIALS WOULD BE QUITE CONCERNED
ABOUT US. RULE NUMBER ONE
FOR ANY ADVANCED CIVILIZATION IS KEEP TABS ON THE PRIMITIVES
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Narrator:
THE MOTIVES OF THIS MOON PIGEON ARE DIFFICULT TO FATHOM, BUT NASA DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT ALIENS INTERFERED
WITH APOLLO 10 AT ALL. THEY SAY THIS MOON PIGEON
IS SPACE DEBRIS. HERE AGAIN,
WE HAVE NASA FALLING BACK ON ITS OLD SUPPORT
FOR "NOTHING STRANGE" -- SPACE DEBRIS. Birnes: BY CALLING
THESE ANOMALIES MOON PIGEONS, NASA IS TRIVIALIZING IT. BUT WHAT THEY CAN'T TRIVIALIZE IS THAT EVERYTHING STARTS
GOING WRONG WHEN THESE MOON PIGEONS APPEAR. Narrator:
SIX MOON PIGEONS WERE REPORTED DURING JUST TWO APOLLO MISSIONS. IN 1970, NASA COMMISSIONED
A REPORT ON MOON PIGEONS. IT CONCLUDED
THAT THEY WERE SPACE DEBRIS. CASE CLOSED, ACCORDING TO NASA. TO DATE, NO NASA MISSION HAS FOUND EVIDENCE
OF LIFE ON THE MOON. BUT ONE
GROUNDBREAKING EXPERIMENT MAY HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE
OF LIFE ON MARS. Pope: THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
DISCOVERIES OF ALL TIME. Narrator:
SO WHY DON'T WE KNOW ABOUT IT? Narrator: DIGGING FOR LIFE
ON A DISTANT PLANET. IT'S STILL THE HOLY GRAIL. IT'S STILL WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS
TO FIND. Narrator: A SPECTACULAR
DISCOVERY IS BURIED. IF IT'S WRONG,
TELL ME IT'S WRONG. WHY THE SILENCE? Narrator: FOR DECADES, ONE MAN TRIES
TO TELL THE WORLD. I HAVE SPENT THE LAST 40 YEARS FIGHTING FOR MY RESULTS
AND BELIEVING IN THEM. Narrator:
WILL NASA's LATEST MARS PROBE DISCOVER E.T. NEXT DOOR? MAN: ...One. We have ignition.
We have lift-off. Narrator: IN 1975,
NASA LAUNCHES<i> VIKING 1,</i> THE FIRST HUMAN VESSEL
TO LAND ON THE RED PLANET. ITS MISSION --
FIND LIFE ON MARS. AS<i> VIKING</i> DROPS
TOWARD THE PLANET SURFACE, NASA ENGINEER DR. GILBERT LEVIN MONITORS FROM THE HEART
OF MISSION CONTROL. Levin: THE MOMENT<i>
VIKING 1</i> TOUCHED DOWN... Man: TOUCHDOWN. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Fantastic! ...THIS WAS EXCITEMENT
BEYOND BELIEF. IT BEAT THE WORLD SERIES. Narrator:
THE LANDER IS PROGRAMMED TO DETECT MARTIAN LIFE
USING A RADIOACTIVE SOUP. ITS MECHANICAL CLAW DIGS
INTO THE BLOOD-RED SOIL. THEY TAKE A SCOOP
OF MARTIAN DIRT AND THEY POUR NUTRIENT SOLUTION
ON TOP OF IT. Narrator: IT'S LIKE FISHING. YOU PUT BAIT ON A HOOK
AND WAIT FOR A BITE. ALL YOU'RE DOING IS FEEDING
SUSPECTED MICROORGANISMS. AND IF THEY METABOLIZE
WHAT YOU FEED THEM, THE GAS THEY MAKE FROM IT
WILL BE RADIOACTIVE. THAT MAKES IT VERY EASY
TO DETECT. Narrator:
NO RADIOACTIVE GAS, NO LIFE. IT'S THAT SIMPLE. FOR 40 LONG MINUTES,
THE SENSORS FLATLINE. Levin: ALL OF A SUDDEN,
WE SEE THERE IS A RESPONSE, A RESULT COMING BACK SHOWING
THOUSANDS OF COUNTS PER MINUTE OF RADIOACTIVE GAS
COMING OUT OF OUR SAMPLE. THAT WAS THE PROOF THAT NASA SAID IT WOULD ACCEPT
BEFORE THE MISSION. THIS IS A NASA-APPROVED
EXPERIMENT ON A NASA MISSION, AND THE RESULTS ARE CLEAR. THIS IS LIFE. Narrator:<i>
VIKING</i> REPEATS THE EXPERIMENTS. EACH ONE CONFIRMS
SIGNS OF MARTIANS. THERE IS LIFE ON MARS. Levin: I IMMEDIATELY SENT OUT FOR A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE
AND A BIG CIGAR. Narrator: BUT WHEN NASA CALLS
A PRESS CONFERENCE, TO GIL'S AMAZEMENT, HE IS TOLD
TO DOWNPLAY HIS RESULTS. THEY PUT ME DOWN
AS THE LAST ONE TO SPEAK, AND THEY HAD CAUTIONED ME NOT TO SAY I HAD DETECTED
LIFE ON MARS. Pope: WHY ISN'T THIS INFORMATION
BEING CIRCULATED? THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST
DISCOVERIES OF ALL TIME. Narrator: ACCORDING TO NASA,
THE REASON IS SIMPLE. GIL'S RESULTS CONTRADICT
TWO OTHER EXPERIMENTS RUN ON SIMILAR SAMPLES
ALSO AIMED AT DETECTING LIFE. THEY LOOK FOR ORGANIC COMPOUNDS,
JUST MOLECULES THAT ARE TYPICAL
OF LIFE IN THAT DIRT, AND THEY DON'T FIND ANY. SO THEY SAY, "OKAY, FORGET IT. WHATEVER WAS HAPPENING THERE,
IT WASN'T LIFE." Narrator: WITHOUT THIS EVIDENCE, NASA ISN'T CONVINCED
THEY FOUND LIFE ON MARS. AND THEY SAID, "NO ORGANICS. THERE GOES THE BALLGAME." Narrator: BUT NOW, AFTER NEARLY FOUR DECADES
OF UNCERTAINTY, NEW EVIDENCE COULD EXPLAIN
WHY NASA's OTHER EXPERIMENTS CONTRADICT GIL'S RESULTS. IT MAY BE THAT GIL IS RIGHT,
THAT WE'RE JUST CONFUSED BECAUSE THE SIGNAL IS NOT
EXACTLY WHAT WE EXPECTED, BUT IT'S STILL BIOLOGICAL. Narrator: IN 2008,
NASA DETECTS VAST SALT DEPOSITS ACROSS THE PLANET'S SURFACE. ONCE OF THE SURPRISING RESULTS
FROM MARS EXPLORATION WAS THE DISCOVERY
THAT THE SALT ON MARS WAS NOT LIKE THE SALT ON EARTH. THINK OF IT
AS A BIZARRE FORM OF SALT. Narrator: CRUCIALLY,
WHEN MARTIAN SALT IS HEATED, IT DESTROYS
ANY BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES. AND THE OTHER EXPERIMENTS<i>
VIKING</i> CONDUCTED ALL HEATED THE SOIL SAMPLES IN AN ATTEMPT TO RELEASE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. SO EVEN IF LIFE EXISTS
IN THE SALTY SOIL, THE OTHER EXPERIMENTS DESTROYED
ANY TRACE OF IT. ADDITIONALLY,
THE SALT MAY DO MORE THAN MASK
THE PRESENCE OF LIFE ON MARS. IT COULD ALSO BE A KEY
TO ITS EXISTENCE. ON EARTH, WE'VE DISCOVERED BUGS
THAT EAT THIS SALT TO LIVE. McKay: THERE ARE MICROORGANISMS
THAT CAN CONSUME THAT SALT. THEY CAN USE THAT SALT
THE WAY WE HUMANS USE OXYGEN. Narrator: MARS COULD BE
A SALTY HAVEN FOR LIFE, TOO. MARS LIFE
WOULD NOT BE VERY ALIEN. IT WOULD HAVE MANY
OF THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AND FEATURES OF LIFE ON EARTH. Narrator:<i>
VIKING'S</i> BIOLOGICAL DETECTORS COULDN'T HAVE FOUND MARTIAN LIFE BECAUSE ONLY GIL'S TESTS
LEFT THE SOIL UNHEATED, PRESERVING EVIDENCE
OF ANY SALT-MUNCHING MICROBES. IT MAY BE TIME TO REVISIT
GIL'S FINDINGS. IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT
WHAT THE DATA REALLY MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK. Narrator: IN AUGUST 2012, NASA's<i> CURIOSITY</i> ROVER LANDS
ON THE RED PLANET. ITS DUAL MISSION -- TO FIND EVIDENCE OF WATER AND SEEK OUT SIGNS OF LIFE
IN THE PLANET'S PAST. ON BOARD,
IT HAS A SOPHISTICATED LAB WHICH CAN CONTINUE
THAT SEARCH FOR LIFE. YEAH, I WOULD LOVE
TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE FOUND IT, LIFE ON MARS, THIS IS IT. RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE
CONVINCING EVIDENCE. Narrator: IF GIL LEVIN IS RIGHT, THE MARTIANS WILL BE THERE... WAITING. NASA's SEARCH FOR LIFE
HAS TAKEN US TO FAR-FLUNG WORLDS
WITH ALIEN ENVIRONMENTS. WHILE MYSTERIOUS ENCOUNTERS
CLOSER TO HOME DEFY LOGIC, ASTRONAUTS HAVE RISKED
THEIR LIVES TO PUSH BACK
THE BOUNDARIES OF KNOWLEDGE. NASA's FILES REVEAL
STRANGE NEW WORLDS, WEIRD PHENOMENA,
AND COSMIC FORCES. YET MANY OF THE ANOMALIES REMAIN
UNEXPLAINED. CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
