Extraterrestrial Oceans – StarTalk Live!

About This Episode

What are the oceans like on Enceladus? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson explores the oceans of Earth and other planets in the search for alien life in hard-to-reach places with planetary scientist Kevin Hand, deep sea oceanographer Julie Huber, and comedian guests Eugene Mirman, Ellie Kemper, and John Mulaney!

Where are the craziest places on Earth to find life? We discuss microbes that chew rocks and what happened to “leagues” as a unit of measurement. Find out about extremophiles and bioluminescent sea life. Why is the deep sea so inaccessible to us? Discover what it sounds like at the bottom of the ocean and the exothermic reactions happening inside hydrothermal vents. Could the origins of life be traced back to deep sea vents? 

Is there life below the bottom of the ocean? Are there tiny horses down there? We explore what could be found under the surface of Mars, fossilized microbes, and the idea that life may not always be solar-powered. What did Mars’s oceans look like? Can life exist without liquid water? Could there be milkshake-based life? Learn about the oceans of Europa and Enceladus. What makes Enceladus spew its ocean into space? Why are all aliens in movies squids now? 

When will we send robots to Europa? We talk about plans to dig into Europa’s ocean, the Cassini mission, and the steps it takes to get there. When will we discover alien life? Will they use energy similar to how we do? Are the rules of biology on Earth universal? All that, plus, Neil waxes poetic about biology, the universe, and nature as a whole. 

Thanks to our Patrons ​​Nate Gilman, Amy Morton, erika brennan, Rob Cordes, Tyler Pitts, Arya Menon, Jessie Desmond, Beth Leitch, Zach, and Karen Berthot for supporting us this week.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.