Have you ever imagined what it would be like to meet an alien from another planet? While we haven’t met any real aliens yet, there are some creatures on Earth that look pretty strange, like the California Sea Anemone. It looks like a plant from the ocean, but when you touch its sticky tentacles, it closes up around your fingers!
Ella has a big question: Are aliens real? The truth is, nobody knows for sure. But that doesn’t mean we can’t think about it and explore the possibilities!
Many people wonder about aliens because they’ve seen them in movies or TV shows. Others might have seen something strange in the sky, like a mysterious light, and wondered if it could be an alien. Often, these lights have simple explanations, like being a rocket launch or a special airplane.
It’s exciting to think about what aliens might look like or if they have cool technology. Would they be friendly? Even though we haven’t found aliens yet, scientists are trying to find out if they exist.
SETI is a group of scientists who use telescopes and other tools to search for signs of alien life. They think that if aliens exist, they might be living on planets far away and could try to send us messages through radio signals. So far, after more than 35 years of searching, SETI hasn’t found any aliens.
There are many possibilities. Maybe aliens don’t want to talk to us, or maybe they’re not intelligent like humans. They could be more like alien plants or animals. Some scientists even think Earth might be the only planet with life.
Even if we never find aliens, our planet is full of amazing and strange things to discover. There are creatures and places on Earth that look like they belong in a science fiction story!
Thanks to Ella for asking such a fun question! There are always new mysteries to explore. For the next topic, you can choose from: Why do roses have thorns? What is clay made of? Or how do bees make honey? Vote for your favorite, and remember to stay curious!
Alien Creature Creation: Imagine what an alien might look like if it lived on a planet very different from Earth. Use clay, playdough, or drawing materials to create your own alien creature. Think about what features it might have to survive in its environment. Does it have wings to fly, fins to swim, or maybe extra eyes to see in the dark? Share your creation with the class and explain why you designed it that way.
Sky Watch: On a clear night, go outside with a parent or guardian and look up at the sky. Try to spot different things like stars, the moon, or even a satellite. If you see something you don’t recognize, make a note of it. The next day, research what it might have been. Was it a planet, a star, or maybe something else? Discuss with your class what you found and if you think it could have been an alien spaceship!
Message to Aliens: If you could send a message to aliens, what would you say? Write a short message or draw a picture that you think would help aliens understand what life on Earth is like. Think about what you would want them to know about humans, animals, or our planet. Share your message with the class and discuss what you think aliens might send back if they could reply.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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(ringing) – Hi, it’s Doug. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see an alien creature from another planet? Well, there are some pretty alien-looking things right here on Earth. One of my favorites is the California Sea Anemone. It looks like a strange ocean plant, but it’s not. As soon as you touch its sticky tentacles, it starts to close up around your fingers.
But someone named Ella has a question about actual alien life. Let’s give her a call now. (ringing) – Hi Doug! – Hi Ella. – I have a question for you. Are aliens real? – That’s a great question. This is a question where I can just come right out and tell you the answer. Are aliens real? Nobody knows. At least not yet.
But even though it’s not known whether aliens are real, that’s not the end of it. There are so many interesting things to think about here. First of all, think about what it is that might make you wonder about aliens. Maybe, like most people, you’ve seen aliens as characters in a movie or a show that you watch. But some people wonder about aliens because they’ve seen something strange in real life—something they felt they couldn’t explain.
For example, if someone notices a strange light flying in the sky that doesn’t quite seem like an airplane, they might wonder, could it be an alien? This one turned out to have been a rocket launch by SpaceX. Or imagine you saw some unusual lights. You might think, whoa, what is that flying there? It turns out this is a special type of airplane, a B2 stealth plane.
When you see something surprising in the sky and you’re not sure what it is, it is tempting to think, could it be aliens? There’s almost always a more simple explanation, though. But if there are alien beings from another planet somewhere out there, it’s really exciting to think about. What would they look like? Would they have any advanced technology? And would they be nice to us?
Even though nobody knows whether aliens actually exist somewhere out there, there are scientists who are at least trying to find this out. SETI, or the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, is the name of a group of scientists who use telescopes and other equipment to look and listen to the universe around us. Their idea is that if there are aliens out there, they’re probably living on planets that are so far away from us that they can’t easily visit Earth.
So these scientists aren’t looking around for alien spaceships. Instead, the scientists at SETI are assuming that any aliens out there might be trying to send us things like radio signals or other ways to try to communicate with us over long distances. So far, though, the scientists at SETI have been looking and listening for over 35 years, and they have found no aliens. This makes scientists wonder about a big question: If there are aliens out there, why haven’t we found them yet?
After all, if there’s life on our planet, including intelligent life like us, couldn’t there be intelligent life on other planets? What do you think? Do you think there are aliens somewhere out there? Now would be a good time to pause the video and discuss.
Okay, you ready? I think it’s tempting to assume that there must be alien life somewhere out there. But scientists know there are lots of different possibilities. For example, maybe there are intelligent aliens out there who simply choose not to send messages to other planets. Or maybe there’s alien life out there, but it’s just not intelligent life. For example, it could be that there’s lots of alien life out there, but it’s more like alien plants and animals rather than intelligent aliens that can communicate with us.
Some scientists point out there’s even the possibility that Earth might be the only planet with life. It’s hard for us to know, and maybe only time will tell. But what if we never find any alien life? Or never even find out? Would that be disappointing? Maybe, but personally, I don’t think so. I think what gets so many of us excited about alien life is the idea of seeing something strange and new—something we never even imagined before.
It turns out the very planet we all live on is full of strange and exciting things. New things that you’ve probably never seen. Even I, as an adult, am still amazed by new things I never knew about. There are so many different creatures that look like aliens but live right here on Earth. And alien-looking places too.
That’s all for this week’s question. Thanks, Ella, for asking it. Now for the next episode, I reached into my question jar and picked up three questions submitted to me that I’m thinking about answering. When this video is done playing, you’ll get to vote on one. You can choose from: Why do roses have thorns? What is clay made out of? Or how do bees make honey? So submit your vote when the video is over. I want to hear from all of you watching. There are mysteries all around us. Stay curious and see you next week.
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