Freeman Dyson: Let's look for life in the outer solar system

[OM3N1R]

somebody out there has the coolest gramps EVER!

I hope they respect and appreciate him.

[crudhousefull]

I think that there might be more chance of there being animals that use other chemicals as fuels as animals that live deep beneath in our oceans

[kjrunia]

Wonderful.

[quidproquo2004]

I would love to go home and program my own organism :D

[AllTheseWorldsAreUrs]

how can anyone Dislike this??

[riplox1986]

I wonder if he's heard of the Tardigrade...our little microscopic friend might be on more bodies in the cosmos than we think. Also, it's far more probable that microscopic organisms exist rather than complex forms, especially in such extreme conditions.

[AllTheseWorldsAreUrs]

@riplox1986 Thanks for your comment. I had never heard of Tardigrades until now. Fascinating! And you have a good point... Maybe we will eventually send them to Europa.

[TheResilient5689]

It's a shame that this man doesn't have a Nobel prize. He was (and still is) one of the greatest physicists that ever lived. Listening to Dyson is almost never boring.

[TomFynn]

I remember raptly watching the events unfold live with the Cassini-Huygens landing on Titan.

A mission to the moon Europa for drilling under the ice would be...awesome.

[paginipro]

boring, god is logic

[thetraceur123]

@paginipro Science ownes, stop being so boring. And Dyson is a Christian so... fail.

[paginipro]

@thetraceur123 dyson is wrong ,I'm right god is logic, theoreticalphysics.webs.com

[TheeVoiceOfReason]

Freeman Dyson is a scientist of enormous stature. His interests and accomplishments make him a "Renaissance Scientist". With honorary degrees from over two dozen universities, he is a genius! Studies in quantum electrodynamics, global warming, the origins of life, progress in religion, closing the gap between the rich and poor but far too many to list on a youtube comment. If Dyson's haters were half the scientist he was, they'd be teaching in Harvard :)

[BorisGaquere]

Physicists named Freeman aren't supposed to speak. But when they do, I listen.

[beardedoneder]

Move over Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. Make way for Freeman Dyson.

[trefod]

Apart from his contributions to physics, this guy gave us Sci-fi nerds The Dyson Sphere.

[derman077]

Very informative. Very speculative.

[mitinglafer]

google Doe's Account

[UnluckyGambler]

he sucks ass as a presenter.

[ancalites]

@UnluckyGambler Guy was in his late 70's at the time of this presentation (he's 86 now). Give him a break.

[sof54321]

freeman dyson is fantastic, his ideas are certainatly both origional and quite abstract, he is the kind of person who will introduce ideas to be looked into, instead of grinding the same formulas and ideas over and over...

[slave7]

All fiction. No science.

[witecracker2]

assholes like him need to be thrown from a plane without a parachute, just a canister of metallic flakes...asshole is just another monster thinking of a better way to destroy the world...

[saminthehat]

@witecracker2

1. What?

2. What?

3. What?!

[breaneainn]

The core statement seemed to be to look for what can be detected rather than to dectect what we're looking for.

..the sunflower thing is a bit odd, but it's just an analogy I'm sure.

[kristianpagh]

Pointy ears. Big scientist in the late 50'ies - My God! This is the actual prototype of "Dr. Spock"

[ivlfounder]

@kristianpagh

Wow.

You may be right.

I'm going to have to listen to him more now.

[rahulilrplac]

If the 'sunFlower' has to survive, it needs to behave like a concave mirror. It must point the sun rays to a single point, which it can harness.

I doubt we can see light reflected off such objects. On the contrary, they will look fainter and paler as the light will be absorbed, not reflected back.

But definitely a very objective approach of looking for life elsewhere.

[jedfa987]

@rahulilrplac ,

the wavelengths that they are not absorbing, however, will be concentrated on that point and reflected back from that point - making for the brighter spot he is saying to look for.

[rahulilrplac]

Interesting.

Yeah. That sounds more likely. Thanks for the exposition :)

[Finnlander132]

@rahulilrplac I agree, it would be harder to find because of absorption. Even tho "sunflowers" don't make much since because if a creature is to evolve a giant organ for refracting the equivalent of moon light to stay warm, why doesn't it just make the refracting lens be the solar absorber instead of having another separate organ for absorbing the light. Plants on Europa would be dark green. Under the ice creatures would be blind for lack of light. Tho, i love this subject =)

[FIGHTFANNERD3]

can humans create matter a whole universe ? yes we can and we will do it

[umnachtet]

¿Que?

[matthewj1985]

Marijuana growers are some of the best practical biologist of our time.

[doloppost]

Actually that's some pretty solid thinking he shares... If I could give a suggestion on the bio-engineering? Space orks. They can invent tellyporta's and Squig-on-a-stick for you too!

[GuybrushThreebwood]

No he's right , the Van Halen radiation belt is far worse and makes your ears bleed!

[nickodevoe1]

awesome speech, very inspiring

[MrAfurlong]

all I will say is , van halen radiation belt .,, Weightlessness and bone degradation, I would love to colonise the outer planets , but we could never get there and when we did , the radiation levels would be so high that we would not have much longer to go. Let's face it, we can barely get to the moon in one piece , we can't even build submarines that won't stuff up,. so how can we get into space, this will have to stop looking for cheap sullutions , rather lets do it properly.

[pogonights]

LOL van halen... you mean van allen?

[omegavalerius]

@MrAfurlong

You can simulate gravity with angular acceleration although I'm not sure if long term effects of simulated gravity are known. Radiation I suppose is a more complex issua unless you can go underground somehow.

[gavanduffy123]

it seams that every genius or many of them have a nasaly voice have big ears and are goblin like... think about it... Bertrand russel, david rockafeller, and audius huxley connection?!... in order to be a genius you must be a squeeb.

[DemokritosAbdera]

shame that this guy is filled with Templeton Foundation money.

[cool2t]

that was brilliant..that was fantastic

[TimothyParadox1]

Did he actually say "real estate"? Huh?

[TimothyParadox1]

It's funny how he sometimes has to search for the correct word. But he sure does have a point!

[ellipsis00]

A lifeform in the Oort cloud, equipt with lenses and mirrors for capturing sunlight, would want to minimise the amount of light/heat that it reflects back into space, if not stop it all together. Equal odds at least.

[mynameishanjoo]

This is a very interesting idea. It's very refreshing to hear such a refreshing idea from such an old man.

[matchbox555]

theres nothing in space but a bunch of rocks

we should spend the money developing realistic sex robots instead. now thats worth paying for !

[robotaholic]

gosh, he needs to get with the program and use a robot like Hawkings- s s s s s sheesh

[eugdog106]

the global warming heretic

[eugdog106]

the global warming heretic

[JoeTheBroOnTheDownLo]

this man has a stuttering problem....

[CHARESTHEHAMER]

Your just mad that he kicks ass and is religious.

[aces9876]

Reptilian skin and light reflection in eyes.

He just put a theory on the reptilian myth.

And although its all unlikely, I find it strange that all troughout human history we find reptilian creatures-humanoids worshipped.

[theluke01]

man stop posting on science-videos you crappy popscientists

[singedrac]

He reminds me of professor Farnsworth. Try and tell me you can't imagine him saying "Good news everyone!"

[brandonwhite5493]

Hmmm...I'm afraid you'll need a lot more than 500 characters to discredit a Nobel laureate with 24 honorary degrees. If you bothered to actually listen, you might notice that he says this whole scenario is "highly unlikely." However, to refute his theory on account of it's improbability is only based in your opinion and not in scientific observation, which is exactly what he is suggesting...so, pay attention.

[narcberry]

This idea is predicated on several very unlikely possibilities. Assuming they are true, and that life does exist on TNO's in the form he suggests, the test is too crude to positively identify them as life. It's far more likely a reflection indicates ice, not a biological mirror structure, which in and of itself violates its own purpose.

[Hania454]

There's a lot of negativity on this comments page, .....people chill. Lets listen to what Freeman says. Peace.

[schwarg]

fucking lol'd at 1:28

[FeelOfFriction]

@schwarg

I'd like to see you give a presentation for TED.

[JoHaNNaSLiLLaBeBBe]

Wait... wouldn't the Europa organisms absorb rather than reflect sunlight?

[CO2Junkie]

Here's my answer Johannas: No living things absorb sunlight with 100% efficiency. Also organisms tend to absorb certain wavelengths (the ones they find most useful) and reflect other wavelengths (the ones they find most harmful). Trick is since we don't know what to expect (they probably don't have cat's eyes) we wouldn't know for sure what pattern of reflectivity to look for other than something 'un-geological'.

[mgriff1066]

but we must remove the beings on our own, that is the lesson. When we do the galactic brotherhood wont interfere or make contact intll atleste 500 or more years after 2012

[singedrac]

I'll go get my tinfoil hat...

[mgriff1066]

the andromedan high council is mainly from the andromedan and sombrero galaxies , the andromedan galaxy being the closes and most largest galaxy rival to our milkyway. Now these days the astronauts on the apollo missions are starting to come out with what they really saw on the moon. It is hard for many of us to contact the good aliens because they are in higher dimensions, although they can come down to this dimension with sound frequency

[mgriff1066]

there has been alot of activity in the oort cloud and the kuiper belt, i heard that a group of extraterrestials called the galactic brotherhood of light is gathering star nations, confederacies, colonies and federations from higher dimensions and paralell universes for a call to action for saving earth from the beings that are already here. The galactic brotherhoods main alien races are the:pleadians,andromedan council,sirian high council,arcturians,vegans and many more

[nudsh]

What a brilliant and charming man....

[DFORCE1969]

A real visionary with a vivid imagination

[dimphil]

Let's not ignore the alien life already on the planet you idiot. Should have gone to Stanford. Pull the stick out of your ass and look up the foia documents.

[OmegaProxy]

Alien life on earth wasn't the subject.

[VagabonNinja]

but throw the stick out first or it'll waft the smell around, that's a good lad.

[fringefries]

The idea has merit but his presentation is too exciting for me. He needs to work on toning down his over enthusiastic style. His charisma almost defeats his credibility. If Freeman led a life of fast cars and fast women he certainly doesn't need to shove it in our faces that's for sure. After all not everyone can be prom king. Is the man a legitimate scientist or a movie star? You can't have both.

[mln9898]

My thoughts exactly.

[OmegaProxy]

So you will overlook his ideas because of his presentation, charisma and personal wealth. Sound like someone's jealous.

[fringefries]

Are you being sarcastic in response to my sarcasm? I was having a bit of fun because the man actually lacks charisma. I find that endearing and humorous because he is the opposite of Mr. popular. You do understand now right?

[fringefries]

No, just being humorous you do remember what that is right? I admire the man and think he is delightfully dull. He is wonderfully colorless and that's ok. It takes all kinds to make this world bright and interesting. Steven Wright the comedian isn't Mr. personality either but he's hillarious. This gentleman is a contrast in the cosmic play of yin yang. I like him and find it difficult to continue having to explain what humor is to you data. Put your emotional chip in, that might help.

[tpopton]

batman is a scientist

[fringefries]

No, batman is a fictional character from a comic book. You are aware that you aren't playing a video game right now aren't you? Do you know your name? I mean your real name? I'm sorry to disturb you from your virtual slumber but super heroes don't really exist and mostly likey God doesn't either. Sorry, no santa or tooth fairy to be sure.

[Anarkiados]

Gosh, you must be stupid beyond reason.

[fringefries]

Well, your love of donkey kong and pokemon doesn't say much for your intellectual or aesthetic prowess so I'll take that as a complement. When you turn 10 or your I.Q. hits 10 . . .SELL!!!

[Anarkiados]

Yeah, as Willy Wonka and Bambi meeting Godzilla does. So, I'm just gonna change a few things on your little text here:

"Well, your love of bambi godzilla and pwilly wonka doesn't say much for your intellectual or aesthetic prowess so I'll take that as a complement. When you turn 10 or your I.Q. hits 10 . . .SELL!!!"

[fringefries]

Not quite the creative sort are you? Are you on drugs? What you need is pity, a straight jacket and HEAVY dose of thorazine. As for your stupidity? well, I'm afraid that's all yours . . . forever, enjoy.

[fringefries]

It was nice talking to you, but my girlfriend just got back from a modeling shoot and I'm getting laid tonite. Enjoy your poverty and the cold keyboard of your computer. Some day you'll find a lucky guy I'm sure when the acne clears and you can afford lasik instead of your broken glasses with tape in the center holding them together.

[flamablesteve]

Hey. dont insult the old school games!

[theluke01]

fringefries

you're an unscientific craphead. stop spamming here and get a book to read. i'm sure you know nothing about shit, just read 1 or 2 popscience books and tell people about the 2 or 3 classical paradoxes you picked up.

damn kiddies.

[fringefries]

And with that insane and irrational rant you lose the moral high ground. Good day.

[illliterati]

fringefries, how could batman not exist if I AM BATMAN?

[fringefries]

Easy, your not batman it's just that your meds have worn off. Did you miss a session with your psych counselor again? YOU MUST KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENTS. We've got enough delusion in the world already.

[fringefries]

You know I'm joking of course right? I love the movie waking life and I saw it listed as one of your favorite movies. Brilliant concept, are you an oneironaut? I've tried lucid dreaming, but it seems very difficult to master.

[tpopton]

you are all over the place and i dont get ur humor... but i am in the same boat as you as far as conquering the dreamscape. quite difficult, but infinity intriguing. i got a little too into the questioning constantly "is this a dream" that i nearly went crazy, so i am practicing more relaxing less paranoid self-awareness methods now. back to the matter at hand though. yes this man beefs precisely at 3:08. i suggest TED add that to the info box to increase the hits on this video at least 2 fold

[FeelOfFriction]

@fringefries

So every scientists should a be pretentious monotone bore huh...

[patmagrath]

this guy is hilarious. loved it!

[crapneck5000]

I'm pretty sure he farts at 3:08 seconds during a breif pause. Confirm/Deny?

[RabidApe]

confirm

[inthefade]

lawl. I think his mouth made that sound.

[papatoony]

CONFIRMED!

[97pattan]

its from his lips when he was thinking of a word to use and yet not ready to say it out.

[tpopton]

lol confirm xD

[rankalot]

2 things.....1 the life he is referring to is obviously very simple forms, nothing with an intelligent brain however this type of life may teach us more then any intelligent form ever could, possibly unlocking biological advancements......2nd the way he refers to these primitive forms of life "jumping around" almost sounds like a thoeory of how we got here, and also how we must proceed in exploring space......but do remebember these planets cannot support our form of life so a grain of salt plz

[sishrac]

The theory of life forms migrating from one world to another in space is indeed only a theory. Is there concrete evidence for science to go by except to continue to investigate the soundness of that theory? IMO to proceed in space exploration from there is too foolhardy. And because these planets cannot support our life forms whatever learned there cannot unlock biological advancements here and especially cannot solve our gigantic, immediate and mundane problems we've created on earth.

[inthefade]

you mean to say it is a "hypothesis". In science the destinction between a hypothesis and a theory is very different than the regular english usage.

[SpaceyStacey1975]

Aside from the (brilliant)science, Dyson has some of the best humor found in the academic world.

[orangeblueandlavenda]

in 3billion years when mailkyway runs into andromeda,,,what will happen to europa?

[miggyb89]

orangeblueandlavenda, nothing. galaxies are mostly empty space.

[illliterati]

orangeblueandlavenda, good question... stars probably will not collide, but interstellar gas will. The gas will heat up and expand, so it won't condense to form as many new stars in the galaxy. If by chance an Andromedan star passes very close to the solar system, it might disrupt the orbits of the planets and change their eccentricity.

[matthewgutz]

y does this talk remind me of the game spore?..

[sishrac]

After listening to Freeman Dyson on Global I think he must be humoring the TED talk group and audience with looking for life in the outer solar system. He honestly admits to the establishment's want in knowledge and measurements even in earth's vegetation systems.

[sishrac]

Sorry, I was referring to his talk on Global Warming and the bogus climate models found here on YouTube.

[sishrac]

Transform the universe into something rich and beautiful than it is today with genetic technology? Like we've transformed our once rich and beautiful earth into a planet we need to evacuate? The farmers and others victimised through genetically altered crops and seeds may not be too impressed with this idea!!

Are these intellectuals with clout that much in denial about the human manipulative effects on all that it touches?

Are there still so many dreamy romantics around to buy this folly?

[farleygwazda]

hear hear!

[FarFromEquilibrium]

I like toys :D

[penghc168]

:-)

[SpiderMan1307]

I would love to have someone like him as a grandparent....Its like, "Hey Gramps, how will civilization move through the universe?"...This man has a lot of wisdom.

[SaganAppreciationSoc]

WTF? Dyson wants breeders to have biotech? These people already breed animals by the tens of thousands while tens of thousands die in shelters due to lack of homes. Why would we want to give amoral people such power?

Genetically-modified puppy mills! Hooray!

[Fuckyoubloodymoron]

By that reasoning, biological parenty are amoral because they breed children instead of adopting them. -_-

[iurak6868]

wonderful, simple, optimistic, and eventually true (colonization), the universe is next.

wise old man keep using that brain :)

[kahlesstiberius]

diont this guy get a mention in star trek tng? episode RELICS???? re: DYSON SPHERE????

[chromophore]

Yes indeed,

However in the star trek the real idea that Dyson had talked of got distorted and actually led to misconceptions about it. The Dyson sphere was thought of to be something like a sphere. However Dyson thought of it originally as a swarm. The star trek made an incorrect "version" of it rather famous, that kind of a Dyson sphere (in start trek) would be an an almost impossible engineering construct . At least for the next millenia. Thedyson swarm is more feasible and the original idea.

[Kamirie]

And to anyone commenting on his public speaking ability...

He is 84 years old. I would like to see any of you speak as articulately at that age.

[Kamirie]

This man may very well be a genius.

These are some amazing ideas.

[mikezephyr]

If this planet dies, we'll just build space colonies. No problem!

[TimothyParadox1]

And fuck up those planets as well, of course.

[BurkZerker]

Sunflowers! he's been reading larry Niven, Ringworld.

[Gondring]

ROTFLOL!

[gigiko84]

interesting

[bitRAKE]

No doubt he was attempting to be more inspiring than anything else; and he succeeded, imho.

[wheelchairassassin]

Not a very good speaker.

[goodsirknight]

he is 84 though

[Gondring]

He actually seems to be better than he was a while ago, when he spoke in pure monotone. :-)

[youvebeenthunderstru]

Something that doesn't interest you and not being a very good speaker are two different things.

[jannonymous]

does anyone actually give two sh!ts about what this guys says? dyson is the most overhyped 'scientist' ever.

[nemesisnick66]

3:09 grow your own pfft lol.

I like the cold =)

What about humanoid fish type people living in an atlantis sort of city, that would make Europa awesome.

Old guy ftw stutters a little annoying though :/

[quackerzdb]

He's right, he's no biologist.

[SvataPanenka]

Insanely beautiful... :)

[UncleKennybobs]

Yawn.

[cozmikzen]

the ice itself should be a network of mirrors and lenses

[shamukuni]

He's right, the chances of us designing life ourselves rather than discovering it elsewhere is far more likely. His idea of our designed life expanding from our planet into the universe is congruent with Ray Kurzweil's idea of the Singularity of 2050 when our combined biological and machine "intelligence" will saturate the universe at near the speed of light. Both scenarios involve "intelligent design". Wait, haven't I heard that before? Hah! WE are God. I always knew it.

[humanist7117]

Brilliant! Proof that an active mine need not dim with age.

[pennilesscripple]

oh puhleeeez

how about we focus on life here on earth?

who would live on these imaginary planets? a handful of elite? and then they would go about destroying it just like they're doing to this beautiful planet

zero gravity = irreversible bone loss

that's why there are no manned missions to mars

the nearest planet

i repeat

oh puhleeez

[UncleKennybobs]

That is NOT why there are no manned missions to Mars!

[mccote]

Were already exploring Mars and beyond with unmanned probes. What more does he want? These things take time. Time, and an exhorbant amount of money. Personally I think our money would be better invested in planet Earth, trying to find better energy sources and not destroy the one planet we have. The space exploration stuff can wait 50 years while we fix our own planet.

The only immediate benefit I can see from finding life else would be a huge kick in the nuts to religious fanatics.

[manasl]

Let's not be too hasty to write away space exploration & research. Maybe a quick search on benefits of space program would explain why.

[sishrac]

Space explorations and research are certainly good and may have benefits.  But as good stewards of the earth people with responsibilities really ought to know how to set priorities. Eliminate hunger and poverty on earth first before spending that share in programmes that tickle the fancy of the elite.

[Promatheos]

Sorry, but I think he is just a kook. :/

[ELuhn]

Well, he's known for nothing if not for unusual thinking. It can't hurt to look; we've been surprised before.

[truefictions]

Humm.. somehow Gremlins come to mind :)

[laxhockfiendmb]

I believe fungus can get energy from radiation. Maybe there are other sources of energy far out into space that can be harnassed to transport minerals for life.

Matter is energy. Metals have more matter... maybe we'll be able to engineer something that can live off of almost any matter.

[popitypop]

the next most significant source of energy for earthlings from the sun is enrgy from sulphur deposits and underwater or land volcanoes.. they support tonnes of life, in deep ocean and seas, caves and mountains.. it has been suggested tht instead of venturing to other planets, why not explore more of our own..

[kurtilein3]

a great talk, i agree with the conclusions and most of his arguments, but i think he missed something. you can almost call it a mistake.

when you need to isolate against cold temperature and want to use sunlight as an additional source of heat or for photosynthesis, evolution on earth doesnt produce lenses and mirrors, but always crystal white hair, it actually focuses the light very effectively. you should watch out for fiberglass, or things that look like white carpets.

[ogjimkenobi]

It's talks like these that remind of why I love TED so much.

[paultherolls]

Just go to the moon and reveal the truth and we will all be blown away.

[simchamo]

Life on europa might be getting light from jupiter instead of the sun...just to throw a wrench in things...

[onehandraisinbransam]

Jupiter does emit more energy than it gets from the sun, but not light. If there is life on Europa it probably could only exist near hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean.

[CanadianNinjaMonkey]

I think I get his point, that if you don't look you don't find anything. His reasoning for doing this really isn't compelling for me...maybe we can get a reflection from their luminescent stop signs or white jumpsuits. Simply looking for the sake of looking is the point. However, I'd sooner put the time into exploring the oceans, since that's more accessible and also full of mystery.

[FHB71]

Well, of course it is not likely that those creatures exist, but it is extremely interesting to think about the possibility. I connect Dyson always to his idea of a Dyson sphere, a giant sphere surrounding a star in the distance of e.g. an earth orbit, think of that! No energy from the star is lost, the inside is unimaginably big and inhabitable. Those are ideas that Dyson came up with. And who knows, someday in the distant future ...

[Gondring]

Of course, Dyson himself didn't come up with the "no energy is lost" bit...that was a misunderstanding of his idea, which was a "sphere of satellites" around the star. He, himself, at the time, said that a physical sphere wouldn't work.

[xpressway2yrskull]

This is exactly what I like about TED; an idea as bold and incredible as this, whether there's truth to it or not, changes the way you look at things.

[jalgjalg]

weird

[Finiras]

This video is full of rambling and there are no comments even remotely insightful.

[Darkfoster22]

Thx for Videos

[marjan15]

Smart man, he might not be understood and accepted by the crowds.

[Darkfoster22]

Sun light that far out.Not going to do much.Life has a change as we know it with heat in the inner parts of the moon.Life needs lots of enegry.

[stratvic]

It takes bravery to express ideas.

[lmaessedai]

nice, life in the outer solar system