Mike
Carruthers:
So, what are the chances that intelligent life exists on other planets?
Michio Kaku:
There are a hundred billion stars just in our own backyard, in the Milky Way galaxy.
If only the tiniest fraction of them have earth-like planets, then you get numbers
like maybe ten thousand planets in our own backyard have intelligent civilizations
on them. Physicist
Michio Kaku, author of the book
Physics of the Impossible… And
later this year the Kepler satellite goes up in orbit capable of detecting up
to six hundred earth-like twins in outer space. This is going to revolutionize
our understanding of the universe. In
his book, Michio explores the theoretical possibilities of many of the things
we see in science fiction - like the end of our planet. The
earth will eventually die. That is the law of physics. In five billion years for
example, the sun will become a gigantic red giant and we will go back into the
sun. And even the universe will probably eventually die. And
Michio says although many things may be possible in the future… Two
things I've found are not consistent with the laws of physics. Everything else
you see in Star Wars or Star Trek may be possible except two things. First, a
perpetual motion machine - getting something for nothing. That apparently violates
the laws of physics. And second of all, precognition - that is seeing the future.
Those are the only two things that I can find that really seem to be impossible. At
somethingyoushouldknow.net
I'm Mike Carruthers and that's Something You Should Know.
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