r/SpaceVideos

Why is the night sky dark? 🌌

Erika Hamden breaks down Olbers' Paradox, the cosmic puzzle that helped scientists first hypothesize that the universe had a beginning. In an infinite, infinitely old universe, every point in the night sky should eventually have a star behind it, making the night sky just as bright as daytime. The fact that darkness exists tells us that not enough time has passed for all that light to reach us, or that stars simply have not formed yet in those regions of space.

This project is part of IF/THEN®, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies.

The government just dropped classified UFO documents, and the internet is losing its mind. 🛸

Scientists are pumping the brakes though: these newly released files, now officially dubbed UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena), contain little more than fuzzy images and unverified accounts. As the great astronomer Carl Sagan once argued, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and few claims are more extraordinary than saying extraterrestrial life has actually visited Earth. This latest release, while fascinating, just doesn't clear that scientific bar.

Are we alone in the universe? 

MIT Kavli Institute Research Scientist Moritz Guenther is helping scientists explore that question by studying how planets and solar systems form around distant stars. The research team investigates exoplanets to understand whether they could support life, including how close planets are to their stars, how hot or cold they are, and whether they may contain water or atmospheres. Because these worlds are incredibly far away and difficult to observe directly, scientists use planet formation research to uncover clues about how potentially habitable planets develop over time. Recent discoveries in astronomy and planetary science are giving researchers new insight into how solar systems evolve and where life beyond Earth might exist. Every new finding helps scientists better understand our place in the universe and the conditions that could make alien worlds capable of supporting life.

Watch the full interview with MIT Kavli Institute research scientist Moritz Guenther here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQQA3xPorSM

Whose zodiac sign is Ophiuchus? 🌌

Erika Hamden breaks down the real science of where zodiac signs come from. They were assigned thousands of years ago based on the ecliptic plane, the path the sun travels across the sky each year. But Earth's axial tilt shifts on a 26,000-year cycle, and the sky has changed since then. Today, the sun actually passes through 13 constellations, including one you've probably never heard of: Ophiuchus.

This project is part of IF/THEN®, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies.