Join us LIVE Monday, November 11, to hear planetary scientist Alan Stern – leader of the mighty New Horizons mission to Pluto and the outer solar system – discuss the Fermi Paradox. The livestream begins at 12:15 CST (18:15 UTC) on Monday, November 11, 2024. Find a ‘notify me’ button here.
Solving the Fermi Paradox with Alan Stern
There are several hundred billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy alone. And we think at least one planet orbits most of these stars, some of which are likely habitable by some form of life. So where is everyone? Where is the direct evidence of intelligent life? This is the Fermi Paradox. And – starting at 12:15 p.m. CST, or 18:15 UTC on Monday, November 11 – EarthSky’s popular YouTube presenter Will Triggs will be discussing the Fermi Paradox with renowned planetary scientist Alan Stern. Remember the New Horizons mission to Pluto in 2015? Alan is the person who conceived it and made it happen. Since then, his research into ocean worlds might help explain why we’ve not yet found any extraterrestrial neighbors.
We’ll also be talking with Alan about space exploration in our solar system. After exploring Pluto, New Horizons went on – and is still going on – exploring other objects in the Kuiper Belt in the outer solar system. New Horizons is now the 5th-farthest human-made object from Earth. Alan is now also serving as co-investigator for the Europa Clipper mission, which could provide some valuable data in relation to the Fermi Paradox when it arrives at Jupiter’s moon Europa in 2031. Once there, Europa Clipper will assess whether Jupiter’s moon could harbor alien life beneath its icy crust.
To top it all off, Alan recently became a civilian astronaut. He participated in a research spaceflight with Virgin Galactic in 2023, and is scheduled to fly again as a NASA researcher in 2026. There’s so much to discuss … come along and ask Alan a question!
The 2025 EarthSky Lunar Calendar is now available! A unique and beautiful poster-sized calendar. Keep up with all phases of the moon every night of the year. Get yours today!
Bottom line: Join us LIVE MONDAY (November 11, 2024) at 12:15 CST (18:15 UTC), when renowned planetary scientist Alan Stern will be discussing the Fermi Paradox with EarthSky’s Will Triggs.