SNAPSHOT
Since astronomers first discovered exoplanets in 1995, we’ve come to learn that there are a staggering amount of planets out there in the universe. But, we have yet to find one that’s habitable, aside from our own. The Search for Earth Proxima is a short documentary about a group of scientists and their mission to build a telescope to hunt for an Earth-like planet around our closest neighbor: Alpha Centauri. (synopsis via Laughing Squid)
Is there life out there? Way, way out in the deep reaches of space?
You know, hopefully nice friendly E.T.-like life that sends interstellar greetings cards and smiles broadly as it cures all death and disease rather than the laying waste to everyone we know and love variety which seems to be kind of alien we usually envisage ending up on Earth at some stage.
It becomes pretty clear that the scientists who feature in The Search for Earth Proxima, a slightly less than 10 minute short documentary directed by Brett Marty and Josh Izenberg, tend towards believing in the first variant of alien life, powered as they are by a winningly idealistic belief that humanity, driven by a need to explore and discover, is capable of pretty much anything.
And that includes finding alien life that won’t destroy the White House just because they can.
The documentary centres on the search for exoplanets (plants orbiting a star other than the sun) around Alpha Centauri, the closest start system from our own solar system at only 4.37 light years – each light-year is approximately 9 trillion kilometres so close is a pretty relative term to be honest! – by a team of scientists who are excited, as well they should be, by the sheer possibility of what lies in wait beyond our own small patch of the galaxy.
If you’re a documentary/space nerd like me you will love this film which reaffirms that idealism and a love of learning and discovery is alive and well on planet Earth, and one day, quite possibly, the rest of space too.
Onward and upward humanity!
(source: Laughing Squid)