Could We Terraform Mars? PBS Space Time English (auto-generated) English

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thanks to Lego presenting Lego city for their support at PBS Digital Studios

Thanks to LEGO – presenting LEGO City - for their support of PBS Digital Studios.

humanity's future is glorious as we

Humanity’s future is glorious.

master space travel we'll hop from one cold dead world to the next terraforming

As we master space travel, we’ll hop from one cold dead world to the next. Terraforming as we go.

as we go life will blossom in our path and eventually the Galaxy will shimmer with beautiful earth-like orbs I mean

Life will blossom in our path and eventually the galaxy will shimmer with beautiful Earth-like orbs.

maybe sounds little science fictiony but it wouldn't sound so far-fetched if we proved we could do it at least once if

I mean... maybe. Sounds a little science-fictiony. But it wouldn't sound so far fetched if we proved we could do it at least once.

we successfully terraformed Mars we

If we successfully terraformed Mars.

already have the technology to bring humans to Mars and to set up small

We already have the technology to bring humans to Mars and to set up small settlements

settlements or at least we could do within a generation

- or at least we could do within a generation.

but those settlements will need to be cocooned shielded against the deadly cold the intense radiation and the fatal

But those settlements will need to be cocooned - shielded against the deadly cold, the intense radiation

lack of atmospheric pressure surely if

and the fatal lack of atmospheric pressure.

we want to thrive on Mars to turn it into our second home these settlers or

Surely if we want to thrive on Mars – to turn it into our second home – these settlers,

their descendants will need to be able to open the airlocks shed their

or their descendants, will need to be able open the airlocks, shed their spacesuits,

spacesuits and step out onto a survivable surface we'll need to

and step out onto a survivable surface.

terraform Mars as our first step to terraforming the galaxy terraforming

We’ll need to terraform Mars, as our first step to terraforming the galaxy.

Mars has long been a science fiction dream from Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars

Terraforming Mars has long been a science fiction dream – from Kim Stanley Robinson’s

trilogy to Total Recall to the Red Faction game series to Elon Musk's

Mars trilogy to Total Recall to the Red Faction game series to Elon Musk’s Twitter feed.

Twitter feed but what would it really

But what would it really take?

take how science fictiony is the whole concept of terraforming in the end it's

How science-fiction-y is the whole concept of terraforming?

a question about miss fear Martha's

In the end it’s a question of atmosphere.

current atmospheric pressure is 0.6 percent that of Earth and that means circulatory shut down within a minute

Mars’ current atmospheric pressure is 0.6% that of Earth – and that means circulatory shutdown

for an unprotected human but it also

within a minute for an unprotected humans.

means almost no greenhouse effect life

But it also means almost no greenhouse effect.

from the Sun which has already fainted due to Mars distance is radiated

Light from the Sun, which is already fainter due to Mars’ distance – is radiated directly

directly back out into space on earth

back out into space.

that same light first bounces around in a thick atmosphere heating it up at an

On Earth that same light first bounces around in our thick atmosphere, heating it up.

average of negative 60 Celsius water freezes on Mars but even if the planet

At an average of -60 Celsius, water freezes on Mars.

were warmer liquid water would still be impossible in that thin atmosphere it

But even if the planet were warmer, liquid water would still be impossible in that thin

sublimates directly from ice to gas and of course

atmosphere – it sublimates directly from ice to gas.

Earth's atmosphere protects us from harmful cosmic rays and the most

And of course Earth’s atmosphere protects us from harmful cosmic rays and the most dangerous

dangerous ultraviolet radiation from the

ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

Sun all that bad stuff has a direct path to the Martian surface so the most

All of that bad stuff has a direct path to the Martian surface.

important step in terraforming Mars is to give it an atmosphere ideally as

So, the most important step in terraforming Mars is to give it an atmosphere –

close to Earth's as possible in the

ideally as close to Earth’s as possible.

imaginations of sci-fi writers all we need to do is unlock the planet's latent

In the imaginations of sci-fi writers all we need to do is unlock the planet’s latent potential.

potential after all Mars was once a warmer watery planet with a much thicker

After all, Mars WAS once a warmer, watery planet with a much thicker atmosphere.

atmosphere I mean that's conclusive our Rovers and orbiters have found incontrovertible evidence of an ancient

I mean, that's conclusive – our rovers and orbiters have found incontrovertible evidence

watery surface the hope then is that

of an ancient watery surface.

this water and the atmosphere that once supported it is now all locked in the

The hope then, is that this water and the atmosphere that once supported it is now all

planet's crust and ice caps

locked in the planet’s crust and ice caps.

we just need to release it surely we can

We just need to release it.

just nuke the poles melt enough carbon dioxide and water vapor to kick-start a

Surely we can just nuke the poles, melt enough carbon dioxide and water vapor to kickstart

feedback cycle of greenhouse warming and that'll release more gases and voila

a feedback cycle of greenhouse warming and that'll release more gases… and voila!

earth 2.0 okay not so fast there's a

Earth 2.0 OK, not so fast.

real risk that Mars actually lost its atmosphere to space rather than absorbed

There’s a real risk that Mars actually lost its atmosphere to space, rather than absorbed

it into the surface the issue is that

it into the surface.

the planet is relatively puny at 11% the

The issue is that the planet is relatively puny.

mass of Earth it has a weaker gravitational field that grips less

At 11% the mass of Earth, it has a weaker gravitational field that grips less tightly

tightly to an atmosphere and that small

to an atmosphere.

size means that the Martian core cooled down more quickly than Earth's core

And that small size means that the Martian core cooled down more quickly than Earth’s core,

solidifying long ago and shutting down as a global magnetic field Earth's

solidifying long ago and shutting down its global magnetic field.

magnetic field protects us from the solar wind as we saw in a recent episode

Earth’s magnetic field protects us from the solar wind, as we saw in a recent episode.

the unprotected and loosely bound Martian atmosphere may have been slowly shaved away by that wind over billions

The unprotected and loosely bound Martian atmosphere may have been slowly shaved away

of years and in fact that is exactly

by that wind over billions of years.

what happened the ablation of what is

And in fact that is exactly what happened.

left of the Martian atmosphere has now been directly observed by NASA's MAVEN

The ablation of what is left of the Martian atmosphere has now been directly observed by NASA’s

spacecraft as we've also discussed

MAVEN spacecraft, as we’ve also discussed before.

before and the lack of atmospheric material in the crust has been confirmed pretty conclusively by observations of

And the lack of atmospheric material in the crust has been confirmed pretty conclusively

the Martian surface in a nice nature

by observations of the Martian surface.

astronomy article last year planets scientists Bruce jakosky and Christopher

In a nice Nature Astronomy article last year, planetary scientists Bruce Jakosky and Christopher

Edwards calculate the plausibility of using the remaining surface carbon dioxide to replenish the Martian

Edwards calculate the plausibility of using the remaining surface carbon dioxide to replenish

atmosphere based on observations of NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey spacecraft they focus on

the Martian atmosphere, based on observations of NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

co2 because it's the only plausible greenhouse molecule in any significant

They focus on CO2 because it’s the only plausible greenhouse molecule in any significant

abundance on Mars they assess whether

abundance on Mars.

release of the accessible co2 reserves could get Mars anywhere near Earth's

They assess whether release of the accessible CO2 reserves could get Mars anywhere near

atmospheric pressure and unfortunately they conclude that no near-future technology could hope to kick-start the

Earth’s atmospheric pressure. And… unfortunately they conclude that no near-future technology could hope to to kickstart

recovery of any useful atmosphere but

the recovery of any useful atmosphere.

you know what let's go ahead and run the

But, you know what?

numbers real quick because maybe something is still possible after all

Let’s go ahead and run the numbers real quick, because maybe something is still possible.

these researchers only ruled out near future technology what about medium

After all, these researchers only ruled out NEAR future technology.

future far future so there are three

What about medium future? Far future?

broad sources for co2 on Mars

So there are 3 broad sources for CO2 on Mars.

first there's the south polar ice cap which consists of water ice several kilometers deep interspersed with thick

First there’s the south polar icecap – which consists of water ice several kilometers deep,

layers of co2 ice discovered by radar

interspersed with thick layers of CO2 ice – discovered by radar soundings with the

soundings with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter if all of the policy o2 or at

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

least it could maybe double the current

If all the polar CO2 were released, it would maybe double the current amount of CO2 in

amount of co2 in the atmosphere which is a factor of around a hundred times too low to make a difference and by the way

the atmosphere – which is a factor of around 100 times too low to make a difference.

that co2 couldn't be released with nukes alone it's too deep sorry

And by the way, that CO2 couldn’t be released with nukes alone - it’s too deep.

Elon the second accessible source is co2 absorbed into the surface dust the regolith up to a hundred meters deep

Sorry, Elon. The second accessible source is CO2 absorbed into the surface dust – the regolith - up to 100m deep.

unlike for example Earth's permafrost this stuff wouldn't just melt under

Unlike, for example, Earth’s permafrost, this stuff wouldn’t just melt under global warming.

global warming it would shift in its equilibrium over 10,000 years to release a small fraction of its co2 at any rate

It would shift in its equilibrium over 10,000 years to release a small fraction of its CO2.

even if we managed to heat the entire regolith across the entire Martian

At any rate, even if we managed to heat the entire regolith across the entire Martian surface

surface we'd only get four percent of the Earth's atmospheric pressure the

we’d only get 4% of the Earth’s atmospheric pressure.

final co2 sauce is carbonate minerals in

The final source is carbonate minerals in the crust.

the crust these carbonates would need to be mined and processed by heating to around 300 Celsius but complete strip

These carbonates would need to be mined and processed by heating to around 300 Celsius.

mining of even the largest carbonate surface deposits on Mars probably get

But complete strip-mining of even the largest carbonate surface deposits on Mars probably get you less carbon

you less carbon than melting the polar

than melting the polar ice caps.

ice cap so much for near-future accessible

So much for near-future accessible carbon.

carbon but those carbonate minerals probably exist in much larger quantities deep beneath the surface and that's

But those carbonate minerals probably exist in much larger quantities deep beneath the surface.

really our only hope to find enough co2 or really any native Martian material to

And that’s really our only hope to find enough CO2 - or really any native Martian

replenish the atmosphere let's do a

material - to replenish the atmosphere.

quick calculation to see what it it take

Let’s do a quick calculation to see what it would take.

first let's pretend there's an accessible layer of limestone calcium carbonate across the entire surface of

First, let’s pretend there’s an accessible layer of limestone – calcium carbonate – across

Mars there isn't but hey we're dreamers

the entire surface of Mars. There isn’t, but hey, we’re dreamers.

we need about 10,000 kilograms of material per square meter to duplicate Earth's atmospheric pressure seriously

We need about 10,000 kg of material per square meter to duplicate Earth’s atmospheric pressure.

that's how much atmosphere is above your

Seriously, that’s how much atmosphere is above your head right now.

head right now no wonder it's so hard

No wonder it’s so hard getting out of bed in the morning.

getting out of bed in the morning high density limestone is 2500 kilometers per meter cubed and yields 44 percent of its mass in co2 when heated

High density limestone is 2500 kg/m^3 and yields 44% of its mass in CO2

or exposed to acid so to get 10 tons of co2 for every square meter on the surface of Mars you'd have to dig down

when heated or exposed to acid. So to get 10 tons of CO2 for every square meter on the surface of Mars you’d have to dig down

over 10 meters across the entire planet

over 10 meters – across the entire planet!

that's a few quadrillion tons of rock I

That’s a few quadrillion tons of rock.

hope you have your diamond pickaxe ready

I hope you have your diamond pickaxe ready.

in reality of course we need to first locate and then dig down some kilometers

In reality of course we’d need to first locate and then dig down some kilometers before

before we could access most of the

we could access most of the carbonates.

carbonates extracting such a quantity from depth is hard enough but let's think about processing it we can either

Extracting such a quantity from depth is hard enough, but let’s think about processing it.

keep the carbonates to hundreds of degrees Celsius or use acid to dissolve

We can either heat the carbonates to hundreds of degrees Celsius or use acid to dissolve

out the co2 we need to process around

20% of all Martian water via electrolysis to get that acid the

We’d need to process around 20% of all Martian water via electrolysis to get that acid.

electrolysis path might be better because it would give us oxygen as a byproduct of making that acid the energy

The electrolysis path might be better because it would give us oxygen as a byproduct of making that acid.

cost in both cases is similar though several septillion joules several

The energy cost in both cases is similar, though – several septillion joules.

thousand times the total annual energy consumption of the entire earth

Several thousand times the total annual energy consumption of the entire Earth.

that's definitely sounding for our

That’s definitely sounding far-far future.

future that not quite impossible finally

But not quite impossible.

we have a picture of what terraforming Mars might actually look like let's say

Finally we actually have a picture of what terraforming Mars would actually look like.

you want to finish this work in a single

Let’s say we want to finish the work in a single generation.

generation we need to cover much of the surface of Mars in solar cells made from abundant

We’d need to cover much of the surface of Mars in solar cells made from abundant silicon

silica in the crust or build ten or so million gigawatt fusion power plants

in the crust, or build 10 or so million gigawatt fusion power plants.

there's really no other viable energy

There’s really no other viable energy source.

source we need to channel this energy deep into the crust to power vast hordes

We’d need to channel this energy deep into the crust to power vast hoards of robotic

of robotic miners slash processing plants meanwhile pumping water from the

miners-slash-processing plants, meanwhile pumping water from the icecaps across the

ice caps across the entire globe this

could get us a carbon dioxide oxygen atmosphere in a few decades or centuries

This could get us a carbon dioxide-oxygen atmosphere in a few decades, or in centuries

or millennia if you scale down the power supply to something less insane

… or millenia if you scale down the power supply to something less insane.

nonetheless our descendants could see a Mars with sufficient air pressure and

Nonetheless, our descendants could see a Mars with sufficient air pressure and greenhouse

greenhouse effect to allow liquid water to persist on the surface now Mars

effect to allow liquid water to persist on the surface.

actually does have enough water for a few lakes and rivers the ice cap water

Now, Mars actually does have enough water for a few lakes and rivers.

would cover the entire surface to about 30 meters which is not enough to start a

The ice cap water would cover the entire surface to about 30 meters – which is not enough

proper water cycle have oceans but there

to start a proper water cycle or have oceans,

may be a lot more water deeper in the

but there may be a lot more water deeper in the crust.

crust we'd better hope so our brand new

We’d better hope so.

co2 oxygen atmosphere is not exactly

Our brand new CO2-oxygen atmosphere is not exactly earth-like.

earth-like in fact it instantly and fatally toxic to humans and animals and

In fact, it’s instantly and fatally toxic to humans and animals,

not so great for plant life certain

and not so great for plant life.

allergies can survive in a pure co2 atmosphere which is handy because blue-green algae cyanobacteria was

Certain algaes can survive in a pure CO2 atmosphere –which is handy, because blue-green algae

responsible for first oxygenating Earth's atmosphere and will need that

– cyanobacteria - was responsible for first oxygenating Earth’s atmosphere.

photosynthesis because otherwise oxygen

And we’ll need that photosynthesis because otherwise oxygen will be quickly leeched from

will be quickly leached from the atmosphere as it oxidizes the surface so

the atmosphere as it oxidizes the surface.

there's our next snapshot of the far future of a terraformed Mars brand-new

So, there’s our next snapshot of the far future of a terraformed Mars –

oceans green with photosynthesizing probably genetically engineered slime

brand new oceans green with photosynthesizing, probably genetically-engineered, slime.

and perhaps eventually a breed of post-humans genetically or even

And perhaps eventually a breed of post-humans genetically or even cybernetically adapted

cybernetically adapted to deal with the

to deal with a CO2 atmosphere.

co2 atmosphere I just described the easy path to building an atmosphere on Mars

I just described the “easy” path to building an atmosphere on Mars.

it may be the only way to do it using only Martian materials variations are

It may be the only way to do it only using Martian materials.

possible like introducing super greenhouse gases like CFCs but that

Variations are possible - like introducing “super” greenhouse gases like CFCs.

still doesn't give us the needed atmospheric pressure

But that still doesn’t give us the needed atmospheric pressure.

at any rate to get a true earth-like atmosphere we need a non-toxic filler

At any rate, to get a true Earth-like atmosphere we need a non-toxic filler molecule.

molecule co2 sucks

nitrogen is much better it works great on earth but Mars has very little of

Nitrogen is much better - it works great on Earth anyway, but Mars has very little of the stuff.

this stuff to really build an earth-like atmosphere we have to turn our eyes to

To really build an Earth-like atmosphere we have to turn our eyes to the rest of the solar system.

the rest of the solar system one popular idea is just to smack some comets into

One popular idea is just to smack some comets into Mars.

Mars comets contain tons of frozen volatiles gas forming molecules like co2 h2o and the presence of molecular

Comets contain tons of frozen volatiles – gas-forming molecules like CO2, H20 and the presence of

nitrogen in comets was only recently confirmed by the rosetta mission but how

molecular nitrogen in comets was only recently confirmed by the Rosetta mission.

many comments do we need well assuming

But how many comets do we need?

comets contain an amount of nitrogen similar to the composition of the pre

Well, assuming comets contain an amount of nitrogen similar to the composition of the

solar nebula then we can guess that around 5% of the comments mass is

pre-solar nebula then can guess that around 5% of a comet’s mass is nitrogen.

nitrogen that gives the typical medium-to-large comment a hundred billion tons of the stuff so to build a

That gives the typical medium-to-large comet a hundred billion tons of the stuff.

quadrillion ton nitrogen atmosphere that's like ten thousand comets

So, to build a quadrillion-ton nitrogen atmosphere that’s, like, 10,000 comets.

okay so we're silly in far-future lala

O-kay, so we’re still in far-future la-la land.

land but it's actually not significantly less crazy or more crazy than melting the martian surface

But it’s actually not significantly less crazy, or more crazy, than melting the Martian surface.

what would this effort look like imagine

What would THIS effort look like?

is a vast fleet of robotic spacecraft swarming the Kuiper belt noting its

Imagine this - a vast fleet of robotic spacecraft swarming the Kuiper belt, nudging its plentiful

plentiful ice balls in just the right way to send them plowing towards Mars

iceballs in just the right way to send them plowing towards Mars.

hopefully with exquisite aim otherwise earth is in for a pounding also it would

Hopefully with exquisite aim, otherwise Earth is in for a pounding, also.

presumably take centuries to put such a fleet in place and more centuries to

It would presumably take centuries to put such a fleet in place, and more centuries

deorbit those comets

to “de-orbit” those comets.

once Mars has been suitably bombarded there's still a lot of work tweaking the

Once Mars has been suitably bombarded there’s still a lot of work tweaking the new atmosphere.

new atmosphere but the good news is that those comets brought with them a lot of

The good news is that those comets brought with them a LOT of water,

water so we have deep global oceans at

so we have deep global oceans at this point.

okay let's fast-forward several

Let’s fast-forward several centuries.

centuries Mars has an atmosphere either release from deep in the crust or

Mars has an atmosphere – either released from deep in the crust or brought in from

brought in from the far outer solar system the last step is to protect the

the far outer solar system.

new atmosphere we cannot restart Mars as magnetic field to do so we have to

The last step is to protect the new atmosphere. We canNOT restart Mars’ magnetic field – to do that we’d have to re-melt the entire

remelt the entire core

but we can try to build an external

But we can try to build an external magnetic shield.

magnetic shield the easiest would be to do that in space an orbiting field generator place between Mars and the Sun

The easiest would be to do that in space – an orbiting field generator placed between Mars

like a giant space umbrella the

and the Sun, like a giant space umbrella.

resources and energy needed to build this is insane but hey we just built an

The resources and energy needed to build this is insane – but hey, we just built an atmosphere,

atmosphere so why not honestly all of

this is pretty insane and frankly

Honestly, all of this is pretty insane.

unlikely would we really muster the resources to terraform Mars if we can't do the same to re terraform earth but

And frankly, unlikely. Would we really muster the resources to terraform Mars if we can’t do the same to re-terraform Earth?

there is another option why build a sky

But there is another option.

if we can build a roof instead of

Why build a sky if we can build a roof?

terraforming what if we para terraform

Instead of terraforming – what if we paraterraform.

build what is known as a world house we

Build what is known as a worldhouse.

could cover vast tracts of land with an

We could cover vast tracts of land with an airtight bubble.

airtight bubble or more likely many many

Or, more likely, many many connected bubbles.

connected bubbles these would be tall enough to encapsulate entire cities and

These would be tall enough to encapsulate entire cities, and importantly –

importantly plenty of earth-like natural

plenty of Earth-like natural wilderness.

wilderness oh and I'm still a proponent of centrifuge cities maglev rotating habitats to simulate earth gravity also shown rather beautifully in this more

Oh, and I’m still a proponent of centrifuge cities – mag-lev rotating habitats to simulate Earth gravity. Also shown rather beautifully in this more practical design by James Telfer.

practical design by James telfa if we

wanted to cover say 10% of the Martian surface with a 300 meter tall world

If we wanted to cover, say, 10% of the Martian surface with a 300 meter tall worldhouse,

house it requires several orders of magnitude less material than building an

it'd require several orders of magnitude less material than building an entire atmosphere.

entire atmosphere so say a handful of comets and/or the polar ice caps should

So, say a handful of comets and/or the polar ice caps

be enough to fill our world house with

should be enough to fill our worldhouse with air and water.

air and water now without a real atmosphere space radiation is going to be a problem for our world house as is

Now, without a real atmosphere, space radiation is gonna be a problem for our worldhouse,

the constant bombardment of micro

as is the constant bombardment of micro-meteors.

meteors people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones nor live under a stone throwing universe but perhaps

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, nor live under a stone-throwing universe.

there are advanced orders very very thick materials that would serve so

But perhaps there are advanced or just very, very thick materials that would serve.

there is our final image of humanity's future on Mars thousands of City sized bubbles spread

So there’s our final image of humanity’s future on Mars: thousands of city-sized bubbles

across the still barren landscape and

spread across the still-barren landscape.

inside each bubble an oasis a lush snow globe replica of Old Earth however we do

And inside each bubble an oasis – a lush, snow-globe replica of old Earth.

it Mars will surely be our first step our proof of concept you

However we do it, Mars will surely be our first step, our proof of concept if we choose

we choose that destiny if we choose to terraform space-time thanks to Lego

that destiny - if we choose to terraform space time.

presenting Lego city for their support of PBS Digital Studios can you believe

Thanks to LEGO – presenting LEGO City - for their support of PBS Digital Studios.

it's been 50 years since we landed on

Can you believe it’s been 50 years since we landed on the moon?

the moon it started out with one small step for man and now the journey to Mars is right around the corner featuring

It started out with one small step for man and now the journey to Mars is right around the corner!

sets inspired by real aerospace technology Lego City space aims to

Featuring sets inspired by real aerospace technology, LEGO City Space aims to inspire

inspire future space explorers to imagine what role they can play to get us to the Red Planet to discover more go

future space explorers to imagine what role they can play to get us to the Red Planet.

to the link in the description so we

To discover more go to the link in the description.

missed a couple of comment responses

So we missed a couple of comment responses.

today I'm going to cover two episodes the episode what happened before the Big

Today I'm going to cover two episodes: The episode "What Happened Before the Big Bang",

Bang in which we look at eternal inflation as well as the episode on the

in which we look at eternal inflation. As well as the episode on the exciting possibility

exciting possibility that the north and south magnetic poles may be about to

that the North and South magnetic poles may be about to flip.

flip wabi-sabi asks why the in photon field is assumed to be a scalar field well

Wabi Sabi asks why the inflaton field is assumed to be a scalar field.

that's a great question but I'm afraid the answer may not be satisfying it's

Well, that's a great question - but I'm afraid the answer may not be satisfying.

because a scalar field is all you need

It's because a scalar field is all you need.

this is the simplest type of quantum field consisting only of a single scalar value at all points in space give such a

This is the simplest type of quantum field, consisting of only a single scalar value at all points in space.

field a constant energy density and you get exponential expansion but more

Give such a field a constant energy density and you get exponential expansion.

complex fields like vector fields and spin-off fields can do the job - and

But more complex fields like vector fields and spinor fields can do the job too -

some inflationary models use them resulting in more complex inflation

and some inflationary models use them, resulting in more complex inflation scenarios.

scenarios but many physicists argue that you shouldn't add unnecessary complexity so a scalar field tends to be the

But many physicists argue that you shouldn't add unnecessary complexity, so a scalar field

default for inflation joshua kaki asks

tends to be the default for inflaton.

whether the in photon field could also explain dark energy well the answer is

Joshua Kahky asks whether the Inflaton Field could also explain Dark Energy.

yes possibly inflation supposedly

Well, the answer is yes, possibly.

happened because the in photon field had a very high energy density and it

Inflation supposedly happened because the inflaton field had a very high energy density,

stopped when that energy dropped to a

and it stopped when that energy dropped to a very low value.

very low value but that low value may

But that low value may not have been zero.

not have been zero if the input on field was left with a very tiny but positive

If the inflaton field was left with a very tiny but positive energy density,

energy density that it's possible that it could now be powering the current accelerating expansion that we call dark

then it's possible that it could now be powering the current accelerating expansion that we call dark energy.

energy but for that to happen the Implanon field would have to have

But for that to happen, the inflaton field would have had to have transitioned between

transitioned between two stable or semi stable states that are a factor of 10 to the power of 27 different in energy now

two stable or semi-stable states that are a factor of 10^27 different in energy.

we can try to imagine single filled with that property or we can imagine two separate fields it's not

Now, we can try to imagine a single field with that property, or we can imagine two separate fields -

clear which of those two imaginings is

It's not clear which of those two imaginings is more of a stretch.

more stretch there were a lot more great questions on eternal inflation but I'll

There were a lot more great questions on eternal inflation, but I'll get to those when we do

get to those when we do the eternal inflation challenge question answer

the eternal inflation challenge question answer episode.

episode 4 now let's move on to the possible flipping of Earth's north and south magnetic poles earth and I point

For now, let's move on to the possible flipping of Earth's North and South magnetic poles.

out that while Venus lacks an earth-type intrinsic magnetic field the solar winds

EarthKnight points out that while Venus lacks an Earth-type intrinsic magnetic field,

striking its atmosphere creates an induced magnetic field that does protect

the solar wind striking its atmosphere creates an induced magnetic field that does protects the planet.

the planet that's a nice point Earth

That's a nice point, EarthKnight.

Knight it's a very cool effect the solar

It's a very cool effect.

wind partially ionizes Venus's upper

The solar wind partially ionizes Venus's upper atmosphere.

atmosphere electrical currents are induced and these produce a magnetic

Electrical currents are induced and these produce a magnetic field that pushes back

field that pushes back against the sun's

against the Sun's magnetic field.

magnetic field Venus's magnetic force shield isn't nearly as strong as Earth's however so

Venus's magnetic force-shield isn't nearly as strong as Earth's, however, so our Venusian

our Venusian floating cloud cities had better still have very thick roofs as

floating cloud cities had better still have very thick roofs.

many viewers noted what we currently call the North Magnetic Pole is technically a South Magnetic Pole as in what we would call the South Pole of a

As many viewers noted, what we currently call the north magnetic pole is technically a south magnetic pole - as in, what we would call the south pole of a magnetic dipole or a bar magnet.

magnetic dipole or a bar magnet

you know how the magnetic north pole of a bar magnet is attracted to the South Pole of a second bar magnet well your

You know how the magnetic north pole of a bar magnet is attracted to the south pole of a second bar magnet?

compasses North Pole is attracted to geographic north which means geographic

Well, your compass's north pole is attracted to geographic north - which means geographic

North must correspond to a magnetic South Pole

north must correspond to a magnetic south pole.

Nolan Westridge while laughing in Australian notes that with the flipping

Nolan Westrich, while laughing in Australian, notes that with the flipping of the magnetic

of the magnetic poles it will be America's turn to be upside down well

poles it will be America's turn to be upside down.

given that the northern hemisphere is currently the magnetic south I think

Well, given that the northern hemisphere is currently the magnetic south, I think that

that means that North America Europe and most of Asia have been at the bottom of

means that North America, Europe, and most of Asia have been at bottom of the world all

the world all this time without

this time without realizing it.

realizing it so hold on to something and don't look at the sky it's a long way down [Music]

So hold onto something and don't look at the sky - it's a long way down.

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