Brian Cox

Although we're way away from being able to manipulate stars, we can manipulate planets. So we are changing the way this planet operates. Life has changed it. The oxygen in the atmosphere, before we appeared, the oxygen in the atmosphere is a product of life. So life already... We know change is planets.

Although we're way away from being able to manipulate stars, we can manipulate planets. So we are changing the way this planet operates. Life has changed it. The oxygen in the atmosphere, before we appeared, the oxygen in the atmosphere is a product of life. So life already... We know change is planets.

And so I like that speculation that just possibly it's not just a temporary little phenomena that flickers in and out and then disappears again. It could have a real bearing on the future of the universe.

And so I like that speculation that just possibly it's not just a temporary little phenomena that flickers in and out and then disappears again. It could have a real bearing on the future of the universe.

And so I like that speculation that just possibly it's not just a temporary little phenomena that flickers in and out and then disappears again. It could have a real bearing on the future of the universe.

I'm really interested in these kind of arguments. You put it really well, actually. It's fascinating, right?

I'm really interested in these kind of arguments. You put it really well, actually. It's fascinating, right?

I'm really interested in these kind of arguments. You put it really well, actually. It's fascinating, right?

Well, exactly. And this is the point that David Deutsch made in the book I've just been reading and John Baron Frank Tifler made before that. Although it sounds insane, as you said, and that four billion years, there's a lot to say about that, by the way. Because for 3 billion plus years of that on this planet, it was just single cells.

Well, exactly. And this is the point that David Deutsch made in the book I've just been reading and John Baron Frank Tifler made before that. Although it sounds insane, as you said, and that four billion years, there's a lot to say about that, by the way. Because for 3 billion plus years of that on this planet, it was just single cells.

Well, exactly. And this is the point that David Deutsch made in the book I've just been reading and John Baron Frank Tifler made before that. Although it sounds insane, as you said, and that four billion years, there's a lot to say about that, by the way. Because for 3 billion plus years of that on this planet, it was just single cells.

And so it's only in the last, let's say, a billion years, but actually a bit less, that we've had multicellular organisms. So three quarters of it at the time were just single celled. That's even crazier. Which is one of the reasons that many people think civilizations might be rare. Because the only evidence we have is this planet.

And so it's only in the last, let's say, a billion years, but actually a bit less, that we've had multicellular organisms. So three quarters of it at the time were just single celled. That's even crazier. Which is one of the reasons that many people think civilizations might be rare. Because the only evidence we have is this planet.

And so it's only in the last, let's say, a billion years, but actually a bit less, that we've had multicellular organisms. So three quarters of it at the time were just single celled. That's even crazier. Which is one of the reasons that many people think civilizations might be rare. Because the only evidence we have is this planet.

And the evidence on this planet is that single-celled life is sort of the way that things are for most of the history. And then so it seems like an accident in a way that happened late on in the history of life on Earth that produced multicellular life. Now, is that typical? We don't know. Maybe it took a longer time here than it might do somewhere else.

And the evidence on this planet is that single-celled life is sort of the way that things are for most of the history. And then so it seems like an accident in a way that happened late on in the history of life on Earth that produced multicellular life. Now, is that typical? We don't know. Maybe it took a longer time here than it might do somewhere else.

And the evidence on this planet is that single-celled life is sort of the way that things are for most of the history. And then so it seems like an accident in a way that happened late on in the history of life on Earth that produced multicellular life. Now, is that typical? We don't know. Maybe it took a longer time here than it might do somewhere else.

But if it's typical, I mean, 4 billion years, you said it's not a long time. It is a third of the age of the universe. So here... You put it that way, it's a long time. One third of the age of the universe to go from the origin of life to a civilization. And so what was required here on Earth was that that unbroken chain of life

But if it's typical, I mean, 4 billion years, you said it's not a long time. It is a third of the age of the universe. So here... You put it that way, it's a long time. One third of the age of the universe to go from the origin of life to a civilization. And so what was required here on Earth was that that unbroken chain of life

But if it's typical, I mean, 4 billion years, you said it's not a long time. It is a third of the age of the universe. So here... You put it that way, it's a long time. One third of the age of the universe to go from the origin of life to a civilization. And so what was required here on Earth was that that unbroken chain of life