Extraterrestrial (TV program)
The program focuses on the hypothetical and scientifically feasible evolution of alien life on extrasolar planets, providing model examples of two different fictional worlds, one in each of the series's two episodes.
[2][3] The documentary is based on speculative collaboration of a group of American and British scientists, who were collectively commissioned by National Geographic.
For the purposes of the documentary, the team of scientists divides two hypothetical examples of realistic worlds on which extraterrestrial life could evolve: A tidally locked planet (dubbed "Aurelia") orbiting a red dwarf star and a large moon (dubbed "Blue Moon") orbiting a gas giant in a binary star system.
It is currently believed that for this to happen a planet must orbit in a relatively narrow band around its parent star, where temperatures are suitable for water to exist as a liquid.
To allow smaller bodies to be detected, NASA was studying a project called the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF), a two-telescope concept slated to begin launching around 2014.
Prior to the TPF's cancellation, astrophysicists had begun speculating about the best places to point the telescope in order to find Earth-like planets.
The first episode of the series focused on Aurelia, a hypothetical Earth-sized extrasolar planet orbiting a red dwarf star in our local area of the Milky Way.
Due to the slow rate at which they burn hydrogen, red dwarfs have an enormous estimated lifespan, allowing plenty of time for life to evolve on surrounding planets.
Having such a slow rotation would weaken the magnetic effect that protects the atmosphere from being blown away by solar wind (see Rare Earth hypothesis).
[citation needed] Nonetheless, the scientists employed by the programme decided to test the traditional assumptions for such a planet and start a model out for it from a protoplanetary disk through to its eventual death.
In continued speculation, and assuming that there was land in this habitable zone, it would be likely to form large networks of river deltas and swampland, due to rain runoff from the nearby storm.
At the far end of assumptions about Aurelia were attempting to construct lifeforms based on Earthly evolutionary models and how ecosystems might develop.
The scientists' assumptions included the idea that the long life of a red dwarf allows for evolution to fine-tune any ecosystem on the planet.
From this carbon-based hypothesis, the scientific team assumed some form of staple photosynthesizing animal/plant combination would be the principal autotroph.
They use their long, continually growing thumb claws to cut down a Stinger Fan and dam the river systems, creating artificial lagoons and swamps which provide safety from predators.
These tiny, orange creatures can collect together (similar to slime molds) and form one huge super-organism, moving together up banks to paralyze and consume other animals.
The planet's ecosystem exhibits several unique adaptations, most notably the ability for all living organisms to detect and avoid solar flares.
Because of the increased muscle power from excess atmospheric oxygen, these creatures can have wingspans of ten meters and remain airborne their entire lives.
Once a Stalker is caught in a ghost trap web, the carnivore uses its tentacles to lift its catch up into its mouth, to be digested by the acid in a primitive stomach.
Balloon plants release their seeds by filling them with hydrogen to float in the dense atmosphere, in a way similar to kelp on Earth.
