Far beyond Earth, a new type of alien water planet could be speckling our galaxy by the billions, like cosmic dew drops.
These “Hycean Planets” range up to ten times the mass of the Earth, containing mega-oceans that could stretch down hundreds of kilometers.
Their extreme pressures keep their water liquid across a wide range of temperatures, broadening the zone in which they could host life. And researchers now believe that these worlds are extremely common in the universe.
Soon we will get our first peek into the atmosphere of a possible Hycean world, K2-18b, thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope. What secrets will these ocean worlds reveal? Is something out there, swimming freely in an ocean more vast that we can imagine?
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Visuals, sound, and script by melodysheep
Narrated by will crowley
Stock footage courtesy Artgrid
Sources:
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2108.10888.pdf
https://www.inverse.com/science/hycean-habitable-exoplanets
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/astronomers-discover-new-class-of-habitable-planet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2O9irgjeXU
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Vast and wild, the oceans of Earth are a sight to behold. They cover over two-thirds of our planet, and stretch down up to 10 kilometres. But out in space, a new type of alien planet puts our oceans to shame. Meet the Hycean planets. These enormous water worlds can range up to 10x the mass of Earth. Some could be up to 90% water by mass, containing mega oceans that stretch hundreds or thousands of kilometres deep. They carry ultra-thick hydrogen atmospheres, which trap heat and create enormous p
ressures, helping sustain liquid water across a wide range of temperatures. Reaching as high as 200 degrees Celsius, twice the boiling point of water. Their oceans are kept from boiling away by the extreme atmospheric pressures. On the surface, these conditions would cook and crush a human being instantly. But down below, the waters would cool into a state that life on Earth might find familiar. And in the lowest depths, the ultra-thick oceans could condense into a mantle of exotic ice, known as
ICE V. Some may get tidally locked to their star. Dark hycean planets, where only the night side is cool enough for life. And there may also be cold hycean planets, where little sunlight falls. But internal heat and a dense atmosphere, provide just enough warmth and pressure for liquid water. Compared to terrestrial planets like Earth, this dynamic range gives hycean planets a much wider habitable zone. Making them prime candidates for hosting alien life. And researchers now believe that these
worlds are extremely common in the universe, possibly outnumbering gas giants and terrestrial planets. Thanks to their large size and thick atmospheres, they will make for easier targets in the search for alien biosignatures. Recently, water vapour was discovered on K2-18B: A world with a mass and orbit that make it a strong contender for a hycean planet. This world will soon be a target of study for the James Webb Space Telescope. Giving us our first glimpse, into a possibly hycean atmosphere.
If there is life on Hycean world's, it could look very different than Earth's. Evolving in hot, high-pressure conditions with exotic chemical soups. Without abundant oxygen for complex body plans, life forms here would probably remain microbial. But given the vast numbers and diversity of hycean planets, it's possible that somewhere huge lumbering lifeforms are roaming in oceans more vast than we can imagine. Beings that will never know the taste of air or the sight of the stars. If most life in
the universe is like this, we should feel grateful for our place. Free to plumb the depths of the oceans, and the reaches of the universe. Subtitles Subtitles by Subtitles by Oliver W.
Comments
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melodysheep, your series about space are getting better and better every time, which deserves great praise!
I'm a marine biologist and I love space so much. This video ticked every box and is absolutely incredible. Great work!
Enough is enough. Someone just give this man an Oscar for Sound design already. Level of creativity is just plain insane. The quality of background score and creative visuals are simply setting benchmarks for generations to come.
What i love about melody's videos is that they never shy away from actually showing aliens and how they might look, it's always a big part of the narrative
The animation the sound design everything is just immaculate
We can all agree. Melodysheep is super underated and deserves so many more subscribers and viewers after all the work he puts in and how honestly these documentaries are far better then anything national geographic can produce. Keep up the great work its amazing
You are singlehandedly saving the Space Documentary genre, hell, the spectacle documentary as a whole.
It’s insane how this is way better than 99% of millions dollar budget projects. Never stop, your work is truly made with passion, and that’s so rare in todays world.
No better way to kick the weekend off right than with a new MelodySheep video!
The creature at 4:12 is the Desert Titan from Ark. Even though in the game it's mainly a flying creature, it fits so well into this kind of humongous underwater environment. I really enjoyed this video and am looking forward to seeing more on these "Hycean Planets"!
Why the world hasn’t been talking about this channel and it’s creators?? It just takes me from my normal fast paced life to an unknown voyage! And sheer efforts have been made into making these videos and the background scores is just amazing and bread taking and I am truly thankful to the creators of this channel Melodysheep! Thank you.
I feel like you could make a full-length documentary or series and it would be a huge success. Amazing work as always!
I'm a simple man... I see MelodySheep uploaded a video I click
Everyday I feel more and more grateful to be born on this planet. How can anything be more beautiful than our nature, atmosphere and our minds. I mean it's just awesome 😌
one of only a few YouTube channels that sets the caliber on art, music and narrative. I mean- you're right up there with 'In a Nutshell' or 'Crash Course'. This is what the internet deserves🐋😃
I wonder if this would turn into a Melodysheep multiverse one day.
I still can't fathom how your videos don't get tens of millions of views instantly. These are the best visual/audio masters there are on youtube. Hans zimmer level soundtracks, beatiful 3D artwork, perfect lighting and camera work. I'm sure your channel will become a reference in the matter in the next few years. You deserve it man!
Hi, I'm a new subscriber, and just wanna say thank you for the breathtaking video! I'm quite fond of watching YT videos about space and about the depths of the ocean, and I think this particular video felt so different. It doesn't just feel like a regular scientific documentary, it also feels very artistic, and I saw that you are a film maker and make your own music, and I thought, so that's why this video felt as much as a work of art as it is a documentary! I love it so much! Looking forward for more of your artistic videos!
Nearly nothing surpasses the quality and scientific relevance of this channel for all of us out here. So thankful.