Where's My Jetpack?

Sarah and Luke return for the final episode of the series, as we search for a home beyond Earth.

Life on other planets has been a staple of science fiction lore for decades, but overcoming the astronomical barriers involved might prevent it ever becoming science fact. So, what does the future of our species look like? 

Thanks to MIT's Ariel Ekblaw, space scientist Bill Borucki and New Horizons’ Dr. Alan Stern for joining us, and thanks to everyone who’s listened across this series!

Today, we tackle the definitive science fiction question of our time: are we alone?

Sarah and Luke set out to discover who - or what - might be observing us from afar. We find that, while the chance of eventually meeting extraterrestrials is quite high, we've not yet found a way to surpass the unfathomable distances involved.

Joining us today are scientist and broadcast Seth Shostak and Bill Diamond, CEO of the SETI Institute.

It seems to be the doomed plot of every disaster movie in space, but it's so much more than that: today, we're off searching for the fuel of the future.

Sarah and Luke discover that space mining represents a real opportunity to not only improve but potentially even save life on Earth. Joining us on our search this week is former NASA astronaut Ed Lu and Dr Timi Aganaba, an expert in the politics of space.

Decades of retrofuturustic dreaming, now Elon Musk and NASA: visiting Mars has always seemed just of our reach. But how far away is humans' first visit?

Sarah and Luke answer one of science's longstanding questions on today's episode, as we look into the financial and psychological cost of reaching the Red Planet. Decades of expertise is provided by Dr Andy Aldrin, Dr Tanya Harrison and Dr Robert Zubrin.

Sometimes, scientific discovery can just be for the sheer fun of it. Other times, it may well define the future of our species: today's episode focuses on the latter.

Sarah and Luke look into why we've not developed rocket technology since the 1960s and reduced the cost of access to space, and how private individuals like Elon Musk are looking to fill the void. We're joined by Nicole Stott and Livingston Holder, two former astronauts who know just how significant reusable rocket technology could prove to be!