Professor Brian Cox Reveals He Left Bbc Bosses ‘panicked’ Over Potentially Finding Extraterrestrial Life

Professor Brian Cox’s Revelations on Alien Life

You might think this is new, but… Professor Brian Cox has been a household name in science for decades. He’s not just any scientist; he’s a TV and radio star who has made complex concepts accessible to millions. But behind his entertaining public persona lies the potential for a cosmic crisis.

BBC’s Panic Mode

During an interview on Radio X, Professor Cox recounted a moment that left BBC bosses “panicked.” While presenting Stargazing Live with Dara Ó Briain, they were live broadcasting and searching for exoplanets. Imagine the shock when someone actually found one! The data was in—there could be life out there.

No Protocol for Extraterrestrial Life

“They had no protocol whatsoever,” Cox explained. “There wasn’t any regulation on what to do if we found something.” It’s not just about the discovery; it’s about how to handle such a monumental revelation during a live broadcast. The panic was palpable, and for good reason.

The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs

But even in crisis mode, the BBC had to think long-term. “If we hear something,” Cox said, “they would ring the Vatican.” This is serious business—seriously serious. The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) would be the go-to contact if an alien invasion were detected. Not exactly what you expect from a celestial observatory.

And then there’s the joke about it being “the smallest office in the UN with the biggest remit.” It’s like the ultimate understatement of bureaucratic bloat. But for now, they’re still figuring out how to handle this alien life finding situation.

The Smallest Office with the Biggest Remit

“The UNOOSA has been there since the 1960s,” Cox continued, “and its job is everything other than Earth in the universe.” This office isn’t just dealing with interstellar dust; it’s handling the existential threat of alien contact. The joke might be on them, but it’s a serious matter.

It’s not every day that someone gets to be at the center of such an unprecedented event. Professor Brian Cox has been there, and he knows exactly what would happen if we found extraterrestrial life.

You can almost hear the BBC bosses holding their breaths during those tense moments of live stargazing.

So next time you tune into Stargazing Live, remember: it’s not just about looking up at the stars; it’s a potential step towards discovering something that could change everything we know about our place in the universe. And if they do find extraterrestrial life, Cox says they’d better hope they’re not aliens themselves.

Because if they are, and they’re out there watching us, “They might have a lot of questions for us.”