1 00:00:37,595 --> 00:00:41,598 [MUSIC CHATTER PLAYING ON RADIO] 2 00:00:50,567 --> 00:00:54,570 MAN 1 [ON RADIO]: - Clearly, I've never been there, but... 3 00:00:56,573 --> 00:01:00,659 MAN 2:usually the situation, obviously a major malfunction. 4 00:01:00,827 --> 00:01:03,579 [PEOPLE CHATTERING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES ON RADIO] 5 00:01:14,883 --> 00:01:17,134 MAN 3: - Whether or not their president is a crook. 6 00:01:17,302 --> 00:01:18,594 MAN 4: Well, I'm not a crook. 7 00:01:18,761 --> 00:01:22,597 MAN 5: - Small step for man, one giant leap for... 8 00:01:22,764 --> 00:01:26,934 MAN 6: Robert Kennedy was shot in that ballroom. 9 00:01:28,437 --> 00:01:31,105 MAN 7: Thank God almighty, we are free at last. 10 00:01:31,273 --> 00:01:33,900 MAN 8: A sniper has fired at President Kennedy. 11 00:01:41,283 --> 00:01:42,617 MAN 9: - The Communist party... 12 00:01:42,784 --> 00:01:45,036 ...or have you ever been a member of the Communist party? 13 00:01:45,204 --> 00:01:49,457 MAN 10: Old soldiers never die. They just... 14 00:01:49,625 --> 00:01:52,210 MAN 11: Hi-yo, Silver! 15 00:01:53,879 --> 00:01:56,714 MAN 12: - Something never before experienced... 16 00:01:56,882 --> 00:02:01,302 MAN 13: - 1941, a date which will live... 17 00:02:05,641 --> 00:02:10,019 MAN 14: And we continue this final edition of our Maxwell House Good News of 1939. 18 00:02:10,187 --> 00:02:12,313 MAN 15: Good evening, Mr. And Mrs. North America... 19 00:02:12,481 --> 00:02:14,857 ...and all the ships at sea. Let's go to press. 20 00:02:19,071 --> 00:02:23,491 [MUSIC AND CHATTER FADING] 21 00:03:32,393 --> 00:03:36,563 GIRL: CQ, this is W-9 GFO. 22 00:03:38,065 --> 00:03:42,527 CQ, this is W-9 GFO here. Come back? 23 00:03:44,113 --> 00:03:45,530 CQ. 24 00:03:45,698 --> 00:03:50,201 CQ, this is W-9 GFO here. 25 00:03:50,369 --> 00:03:52,037 Come back? 26 00:03:52,580 --> 00:03:54,039 [KNOCKING] 27 00:03:54,206 --> 00:03:55,373 [DOOR OPENS] 28 00:03:55,541 --> 00:04:00,545 CQ, CQ, this is W-9 GFO. Is anybody out there? 29 00:04:00,713 --> 00:04:02,005 Not getting anything. 30 00:04:02,173 --> 00:04:03,757 Small moves, Ellie. 31 00:04:05,217 --> 00:04:06,593 Small moves. 32 00:04:09,095 --> 00:04:13,599 CQ, this is W-9 GFO here. Come back? 33 00:04:13,767 --> 00:04:17,770 MAN: Copy, W-9 GFO. K-4 WLD here. 34 00:04:17,937 --> 00:04:21,190 - What do I say? - Just be yourself. 35 00:04:21,649 --> 00:04:25,861 - Where are you, K-4 WLD? Come back? - Pensacola. Over. 36 00:04:26,029 --> 00:04:27,613 Pensacola, where's Pensacola? 37 00:04:27,781 --> 00:04:29,782 I'll give you a hint. 38 00:04:29,949 --> 00:04:31,241 Orange juice. 39 00:04:33,953 --> 00:04:37,790 Copy that, K-4 WLD. How's the weather down there in Florida? 40 00:04:39,084 --> 00:04:41,335 TED: Pensacola, Florida. 41 00:04:41,503 --> 00:04:44,171 I have to tell you, Sparks... 42 00:04:44,339 --> 00:04:47,841 ...one thousand, one hundred and sixteen miles. 43 00:04:48,009 --> 00:04:51,470 Pretty good. That's the farthest yet. 44 00:05:03,858 --> 00:05:07,152 ELLIE: Can we hear all the way to New York? TED: Sure. 45 00:05:08,530 --> 00:05:12,491 ELLIE: Can we hear all the way to California? TED: I don't see why not. 46 00:05:13,243 --> 00:05:16,954 ELLIE: Can we hear all the way to Alaska? TED: Yeah, on a really clear day. 47 00:05:17,163 --> 00:05:19,665 ELLIE: Can we hear all the way to China? 48 00:05:20,208 --> 00:05:22,251 TED: On a really, really clear day. 49 00:05:22,419 --> 00:05:23,836 [CHUCKLING] 50 00:05:24,546 --> 00:05:27,172 ELLIE: Could we talk to the moon? 51 00:05:27,340 --> 00:05:30,175 TED: Well, if it's a big enough radio, I don't see why not. 52 00:05:30,843 --> 00:05:32,844 ELLIE: Could we talk to Jupiter? 53 00:05:33,053 --> 00:05:35,847 Or what's the one after that? 54 00:05:36,014 --> 00:05:37,849 Don't tell me. 55 00:05:39,685 --> 00:05:41,352 TED: I'll give you a hint. 56 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:42,687 Hula-Hoops. 57 00:05:42,896 --> 00:05:46,190 - Saturn. Could we talk to Saturn? - Mm-hm. 58 00:05:50,779 --> 00:05:53,781 Dad, could we talk to Mom? 59 00:05:58,871 --> 00:06:01,956 I don't think even the biggest radio could reach that far. 60 00:06:07,087 --> 00:06:09,380 All right, no more stalling. 61 00:06:10,924 --> 00:06:12,383 Okay. 62 00:06:13,969 --> 00:06:15,344 Pensacola. 63 00:06:22,144 --> 00:06:24,479 Oh, Ellie, that's a beauty. 64 00:06:25,981 --> 00:06:27,732 Now get some sleep. 65 00:06:35,741 --> 00:06:37,783 - Hey, Dad? - Yeah? 66 00:06:37,951 --> 00:06:40,745 Do you think there's people on other planets? 67 00:06:40,913 --> 00:06:42,580 I don't know, Sparks. 68 00:06:44,082 --> 00:06:46,083 But I guess I'd say... 69 00:06:46,251 --> 00:06:48,419 ...if it is just us... 70 00:06:49,588 --> 00:06:51,923 ...it seems like an awful waste of space. 71 00:07:08,940 --> 00:07:11,274 CQ, CQ. 72 00:07:11,442 --> 00:07:13,777 CQ, this is W-9 GFO. 73 00:07:13,986 --> 00:07:17,113 Repeat. This is W-9 GFO. Come back? 74 00:07:18,658 --> 00:07:22,035 CQ, this is W-9 GFO. Come back? 75 00:07:24,664 --> 00:07:27,123 I'm gonna need a bigger antenna. 76 00:07:53,693 --> 00:07:55,443 MAN: What do you think, Doctor Arroway? 77 00:07:55,611 --> 00:07:57,612 Isn't she a beauty? 78 00:08:01,158 --> 00:08:02,284 It'll do. 79 00:08:02,493 --> 00:08:04,452 FISHER: The village is five miles away. 80 00:08:04,662 --> 00:08:09,249 There's a general store in the cantina. They can order anything from San Juan. 81 00:08:09,417 --> 00:08:11,001 ELLIE: And when can I get some dish time? 82 00:08:11,168 --> 00:08:14,546 FISHER: Dr. Clark said you wouldn't be able to wait. Your first shift is tonight. 83 00:08:14,714 --> 00:08:15,839 ELLIE: All right. 84 00:09:01,051 --> 00:09:03,385 [STATIC BUZZING OVER RADIO] 85 00:09:10,977 --> 00:09:12,478 Go back. 86 00:09:13,897 --> 00:09:16,982 Try back a little bit. You had something there. 87 00:09:17,150 --> 00:09:18,192 [WHIRRING ON RADIO] 88 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:19,443 There. 89 00:09:19,611 --> 00:09:22,696 - Right there? - You hear it? Right there, that's it. 90 00:09:22,864 --> 00:09:26,742 ELLIE: All right, 1221.46. That's well within the L band. 91 00:09:26,910 --> 00:09:29,995 - Check off-axis. - Uh-huh. On it. 92 00:09:31,081 --> 00:09:33,749 It's not in the neighborhood. 93 00:09:39,381 --> 00:09:41,048 Ah. 94 00:09:42,216 --> 00:09:46,094 Here it is. J-1741 plus 2748. 95 00:09:46,261 --> 00:09:49,931 Catalogued November 4, 1982. Pulsar. 96 00:09:50,766 --> 00:09:55,269 Well, I don't know, it must've been... The glitch in the timing is what threw me. 97 00:09:55,437 --> 00:09:57,146 Must've been a starquake. 98 00:09:57,314 --> 00:09:58,356 [WHIRRING STOPS] 99 00:09:58,524 --> 00:10:02,360 I think it's great that you listen. Most people don't do that anymore. 100 00:10:02,528 --> 00:10:05,405 It's just an old habit. You know, it makes it feel more real. 101 00:10:05,572 --> 00:10:08,449 - Ellie. - Kent. Kent Clark. 102 00:10:09,493 --> 00:10:10,618 Hey. 103 00:10:10,786 --> 00:10:15,081 They said you've been up at Owens Valley working under Drumlin. 104 00:10:15,249 --> 00:10:16,833 How did you like him? 105 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:18,292 [ELLIE SIGHS] 106 00:10:19,795 --> 00:10:24,132 That much? And about what I'd expect after what he had to say about you. 107 00:10:24,299 --> 00:10:26,300 What was that? 108 00:10:26,468 --> 00:10:29,595 That you are brilliant, driven... 109 00:10:29,763 --> 00:10:32,765 ...a major pain in the ass, and obsessed with a field of study... 110 00:10:32,933 --> 00:10:36,102 ...that he considers tantamount to professional suicide. 111 00:10:37,020 --> 00:10:40,148 - Anything else? - Those were the highlights. 112 00:10:40,315 --> 00:10:42,608 Davio, Dr. Vernon. Dr. Arroway. 113 00:10:42,776 --> 00:10:44,235 ELLIE: Hey. Hi there. - How you doing? 114 00:10:44,403 --> 00:10:48,990 And I believe you've already met our tireless research assistant, Mr. Fisher... 115 00:10:49,158 --> 00:10:51,951 - Here, I need you to sign... ...as well as his cologne. 116 00:10:52,119 --> 00:10:54,704 Brook's looking at the black hole at the center of M-87. 117 00:10:54,872 --> 00:10:58,624 Eli's studying Markarian 541, a major gamma-ray source. 118 00:10:58,792 --> 00:11:03,838 And Dr. Arroway will be spending her precious telescope time listening for, um... 119 00:11:04,214 --> 00:11:06,214 Listening for... 120 00:11:06,382 --> 00:11:08,175 Little green men. 121 00:11:15,933 --> 00:11:19,519 One down, a couple billion to go. 122 00:11:22,273 --> 00:11:23,940 [SPEAKING IN SPANISH] 123 00:11:36,204 --> 00:11:38,163 Arecibo, right? 124 00:11:39,332 --> 00:11:40,499 Does it show? 125 00:11:41,125 --> 00:11:42,375 Yeah. 126 00:11:42,543 --> 00:11:44,836 - Cracker Jack? - No, thanks. 127 00:11:45,004 --> 00:11:46,546 - Mind if I sit down? - Sure. 128 00:11:48,216 --> 00:11:52,219 I hear the locals, they call it El Radar. 129 00:11:52,386 --> 00:11:55,222 Convinced it has some dark military purpose. 130 00:11:55,389 --> 00:11:56,807 I think we're pretty harmless. 131 00:11:58,267 --> 00:11:59,392 Palmer Joss. 132 00:12:00,228 --> 00:12:02,687 - Ellie Arroway. - Nice to meet you, Ellie. 133 00:12:03,898 --> 00:12:06,858 What are you studying up there? 134 00:12:08,528 --> 00:12:09,903 The usual. 135 00:12:10,071 --> 00:12:13,114 You know. Nebulae, quasars, pulsars, stuff like that. 136 00:12:13,282 --> 00:12:15,867 What are you...? What are you writing? 137 00:12:16,035 --> 00:12:20,413 The usual. Nouns, adverbs, adjective here and there. 138 00:12:21,749 --> 00:12:23,250 I work on a project called SETI. 139 00:12:24,043 --> 00:12:26,086 Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence? 140 00:12:26,754 --> 00:12:30,339 Wow. Man, that is out there. 141 00:12:31,132 --> 00:12:32,967 Wait, are you a student or something? 142 00:12:33,134 --> 00:12:36,428 Mm-mm. I'm a writer. I'm writing a book. 143 00:12:36,596 --> 00:12:41,267 Down here doing research about how technology affects Third World cultures. 144 00:12:41,434 --> 00:12:44,270 I'm also looking for this guy David Drumlin. 145 00:12:44,437 --> 00:12:48,899 He's the new head of the National Science Foundation. I'm trying to get an interview. 146 00:12:49,776 --> 00:12:52,778 - I take it you know him? - Mm-hm. 147 00:12:52,946 --> 00:12:54,905 You could say that. 148 00:12:55,740 --> 00:12:59,410 SETI, man. That's fringe. 149 00:12:59,578 --> 00:13:01,120 I've crossed paths with this guy. 150 00:13:01,288 --> 00:13:03,956 Something like that must really chap his ass, huh? 151 00:13:06,918 --> 00:13:08,294 Compass. 152 00:13:09,963 --> 00:13:11,547 For you, EI. 153 00:13:16,136 --> 00:13:17,928 You better keep this. 154 00:13:18,805 --> 00:13:20,931 Might save your life someday. 155 00:13:25,103 --> 00:13:26,896 Will you have dinner with me tonight? 156 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:29,773 I... 157 00:13:29,941 --> 00:13:33,569 I don't make a very good research subject. I'm just not very quotable. 158 00:13:33,737 --> 00:13:37,489 No quotes. No quotes. Scout's honor. Just a good meal, good company. 159 00:13:38,325 --> 00:13:40,159 I gotta go. 160 00:13:43,371 --> 00:13:45,497 But, uh... 161 00:13:48,793 --> 00:13:51,128 Drumlirs coming in this Tuesday. 162 00:13:59,511 --> 00:14:03,389 Now I remember why I took that desk job. 163 00:14:04,391 --> 00:14:06,935 - Dr. Drumlin, how are you? - Dr. Drumlin. 164 00:14:07,895 --> 00:14:09,979 Glad you could make it, David. 165 00:14:10,439 --> 00:14:13,691 If I'd known it was gonna take three planes, I might've reconsidered. 166 00:14:13,859 --> 00:14:15,234 How is that new office? 167 00:14:15,402 --> 00:14:19,989 I'm still settling in. They already wanna take half my budget and give it to the Pentagon. 168 00:14:20,157 --> 00:14:23,034 Ellie. Still waiting for E.T. To call? 169 00:14:23,202 --> 00:14:27,205 - Well, I understand we're having a little... - Good to see you too. 170 00:14:27,373 --> 00:14:28,373 Asshole. 171 00:14:28,540 --> 00:14:30,875 Uh-oh. Looks like it's gonna be a long night. 172 00:14:31,043 --> 00:14:35,505 Science must first be accountable to the people who are paying for it, the taxpayers. 173 00:14:35,673 --> 00:14:39,050 We need to stop wasting money on pie-in-the-sky abstractions... 174 00:14:39,218 --> 00:14:42,178 ...and start spending it on practical, measurable ways... 175 00:14:42,346 --> 00:14:45,223 ...to improve the lives of the people who are footing the bill. 176 00:14:45,391 --> 00:14:48,518 Not unlike my L-band, globular-clusters work. 177 00:14:48,686 --> 00:14:51,729 Wait, you're saying you wanna do away with all pure research now? 178 00:14:51,897 --> 00:14:55,233 What's wrong with science being practical? Even profitable? 179 00:14:55,442 --> 00:14:59,278 Nothing, as long as your motive is the search for truth. 180 00:14:59,446 --> 00:15:02,573 Which is exactly what the pursuit of science is. 181 00:15:04,118 --> 00:15:05,952 That's a rather interesting position... 182 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,789 ...coming from a man on a crusade against the evils of technology... 183 00:15:09,957 --> 00:15:11,040 ...Father Joss. 184 00:15:11,709 --> 00:15:14,085 PALMER: I'm not against technology, doctor. 185 00:15:14,253 --> 00:15:18,505 I'm against the men who deify it at the expense of human truth. 186 00:15:22,343 --> 00:15:25,554 Kent, I've been meaning to have a word with you. Over here, please. 187 00:15:25,722 --> 00:15:27,597 KENT: Yeah, I'll just... 188 00:15:31,602 --> 00:15:34,730 I think that hurt my chances with that interview. What do you think? 189 00:15:35,356 --> 00:15:37,190 You're a priest? 190 00:15:38,693 --> 00:15:39,943 No, not really. 191 00:15:40,611 --> 00:15:43,697 I got my Masters in Divinity... 192 00:15:43,865 --> 00:15:47,451 ...then dropped out of seminary to do some secular humanitarian work... 193 00:15:47,618 --> 00:15:50,120 ...coordinating efforts for Third World churches. 194 00:15:50,705 --> 00:15:53,373 I couldn't live with the whole celibacy thing. 195 00:15:55,752 --> 00:15:57,127 You could... 196 00:15:57,295 --> 00:15:59,880 You could call me a man of the cloth... 197 00:16:00,715 --> 00:16:02,299 ...without the cloth. 198 00:16:05,636 --> 00:16:07,304 You wanna get out of here? 199 00:16:09,223 --> 00:16:12,726 All right, you see that sort of large, W-shaped constellation right there? 200 00:16:12,894 --> 00:16:14,352 That's Cassiopeia. 201 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:19,066 And Cassiopeia A gives off a whole lot of radio signals. 202 00:16:19,233 --> 00:16:23,737 I actually listen to them a lot. It's a remnant of a supernova. 203 00:16:24,447 --> 00:16:27,324 When did you know you wanted to be an astronomer? 204 00:16:27,825 --> 00:16:29,284 Well, when I... 205 00:16:29,452 --> 00:16:33,288 When I was about 8 years old, I was watching the sunset... 206 00:16:33,456 --> 00:16:36,833 ...and I asked my dad, "What's that bright star over there?" 207 00:16:37,001 --> 00:16:39,669 Dad, what's that star there? 208 00:16:40,253 --> 00:16:43,339 And he said that it wasrt really a star at all. It was actually... 209 00:16:43,507 --> 00:16:45,174 That's not a star, it's a planet. 210 00:16:45,342 --> 00:16:46,967 - A whole planet called Venus... 211 00:16:47,135 --> 00:16:49,136 That's the planet Venus. 212 00:16:51,473 --> 00:16:55,434 - Which should be over there soon. 213 00:16:55,602 --> 00:16:58,312 He said, "You know why they called it Venus? 214 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:01,774 Because they thought it was so beautiful and glowing. 215 00:17:01,942 --> 00:17:04,026 But what they didn't know... 216 00:17:04,194 --> 00:17:06,821 ...is that it's filled with... 217 00:17:08,031 --> 00:17:11,742 ...deadly gases and sulfuric acid rain." 218 00:17:12,786 --> 00:17:16,997 "Wow," I thought, "This is it! I'm hooked." 219 00:17:18,542 --> 00:17:22,545 You know, there are four hundred billion stars out there... 220 00:17:22,712 --> 00:17:24,964 ...just in our galaxy alone. 221 00:17:25,298 --> 00:17:29,218 If only one out of a million of those had planets... 222 00:17:29,386 --> 00:17:32,555 ...all right, and ifjust one out of a million of those had life... 223 00:17:32,722 --> 00:17:37,351 ...and ifjust one out of a million of those had intelligent life... 224 00:17:37,644 --> 00:17:42,648 ...there would be literally millions of civilizations out there. 225 00:17:44,067 --> 00:17:46,152 Well, if there wasrt... 226 00:17:46,570 --> 00:17:49,071 ...it'd be an awful waste of space. 227 00:17:54,661 --> 00:17:56,412 Amen. 228 00:18:04,753 --> 00:18:09,757 PALMER: So I was lying there, just looking at the sky. 229 00:18:12,678 --> 00:18:16,514 And then I felt something. I don't know, I... 230 00:18:17,016 --> 00:18:19,893 All I know is that I wasrt alone. 231 00:18:20,060 --> 00:18:24,981 And for the first time in my life I wasrt scared of nothing, you know? 232 00:18:25,149 --> 00:18:27,108 Not even dying. 233 00:18:32,448 --> 00:18:34,490 It was God. 234 00:18:36,952 --> 00:18:39,287 And there's no chance that... 235 00:18:39,455 --> 00:18:43,708 ...you had this experience because some part of you needed to have it? 236 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,463 I mean, I'm a reasonably intelligent guy, but this... 237 00:18:51,300 --> 00:18:55,303 No, this... No, my intellect, it couldn't even touch this. 238 00:18:55,471 --> 00:18:56,512 No. 239 00:18:58,974 --> 00:19:01,559 I've been to Sunday school a few times. 240 00:19:02,978 --> 00:19:04,729 Uh-huh. And? 241 00:19:04,897 --> 00:19:10,151 Well, I just kept asking all these really annoying questions like: 242 00:19:10,319 --> 00:19:13,279 "All right, then where did Mrs. Cain come from?" 243 00:19:14,573 --> 00:19:17,158 And pretty soon they called my dad and they asked him... 244 00:19:17,326 --> 00:19:20,078 ...if he wouldn't mind just keeping me home from now on. 245 00:19:20,246 --> 00:19:22,288 Your dad... 246 00:19:23,249 --> 00:19:26,459 - Is it this guy? - Yeah. 247 00:19:28,336 --> 00:19:30,796 You're close to him, aren't you? 248 00:19:31,673 --> 00:19:35,133 Yeah, I was. He died when I was 9 years old. 249 00:19:37,011 --> 00:19:39,012 I never got to know my mother. 250 00:19:40,598 --> 00:19:41,932 I'm sorry. 251 00:19:46,437 --> 00:19:48,355 That's gotta be tough. 252 00:19:50,566 --> 00:19:52,234 Yeah. 253 00:19:52,860 --> 00:19:54,861 Being alone. 254 00:20:03,371 --> 00:20:04,621 What do you say... 255 00:20:04,831 --> 00:20:08,333 ...we pack a picnic tomorrow morning and hike up to old Mount Arecibo? 256 00:20:09,210 --> 00:20:12,212 I don't think I can. I gotta work. 257 00:20:14,007 --> 00:20:17,634 All right, how about dinner, then, tomorrow night? I know a great dive. 258 00:20:17,802 --> 00:20:19,761 I don't think so. 259 00:20:24,058 --> 00:20:27,227 - Ellie, did I miss something? - Huh? 260 00:20:28,354 --> 00:20:31,565 No. Shit, I'm late. 261 00:20:32,525 --> 00:20:36,111 I told Kent that I'd be there at 10:30. 262 00:20:38,072 --> 00:20:39,865 You know, I'm not trying to push you. 263 00:20:40,074 --> 00:20:42,492 No, no. I've wanted to look at this sector for weeks. 264 00:20:42,660 --> 00:20:47,914 Just hang out and sleep in. And there's a bunch of food in the fridge. 265 00:20:48,082 --> 00:20:49,249 Okay? 266 00:20:49,417 --> 00:20:51,251 How can I reach you? 267 00:20:51,918 --> 00:20:54,420 Just leave your number. I'll call you. 268 00:21:15,901 --> 00:21:16,942 YOUNG ELLIE: Dad! 269 00:21:18,987 --> 00:21:21,989 Dad, it's starting, you're gonna miss it. 270 00:21:25,118 --> 00:21:27,411 Dad, there's another one. Hurry up. 271 00:21:27,579 --> 00:21:29,955 TED: In a minute, Sparks. I'm almost done. 272 00:21:30,123 --> 00:21:32,958 There's another one. Come on, hurry up, Dad! 273 00:21:35,003 --> 00:21:37,004 [CLATTERING] 274 00:21:38,298 --> 00:21:52,895 Dad? 275 00:22:03,031 --> 00:22:04,115 Daddy? 276 00:22:17,086 --> 00:22:26,511 Dad. 277 00:22:28,514 --> 00:22:30,432 I'll get the medicine. 278 00:23:46,007 --> 00:23:47,674 Ellie. 279 00:23:49,260 --> 00:23:51,929 I know it's hard to understand this now... 280 00:23:52,931 --> 00:23:57,434 ...but we aren't always meant to know why things happen the way they do. 281 00:23:57,977 --> 00:24:02,314 Sometimes we just have to accept it as God's will. 282 00:24:04,275 --> 00:24:07,945 I should have kept some medicine in the downstairs bathroom. 283 00:24:08,112 --> 00:24:10,656 Then I could've gotten to it sooner. 284 00:24:26,631 --> 00:24:29,091 [CHATTERING] 285 00:24:36,182 --> 00:24:37,849 YOUNG ELLIE: CQ... 286 00:24:38,685 --> 00:24:41,979 ...this is W-9 GFO. Do you copy? 287 00:24:45,149 --> 00:24:47,818 Dad, this is Ellie. Come back. 288 00:24:50,989 --> 00:24:53,031 This is Eleanor Arroway... 289 00:24:53,199 --> 00:24:56,785 ...transmitting on 14.2 megahertz. 290 00:24:59,289 --> 00:25:00,872 Dad. 291 00:25:02,916 --> 00:25:04,417 Are you there? 292 00:25:06,545 --> 00:25:08,004 Come back. 293 00:25:10,924 --> 00:25:12,341 Dad. 294 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:16,178 Are you there? 295 00:25:17,222 --> 00:25:18,723 Dad, this is Ellie. 296 00:25:27,733 --> 00:25:30,234 [BEEPING] 297 00:25:48,086 --> 00:25:50,046 [DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES] 298 00:25:50,213 --> 00:25:51,505 Ellie. 299 00:25:51,673 --> 00:25:55,051 Hi, Kent. What are you doing up so early, huh? 300 00:25:55,719 --> 00:25:57,053 I was thinking... 301 00:25:57,763 --> 00:25:59,305 ...we'd make a pretty good team. 302 00:25:59,473 --> 00:26:00,514 What? 303 00:26:00,682 --> 00:26:04,185 We could put together a kick-ass ad-hoc SETI program. 304 00:26:04,394 --> 00:26:06,604 You know the Very Large Array in New Mexico? 305 00:26:06,772 --> 00:26:09,231 It would be a dynamite place to do serious SETI... 306 00:26:09,399 --> 00:26:12,068 What are you talking about, Kent? 307 00:26:13,528 --> 00:26:15,404 Drumlin pulled the plug. 308 00:26:16,031 --> 00:26:17,156 We're homeless. 309 00:26:27,750 --> 00:26:29,542 Hey, watch it. 310 00:26:31,295 --> 00:26:33,213 ELLIE: Is it true, huh? Did you pull the plug? 311 00:26:33,381 --> 00:26:35,757 You can't see it now, but I'm doing you a favor. 312 00:26:35,925 --> 00:26:40,095 You are far too promising a scientist to be wasting your gifts on this nonsense. 313 00:26:40,262 --> 00:26:42,263 Look, I don't consider what could be... 314 00:26:42,473 --> 00:26:45,475 ...the most important discovery of the human race nonsense, okay? 315 00:26:45,643 --> 00:26:47,060 There's 400 billion stars... 316 00:26:47,228 --> 00:26:50,105 And two probabilities. One, there is intelligent life... 317 00:26:50,314 --> 00:26:53,316 ...but it's so far away you'll never contact it in your lifetime. 318 00:26:53,484 --> 00:26:55,694 - And two! - You're making a decision... 319 00:26:55,861 --> 00:27:00,281 There's nothing but noble gases and carbon compounds and you're wasting your time. 320 00:27:00,449 --> 00:27:03,535 In the meantime, you won't be published, won't be taken seriously. 321 00:27:03,703 --> 00:27:05,412 And your career will be over. 322 00:27:05,579 --> 00:27:08,957 So what? It's my life. 323 00:27:45,995 --> 00:27:48,872 Hey, Kent. You were right. 324 00:27:49,039 --> 00:27:52,750 Screw Drumlin. We're gonna raise the money. We're going to New Mexico. 325 00:27:52,917 --> 00:27:55,461 KENT: Chicago has all the stuff, but let me know how it goes. 326 00:27:55,628 --> 00:27:58,505 I've got some more corporate stops on the East Coast for you. 327 00:27:58,673 --> 00:28:01,842 Hey, Fish, did that investor from Houston ever get back to us? 328 00:28:02,010 --> 00:28:04,011 FISHER: I'm gonna hit him up on my way to L.A. 329 00:28:04,220 --> 00:28:06,346 ELLIE: Try begging for some of that Hollywood money. 330 00:28:06,556 --> 00:28:10,142 Why not? They've been making money off of aliens for years, right? 331 00:28:10,310 --> 00:28:13,145 - Begging is good for the soul. - We'll see about that. 332 00:28:13,313 --> 00:28:14,980 - Just do me a favor. - Yeah. 333 00:28:15,148 --> 00:28:17,941 Try not to be too confrontational. 334 00:28:18,109 --> 00:28:20,569 Huh? Confrontational? Me? What do you mean? 335 00:28:20,737 --> 00:28:22,362 I'm gonna see if I left anything. 336 00:28:55,730 --> 00:28:59,566 ELLIE: This is a unique time in our history, in the history of any civilization. 337 00:28:59,734 --> 00:29:02,528 It's the moment of the acquisition of technology. 338 00:29:02,737 --> 00:29:05,572 That's the moment where contact becomes possible. 339 00:29:06,282 --> 00:29:11,119 The Very Large Array in New Mexico is the key to our chances for success. 340 00:29:11,287 --> 00:29:13,538 With its 27 linked radio telescopes... 341 00:29:13,705 --> 00:29:17,083 ...we can search more accurately than at any other conventional facility. 342 00:29:17,251 --> 00:29:22,421 Now, we've gotten approval to buy the telescope time from the government. 343 00:29:22,923 --> 00:29:25,091 Now all we really need is the money. 344 00:29:25,884 --> 00:29:27,885 A nice presentation, doctor. 345 00:29:28,595 --> 00:29:33,099 But while our foundation arm has a mandate to support experimental programs... 346 00:29:33,267 --> 00:29:37,228 ...we must confess that your proposal seems less like science... 347 00:29:37,396 --> 00:29:39,105 ...and more like science fiction. 348 00:29:41,608 --> 00:29:43,067 Science fiction. 349 00:29:46,488 --> 00:29:48,281 You're right. 350 00:29:48,740 --> 00:29:50,324 It's crazy. 351 00:29:51,118 --> 00:29:54,078 In fact, it's even worse than that: Nuts. 352 00:29:55,622 --> 00:29:57,123 You wanna hear something nutty? 353 00:29:57,291 --> 00:29:59,959 A couple guys wanted to build something called an airplane. 354 00:30:00,127 --> 00:30:03,296 You get people to go in it and fly like birds. Ridiculous, right? 355 00:30:03,463 --> 00:30:05,423 Or what about breaking the sound barrier... 356 00:30:05,591 --> 00:30:09,218 ...or rockets to the moon, or atomic energy or a mission to Mars? 357 00:30:09,428 --> 00:30:11,262 Science fiction, right? 358 00:30:11,430 --> 00:30:12,555 Look. 359 00:30:12,723 --> 00:30:16,976 All I'm asking is for you to just have the tiniest bit of vision. 360 00:30:17,144 --> 00:30:20,730 You know, to just step back for one minute and look at the big picture. 361 00:30:20,898 --> 00:30:22,356 To take a chance on something... 362 00:30:22,524 --> 00:30:26,152 ...which might end up being the most profoundly impactful moment... 363 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:30,489 ...for humanity, for the history of history. 364 00:30:33,702 --> 00:30:35,244 I'm sorry. 365 00:30:36,371 --> 00:30:37,996 I just spent the last 13 months... 366 00:30:38,664 --> 00:30:42,000 ...coming into rooms like this and talking to people like you. 367 00:30:42,418 --> 00:30:45,128 The truth is, you're my last chance, so... 368 00:30:45,296 --> 00:30:46,755 I'm sorry I wasted your time. 369 00:30:46,923 --> 00:30:48,214 Doctor. 370 00:30:48,382 --> 00:30:58,850 Yes, sir. 371 00:31:01,938 --> 00:31:03,146 You have your money. 372 00:31:06,192 --> 00:31:10,987 Thank you. 373 00:31:39,350 --> 00:31:41,851 [MOTOR HUMMING] 374 00:31:57,535 --> 00:32:01,578 MAN: Oh! Perfect cast. Come on, fishy. 375 00:32:01,746 --> 00:32:05,416 Frank, look at the size of that son of a bitch! 376 00:32:17,846 --> 00:32:19,930 Welcome back, Dr. C. 377 00:32:20,098 --> 00:32:21,598 How'd it go? 378 00:32:22,267 --> 00:32:25,519 - How was the trip? - I've had better. 379 00:32:26,021 --> 00:32:29,106 Drumlin. What is this? This his personal vendetta now? 380 00:32:29,274 --> 00:32:33,193 It's not just Drumlin. There's been enormous pressure from other scientists as well. 381 00:32:33,361 --> 00:32:36,613 It doesn't matter anyway, Hadders funding us for another two years. 382 00:32:36,781 --> 00:32:39,950 Uh... These are government-owned telescopes, they can lease to whomever. 383 00:32:40,118 --> 00:32:43,912 And they don't want the high priestess of the desert using them anymore. 384 00:32:44,748 --> 00:32:45,789 What? 385 00:32:45,957 --> 00:32:49,293 Staring at static on TV for hours, listening to washing machines. 386 00:32:49,461 --> 00:32:51,837 Did you really think these stories wouldn't get out? 387 00:32:52,005 --> 00:32:55,758 - I was looking for patterns in the chaos. - Doesrt matter, we're a joke to them. 388 00:32:55,925 --> 00:32:57,468 They want us out. 389 00:32:58,928 --> 00:33:02,264 We've got three months until the paperwork goes through. 390 00:33:04,976 --> 00:33:08,145 Fine. I'll start looking for other funding. I'll just start... 391 00:33:08,313 --> 00:33:12,816 Could you face reality, please? Just this once, Ellie. We lost. 392 00:33:12,984 --> 00:33:14,651 It's over. 393 00:33:20,992 --> 00:33:22,659 Fine. 394 00:33:22,827 --> 00:33:24,827 But I'm not stopping. 395 00:33:24,995 --> 00:33:27,997 If I have to go it alone, I'll go it alone. I've done it before. 396 00:34:17,756 --> 00:34:21,509 My guest tonight is author and theologian Palmer Joss. 397 00:34:21,677 --> 00:34:26,681 He's become a spiritual counselor of sorts and a recent fixture at the White House. 398 00:34:26,849 --> 00:34:29,809 "God's Diplomat," according to The New York Times. 399 00:34:30,018 --> 00:34:33,688 His latest book, Losing Faith, is currently number one... 400 00:34:33,897 --> 00:34:36,232 ...on that publicatiors bestseller list. 401 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:37,900 Thanks for being with us, Palmer. 402 00:34:38,068 --> 00:34:40,862 You have had quite a ride this last couple of years. 403 00:34:41,029 --> 00:34:43,489 Yeah, I sure have, Larry. 404 00:34:43,657 --> 00:34:46,159 You know, Fish, I was thinking. 405 00:34:46,326 --> 00:34:50,662 Who would make the best astronomers? I mean, think about it. 406 00:34:50,830 --> 00:34:56,835 Who has the perfect synthesis of career and lifestyle? 407 00:34:57,003 --> 00:34:59,921 - I give. - Vampires! 408 00:35:00,089 --> 00:35:02,507 Are you anti-technology? Are you anti-science? 409 00:35:02,675 --> 00:35:04,676 PALMER: No, not at all. 410 00:35:04,844 --> 00:35:07,721 The question that I'm asking is this: 411 00:35:08,389 --> 00:35:11,099 Are we happier as a human race? 412 00:35:11,267 --> 00:35:16,188 Is the world fundamentally a better place because of science and technology? 413 00:35:16,898 --> 00:35:19,357 We shop at home, we surf the Web... 414 00:35:19,567 --> 00:35:22,360 ...but at the same time we feel emptier... 415 00:35:22,528 --> 00:35:27,365 ...and more cut off from each other than at any other time in human history. 416 00:35:27,533 --> 00:35:30,202 I mean, we're becoming a synthesized society... 417 00:35:30,369 --> 00:35:33,705 ...in a great, big hurry to get to the next... 418 00:35:47,094 --> 00:35:50,597 I think it's because we're looking for the meaning. What is the meaning? 419 00:35:50,765 --> 00:35:53,475 We have mindless jobs, we take frantic vacations. 420 00:35:53,893 --> 00:35:56,895 Deficit finance trips to the mall to buy more things... 421 00:35:57,104 --> 00:36:00,774 ...that we think are gonna fill these holes in our lives. 422 00:36:00,942 --> 00:36:03,485 Is it any wonder that we've lost our sense of direction? 423 00:36:19,209 --> 00:36:23,963 [BUZZING AND PULSING] 424 00:36:44,359 --> 00:36:46,026 Holy shit. 425 00:36:59,374 --> 00:37:01,375 [ENGINE STARTS] 426 00:37:04,337 --> 00:37:10,384 Right ascension, 18 hours, 36 minutes, 56.2 seconds. 427 00:37:10,552 --> 00:37:15,556 Declination, plus 36 degrees, 46 minutes... 428 00:37:15,724 --> 00:37:18,892 ...56.2 seconds! 429 00:37:20,562 --> 00:37:22,062 Confirm! 430 00:37:22,230 --> 00:37:28,152 Right ascension, 18 hours, 36 minutes, 56.2 seconds! 431 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,155 Hey, is anybody awake in there? I'm moving the array! 432 00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:35,034 - Confirm! - Boss has a bogey! 433 00:37:35,243 --> 00:37:40,371 Right ascension, 18 hours, 36 minutes, 56.2 seconds. 434 00:37:40,539 --> 00:37:42,790 - Fish! - We're on it. 435 00:37:42,958 --> 00:37:47,295 Plus 36 hours, 47 minutes and 1 second. 436 00:37:47,463 --> 00:37:51,215 Strong possible pulse chain on Sub-Array 4. 437 00:37:51,425 --> 00:37:54,761 I'm moving the rest of them now. I need you to confirm the coordinates. 438 00:37:54,928 --> 00:37:56,929 Check the status of the array. 439 00:37:57,097 --> 00:38:00,975 - She's doing all the dishes. - All systems nominal. 440 00:38:05,606 --> 00:38:07,190 Hello. 441 00:38:07,941 --> 00:38:09,692 I need a full systems check. 442 00:38:09,860 --> 00:38:12,695 Coordinates confirmed. Willie's checking the system now. 443 00:38:12,863 --> 00:38:15,865 Stay on top of the systems diagnostics. 444 00:38:16,033 --> 00:38:17,742 Check the reference point offsets. 445 00:38:17,951 --> 00:38:21,954 And I want you off-axis on 27 the second we get there. 446 00:38:22,122 --> 00:38:24,624 And tell Willie to break out the big boy. 447 00:38:26,210 --> 00:38:28,544 Copy that. Willie... 448 00:38:28,712 --> 00:38:29,962 Yeah. Go, Ellie. 449 00:38:30,130 --> 00:38:33,424 I can hear can it on the headphones. We gotta be sure about this. 450 00:38:33,592 --> 00:38:36,302 Give me another array status. 451 00:38:37,721 --> 00:38:40,640 Her four are online, the rest are tracking in. 452 00:38:40,808 --> 00:38:43,559 FISHER: Your four are online, the rest are tracking in. 453 00:38:43,727 --> 00:38:46,104 But there's a bad drive on 16. 454 00:38:46,313 --> 00:38:48,815 Your four are online, the rest are tracking in... 455 00:38:48,982 --> 00:38:51,818 ...but there's a bad drive on 16. Copy that? 456 00:38:53,070 --> 00:38:55,363 What do you want me to do about the source queue? 457 00:38:55,531 --> 00:38:57,615 Look, forget about it and hold the queue. 458 00:38:57,783 --> 00:39:01,952 Go get ready to set the target frequency to manual the second we're aligned. 459 00:39:02,161 --> 00:39:06,498 Do you copy? I want you to go off-axis on 27 the second we're there. 460 00:39:06,749 --> 00:39:09,584 And leave the LO frequency where it is. 461 00:39:09,752 --> 00:39:13,046 Stay on it, Fish, don't let it get away. If you lose it, scan the band. 462 00:39:13,214 --> 00:39:16,508 Run every frequency you can think of. 463 00:39:21,097 --> 00:39:22,806 How you doing? 464 00:39:27,019 --> 00:39:28,145 Talk to me, guys. 465 00:39:28,354 --> 00:39:32,190 Partially polarized set of moving pulses, amplitude modulated. 466 00:39:32,358 --> 00:39:36,027 We're locked. Systems check out, signal across the board. What's the frequency? 467 00:39:36,195 --> 00:39:39,239 4.46, 23 gigahertz. 468 00:39:40,616 --> 00:39:43,869 Hydrogen times pi. Told you. 469 00:39:44,036 --> 00:39:45,829 Strong sucker too. 470 00:39:45,997 --> 00:39:48,331 I got it! I got it, I got it! I'm patched in. 471 00:39:49,041 --> 00:39:50,709 ELLIE: All right, let me hear it. 472 00:39:53,838 --> 00:39:55,589 [PULSING] 473 00:39:55,756 --> 00:39:57,215 Listen to that. 474 00:39:59,469 --> 00:40:01,720 Make me a liar, Fish. 475 00:40:01,888 --> 00:40:04,556 It could be AWACS out of Kirtland jamming us. 476 00:40:04,724 --> 00:40:06,099 But I'm doubting it. 477 00:40:06,267 --> 00:40:08,894 All right, let's see if F.U.D.D.'s reading it too. 478 00:40:09,729 --> 00:40:13,064 Willie, patch it back and give me the off-axis. 479 00:40:13,232 --> 00:40:14,900 - Are we recording? - Never stopped. 480 00:40:16,986 --> 00:40:18,278 Thank you, Elmer. 481 00:40:18,488 --> 00:40:20,405 AWACS status is negative. 482 00:40:20,573 --> 00:40:23,407 - White Sands? - On this frequency? No. 483 00:40:23,575 --> 00:40:25,075 I'm gonna punch up the darks. 484 00:40:28,246 --> 00:40:31,916 How's the spying tonight, guys? Come on. 485 00:40:34,252 --> 00:40:36,754 FISHER: NORAD's not tracking any snoops in this vector. 486 00:40:36,922 --> 00:40:38,506 Shuttle Endeavor is in sleep mode. 487 00:40:38,673 --> 00:40:41,175 Okay, point source confirmed. 488 00:40:41,343 --> 00:40:43,928 - Whatever it is, it ain't local. - Position? 489 00:40:44,095 --> 00:40:46,764 WILLIE: I checked interferometry. Somewhere in Lyra, I think. 490 00:40:46,932 --> 00:40:48,432 - Vega? FISHER: Can't be. 491 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:50,851 It's only 26 light years away. 492 00:40:51,019 --> 00:40:53,979 - What's the peak intensity? FISHER: Coming up. 493 00:40:54,147 --> 00:40:55,397 ELLIE: Vega. 494 00:40:55,565 --> 00:40:59,527 Vega. I scanned it a bunch of times at Arecibo. It was negative results, always. 495 00:40:59,736 --> 00:41:03,113 Got it. Reading over 100 janskys. 496 00:41:03,281 --> 00:41:05,658 Jesus. I could pick it up on my... 497 00:41:05,825 --> 00:41:08,035 [PULSING STOPS] 498 00:41:08,787 --> 00:41:09,787 No. 499 00:41:40,318 --> 00:41:42,945 [PULSING] 500 00:41:43,113 --> 00:41:44,154 Come on. 501 00:41:46,491 --> 00:41:48,575 All right, it's restarting. 502 00:41:49,034 --> 00:41:50,785 Wait a minute. Those are numbers. 503 00:41:50,995 --> 00:41:54,080 That was a three, the one before it was a two. 504 00:41:54,248 --> 00:41:57,667 Base-10 numbers. Just start counting now, see how far can we get. 505 00:41:57,835 --> 00:41:59,460 One. 506 00:42:05,009 --> 00:42:06,092 WILLIE: Seven. ELLIE: Seven. 507 00:42:08,929 --> 00:42:10,513 Those are primes. 508 00:42:10,681 --> 00:42:13,266 Two, three, five, seven, those are all prime numbers. 509 00:42:13,434 --> 00:42:15,393 There's no way that's a natural phenomenon. 510 00:42:15,561 --> 00:42:16,686 - Holy shit. - Okay, okay. 511 00:42:16,854 --> 00:42:20,189 Let's just calm down and pull up the star file on Vega. 512 00:42:20,733 --> 00:42:23,693 FISHER: It doesn't make any sense. The system is too young... 513 00:42:23,861 --> 00:42:25,862 ...so it can't have a planetary system... 514 00:42:26,030 --> 00:42:29,449 ...let alone life or a technological civilization. 515 00:42:29,617 --> 00:42:32,201 Maybe they didn't grow up there. Maybe they're visiting. 516 00:42:32,369 --> 00:42:35,705 Spacecraft? This system is full of debris. It would get clobbered. 517 00:42:35,873 --> 00:42:40,043 Well, not if they used their laser blasters and photon torpedoes. 518 00:42:40,210 --> 00:42:43,630 - That's not funny. - How else are we gonna explain it? 519 00:42:43,797 --> 00:42:47,008 Willie's right. If we go public with this and we're wrong, that's it. 520 00:42:47,176 --> 00:42:49,677 It's over. We're cooked. 521 00:42:50,679 --> 00:42:53,264 God, I wish Kent was here. 522 00:42:53,432 --> 00:42:57,518 Whatever the signal is, we better do something soon. Vega's gonna set. 523 00:42:58,062 --> 00:43:04,651 Position confirmed. We've got 4.4623 gigahertz, confirmed. 524 00:43:04,818 --> 00:43:07,737 We've got 112 janskys. 525 00:43:07,905 --> 00:43:10,365 All right, do you have a source location yet? 526 00:43:12,909 --> 00:43:15,827 We put it right smack in the middle. 527 00:43:15,995 --> 00:43:17,579 Vega. 528 00:43:19,415 --> 00:43:22,417 Okay, thanks, lan. Keep tracking and we'll get back to you. 529 00:43:22,585 --> 00:43:24,252 Yeah, right-o. 530 00:43:34,430 --> 00:43:35,931 FISHER: Okay, 101. 531 00:43:36,099 --> 00:43:40,852 The pulse sequenced through every prime number between two and 101. 532 00:43:42,438 --> 00:43:44,439 Who are we gonna call now? 533 00:43:47,276 --> 00:43:48,360 Everybody. 534 00:43:56,119 --> 00:43:59,538 MAN 1 [ON TV]: The rumors are flying, the implications extraordinary. 535 00:43:59,706 --> 00:44:03,333 This morning's detection of an unidentified radio source from deep space... 536 00:44:03,501 --> 00:44:06,128 ...can neither be confirmed nor denied. 537 00:44:06,295 --> 00:44:08,088 But the military presence arriving... 538 00:44:08,256 --> 00:44:12,134 MAN 2: Sources close to the VLA report that the planet has been contacted... 539 00:44:12,301 --> 00:44:14,261 ...by some form of intelligent being... 540 00:44:14,429 --> 00:44:17,931 ...living outside of our solar system. Again, there is no confirmation... 541 00:44:18,099 --> 00:44:22,018 ...that the official IAU communiquй was sent from this government facility. 542 00:44:22,186 --> 00:44:24,896 KITZ: I want all of these people out of here. 543 00:44:25,064 --> 00:44:26,857 Where's the girl? 544 00:44:31,028 --> 00:44:33,947 Twenty-two stations worldwide now confirming the signal. 545 00:44:34,115 --> 00:44:35,906 Vega is currently below our horizon... 546 00:44:36,074 --> 00:44:38,534 ...so what you're hearing is the signal from- 547 00:44:38,702 --> 00:44:42,496 Get decryption people in here now. Lunacharsky is visiting at Cal Tech. 548 00:44:42,664 --> 00:44:44,123 Explain this to me. 549 00:44:44,332 --> 00:44:48,210 If the source of the signal is so sophisticated, why the remedial math? 550 00:44:48,378 --> 00:44:50,171 Exactly, why don't they speak English? 551 00:44:50,338 --> 00:44:53,549 Maybe because 70 percent of the planet speaks other languages. 552 00:44:53,717 --> 00:44:56,510 Mathematics is the only truly universal language. 553 00:44:57,220 --> 00:44:59,805 It's no coincidence that they're using primes. 554 00:45:00,015 --> 00:45:02,224 - I don't get it. - Prime numbers. 555 00:45:02,392 --> 00:45:06,187 That would be integers that are only divisible by themselves and one. 556 00:45:09,065 --> 00:45:12,693 We think this may be a beacon, some kind of an announcement... 557 00:45:12,861 --> 00:45:13,986 ...to get our attention. 558 00:45:14,196 --> 00:45:17,865 If it's attention you want, you got that. One thing: Vega. 559 00:45:18,074 --> 00:45:21,577 People have been looking at Vega for years with no results. 560 00:45:21,745 --> 00:45:24,580 And now yesterday they start broadcasting primes. Why? 561 00:45:24,748 --> 00:45:28,626 Well, it's hardly yesterday, because the signal has been transmitting for 26 years. 562 00:45:28,794 --> 00:45:30,252 Dr. Arroway. 563 00:45:30,420 --> 00:45:34,632 - Excuse me, who are you? - Michael Kitz, National Security Advisor. 564 00:45:34,800 --> 00:45:36,091 Let me first say that your... 565 00:45:36,259 --> 00:45:40,221 Actually, first, could you ask the gentlemen with the firearms to wait outside? 566 00:45:40,388 --> 00:45:42,389 This is supposed to be a civilian facility. 567 00:45:48,855 --> 00:45:51,482 - Doctor, with all due respect to your... - Excuse me. 568 00:45:51,858 --> 00:45:55,194 Hey, hey, hey. Hi, I'm so glad you're back. 569 00:45:55,779 --> 00:45:58,988 Come on, I got something for you to hear. Is this great? 570 00:45:59,156 --> 00:46:01,574 - Who are all these people? - I have no idea. 571 00:46:01,784 --> 00:46:04,744 Sit down. And we could use some help with the spectrum analysis. 572 00:46:04,912 --> 00:46:06,871 - Listen to that. I'll get on it. - Headsets. 573 00:46:07,039 --> 00:46:09,123 So I'll just come right to the point, shall I? 574 00:46:09,416 --> 00:46:13,419 Your having sent this all over the world may constitute a breach of national security. 575 00:46:13,587 --> 00:46:15,255 This isn't a person-to-person call. 576 00:46:15,464 --> 00:46:19,968 You can't think that a civilization sending this would intend it just for Americans. 577 00:46:20,135 --> 00:46:21,970 I'm saying you might have consulted us. 578 00:46:22,137 --> 00:46:25,932 - The contents could be extremely sensitive. - You want to classify prime numbers? 579 00:46:26,100 --> 00:46:29,853 Mike, please. We're only in line with Vega so many hours a day. 580 00:46:30,020 --> 00:46:34,482 The only way to monitor the signal is to get the cooperation of other stations. 581 00:46:34,650 --> 00:46:39,028 If Dr. Arroway hadrt acted quickly, we could have lost key elements. 582 00:46:39,196 --> 00:46:40,822 Okay, fine, they've got the primes. 583 00:46:40,990 --> 00:46:44,117 If you're right about there being a more significant transmission... 584 00:46:44,285 --> 00:46:45,952 Which will need help to receive and decode. 585 00:46:46,120 --> 00:46:47,954 Doctor, do you understand that my job is to protect...? 586 00:46:48,122 --> 00:46:49,914 KENT: Shh! - What? 587 00:46:50,082 --> 00:46:52,166 - Listen. - I hear it. 588 00:46:52,334 --> 00:46:54,085 - Hear what? - Harmonic. 589 00:46:54,253 --> 00:46:58,506 Bingo. I had Willie ask Rattan to retune to 8.9247 gigahertz. 590 00:46:58,674 --> 00:47:00,174 There's a lot more here, folks. 591 00:47:00,342 --> 00:47:03,303 - Fish, let's get on the negative sideband. FISHER: I'm already on it. 592 00:47:03,470 --> 00:47:05,054 KITZ: What is going on? DRUMLIN: Another signal. 593 00:47:05,222 --> 00:47:06,556 Another signal, look at that. 594 00:47:06,724 --> 00:47:09,851 A second signal at double the frequency. It looks like a... 595 00:47:10,019 --> 00:47:11,394 Somebody get a TV monitor. 596 00:47:11,937 --> 00:47:14,022 Patch the recording into the image processor. 597 00:47:14,189 --> 00:47:17,483 - You want the new data? - Yeah, the new frequency we just recorded. 598 00:47:17,693 --> 00:47:19,611 David, explain this to me, please. 599 00:47:19,778 --> 00:47:22,905 With the prime there's another signal. Looks like a TV transmission. 600 00:47:23,072 --> 00:47:24,239 WILLIE: We're hot. 601 00:47:24,407 --> 00:47:27,492 Do me a favor, go get the blinds. There is a lot of glare. 602 00:47:27,660 --> 00:47:29,161 You're patched in. 603 00:47:29,329 --> 00:47:33,498 All right, it's definitely an image. Let's try and stabilize it. 604 00:47:37,545 --> 00:47:39,046 What do you make of that, Fish? 605 00:47:39,213 --> 00:47:42,633 It's two different interlaced frames. I'm framing one. 606 00:47:46,012 --> 00:47:48,764 ELLIE: It's just noise. FISHER: Trying frame two. 607 00:47:49,515 --> 00:47:53,268 I've got an offset carrier here. I think it's audio. 608 00:47:53,436 --> 00:47:54,686 Plug it in, plug it in. 609 00:47:59,025 --> 00:48:00,317 Center that segment. 610 00:48:00,485 --> 00:48:02,027 FISHER: Centering. 611 00:48:05,907 --> 00:48:08,867 - Can you clean it up any more than that? FISHER: I'm working on it. 612 00:48:21,881 --> 00:48:23,215 What the hell...? 613 00:48:24,050 --> 00:48:25,217 Try zooming out. 614 00:48:29,097 --> 00:48:30,222 All right, freeze. 615 00:48:30,390 --> 00:48:31,723 Reverse values. 616 00:48:33,393 --> 00:48:35,519 Try zooming out again. 617 00:48:39,107 --> 00:48:41,233 Rotate 90 degrees counterclock... 618 00:48:42,735 --> 00:48:44,695 DRUMLIN: My God. 619 00:48:45,988 --> 00:48:49,073 [HITLER SPEAKING IN GERMAN ON RADIO] 620 00:48:49,741 --> 00:48:52,702 - Okay. KENT: What's going on? 621 00:48:52,869 --> 00:48:55,538 You're not gonna believe this. 622 00:49:08,969 --> 00:49:10,720 Does anybody speak German? 623 00:49:12,139 --> 00:49:14,557 "I declare the Games in Berlin... 624 00:49:15,642 --> 00:49:17,393 ...at the celebration... 625 00:49:17,602 --> 00:49:21,981 ...of the first Olympics of the new era has opened." 626 00:49:32,784 --> 00:49:34,201 Get me the White House. 627 00:49:34,828 --> 00:49:37,538 Twenty million people died defeating that son of a bitch... 628 00:49:37,706 --> 00:49:39,915 ...and he's our first ambassador to outer space? 629 00:49:40,083 --> 00:49:42,418 - Actually... - The broadcast from the '36 Olympics... 630 00:49:42,586 --> 00:49:45,588 ...was the first television transmission that went into space. 631 00:49:45,756 --> 00:49:49,133 That they recorded it and sent it back is saying, "Hello, we heard you." 632 00:49:49,301 --> 00:49:51,761 Or, "Sjeg Heil, you're our kind of people." 633 00:49:51,970 --> 00:49:54,638 Wait. Hitler and his politics have nothing to do with this. 634 00:49:54,806 --> 00:49:58,309 It's highly unlikely they would understand, and people need to understand... 635 00:49:58,477 --> 00:50:00,644 The people are in very good hands, Dr. Arroway. 636 00:50:00,812 --> 00:50:01,812 We'll take it from here. 637 00:50:01,980 --> 00:50:04,065 WOMAN [ON TV]: The White House has just released... 638 00:50:04,232 --> 00:50:05,316 Smile, folks. We're on. 639 00:50:05,484 --> 00:50:08,402 - A statement confirming a message from deep space... 640 00:50:08,570 --> 00:50:12,655 ...has been received by American scientists. Claire Shipman is at the White House. 641 00:50:12,823 --> 00:50:15,992 Donna, we've been told the president will have only a few remarks... 642 00:50:16,202 --> 00:50:17,660 ...about today's announcement... 643 00:50:17,828 --> 00:50:21,247 ...and that he won't be taking any questions from the press. 644 00:50:26,212 --> 00:50:27,545 Good afternoon. 645 00:50:30,424 --> 00:50:34,636 I'm glad to be joined by my science and technology advisor. 646 00:50:36,472 --> 00:50:39,307 This is the product of years of exploration... 647 00:50:39,517 --> 00:50:42,727 ...by some of the world's most distinguished scientists. 648 00:50:42,937 --> 00:50:47,148 Like all discoveries, this one will and should continue to be reviewed... 649 00:50:47,358 --> 00:50:50,110 ...examined and scrutinized. 650 00:50:50,319 --> 00:50:53,404 It must be confirmed by other scientists. 651 00:50:53,572 --> 00:50:59,369 The fact that something of this magnitude is being explored is another... 652 00:50:59,537 --> 00:51:03,414 Fish, what is the story over here? I thought Ellie was supposed to be on. 653 00:51:03,624 --> 00:51:05,125 I don't know. 654 00:51:05,751 --> 00:51:08,711 Guys? Guys? Um... 655 00:51:09,505 --> 00:51:12,340 You know those interlaced frames that we thought were noise? 656 00:51:13,175 --> 00:51:15,844 This has structure. I'm hearing structure. 657 00:51:17,221 --> 00:51:19,472 If this discovery is confirmed... 658 00:51:19,682 --> 00:51:23,309 ...it will be one of the most stunning insights into our universe... 659 00:51:23,519 --> 00:51:25,562 ...that science has ever uncovered. 660 00:51:26,063 --> 00:51:31,234 Its implications are as far-reaching and awe-inspiring as can be imagined. 661 00:51:31,443 --> 00:51:34,903 Even as it promises answers to some of our oldest questions... 662 00:51:35,113 --> 00:51:38,532 ...it poses still others, even more fundamental. 663 00:51:38,741 --> 00:51:42,369 We will continue to listen closely to what it has to say... 664 00:51:42,579 --> 00:51:46,123 ...as we continue the search for answers and for knowledge... 665 00:51:46,332 --> 00:51:52,004 ...that is as old as humanity itself but essential to our people's future. 666 00:51:52,338 --> 00:51:53,797 - Thank you. MAN: Sir... 667 00:51:53,965 --> 00:51:56,091 Is there a considerable global security threat? 668 00:51:56,259 --> 00:51:59,386 I'll answer your questions at the end, but first a few corrections. 669 00:51:59,554 --> 00:52:03,557 The message was received Friday morning, 6:31 a.m. Mountain Standard Time. 670 00:52:03,766 --> 00:52:08,353 It was largely mathematical, and in spite of reports you may have seen to the contrary... 671 00:52:08,521 --> 00:52:11,064 ...appears to be completely benign in nature. 672 00:52:11,274 --> 00:52:15,027 Let me say that again. The message is completely benign. 673 00:52:15,195 --> 00:52:18,697 The president has been in touch with heads of state from around the world... 674 00:52:18,865 --> 00:52:21,617 ...and every possible security measure is being taken. 675 00:52:21,784 --> 00:52:24,828 To better explain to you the events of the last 48 hours... 676 00:52:25,038 --> 00:52:29,458 ...l'm turning you over to the leader of the team that made this remarkable discovery... 677 00:52:29,626 --> 00:52:33,795 ...Dr. David Drumlin, special science advisor to the president. 678 00:52:41,721 --> 00:52:44,556 Thank you, Rachel. Hello. 679 00:52:46,476 --> 00:52:48,936 In 1936 a very faint television signal... 680 00:52:49,145 --> 00:52:52,231 ...transmitted the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games... 681 00:52:52,398 --> 00:52:56,068 ...as a show of German superior technology. 682 00:52:57,152 --> 00:52:59,237 That signal left Earth at the speed of light... 683 00:52:59,404 --> 00:53:01,405 [PHONE RINGING] 684 00:53:01,573 --> 00:53:05,409 ...and 26 years later arrived in the vicinity of the star we call Vega. 685 00:53:06,328 --> 00:53:10,164 That signal has been sent back to us hugely amplified... 686 00:53:10,332 --> 00:53:13,000 ...an unmistakable sign of intelligence. 687 00:53:13,168 --> 00:53:14,669 ELLIE: You're online, Kent, go ahead. 688 00:53:14,836 --> 00:53:19,048 KENT: The Adolf transmission used 25 frames per second but we're receiving 50. 689 00:53:19,216 --> 00:53:23,177 So we canned the other 25 through a series of search algorithms. 690 00:53:23,345 --> 00:53:25,888 We found a series of markers on the top of each frame. 691 00:53:26,056 --> 00:53:27,765 - Are you ready? - Yeah, go ahead. 692 00:53:27,933 --> 00:53:31,185 - Send it, Willie. WILLIE: Okay, here it comes. 693 00:53:34,439 --> 00:53:35,773 KENT: It's digital... 694 00:53:35,941 --> 00:53:40,194 ...massive amounts of data which extend right to the higher harmonics. 695 00:53:40,862 --> 00:53:42,613 Jackpot. 696 00:53:43,532 --> 00:53:45,449 ELLIE: All right, as you'll see... 697 00:53:45,617 --> 00:53:48,911 ...interlaced with the frames of the original Hitler image... 698 00:53:49,079 --> 00:53:52,039 ...we found these sections. 699 00:53:52,207 --> 00:53:55,710 Now, we thought they were just noise, but they're actually data... 700 00:53:55,877 --> 00:53:57,169 ...huge amounts of it. 701 00:53:57,337 --> 00:54:01,882 When we combine this with the data from the amplification of the original signal... 702 00:54:02,050 --> 00:54:05,344 ...we get these encrypted pages of text. 703 00:54:05,554 --> 00:54:09,724 Now, no two are alike and we've uncovered over 10,000 already. 704 00:54:09,891 --> 00:54:12,310 What does it mean, doctor? 705 00:54:12,477 --> 00:54:14,812 Well, we have no idea. It could be anything. 706 00:54:14,980 --> 00:54:17,690 It could be the first volume of an Encyclopedia Galactica. 707 00:54:17,858 --> 00:54:20,775 Instructions to acquaint us with their colonization procedures. 708 00:54:20,943 --> 00:54:22,902 Moses with a few billion new commandments. 709 00:54:23,070 --> 00:54:25,363 How long will it take to decode it? 710 00:54:25,573 --> 00:54:28,908 It could take forever. We really need a primer... 711 00:54:29,076 --> 00:54:32,162 We need to get the best decryption people we have. 712 00:54:32,663 --> 00:54:36,916 I intend to use the VLA as my command post. 713 00:54:37,084 --> 00:54:40,503 In the meantime, my office has made out a preliminary budget. 714 00:54:40,671 --> 00:54:44,632 Wait a minute. This is a privately-funded operation. 715 00:54:44,842 --> 00:54:47,135 We're only leasing dish time from the government... 716 00:54:47,345 --> 00:54:50,430 If there's a more clear case of eminent domain, I've never seen it. 717 00:54:50,598 --> 00:54:53,183 I'm going to recommend we militarize this project. 718 00:54:53,351 --> 00:54:55,727 What? This is my project. 719 00:54:55,895 --> 00:54:59,272 Nobody knows more about these scenarios than I do. David, tell them... 720 00:54:59,440 --> 00:55:02,817 Excuse me, could we calm down here? 721 00:55:03,027 --> 00:55:07,697 Now, I'm going to recommend that Dr. Drumlin coordinate the decryption effort. 722 00:55:07,865 --> 00:55:11,242 However, in light of Dr. Arroway's long experience in these matters... 723 00:55:11,410 --> 00:55:15,622 ...for the time being, she will continue to direct operations at the VLA... 724 00:55:15,790 --> 00:55:20,460 ...understanding that future discoveries will be kept in strictest confidence... 725 00:55:20,628 --> 00:55:22,545 ...until such time as the president... 726 00:55:22,713 --> 00:55:26,716 ...can decide the most suitable course of action. Understood? 727 00:55:26,884 --> 00:55:28,093 Yes. 728 00:55:28,386 --> 00:55:31,012 MAN: This is CNN Breaking News. 729 00:55:31,180 --> 00:55:34,140 The president made a statement, calling the message from Vega... 730 00:55:34,350 --> 00:55:36,476 ...one of the most stunning insights into our... 731 00:55:36,685 --> 00:55:41,689 Attendance at religious services has risen a dramatic 39 percent in recent days. 732 00:55:41,857 --> 00:55:45,692 ...as police in three German divisions clashed with neo-Nazi protesters. 733 00:55:45,860 --> 00:55:47,986 So it turns out there's life on other planets. 734 00:55:48,196 --> 00:55:51,824 Boy, this is really gonna change the Miss Universe contest. 735 00:55:52,492 --> 00:55:56,829 Health officials from around the world are concerned that the message from Vega... 736 00:55:56,996 --> 00:55:59,623 ...might trigger a rash of mass suicides... 737 00:55:59,833 --> 00:56:02,459 ...not unlike the recent cult deaths near San Diego... 738 00:56:02,669 --> 00:56:04,628 Even a scientist has to admit... 739 00:56:04,838 --> 00:56:09,341 ...that there are some pretty serious religious overtones to all this. 740 00:56:09,509 --> 00:56:11,677 Let's hear from someone whose organization... 741 00:56:11,886 --> 00:56:14,430 ...has been accused of conducting its own inquisition: 742 00:56:14,597 --> 00:56:17,224 Richard Rank, head of the Conservative coalition. 743 00:56:17,392 --> 00:56:18,475 Thank you. 744 00:56:18,643 --> 00:56:23,021 This is yet another example of science intruding into matters of faith. 745 00:56:24,065 --> 00:56:27,359 This means they have been reacting to TV signals... 746 00:56:27,569 --> 00:56:30,487 ...they got from the 1930s. They're just getting them. 747 00:56:30,697 --> 00:56:34,366 Imagine how disappointed they're gonna be if they're Cubs fans. 748 00:56:34,534 --> 00:56:37,703 We now take you to Jeremy Roth, who is reporting on events... 749 00:56:37,912 --> 00:56:41,373 ...at the Very Large Array near Socorro, New Mexico. 750 00:56:41,583 --> 00:56:43,417 Like a bolt from the blue it came. 751 00:56:43,585 --> 00:56:47,754 The message from Vega has caused thousands of believers and non-believers... 752 00:56:47,922 --> 00:56:51,842 ...to descend upon the VLA facility here in the desert of New Mexico. 753 00:56:52,051 --> 00:56:54,553 Many have come to protest, many to pray... 754 00:56:54,721 --> 00:56:59,558 ...but most have come to participate in what has become the best show in town. 755 00:57:06,191 --> 00:57:09,317 [CHATTERING] 756 00:57:26,418 --> 00:57:28,336 [CHANTING] 757 00:57:59,576 --> 00:58:05,456 That's right. I'll be there in Vega, thank you very much. 758 00:58:08,460 --> 00:58:11,379 CHORUS [SINGING]: Hajl to Vega Hail to Vega, Hail to Vega 759 00:58:11,547 --> 00:58:14,799 Hail to Vega 760 00:58:16,134 --> 00:58:17,802 But they have failed! 761 00:58:18,387 --> 00:58:20,930 It's the same people who, again and again... 762 00:58:21,098 --> 00:58:23,516 ...have brought us to the brink of destruction. 763 00:58:23,725 --> 00:58:27,770 Who've polluted our air, who've poisoned our water. 764 00:58:28,981 --> 00:58:30,982 Now these scientists... 765 00:58:31,983 --> 00:58:33,817 ...have had their chance. 766 00:58:33,985 --> 00:58:37,404 Are these the kind of people... 767 00:58:37,572 --> 00:58:40,699 ...that you want talking to your God for you? 768 00:58:40,866 --> 00:58:42,826 [PEOPLE YELLING INDISTINCTLY] 769 00:58:45,162 --> 00:58:47,247 MAN [ON TV]: Efforts continue around the clock. 770 00:58:47,582 --> 00:58:51,167 But for now, almost 2 full weeks after the message's arrival... 771 00:58:51,335 --> 00:58:54,504 ...scientists here at the VLA still have no answers... 772 00:58:54,672 --> 00:58:56,423 ...only more questions. 773 00:58:56,591 --> 00:59:00,302 Jeremy Roth, CNN, Soccorro, New Mexico. 774 00:59:00,469 --> 00:59:03,805 More on the quest for the message's meaning, after this. 775 00:59:06,642 --> 00:59:08,393 They gotta line up somehow. 776 00:59:08,561 --> 00:59:10,520 Yeah, well, this one doesn't fit, either. 777 00:59:10,688 --> 00:59:13,356 We've tried over a million permutations. 778 00:59:13,524 --> 00:59:17,027 Always, I can only get three corners to fit. 779 00:59:18,029 --> 00:59:20,155 I don't understand their significance. 780 01:00:02,030 --> 01:00:04,740 What...? Somebody broke in... 781 01:00:06,743 --> 01:00:08,786 [PHONE RINGS] 782 01:00:11,081 --> 01:00:12,247 Hello? 783 01:00:13,166 --> 01:00:16,585 Hey, listen, I don't know who you are, but you broke into the database... 784 01:00:19,422 --> 01:00:21,131 What? Now? 785 01:00:23,593 --> 01:00:24,760 Where? 786 01:00:24,928 --> 01:00:26,845 [FAX MACHINE HUMMING] 787 01:00:37,774 --> 01:00:39,191 I'll be there. 788 01:01:06,803 --> 01:01:08,137 MAN 1: You should feel fortunate. 789 01:01:08,888 --> 01:01:10,389 He hardly lands for anyone. 790 01:01:41,962 --> 01:01:43,921 MAN 2: Dr. Arroway... 791 01:01:47,843 --> 01:01:49,177 ...I presume? 792 01:01:50,471 --> 01:01:51,596 Mr. Hadden. 793 01:01:52,890 --> 01:01:56,142 I've had my eye on you a long time, doctor. 794 01:01:56,935 --> 01:02:00,438 I consider you one of my most valuable long-term investments. 795 01:02:02,316 --> 01:02:04,692 And when it comes to my investments... 796 01:02:06,487 --> 01:02:09,155 ...I always do my homework. 797 01:02:13,869 --> 01:02:15,620 Eleanor Ann Arroway... 798 01:02:15,829 --> 01:02:18,331 ...born 25th August, 1964... 799 01:02:18,540 --> 01:02:20,124 ...De Pere, Wisconsin. 800 01:02:20,334 --> 01:02:24,545 Mother, Joanna, died from complications during childbirth. 801 01:02:25,255 --> 01:02:27,965 Early testing indicated high predisposition... 802 01:02:28,133 --> 01:02:31,219 ...towards science and mathematics. 803 01:02:31,887 --> 01:02:33,054 Father, Theodore... 804 01:02:33,222 --> 01:02:36,766 ...advised to provide enrichment activities along these lines... 805 01:02:36,975 --> 01:02:39,727 ...did so conscientiously until his death... 806 01:02:39,895 --> 01:02:44,564 ...from myocardial infarction, November 10, 1974. 807 01:02:45,149 --> 01:02:48,401 You graduated from high school in 1979... 808 01:02:48,569 --> 01:02:50,695 ...almost two full years early. 809 01:02:52,114 --> 01:02:56,493 Awarded full scholarship, M.I. T, graduated magna cum laude. 810 01:02:57,453 --> 01:02:59,162 Doctoral work, Cal Tech... 811 01:02:59,372 --> 01:03:02,707 ...where you did breakthrough work on the lanthanide-doped ruby maser... 812 01:03:02,875 --> 01:03:07,003 ...dramatically increasing the sensitivity of radio telescopes. 813 01:03:07,338 --> 01:03:11,049 Subsequently offered a teaching position at Harvard University... 814 01:03:11,259 --> 01:03:14,344 ...which you turned down to pursue SETI work... 815 01:03:14,554 --> 01:03:17,973 ...at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. 816 01:03:20,393 --> 01:03:26,648 Changes in NSF policy gave rise to certain funding problems... 817 01:03:27,733 --> 01:03:31,736 ...at which point you came to my attention. 818 01:03:33,072 --> 01:03:35,282 You compromised our security codes. 819 01:03:37,743 --> 01:03:39,578 Once upon a time... 820 01:03:41,581 --> 01:03:43,832 ...I was a hell of an engineer. 821 01:03:44,000 --> 01:03:46,418 Please, sit, doctor. 822 01:03:46,586 --> 01:03:51,715 I have guests so rarely, it's important to me that they feel welcome in my home. 823 01:03:52,300 --> 01:03:54,050 You live here? 824 01:03:55,261 --> 01:03:58,597 I find it convenient to keep my interests... 825 01:03:59,765 --> 01:04:00,891 ...mobile. 826 01:04:03,477 --> 01:04:08,397 Anyway, I've had my fill of life on the ground. 827 01:04:08,899 --> 01:04:11,025 Well, I... I guess I should... 828 01:04:11,484 --> 01:04:15,279 Well, I guess I should thank you for having bailed me out all that time. 829 01:04:20,619 --> 01:04:22,745 I know a good bet when I see one. 830 01:04:25,123 --> 01:04:28,334 Earl Grey. No sugar, no milk, I believe. 831 01:04:31,296 --> 01:04:33,130 What am I doing here? 832 01:04:34,132 --> 01:04:36,508 [CHUCKLES] 833 01:04:43,475 --> 01:04:46,602 The powers that be have been very busy lately... 834 01:04:47,437 --> 01:04:52,775 ...falling over each other to position themselves for the game of the millennium. 835 01:04:59,032 --> 01:05:01,825 Maybe I can help deal you back in. 836 01:05:03,078 --> 01:05:05,496 I didn't realize that I was out. 837 01:05:05,997 --> 01:05:08,290 No, maybe not out... 838 01:05:09,000 --> 01:05:11,293 ...but certainly being handed your hat. 839 01:05:16,716 --> 01:05:20,386 I've had a long time to make enemies, doctor. 840 01:05:23,974 --> 01:05:27,810 And there are many governments, business interests... 841 01:05:27,978 --> 01:05:31,980 ...even religious leaders that would like to see me depart this earth. 842 01:05:33,440 --> 01:05:35,984 And I'll grant them their wish soon enough. 843 01:05:36,527 --> 01:05:40,071 But before I do, I wish to make a small contribution. 844 01:05:40,823 --> 01:05:45,410 A final gesture of goodwill to the people of this little planet that have given... 845 01:05:48,205 --> 01:05:50,999 From whom I have taken so much. 846 01:05:54,461 --> 01:05:55,920 You found the primer. 847 01:05:58,340 --> 01:06:00,216 Clever girl. 848 01:06:00,384 --> 01:06:01,426 Lights. 849 01:06:10,019 --> 01:06:13,187 Pages and pages of data. 850 01:06:13,355 --> 01:06:16,482 Over 63,000 in all. 851 01:06:16,650 --> 01:06:18,735 And on the perimeter of each... 852 01:06:18,902 --> 01:06:22,530 Alignment symbols, a registration mark, but they don't line up. 853 01:06:23,115 --> 01:06:26,284 They do, if you think like a Vegan. 854 01:06:27,202 --> 01:06:30,204 An alien intelligence has got be more advanced... 855 01:06:30,372 --> 01:06:34,459 ...and that means efficiency functioning on multiple levels... 856 01:06:34,626 --> 01:06:38,463 ...and in multiple dimensions. 857 01:06:42,426 --> 01:06:44,844 Yes, of course! 858 01:06:45,012 --> 01:06:46,054 Where's the primer? 859 01:06:46,555 --> 01:06:47,972 You'll see. 860 01:06:48,474 --> 01:06:52,935 Every three-dimensional page contains a piece of the primer. 861 01:06:55,104 --> 01:06:58,607 There it was all the time, staring you in the face. 862 01:06:59,692 --> 01:07:03,612 Buried within the message itself is the key to decoding it. 863 01:07:03,780 --> 01:07:07,032 Within the layering of the matrix, we have these basic equations: 864 01:07:08,993 --> 01:07:13,038 So with this very elementary foundation, they have given us a kind of... 865 01:07:13,206 --> 01:07:15,791 ...general scientific vocabulary. 866 01:07:16,000 --> 01:07:18,293 We now have the symbols for true and false... 867 01:07:18,503 --> 01:07:19,795 This was the key... 868 01:07:19,962 --> 01:07:22,464 ...that allowed us to decipher their language... 869 01:07:22,673 --> 01:07:26,343 ...for physics, geometry, chemistry. Next frame, Ellie. 870 01:07:27,553 --> 01:07:31,515 Yes, and when we apply this to the rest of the message... 871 01:07:32,266 --> 01:07:33,350 ...we find this. 872 01:07:37,939 --> 01:07:40,857 Those look like engineering schematics, almost like blueprints. 873 01:07:41,025 --> 01:07:42,651 Yeah. 874 01:07:42,819 --> 01:07:43,902 Yes. 875 01:07:44,070 --> 01:07:47,364 It is our belief that the message contains instructions... 876 01:07:47,573 --> 01:07:51,034 ...for building something, some kind of machine. 877 01:07:51,202 --> 01:07:54,329 A machine? That does what, doctor? 878 01:07:54,497 --> 01:07:56,706 We don't know. It might be some type... 879 01:07:57,667 --> 01:08:03,213 ...of advanced communication device, or a teaching machine of some kind. 880 01:08:03,714 --> 01:08:07,008 Or it might turn out to be some kind of a transport. 881 01:08:07,426 --> 01:08:09,886 - Transport? - There's no proof of that. 882 01:08:10,054 --> 01:08:13,890 The fact is, you don't know what it does. It could be anything. 883 01:08:14,058 --> 01:08:17,393 Could be a Trojan horse. We build it and out pours the entire Vegan army. 884 01:08:17,561 --> 01:08:20,229 Why bother risking the personnel? It could be a weapon. 885 01:08:20,438 --> 01:08:22,731 Right. Some kind of a doomsday machine. 886 01:08:22,899 --> 01:08:25,401 Exactly. Every time they detect a new civilization... 887 01:08:25,569 --> 01:08:28,028 ...they fax these construction documents from space. 888 01:08:28,196 --> 01:08:31,824 We poor saps build whatever this is and blow ourselves to kingdom come. 889 01:08:31,992 --> 01:08:34,910 There's no reason to believe that their intentions are hostile. 890 01:08:35,078 --> 01:08:39,415 Why is the default position of the egghead set that aliens would always be benign? 891 01:08:39,583 --> 01:08:42,042 - Why is that, doctor? - We pose no threat to them. 892 01:08:42,210 --> 01:08:46,630 It would be like us going out of our way to destroy microbes on an anthill in Africa 893 01:08:46,798 --> 01:08:48,382 DRUMLIN: That's an interesting analogy. 894 01:08:48,800 --> 01:08:52,970 And how guilty would we feel if we destroyed a few microbes on an anthill? 895 01:08:53,138 --> 01:08:55,514 I hope you're right, doctor. I really do. 896 01:08:55,682 --> 01:08:59,143 But right now my job is to protect American lives from any threat. 897 01:08:59,311 --> 01:09:01,645 In that regard, I am obligated to assume the worst. 898 01:09:01,897 --> 01:09:03,981 Well, yes, and I am forced to agree with you. 899 01:09:04,149 --> 01:09:05,566 My problem is this: 900 01:09:06,193 --> 01:09:09,403 The content of that message is morally ambiguous at best. 901 01:09:10,071 --> 01:09:13,616 Now, our internal numbers show support for this is incredibly soft. 902 01:09:13,783 --> 01:09:16,452 If the president wishes to stay this course... 903 01:09:16,620 --> 01:09:19,288 ...you're gonna find his numbers going south like a duck. 904 01:09:19,456 --> 01:09:21,874 - This is nuts. RANK: Excuse me... 905 01:09:22,042 --> 01:09:23,459 ...miss. 906 01:09:23,627 --> 01:09:26,003 We know nothing of these creatures' values. 907 01:09:26,171 --> 01:09:28,964 The fact is, we don't even know whether they believe in God. 908 01:09:29,132 --> 01:09:32,885 - This doesn't make any sense. If you... CONSTANTINE: Excuse me, Dr. Arroway. 909 01:09:33,094 --> 01:09:35,554 We won't be suppressing any opinions here today. 910 01:09:36,431 --> 01:09:39,141 No, of course not. I understand. 911 01:09:39,559 --> 01:09:41,476 What I meant to say... 912 01:09:41,644 --> 01:09:45,104 ...is the message was written in the language of science. 913 01:09:45,272 --> 01:09:48,650 Now, if it had been religious in nature, it should have taken the form... 914 01:09:48,817 --> 01:09:51,444 ...of a burning bush or a booming voice from the sky. 915 01:09:51,654 --> 01:09:53,738 But a voice from the sky... 916 01:09:54,823 --> 01:09:57,659 ...is exactly what you found, Doctor Arroway. 917 01:10:01,038 --> 01:10:02,997 I'm sorry I'm late, ma'am. 918 01:10:03,165 --> 01:10:08,378 Now, I agree with Mr. Rank that there are unavoidable... 919 01:10:08,587 --> 01:10:10,755 ...religious implications at stake here. 920 01:10:10,923 --> 01:10:13,341 But that doesn't justify taking an alarmist position. 921 01:10:15,386 --> 01:10:18,137 My hope here is that we can find a common ground... 922 01:10:18,305 --> 01:10:21,015 ...break through any obstacles that may have kept us apart. 923 01:10:21,183 --> 01:10:24,602 KITZ: Well, perhaps... - Listen, I need to make one thing very clear. 924 01:10:24,812 --> 01:10:29,440 Our organization will not be placated with flowery New Age rhetoric... 925 01:10:30,442 --> 01:10:31,943 Mr. President. 926 01:10:33,404 --> 01:10:35,697 The President met with his top advisors today... 927 01:10:35,864 --> 01:10:39,284 ...regarding the latest efforts to decode the message. 928 01:10:39,451 --> 01:10:44,122 While there has been some progress, the official line remains a cautious one. 929 01:10:44,290 --> 01:10:48,918 If you're asking when we'll find out what the purpose of that machine is... 930 01:10:49,920 --> 01:10:52,630 ...maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, maybe never. 931 01:10:57,052 --> 01:11:01,639 There he is. The man with his finger on the spiritual pulse of the nation. 932 01:11:03,017 --> 01:11:06,435 - It's so good to see you, Ellie. - You too. 933 01:11:07,687 --> 01:11:11,648 Your discovery, all of this. It must be a real vindication. 934 01:11:12,317 --> 01:11:13,984 I'm really happy for you. 935 01:11:14,610 --> 01:11:18,572 - Are you? - Mr. Joss, the president is waiting. 936 01:11:19,949 --> 01:11:23,076 - Okay. Yeah. - The president is waiting. 937 01:11:26,998 --> 01:11:30,876 - Ellie, see you at the reception tonight? - Yeah, I wouldn't miss it. 938 01:11:31,044 --> 01:11:32,919 All right, great. 939 01:11:42,930 --> 01:11:45,265 Excuse me, Miss Constantine, may I speak to you? 940 01:11:45,433 --> 01:11:46,850 Certainly. 941 01:11:48,603 --> 01:11:50,812 - I have a big problem. - Yes? 942 01:11:50,980 --> 01:11:52,481 Um... 943 01:11:52,648 --> 01:11:55,442 Do you know where I can find, like, a really great dress? 944 01:12:02,450 --> 01:12:04,951 [PEOPLE YELLING INDISTINCTLY] 945 01:12:12,126 --> 01:12:18,965 God created man in the form of himself, not in the form of monkeys! 946 01:12:20,301 --> 01:12:22,469 MAN 1: The Lord is God! MAN 2: Praise God. 947 01:12:22,637 --> 01:12:26,848 MAN 3: Praise the Lord! MAN 4: You're wasting my tax dollars! 948 01:12:27,642 --> 01:12:31,268 Get a job. Don't waste my tax dollars. 949 01:12:31,436 --> 01:12:33,187 You hear me? 950 01:12:52,165 --> 01:12:53,958 Wow. 951 01:12:56,503 --> 01:12:58,170 You look beautiful, Ellie. 952 01:12:59,840 --> 01:13:02,174 - So do you. - You really do. 953 01:13:05,846 --> 01:13:07,304 I read your book. 954 01:13:08,265 --> 01:13:09,765 Here we go. 955 01:13:09,933 --> 01:13:12,017 Would you like me to quote you? 956 01:13:12,185 --> 01:13:17,189 "Ironically, the thing that people are most hungry for, meaning... 957 01:13:17,357 --> 01:13:20,693 ...is the one thing that science hasn't been able to give them." 958 01:13:20,861 --> 01:13:23,737 Yeah. Yeah. 959 01:13:24,364 --> 01:13:29,160 Come on. It's like you're saying that science killed God. 960 01:13:29,327 --> 01:13:32,538 What if science simply revealed... 961 01:13:32,706 --> 01:13:35,207 ...that he never existed in the first place? 962 01:13:38,545 --> 01:13:41,714 - I think we're gonna need to get some air. - What? 963 01:13:41,882 --> 01:13:43,716 And a few more of these. 964 01:13:45,135 --> 01:13:47,386 - Thank you. - You're welcome. 965 01:13:48,388 --> 01:13:51,557 - A little chilly out here. - Yeah, this is nice. 966 01:13:51,725 --> 01:13:53,099 - I got one for you. - What? 967 01:13:53,267 --> 01:13:55,018 Occam's razor. Ever heard of it? 968 01:13:55,227 --> 01:13:57,896 Hoccam's razor. Sounds like some slasher movie. 969 01:13:58,063 --> 01:14:01,649 No, Occam's Razor. It's a basic scientific principle. It says... 970 01:14:01,817 --> 01:14:05,403 ...all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one. 971 01:14:05,571 --> 01:14:07,197 - Makes sense to me. - All right. 972 01:14:07,364 --> 01:14:10,158 - So, what's more likely? Thank you. - You're welcome. 973 01:14:10,326 --> 01:14:12,952 An all-powerful, mysterious God created the universe... 974 01:14:13,162 --> 01:14:15,997 ...and then decided not to give any proof of his existence? 975 01:14:16,165 --> 01:14:21,002 Or that he simply doesn't exist at all and that we created him... 976 01:14:21,170 --> 01:14:23,671 ...so we wouldn't have to feel so small and alone. 977 01:14:24,590 --> 01:14:25,840 I don't know. 978 01:14:26,008 --> 01:14:30,011 I couldn't imagine living in a world where God didn't exist. 979 01:14:30,679 --> 01:14:32,347 I wouldn't want to. 980 01:14:33,015 --> 01:14:35,433 How do you know that you're not deluding yourself? 981 01:14:36,101 --> 01:14:39,354 I mean, for me, I'd need proof. 982 01:14:40,189 --> 01:14:41,689 Proof? 983 01:14:44,568 --> 01:14:47,070 - Did you love your father? - What? 984 01:14:47,238 --> 01:14:49,030 Your dad, did you love him? 985 01:14:50,032 --> 01:14:52,867 Yes. Very much. 986 01:14:55,704 --> 01:14:57,247 Prove it. 987 01:15:00,042 --> 01:15:01,960 [PHONE RINGS] 988 01:15:03,754 --> 01:15:04,796 Kent. 989 01:15:04,964 --> 01:15:05,964 [PAGER BEEPING] 990 01:15:06,131 --> 01:15:09,133 - The White House. - Mr. Joss. 991 01:15:10,302 --> 01:15:13,263 DRUMLIN: I don't want excuses. Whoever is responsible, I want their head. 992 01:15:13,430 --> 01:15:16,390 - Ellie? - What happened? 993 01:15:16,558 --> 01:15:17,975 You were right all along. 994 01:15:18,142 --> 01:15:21,270 The decryption team at the VLA has been working around the clock... 995 01:15:21,437 --> 01:15:24,147 ...and the hard work has finally paid off. 996 01:15:24,315 --> 01:15:28,277 This key section, uncovered tonight and obtained exclusively by CNN... 997 01:15:28,444 --> 01:15:31,071 ...shows an illustration of what is of a human figure... 998 01:15:31,239 --> 01:15:34,074 ...inside a geometric structure of some kind. 999 01:15:34,242 --> 01:15:36,076 This and other contextual clues... 1000 01:15:36,244 --> 01:15:39,329 ...now lead scientists to believe that the message is, in fact... 1001 01:15:39,497 --> 01:15:43,041 - President called an emergency meeting. - Yeah, I imagine he would. 1002 01:15:43,209 --> 01:15:46,336 - Designed to take a single human occupant into space... 1003 01:15:46,504 --> 01:15:49,172 ...presumably to the star Vega. 1004 01:16:07,692 --> 01:16:09,651 MAN: I'm gonna miss my mother's birthday party. 1005 01:16:09,819 --> 01:16:12,696 KITZ: Call her in the morning, tell her why you didn't show up. 1006 01:16:12,864 --> 01:16:14,364 Tell me. 1007 01:16:14,532 --> 01:16:15,657 They're gonna build it. 1008 01:16:15,825 --> 01:16:16,867 Who gets to go? 1009 01:16:17,035 --> 01:16:20,370 The president's just gone international to spread the risk and cost... 1010 01:16:20,538 --> 01:16:22,080 Who gets to go, though? 1011 01:16:22,248 --> 01:16:23,874 Well, it's complicated, Ellie. 1012 01:16:24,792 --> 01:16:25,834 What? 1013 01:16:26,002 --> 01:16:28,837 They have formed a group of international candidates. 1014 01:16:29,005 --> 01:16:31,048 Now, it's your discovery. 1015 01:16:31,466 --> 01:16:35,344 Okay, they understand that. You're at the top of a very short list. 1016 01:16:35,511 --> 01:16:38,055 But they're also putting together a selection committee. 1017 01:16:38,222 --> 01:16:42,391 It's made of scholars, theologians, scientists, philosophers... 1018 01:16:42,559 --> 01:16:43,559 You're on it. 1019 01:16:44,770 --> 01:16:46,062 I've been asked, yes. 1020 01:16:49,024 --> 01:16:50,691 I guess that means... 1021 01:16:51,276 --> 01:16:54,028 ...that you're a selector, I'm a selectee and we can't... 1022 01:16:54,196 --> 01:16:55,529 Yeah. 1023 01:16:55,697 --> 01:16:58,115 What you don't understand, Ellie, is... 1024 01:16:58,283 --> 01:17:00,409 - I understand. - Ellie... 1025 01:17:01,036 --> 01:17:05,373 I want you to know, whatever happens, as far as I'm concerned... 1026 01:17:05,957 --> 01:17:07,458 Well... 1027 01:17:08,627 --> 01:17:10,211 ...good luck. 1028 01:17:14,216 --> 01:17:17,677 Well, whatever you do, make sure he doesn't monopolize the committee. 1029 01:17:17,844 --> 01:17:19,929 He is not on the committee, Ellie. 1030 01:17:21,682 --> 01:17:23,099 What? 1031 01:17:23,892 --> 01:17:26,936 He just resigned as science advisor. He wants to be the one to go. 1032 01:17:29,147 --> 01:17:32,441 MAN [ON TV]: The president is already beginning to feel the financial pinch. 1033 01:17:32,734 --> 01:17:34,819 Sources say the cost of the project... 1034 01:17:34,986 --> 01:17:38,614 ...is spiraling to more than a third of a trillion dollars... 1035 01:17:38,782 --> 01:17:42,368 ...making this what may be the most expensive single project... 1036 01:17:42,577 --> 01:17:44,453 ...in all of human history. 1037 01:17:44,663 --> 01:17:47,998 Meanwhile, months of debate finally reached a conclusion last week... 1038 01:17:48,166 --> 01:17:51,293 ...as 10 candidates were selected by the IMC... 1039 01:17:51,461 --> 01:17:55,423 ...representing a cross section of political, philosophical and religious views. 1040 01:17:55,632 --> 01:17:58,509 Many of these are the same experts who have been consulting... 1041 01:17:58,677 --> 01:18:00,720 ...on the Machine's design and function. 1042 01:18:00,929 --> 01:18:05,140 They will be actively participating on-site during the construction process. 1043 01:18:05,307 --> 01:18:08,643 But the choice of these 10 candidates has not been without controversy. 1044 01:18:08,811 --> 01:18:11,646 Fully one-third of the candidates are American. 1045 01:18:11,814 --> 01:18:14,566 Many international observers are asking why. 1046 01:18:14,734 --> 01:18:17,861 The U.S. Is shouldering an enormous percentage of the financial... 1047 01:18:18,070 --> 01:18:21,030 Isn't it true that the contractors, like Hadden Industries... 1048 01:18:21,240 --> 01:18:24,576 ...are making those contributions in exchange for technology rights? 1049 01:18:24,785 --> 01:18:28,288 Different nations are being compensated in different ways. For example... 1050 01:18:28,456 --> 01:18:33,001 Japan made headlines when it announced it would forego candidate representation... 1051 01:18:33,169 --> 01:18:36,379 ...in exchange for the systems integration subcontract. 1052 01:18:36,547 --> 01:18:41,509 On what basis do you choose a human being to represent humanity? 1053 01:18:41,719 --> 01:18:42,927 Good question, Larry. 1054 01:18:43,095 --> 01:18:45,054 Yes, well, if nothing else... 1055 01:18:45,222 --> 01:18:49,225 ...it should be somebody who is fluent in the language the message was given in. 1056 01:18:49,393 --> 01:18:50,602 Science, in this case. 1057 01:18:51,228 --> 01:18:53,646 Doctor Arroway, despite your obvious enthusiasm... 1058 01:18:53,856 --> 01:18:56,065 ...there's been a lot of criticism of late... 1059 01:18:56,317 --> 01:18:58,818 ...that this whole endeavor is simply too dangerous. 1060 01:18:58,986 --> 01:19:01,571 Some of that criticism from scientists. 1061 01:19:01,781 --> 01:19:04,574 One Nobel Prize winner recently noted, his words: 1062 01:19:05,367 --> 01:19:07,076 "There is every indication... 1063 01:19:07,286 --> 01:19:11,080 ...that this is simply beyond our capabilities, that this endeavor will fail... 1064 01:19:11,290 --> 01:19:14,918 ...and that the Machine's occupant will pay for that failure with their life." 1065 01:19:15,085 --> 01:19:16,753 How do you respond to that? 1066 01:19:16,962 --> 01:19:20,340 ELLIE: Well, this message is from a civilization that may be anywhere... 1067 01:19:20,549 --> 01:19:24,260 ...from hundreds to millions and millions of years ahead of us. 1068 01:19:24,512 --> 01:19:27,679 I have to believe that an intelligence that advanced... 1069 01:19:28,306 --> 01:19:30,307 ...knows what they're doing. 1070 01:19:31,226 --> 01:19:35,187 Now all it requires on our part is... 1071 01:19:35,355 --> 01:19:36,396 Faith? 1072 01:19:39,484 --> 01:19:41,568 I was gonna say a sense of adventure. 1073 01:19:41,778 --> 01:19:42,986 MAN: And in breaking news... 1074 01:19:43,571 --> 01:19:44,863 ...a former astronaut... 1075 01:19:45,073 --> 01:19:48,909 ...considered to be the leading American candidate for the Machine seat... 1076 01:19:49,118 --> 01:19:51,411 ...has unexpectedly dropped out of the running. 1077 01:19:51,830 --> 01:19:54,915 Russell met with reporters this afternoon at his Houston home. 1078 01:19:55,250 --> 01:19:59,211 I told my dad that I didn't want him to go. 1079 01:19:59,420 --> 01:20:01,129 Daddy, don't go. 1080 01:20:03,800 --> 01:20:06,885 Nothing would give me more pride than to... 1081 01:20:07,554 --> 01:20:09,555 ...represent my country. 1082 01:20:09,722 --> 01:20:11,932 But what can I say to this? 1083 01:20:12,517 --> 01:20:16,353 Consortium officials had no comment, but sources within the delegation... 1084 01:20:16,521 --> 01:20:18,522 ...have disclosed that Dr. Arroway... 1085 01:20:18,690 --> 01:20:22,776 ...appears to now be the front-runner for the Machine seat. 1086 01:20:23,611 --> 01:20:25,988 ELLIE: "Meet me at noon. Must talk." 1087 01:20:26,155 --> 01:20:28,907 I didn't expect to be getting a message like this from you. 1088 01:20:29,075 --> 01:20:30,284 Thanks for coming. 1089 01:20:30,493 --> 01:20:33,453 So is this kosher? Fraternizing with the enemy? 1090 01:20:33,621 --> 01:20:37,124 Selectors and selectees mingling around? 1091 01:20:37,292 --> 01:20:39,459 Can we talk about Einstein? 1092 01:20:39,627 --> 01:20:41,795 Yeah, sure. Okay. 1093 01:20:41,963 --> 01:20:43,380 - Special relativity. - Yeah. 1094 01:20:43,548 --> 01:20:45,173 This machine... 1095 01:20:45,758 --> 01:20:50,678 ...now, if it works, and you travel to Vega at even close to the speed of light... 1096 01:20:50,846 --> 01:20:53,347 ...when you come back... - If you come back. 1097 01:20:55,517 --> 01:20:57,518 If you come back... 1098 01:20:57,686 --> 01:21:01,981 ...you'll only be 4 years older, but over 50 years would have passed here on Earth. 1099 01:21:02,149 --> 01:21:03,858 Basically, yeah. 1100 01:21:04,359 --> 01:21:06,944 And everybody that you care about... 1101 01:21:07,821 --> 01:21:10,156 ...will be gone, dead and buried. 1102 01:21:10,991 --> 01:21:14,994 If you came back, if you survived at all, which... 1103 01:21:16,330 --> 01:21:20,041 Look, Palmer, nobody's saying this isn't dangerous, all right? 1104 01:21:20,208 --> 01:21:24,337 The rest of the candidates and myself, we fully understand the risks we're taking. 1105 01:21:24,504 --> 01:21:25,755 Why? 1106 01:21:25,923 --> 01:21:28,633 Because it's a historic opportunity. The world needs... 1107 01:21:28,842 --> 01:21:31,469 No, you, Ellie. You. You personally. 1108 01:21:32,512 --> 01:21:35,306 By doing this, you're willing to give your life. 1109 01:21:35,515 --> 01:21:37,683 You're willing to die for it. 1110 01:21:39,519 --> 01:21:40,811 Why? 1111 01:21:44,524 --> 01:21:48,235 From as long as I can remember, I've been searching for... 1112 01:21:48,862 --> 01:21:50,529 ...something... 1113 01:21:50,739 --> 01:21:54,533 ...some reason why we're here. What are we doing here? Who are we? 1114 01:21:55,535 --> 01:21:59,413 If this is a chance to find out even just a little part of that answer... 1115 01:22:00,916 --> 01:22:03,918 I don't know, I think it's won'th a human life. 1116 01:22:04,586 --> 01:22:06,128 Don't you? 1117 01:22:12,636 --> 01:22:15,261 You're an incredibly brave woman, Ellie. 1118 01:22:18,057 --> 01:22:20,183 Or incredibly nuts. 1119 01:22:42,248 --> 01:22:43,748 Palmer... 1120 01:22:49,463 --> 01:22:51,548 I'm really confused. 1121 01:22:52,842 --> 01:22:54,092 So am I. 1122 01:22:55,344 --> 01:22:58,930 I think I speak for us all when I thank you for your patience. 1123 01:22:59,140 --> 01:23:02,600 Myself, I have one final question, Dr. Arroway. 1124 01:23:04,103 --> 01:23:06,438 If you should meet these Vegans... 1125 01:23:06,647 --> 01:23:10,942 ...and were permitted only one question to ask of them... 1126 01:23:11,110 --> 01:23:12,777 ...what would it be? 1127 01:23:14,238 --> 01:23:16,281 Well, I suppose it would be: 1128 01:23:16,449 --> 01:23:18,116 "How did you do it? 1129 01:23:18,659 --> 01:23:23,121 How did you evolve? How did you survive this technological adolescence... 1130 01:23:23,289 --> 01:23:25,206 ...without destroying yourself?" 1131 01:23:25,958 --> 01:23:30,837 That more than any other question is one I personally would like to have answered. 1132 01:23:31,172 --> 01:23:33,006 Not too bad, Mike. 1133 01:23:33,674 --> 01:23:34,966 PATEL: I join Dr. Bergeron... 1134 01:23:35,134 --> 01:23:38,594 ...in expressing thanks for your patience, Dr. Arroway. 1135 01:23:38,803 --> 01:23:41,305 We've all been most impressed with your candor... 1136 01:23:41,473 --> 01:23:43,515 ...and your stamina. 1137 01:23:43,683 --> 01:23:46,852 I believe we are ready to move on to your final statement. 1138 01:23:47,020 --> 01:23:48,937 Madam Chairman, I have one more question. 1139 01:23:49,105 --> 01:23:50,856 Yes, Mr. Joss. 1140 01:23:51,483 --> 01:23:53,484 Dr. Arroway... 1141 01:23:54,861 --> 01:23:57,196 Would you consider yourself... 1142 01:23:57,697 --> 01:24:00,324 ...a spiritual person? 1143 01:24:02,994 --> 01:24:04,745 Uh... 1144 01:24:05,497 --> 01:24:08,832 I don't really understand the point of the question. 1145 01:24:09,000 --> 01:24:11,877 I consider myself a moral person. 1146 01:24:12,045 --> 01:24:14,004 PATEL: I'm sure we all agree that is the case... 1147 01:24:14,172 --> 01:24:16,673 ...but I think what Mr. Joss is in fact asking... 1148 01:24:16,841 --> 01:24:18,675 Do you believe in God... 1149 01:24:20,678 --> 01:24:22,679 ...Dr. Arroway? 1150 01:24:27,185 --> 01:24:29,603 As a scientist... 1151 01:24:29,771 --> 01:24:33,232 ...I rely on empirical evidence, and in this matter... 1152 01:24:33,399 --> 01:24:37,111 ...I don't believe that there is data either way. 1153 01:24:37,695 --> 01:24:42,116 PATEL: So your answer would in fact be that you don't believe in God. 1154 01:24:45,537 --> 01:24:48,580 I don't understand the relevance of the question. 1155 01:24:49,290 --> 01:24:54,419 Dr. Arroway, 95 percent of the world's population... 1156 01:24:54,587 --> 01:24:58,549 ...believes in a supreme being in one form or another. 1157 01:24:59,717 --> 01:25:02,927 I believe that makes the question more than relevant. 1158 01:25:05,597 --> 01:25:07,306 PATEL: Dr. Arroway? 1159 01:25:17,234 --> 01:25:19,235 I believe, um... 1160 01:25:23,240 --> 01:25:25,741 I believe I've already answered that question. 1161 01:25:29,788 --> 01:25:33,291 I'm proud of what we've achieved as a species... 1162 01:25:33,458 --> 01:25:35,459 ...and as a civilization. 1163 01:25:37,129 --> 01:25:39,630 I would hate to see everything we stand for... 1164 01:25:39,798 --> 01:25:43,718 ...all that we have fought for for a thousand generations... 1165 01:25:43,927 --> 01:25:46,262 ...all that God has blessed us with... 1166 01:25:47,598 --> 01:25:49,140 ...betrayed... 1167 01:25:50,100 --> 01:25:54,687 ...in the final hour because we chose to send a representative who did not put our... 1168 01:25:55,189 --> 01:25:57,982 ...most cherished beliefs first. 1169 01:26:01,278 --> 01:26:02,445 Thank you. 1170 01:26:08,619 --> 01:26:10,953 [KNOCKING] 1171 01:26:35,686 --> 01:26:36,978 Why did you do it? 1172 01:26:41,567 --> 01:26:45,737 Our job was to select someone to speak for everybody. 1173 01:26:49,033 --> 01:26:52,494 I just couldn't in good conscience vote for a person... 1174 01:26:52,662 --> 01:26:54,663 ...who doesn't believe in God. 1175 01:26:56,707 --> 01:26:58,083 Someone who... 1176 01:26:58,251 --> 01:27:01,670 ...honestly thinks the other 95 percent of us... 1177 01:27:01,879 --> 01:27:04,839 ...suffer from some form of mass delusion. 1178 01:27:08,010 --> 01:27:10,095 I told the truth up there. 1179 01:27:11,389 --> 01:27:14,891 And Drumlin told you exactly what you wanted to hear. 1180 01:27:50,051 --> 01:27:52,636 DRUMLIN: With full humility and utmost gratitude... 1181 01:27:52,804 --> 01:27:55,014 ...I accept this great honor... 1182 01:27:55,223 --> 01:27:59,268 ...and I promise I will do my best to represent my nation... 1183 01:27:59,436 --> 01:28:04,565 ...my planet and my God on this historic journey. 1184 01:28:04,733 --> 01:28:07,067 I thank you from the bottom of my heart. 1185 01:28:07,235 --> 01:28:10,195 [APPLAUDING] 1186 01:28:49,652 --> 01:28:52,613 MAN [ON TV]: There's a carnival atmosphere at Cape Canaveral... 1187 01:28:52,781 --> 01:28:54,823 ...as the International Machine Consortium... 1188 01:28:54,991 --> 01:28:58,452 ...hosts as much a media event as a systems test. 1189 01:28:58,953 --> 01:29:02,623 David Drumlin is supervising the on-site portion of the test. 1190 01:29:02,832 --> 01:29:04,625 We spoke with him earlier today. 1191 01:29:04,793 --> 01:29:07,294 DRUMLIN: We'll be able to monjtor the stresses and effects... 1192 01:29:07,462 --> 01:29:09,797 ...using the robot passenger... 1193 01:29:10,298 --> 01:29:12,591 ...who we lovingly call Elmer. 1194 01:29:12,758 --> 01:29:15,885 WOMAN [OVER SPEAKER]: We are coming up on T-minus two hours and counting. 1195 01:29:16,053 --> 01:29:18,096 All Machine systems are go. 1196 01:29:18,263 --> 01:29:21,140 Dr. Arroway, the press would like to ask you a few questions... 1197 01:29:21,308 --> 01:29:23,976 ...as soon as they're done with Dr. Drumlin. 1198 01:29:25,270 --> 01:29:27,522 DRUMLIN: Now, at the moment where we release the pod... 1199 01:29:27,689 --> 01:29:31,275 ...there will be a substantial amount of energy generated at the core. 1200 01:29:31,777 --> 01:29:34,153 We'll be able to monitor the stresses and effects... 1201 01:29:34,321 --> 01:29:38,491 ...using our robot passenger, who we lovingly call Elmer. 1202 01:29:38,659 --> 01:29:39,826 [CHUCKLES] 1203 01:29:39,993 --> 01:29:41,619 - Thank you. - Welcome. 1204 01:29:41,787 --> 01:29:43,704 WOMAN: - The test area is clear and go. 1205 01:29:43,872 --> 01:29:46,666 Sir, they're ready for you out at the site. 1206 01:29:46,834 --> 01:29:48,459 Yeah, just a minute. 1207 01:29:49,503 --> 01:29:52,797 WOMAN: The test director has issued a go to enter the final countdown phase. 1208 01:29:52,965 --> 01:29:54,298 Ellie. 1209 01:29:54,466 --> 01:29:56,843 - Congratulations, David. - Glad you could come. 1210 01:29:58,178 --> 01:30:00,638 Didrt, uh, expect to see you here. 1211 01:30:01,348 --> 01:30:06,185 Well, I'm still, you know, Crew Ops at the Control Center. 1212 01:30:06,854 --> 01:30:10,857 And I suppose the fact that I discovered the message means that I have PR value. 1213 01:30:11,024 --> 01:30:12,692 Of course. 1214 01:30:14,194 --> 01:30:17,363 Ellie, I know you must think this is all very unfair. 1215 01:30:18,031 --> 01:30:20,324 And maybe that's an understatement. 1216 01:30:21,410 --> 01:30:23,786 What you don't know is, I agree. 1217 01:30:24,371 --> 01:30:27,665 I wish the world was a place where fair was the bottom line. 1218 01:30:27,833 --> 01:30:31,043 Where the kind of idealism you showed at the hearing was rewarded... 1219 01:30:31,211 --> 01:30:33,504 ...not taken advantage of. 1220 01:30:35,215 --> 01:30:38,341 Unfortunately, we don't live in that world. 1221 01:30:40,386 --> 01:30:41,887 Funny... 1222 01:30:42,930 --> 01:30:46,391 ...I always believed that the world is what we make of it. 1223 01:30:48,060 --> 01:30:51,229 Excuse me, Dr. Drumlin, sir? 1224 01:30:52,857 --> 01:30:54,399 Good luck on the test. 1225 01:30:54,650 --> 01:30:56,985 - The pad leader has issued the order... - Thank you. 1226 01:30:57,153 --> 01:31:00,322 ...to clear the pad of all nonessential... - Right this way, sir. 1227 01:31:04,827 --> 01:31:08,705 Test director, everything looks good up here. We're ready to go. 1228 01:31:08,873 --> 01:31:11,875 STEVE: All right, people, I want things double and triple checked here. 1229 01:31:12,043 --> 01:31:15,629 We only get one shot at this. Let's get it right. 1230 01:31:15,796 --> 01:31:18,882 Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready for startup. 1231 01:31:19,091 --> 01:31:22,427 All controllers, I need a go-no-go for test initiation. 1232 01:31:22,595 --> 01:31:23,595 - Mechanical? MAN 1: Go. 1233 01:31:23,763 --> 01:31:24,804 - Electrical? MAN 2: Go. 1234 01:31:24,972 --> 01:31:26,056 - Dynamics? MAN 3: Go. 1235 01:31:26,224 --> 01:31:27,516 - Communications? MAN 4: Go. 1236 01:31:27,683 --> 01:31:28,725 - Pod systems? WOMAN: Go 1237 01:31:28,893 --> 01:31:30,435 - Safety? MAN 5: Go. 1238 01:31:30,603 --> 01:31:33,522 Crew Ops, verify all pre-test procedures are complete. 1239 01:31:33,689 --> 01:31:35,106 Yes, verified. I'm go. 1240 01:31:35,274 --> 01:31:37,776 Pad leader, we are good. Is everything okay with you? 1241 01:31:37,944 --> 01:31:40,612 Roger. The pad is a go. 1242 01:31:40,780 --> 01:31:43,615 STEVE: Test initiation, on my mark. 1243 01:31:44,075 --> 01:31:45,450 Five... 1244 01:31:45,618 --> 01:31:46,868 ...four... 1245 01:31:47,036 --> 01:31:48,328 ...three... 1246 01:31:48,496 --> 01:31:49,704 ...two... 1247 01:31:50,122 --> 01:31:51,623 ...one. 1248 01:31:51,791 --> 01:31:53,208 Mark. 1249 01:31:53,376 --> 01:31:55,126 MAN 1: Test start. MAN 2: Rings are unlocked. 1250 01:31:55,294 --> 01:31:57,045 MAN 3: Power levels indicate a good start. 1251 01:31:57,213 --> 01:32:00,089 WOMAN 1: We have begun the full-scale test of Earth's first system... 1252 01:32:00,257 --> 01:32:03,801 ...built by the sharing of knowledge with a neighbor in our universe. 1253 01:32:03,969 --> 01:32:06,220 MAN 4: All power sources on core induction bus. 1254 01:32:06,388 --> 01:32:08,013 WOMAN 2: IPV power transfer. 1255 01:32:08,181 --> 01:32:11,934 GERRY: Ring motion detect. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. 1256 01:32:12,978 --> 01:32:16,021 STEVE: Gerry, how are we looking? GERRY: Looks good. We're underway. 1257 01:32:16,189 --> 01:32:17,940 DRUMLIN: Looks like we have a normal startup. 1258 01:32:18,108 --> 01:32:20,651 STEVE: Roger, David. It's looking good here. 1259 01:32:20,819 --> 01:32:23,070 [CHEERING] 1260 01:32:26,283 --> 01:32:29,410 WOMAN 1: We are moments away from the initiation of the drop sequence. 1261 01:32:29,578 --> 01:32:31,579 All systems are go. 1262 01:32:33,707 --> 01:32:36,333 STEVE: Mechanical, you still happy? MAN 1: Roger that. 1263 01:32:36,501 --> 01:32:39,962 DRUMLIN: I'll tell you, this is very exciting from up here. 1264 01:32:42,132 --> 01:32:45,759 GERRY: We've got 4 percent. DRUMLIN: We're confirming 4 percent. 1265 01:32:47,012 --> 01:32:50,347 Frequency 9.85. 1266 01:32:50,515 --> 01:32:56,270 Harmonics in the green. G-level 1.1. 1267 01:32:56,438 --> 01:32:59,773 - Five percent. - Confirmed. We are at 5 percent. 1268 01:32:59,941 --> 01:33:01,692 David, how's it looking to you? 1269 01:33:01,860 --> 01:33:04,695 DRUMLIN: Okay. I'm gonna take a look and show you what we got. 1270 01:33:04,863 --> 01:33:07,031 MAN 2: All test-subject instrumentation looks good. 1271 01:33:07,198 --> 01:33:10,868 Confirmed, we have a good picture from Dr. Drumlirs PRD. 1272 01:33:11,036 --> 01:33:13,495 DRUMLIN: Hope you guys are seeing what I'm seeing. 1273 01:33:13,872 --> 01:33:15,789 MAN 3: All systems are go. 1274 01:33:17,375 --> 01:33:18,959 DRUMLIN: This is really something. 1275 01:33:19,169 --> 01:33:20,836 MAN 4: For purposes of this test... 1276 01:33:21,004 --> 01:33:25,214 ...Dr. Drumlin will be on top of the gantry crane that's over the Machine. 1277 01:33:25,382 --> 01:33:27,550 We've got some video animation... 1278 01:33:27,718 --> 01:33:31,220 ...to show you just how this machine, it is thought, will work. 1279 01:33:31,388 --> 01:33:33,056 The passenger pod will be released. 1280 01:33:33,265 --> 01:33:37,602 It will come down through the center of the rings and into the Machine's core. 1281 01:33:37,770 --> 01:33:41,856 The big question everyone here is asking is, of course, what happens then? 1282 01:33:42,024 --> 01:33:46,861 Some believe that the rings function as some sort of an accelerator or something... 1283 01:33:47,029 --> 01:33:49,656 ...sending its energy into this passenger pod... 1284 01:33:49,823 --> 01:33:52,533 ...making it rocket away at near the speed of light. 1285 01:33:52,743 --> 01:33:57,372 Other people believe it might open up a doorway to some other dimension. 1286 01:33:57,539 --> 01:34:01,000 Who's right? Well, that's what today's test is all about. 1287 01:34:01,627 --> 01:34:04,087 GERRY: Thirty-five percent. MAN 1: Subsystems, are you ready? 1288 01:34:04,254 --> 01:34:07,423 GERRY: Forty percent normal acceleration. MAN 2: Roger, confirm 40 percent. 1289 01:34:07,633 --> 01:34:10,593 STEVE: All controllers stand by to initiate drop sequence... 1290 01:34:10,761 --> 01:34:12,345 ...on my mark. 1291 01:34:12,513 --> 01:34:14,847 MAN 3: All systems ready for drop sequence. 1292 01:34:15,015 --> 01:34:17,266 GERRY: Forty-five percent. 1293 01:34:17,434 --> 01:34:19,602 DRUMLIN: We're reading 45 percent. 1294 01:34:20,604 --> 01:34:22,605 Can you verify closure? 1295 01:34:23,899 --> 01:34:25,441 GERRY: Forty-six. 1296 01:34:25,609 --> 01:34:30,279 STEVE: All controllers stand by to initiate IPV drop sequence. On my mark. 1297 01:34:30,948 --> 01:34:32,699 GERRY: Forty-eight percent. 1298 01:34:33,325 --> 01:34:35,743 DRUMLIN: Test djrector, I'm feeling a very strange vibration. 1299 01:34:35,911 --> 01:34:37,120 Are you feeling it down there? 1300 01:34:37,287 --> 01:34:39,247 STEVE: Gerry, can you confirm any vibration? 1301 01:34:39,790 --> 01:34:41,624 GERRY: Negative, everything looks good here. 1302 01:34:41,792 --> 01:34:43,793 - Crew Ops? - Nothing wrong with Elmer. 1303 01:34:43,961 --> 01:34:45,795 We're not seeing anything abnormal. 1304 01:34:45,963 --> 01:34:48,755 DRUMLIN: No good. Hold the sequence. I'm gonna take a direct reading. 1305 01:34:49,257 --> 01:34:52,634 STEVE: What the hell is he talking about? - Can anyone say grandstanding? 1306 01:34:52,802 --> 01:34:54,803 He sure knows he's on TV! 1307 01:34:54,971 --> 01:34:58,098 Back home that's what we call an overcooked ham. 1308 01:34:58,266 --> 01:35:00,767 DRUMLIN: I'm reading 10 kilohertz! 1309 01:35:00,935 --> 01:35:03,729 What's your reading on the first and second order G-levels? 1310 01:35:03,938 --> 01:35:05,814 MAN 1: G-levels are right on. 1311 01:35:06,315 --> 01:35:09,818 MAN 2: We confirm Drumlirs readings and they're all normal. We're go. 1312 01:35:09,986 --> 01:35:11,486 STEVE: Copy that, Dynamics. 1313 01:35:11,654 --> 01:35:14,406 I think we're okay, but we'll let him finish. 1314 01:35:15,616 --> 01:35:17,659 - Mechanical, you still okay? MAN 3: Roger, chief. 1315 01:35:17,827 --> 01:35:19,161 We're right on the money. 1316 01:35:19,328 --> 01:35:21,621 We've got a security problem here. 1317 01:35:21,789 --> 01:35:23,373 Ellie, are you sure? 1318 01:35:23,541 --> 01:35:25,834 Yeah. This guy, he shouldn't be there. I know him. 1319 01:35:26,002 --> 01:35:28,962 Gerry, execute the rapid shutdown sequence. 1320 01:35:29,130 --> 01:35:32,424 Security, move emergency response team into position one. 1321 01:35:32,592 --> 01:35:35,177 - Get me Drumlin on a secure loop, please. - You got him. 1322 01:35:35,344 --> 01:35:38,847 - David, can you hear me? DRUMLIN: Yes, I hear. 1323 01:35:39,015 --> 01:35:41,308 ELLIE: All right, we've got a security breach here. 1324 01:35:41,684 --> 01:35:43,685 Right behind you. The tall guy. 1325 01:35:44,187 --> 01:35:47,439 The technician. See him? 1326 01:35:49,484 --> 01:35:51,860 He's not supposed to be there. 1327 01:35:56,532 --> 01:35:59,201 David, he's got something in his hand! 1328 01:35:59,368 --> 01:36:01,912 Him! Take him! Security breach! 1329 01:36:02,580 --> 01:36:03,705 He's got a bomb! 1330 01:36:03,873 --> 01:36:06,500 STEVE: I want that emergency-response team up on the gantry now. 1331 01:36:06,667 --> 01:36:08,335 Security, stage one alert. 1332 01:36:08,503 --> 01:36:13,005 By God, move all the fire and rescue personnel into position one. 1333 01:36:13,840 --> 01:36:15,674 [YELLING] 1334 01:36:29,022 --> 01:36:31,565 [SCREAMING] 1335 01:36:49,584 --> 01:36:51,710 STEVE: All right, all right, back to your stations. 1336 01:36:51,878 --> 01:36:55,005 I need you to be professional, people. Settle down. 1337 01:36:55,215 --> 01:36:58,092 Pad leader, pad leader, do you copy? 1338 01:37:15,527 --> 01:37:18,195 The scene earlier today, when David Drumlin... 1339 01:37:18,405 --> 01:37:20,114 ...advisor to two presidents... 1340 01:37:20,282 --> 01:37:24,285 ...and winner of the National Academy of Sciences lifetime award... 1341 01:37:24,452 --> 01:37:28,247 ...was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. 1342 01:37:31,960 --> 01:37:33,878 In a related story, last night's raid... 1343 01:37:34,045 --> 01:37:35,587 Can I help you? 1344 01:37:35,754 --> 01:37:39,799 - Oh, you're... I've got some mail for you. ...resulted in the discovery of this video. 1345 01:37:39,967 --> 01:37:44,679 The suicide note of the leader of the terrorist group now believed responsible... 1346 01:37:44,847 --> 01:37:47,390 ...for the explosion in Florida this week. 1347 01:37:47,558 --> 01:37:52,562 What we do, we do for the goodness of all mankind. 1348 01:37:53,230 --> 01:37:56,149 This won't be understood, not now... 1349 01:37:56,317 --> 01:37:58,276 ...but the apocalypse to come... 1350 01:37:59,445 --> 01:38:01,613 ...will vindicate our faith. 1351 01:38:10,748 --> 01:38:14,459 [PULSING] 1352 01:38:25,930 --> 01:38:27,764 Welcome home. 1353 01:39:23,361 --> 01:39:25,654 [MAN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN ON TV] 1354 01:39:33,538 --> 01:39:35,914 Oh, Comrade Arroway... 1355 01:39:36,082 --> 01:39:39,376 ...he has been expecting your call. One moment, please. 1356 01:39:49,137 --> 01:39:50,345 Mr. Hadden? 1357 01:39:50,972 --> 01:39:52,305 Doctor. 1358 01:39:53,433 --> 01:39:55,225 How kind of you to call. 1359 01:39:55,935 --> 01:39:58,353 Mr. Hadden, where are you? 1360 01:40:00,064 --> 01:40:04,735 The Russian government was kind enough to give me accommodations on Mir. 1361 01:40:05,570 --> 01:40:07,446 You're living on a space station? 1362 01:40:08,948 --> 01:40:11,283 It's quite simple, really. 1363 01:40:12,326 --> 01:40:15,912 The low-oxygen, zero-gravity environment... 1364 01:40:16,080 --> 01:40:20,792 ...is the only thing keeping the cancer from eating me alive. 1365 01:40:22,335 --> 01:40:25,046 Actually, I quite like it up here. 1366 01:40:25,505 --> 01:40:29,300 My little room has one hell of a view. 1367 01:40:36,475 --> 01:40:38,976 I wanna show you something. 1368 01:40:43,148 --> 01:40:45,608 Hokkaido Island. 1369 01:40:46,526 --> 01:40:48,903 The systems integration site. 1370 01:40:49,905 --> 01:40:52,156 Look closer. 1371 01:40:59,790 --> 01:41:03,417 First rule in government spending: 1372 01:41:03,585 --> 01:41:07,505 Why build one when you can have two at twice the price? 1373 01:41:07,672 --> 01:41:11,467 Only, this one can be kept secret. 1374 01:41:11,635 --> 01:41:13,677 Controlled by Americans... 1375 01:41:13,845 --> 01:41:17,473 ...built by the Japanese subcontractors... 1376 01:41:18,183 --> 01:41:21,769 ...who also happen to be... 1377 01:41:21,937 --> 01:41:24,021 ...recently acquired... 1378 01:41:24,189 --> 01:41:27,316 ...wholly-owned subsidiaries... 1379 01:41:27,484 --> 01:41:29,860 ...of Hadden Industries. - Of Hadden Industries. 1380 01:41:33,031 --> 01:41:36,200 They still want an American to go, doctor. 1381 01:41:39,830 --> 01:41:42,164 Wanna take a ride? 1382 01:42:24,290 --> 01:42:28,585 WOMAN: And augmenting our restraint and communications console subsystem... 1383 01:42:28,752 --> 01:42:30,753 ...we have your personal recording unit. 1384 01:42:30,921 --> 01:42:35,049 Normal, infrared and ultraviolet lenses. 1385 01:42:35,217 --> 01:42:39,262 Digital microchip good for thousands of hours of recording. 1386 01:42:40,472 --> 01:42:42,557 Okay, look, I understand... 1387 01:42:42,725 --> 01:42:46,144 ...the reason for recording and documenting the mission. 1388 01:42:46,312 --> 01:42:49,147 But I just... I wanna go on record one more time. 1389 01:42:49,315 --> 01:42:52,817 The transmitted specs never said anything about any chair... 1390 01:42:53,068 --> 01:42:57,572 ...or a restraining harness or survival gear. 1391 01:42:57,740 --> 01:42:59,574 Why can't we just trust the original...? 1392 01:42:59,742 --> 01:43:03,870 Doctor, both the IMC Board and the SI team reviewed the matter... 1393 01:43:04,079 --> 01:43:07,832 ...and concluded that the design impact is negligible. 1394 01:43:08,000 --> 01:43:09,708 Bottom line is... 1395 01:43:09,876 --> 01:43:12,211 ...we're not putting anybody aboard this machine... 1396 01:43:12,420 --> 01:43:15,422 ...unless there is some sort of minimal protection. 1397 01:43:15,590 --> 01:43:17,466 End of story. 1398 01:43:19,886 --> 01:43:23,138 - Okay. MAN: Ellie... 1399 01:43:24,015 --> 01:43:28,101 ...we've been giving these to the astronauts since the beginning of the space program. 1400 01:43:29,437 --> 01:43:31,730 It's never been made public, of course. 1401 01:43:31,940 --> 01:43:34,024 It's fast and it's painless. 1402 01:43:36,778 --> 01:43:39,655 I'm gonna travel 26 light years to commit suicide? 1403 01:43:39,822 --> 01:43:42,032 Something may go wrong. 1404 01:43:42,200 --> 01:43:44,952 There may be an unforeseen mechanical failure. 1405 01:43:45,703 --> 01:43:48,789 You could be marooned, unable to return. 1406 01:43:49,958 --> 01:43:53,085 There are a thousand reasons we can think of for you to have this... 1407 01:43:53,294 --> 01:43:56,463 ...but mostly it's for the reasons we can't think of. 1408 01:44:21,531 --> 01:44:22,572 [KNOCKING] 1409 01:44:22,740 --> 01:44:23,865 Come in. 1410 01:44:25,410 --> 01:44:29,413 - Dr. Arroway, time to get ready. - Thank you. 1411 01:44:40,090 --> 01:44:41,799 I know you don't have much time. 1412 01:44:41,967 --> 01:44:45,052 As soon as I found out about the Machine, I called the president. 1413 01:44:45,262 --> 01:44:47,346 I came with Kitz. 1414 01:44:47,514 --> 01:44:49,807 I had to see you one more time. 1415 01:44:49,975 --> 01:44:51,726 - Oh, God, I'm sorry. - It's okay. 1416 01:44:51,893 --> 01:44:53,769 No, I'm glad you came. 1417 01:44:53,937 --> 01:44:56,814 There's something I gotta say to you. 1418 01:44:57,691 --> 01:45:01,944 The reason I didn't vote for you to go was a good reason, but it wasrt the real one. 1419 01:45:03,030 --> 01:45:05,031 I didn't vote for you to go... 1420 01:45:06,575 --> 01:45:08,743 ...because I don't wanna lose you. 1421 01:45:09,786 --> 01:45:12,621 You find your way home, all right? 1422 01:45:29,014 --> 01:45:30,431 Twenty-three hours ago... 1423 01:45:30,599 --> 01:45:34,643 ...the world was stunned by the announcement of a second Machine... 1424 01:45:34,811 --> 01:45:37,938 ...and its passenger, Eleanor Ann Arroway. 1425 01:45:38,148 --> 01:45:41,734 Now the question that's on everyone's mind: 1426 01:45:41,902 --> 01:45:43,903 Will history repeat itself? 1427 01:45:44,071 --> 01:45:46,364 With a piece of engineering this complex... 1428 01:45:46,531 --> 01:45:50,618 ...with so many unknowns, could the unthinkable occur? 1429 01:45:50,786 --> 01:45:54,246 The security in Hokkaido has been incredibly tight. 1430 01:45:54,414 --> 01:45:57,749 No reporters whatsoever have been allowed near the site. 1431 01:48:19,724 --> 01:48:21,725 Thanks. 1432 01:48:38,284 --> 01:48:41,286 Magnetic restraint is secure. All life support functions normal. 1433 01:48:41,496 --> 01:48:44,664 Roger that. Ellie, this is Control. Do you copy? 1434 01:48:44,831 --> 01:48:47,166 Ellie to Control, reading you five-by-five. 1435 01:48:47,334 --> 01:48:51,420 - Comm 1, Give me Ellie's PRD. - Video unit recording and transmitting. 1436 01:48:52,381 --> 01:48:54,924 - Are you reading me? STEVE: That's affirmative. 1437 01:48:55,092 --> 01:48:57,385 Video looks good. 1438 01:48:57,553 --> 01:49:00,096 - Copy that, Control. - Okay. 1439 01:49:00,264 --> 01:49:03,140 Ellie, we're gonna proceed to button you up. 1440 01:49:03,308 --> 01:49:05,977 Roger, Control. I'm ready. 1441 01:49:09,398 --> 01:49:11,774 - Dynamics... - I can confirm the walkway retraction. 1442 01:49:11,942 --> 01:49:12,942 STEVE: Systems? MAN 1: Go. 1443 01:49:13,110 --> 01:49:14,485 STEVE: Communications? MAN 2: Go. 1444 01:49:14,653 --> 01:49:16,320 STEVE: Life support? WOMAN: Go. 1445 01:49:16,488 --> 01:49:18,781 Ellie, we are go for closure. 1446 01:49:20,242 --> 01:49:22,118 I'm go here. 1447 01:49:22,995 --> 01:49:26,497 STEVE: Mechanical, initiate IPV closure sequence. 1448 01:49:28,125 --> 01:49:30,334 Hold on, let me get you a chair. 1449 01:49:31,044 --> 01:49:32,086 ELLIE: I'm go. 1450 01:49:32,254 --> 01:49:36,132 - It's nice to smell you again, Mr. Kitz. - You too. 1451 01:49:36,300 --> 01:49:38,134 Wouldrt peg him as a Polo man. 1452 01:49:47,686 --> 01:49:49,020 I got a visual on the door. 1453 01:49:49,187 --> 01:49:51,147 WOMAN: IPV escape system is armed. 1454 01:49:51,315 --> 01:49:53,316 Door is looking good. 1455 01:49:58,530 --> 01:50:00,197 Door alignment looks good. 1456 01:50:28,809 --> 01:50:30,894 Ellie, we are showing green across the board. 1457 01:50:31,062 --> 01:50:34,397 Copy that, Control. IPV is secure. 1458 01:50:41,530 --> 01:50:43,531 GERRY: We are at 30 percent. 1459 01:50:43,699 --> 01:50:44,991 Copy that, 30 percent. 1460 01:50:49,872 --> 01:50:52,540 - How you doing in there, EI? - Kent? 1461 01:50:53,292 --> 01:50:56,086 - Is that you? - That's a big affirmative. 1462 01:50:57,004 --> 01:50:58,588 Who let you in there, huh? 1463 01:50:58,756 --> 01:51:00,882 A higher power intervened. 1464 01:51:02,927 --> 01:51:04,260 Well, I'm glad you came. 1465 01:51:09,016 --> 01:51:10,183 GERRY: Thirty-five percent. 1466 01:51:10,935 --> 01:51:12,435 Copy that, 35 percent. 1467 01:51:12,603 --> 01:51:13,937 - Mechanical? - We're good. 1468 01:51:14,105 --> 01:51:15,438 Forty percent. 1469 01:51:19,068 --> 01:51:20,944 I'm picking up a moderate vibration here. 1470 01:51:22,113 --> 01:51:25,740 - Dynamics, can you confirm vibration? GERRY: Everything looks good here. 1471 01:51:25,950 --> 01:51:29,202 She's feeling the same thing they felt at the Cape at this point. 1472 01:51:29,370 --> 01:51:30,954 Ellie, the vibration is normal. 1473 01:51:31,122 --> 01:51:33,622 GERRY: We are at 50 percent. All systems nominal. 1474 01:51:33,790 --> 01:51:35,791 Copy that, 50 percent. 1475 01:51:40,964 --> 01:51:42,965 Vibration is getting a little stronger now. 1476 01:51:43,133 --> 01:51:45,968 We're picking up some low-frequency noise. 1477 01:51:46,344 --> 01:51:49,430 - Mechanical, can you confirm? - It looks fine to me. 1478 01:51:49,597 --> 01:51:52,975 STEVE: Roger. Gerry, what do you think? - I'm still go. 1479 01:51:53,143 --> 01:51:54,768 People, we are still go. 1480 01:51:56,521 --> 01:51:58,981 What...? Something's happening. 1481 01:52:00,233 --> 01:52:02,901 I'm... There's... 1482 01:52:03,069 --> 01:52:05,904 There's a light. Do you see that? I'm seeing some... 1483 01:52:06,656 --> 01:52:09,116 Something, some... 1484 01:52:09,284 --> 01:52:11,827 I can't tell whether it's daylight or not. 1485 01:52:11,995 --> 01:52:14,913 There it is again. It's coming from the bottom. 1486 01:52:15,957 --> 01:52:17,499 Here, let me show you. See that? 1487 01:52:17,667 --> 01:52:19,585 Negative. Ellie, you're breaking up. 1488 01:52:19,753 --> 01:52:22,588 - Comm 1, can we boost her signal? - Already at maximum. 1489 01:52:22,756 --> 01:52:24,298 GERRY: Sixty-five percent. 1490 01:52:24,466 --> 01:52:26,175 The material is changing. 1491 01:52:26,342 --> 01:52:29,845 It's bordering on translucence. But the system is intact. 1492 01:52:33,141 --> 01:52:37,519 It's gotta be some kind of electromagnetic field. 1493 01:52:37,687 --> 01:52:40,689 - Are you reading this? - Negative, we're seeing only interference. 1494 01:52:40,857 --> 01:52:46,195 It's becoming completely translucent. I can't describe it. I can't even explain it. 1495 01:52:48,656 --> 01:52:49,698 Seventy percent. 1496 01:52:49,866 --> 01:52:52,201 People, we have intermittent comm, but we are go. 1497 01:52:52,368 --> 01:52:56,829 - Initiate secondary drive systems. GERRY: Initiating auxiliary booster sequence. 1498 01:52:57,039 --> 01:52:58,873 MAN: We're go for ignition. 1499 01:53:05,923 --> 01:53:08,382 We have auxiliary booster ignition. 1500 01:53:14,056 --> 01:53:15,556 Life support, how is she doing? 1501 01:53:15,724 --> 01:53:18,976 We still have data. Heart and respiration are high but within limits. 1502 01:53:19,144 --> 01:53:20,228 Ellie, do you copy? 1503 01:53:20,437 --> 01:53:23,439 If you could hear, I am okay to go. 1504 01:53:27,236 --> 01:53:29,028 If you could hear me... 1505 01:53:32,115 --> 01:53:33,491 Eighty percent. 1506 01:53:33,659 --> 01:53:36,494 All vibration and G-levels are in the green. 1507 01:53:41,917 --> 01:53:44,252 Control, if you're reading me... 1508 01:53:44,419 --> 01:53:46,754 ...I am okay to go. Okay to go, 1509 01:53:46,922 --> 01:53:50,716 GERRY: Eighty-five percent. MAN: All bearing tips are on the profile. 1510 01:53:51,593 --> 01:53:54,679 Ninety percent. We're detecting some structural instability. 1511 01:53:54,847 --> 01:53:58,766 - Confirmed. Is she holding? - We're within limits, barely. 1512 01:54:00,269 --> 01:54:06,190 I'm okay to go. 1513 01:54:12,114 --> 01:54:13,573 My God! 1514 01:54:24,625 --> 01:54:27,127 Okay to go. I'm okay. 1515 01:54:27,545 --> 01:54:29,045 Hundred percent target velocity. 1516 01:54:29,213 --> 01:54:30,422 MAN: Steve? 1517 01:54:30,590 --> 01:54:34,968 Tremendous EMI levels around the Machine. All field measurements are off-scale. 1518 01:54:35,136 --> 01:54:37,596 Steve, we're approaching our abort limits. 1519 01:54:39,974 --> 01:54:41,057 Okay to go. 1520 01:54:46,272 --> 01:54:47,480 I hear her! 1521 01:54:47,648 --> 01:54:50,483 I hear her. Barely, but she's there. 1522 01:54:50,651 --> 01:54:53,653 - Okay to go. - She says she's okay to go. 1523 01:54:56,657 --> 01:54:58,783 Steve, we're real close. 1524 01:54:58,951 --> 01:55:01,828 - Electrical, reading in the core? MAN: Internal environment normal. 1525 01:55:01,996 --> 01:55:04,998 Inside the core, the weather's beautiful. 1526 01:55:09,086 --> 01:55:10,337 I'm okay to go. 1527 01:55:10,838 --> 01:55:14,299 Okay to go. I'm okay to go. 1528 01:55:14,884 --> 01:55:17,218 STEVE: Initiate drop sequence. 1529 01:55:19,805 --> 01:55:21,514 On my mark. 1530 01:55:22,224 --> 01:55:24,768 Ten, nine... 1531 01:55:25,853 --> 01:55:27,854 ...eight... 1532 01:55:28,189 --> 01:55:31,191 ...seven, six... 1533 01:55:31,359 --> 01:55:33,985 ...five, four... 1534 01:55:34,153 --> 01:55:36,821 ...three, two... 1535 01:55:36,989 --> 01:55:38,365 I'm okay to go. 1536 01:55:42,328 --> 01:55:44,119 Oh, God! 1537 01:55:53,380 --> 01:55:55,047 Ellie to Control. 1538 01:55:55,715 --> 01:56:05,766 Ellie to Control, do you read me? 1539 01:56:11,523 --> 01:56:14,942 I'm gonna try to keep recording. 1540 01:56:15,694 --> 01:56:20,239 I'm going through some kind of a tunnel. 1541 01:56:34,921 --> 01:56:36,463 There's a light source ahead. 1542 01:56:36,965 --> 01:56:40,175 Brilliant and blue-white. 1543 01:56:41,386 --> 01:56:43,012 Residual radiation? 1544 01:56:54,774 --> 01:56:56,066 It's a star. 1545 01:56:56,651 --> 01:57:00,070 I must have gone through a wormhole. 1546 01:57:05,118 --> 01:57:06,535 It's Vega. 1547 01:57:17,755 --> 01:57:19,297 I'm in another wormhole now. 1548 01:57:22,968 --> 01:57:24,093 I had no idea. 1549 01:57:24,261 --> 01:57:26,054 A series of them. 1550 01:57:29,058 --> 01:57:30,308 They're alive. 1551 01:57:30,476 --> 01:57:34,437 It's like some kind of a transit system. 1552 01:57:35,439 --> 01:57:36,814 It's a subway. 1553 01:57:36,982 --> 01:57:38,483 [YELLS] 1554 01:57:42,154 --> 01:57:43,946 Okay. 1555 01:57:44,114 --> 01:57:46,407 Okay, I've gotta keep talking. 1556 01:57:48,952 --> 01:57:52,830 It's a triple... No, quadruple system. 1557 01:57:53,248 --> 01:57:54,499 It's beautiful. 1558 01:57:57,836 --> 01:57:59,253 They're alive. 1559 01:58:07,429 --> 01:58:09,097 Another wormhole! 1560 01:58:09,431 --> 01:58:11,265 This one is much more violent! 1561 01:59:44,692 --> 01:59:46,359 Some... 1562 01:59:46,819 --> 01:59:49,154 ...celestial event... 1563 01:59:50,406 --> 01:59:52,115 No... 1564 01:59:52,283 --> 01:59:55,951 No words. No words... 1565 01:59:57,621 --> 01:59:59,830 ...to describe it. 1566 02:00:01,249 --> 02:00:03,125 Poetry. 1567 02:00:04,294 --> 02:00:07,796 They should have sent a poet. 1568 02:00:08,089 --> 02:00:10,674 It's so beautiful. 1569 02:00:10,842 --> 02:00:12,301 Beautiful. 1570 02:00:14,137 --> 02:00:19,433 So beautiful. 1571 02:00:20,310 --> 02:00:26,899 I had no idea. 1572 02:00:28,151 --> 02:00:31,487 I had no... 1573 02:00:32,781 --> 02:00:36,075 I had no idea. 1574 02:00:37,410 --> 02:00:44,416 I had no idea. I had no idea. 1575 02:03:02,387 --> 02:03:03,762 Hi, Sparks. 1576 02:03:05,640 --> 02:03:07,140 Dad? 1577 02:03:14,607 --> 02:03:16,483 I missed you. 1578 02:03:22,115 --> 02:03:23,281 Arert you...? 1579 02:03:23,491 --> 02:03:26,701 I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you, sweetheart. 1580 02:03:36,504 --> 02:03:38,171 You're not real. 1581 02:03:39,674 --> 02:03:41,174 None of this is real. 1582 02:03:41,342 --> 02:03:43,510 That's my scientist. 1583 02:03:44,595 --> 02:03:48,974 When I was unconscious, you downloaded my thoughts, my memory even. 1584 02:03:49,809 --> 02:03:51,852 Pensacola. 1585 02:03:54,355 --> 02:03:57,315 We thought this might make things easier for you. 1586 02:04:10,829 --> 02:04:14,457 - Why did you contact us? - You contacted us. 1587 02:04:14,624 --> 02:04:16,292 We were just listening. 1588 02:04:17,169 --> 02:04:18,461 And there are others? 1589 02:04:18,628 --> 02:04:20,254 Many others. 1590 02:04:25,093 --> 02:04:26,594 They all... 1591 02:04:26,761 --> 02:04:29,889 ...travel here through that transit system that you built? 1592 02:04:30,432 --> 02:04:31,932 We didn't build it. 1593 02:04:33,101 --> 02:04:34,602 We don't know who did. 1594 02:04:36,688 --> 02:04:39,648 No, they were gone long before we ever got here. 1595 02:04:40,275 --> 02:04:42,109 Maybe someday they'll come back. 1596 02:04:42,944 --> 02:04:45,654 All the other civilizations that you find, they come here? 1597 02:04:45,864 --> 02:04:47,072 Not all. 1598 02:04:48,867 --> 02:04:52,036 - Is this some test? - No, no tests. 1599 02:04:54,956 --> 02:04:56,540 You have your mother's hands. 1600 02:05:06,718 --> 02:05:08,886 You're an interesting species... 1601 02:05:09,554 --> 02:05:11,514 ...an interesting mix. 1602 02:05:12,432 --> 02:05:15,226 You're capable of such beautiful dreams... 1603 02:05:16,269 --> 02:05:18,729 ...and such horrible nightmares. 1604 02:05:19,898 --> 02:05:21,732 You feel so lost... 1605 02:05:22,317 --> 02:05:25,277 ...so cut off, so alone. 1606 02:05:26,738 --> 02:05:28,489 Only you're not. 1607 02:05:30,574 --> 02:05:32,116 See... 1608 02:05:32,576 --> 02:05:34,202 In all our searching... 1609 02:05:34,411 --> 02:05:37,914 ...the only thing we've found that makes the emptiness bearable... 1610 02:05:38,082 --> 02:05:39,707 ...is each other. 1611 02:05:43,462 --> 02:05:45,380 What happens now? 1612 02:05:46,423 --> 02:05:47,924 Now? 1613 02:05:48,842 --> 02:05:50,635 You go home. 1614 02:05:50,803 --> 02:05:52,220 ELLIE: Home? 1615 02:05:52,388 --> 02:05:55,473 But I have so many questions. 1616 02:05:55,641 --> 02:05:57,767 Do we get to come back? 1617 02:05:58,644 --> 02:06:00,895 This was just a first step. 1618 02:06:01,063 --> 02:06:02,814 In time, you'll take another. 1619 02:06:04,400 --> 02:06:06,776 But other people need to see what I've seen... 1620 02:06:06,944 --> 02:06:09,988 This is the way it's been done for billions of years. 1621 02:06:11,991 --> 02:06:14,617 - But I... - Small moves, Ellie. 1622 02:06:16,078 --> 02:06:17,996 Small moves. 1623 02:07:01,080 --> 02:07:02,873 We've got video on Ellie. Five-by-five. 1624 02:07:03,082 --> 02:07:04,958 STEVE: She's through! She is in the net. 1625 02:07:05,126 --> 02:07:08,128 She's alive. Get the White House. Get the president on the phone. 1626 02:07:08,296 --> 02:07:10,672 What's going on, Steve? How is she? How is she? 1627 02:07:10,840 --> 02:07:12,549 STEVE: Ellie, this is Control. Do you copy? 1628 02:07:12,717 --> 02:07:14,760 KENT: What's going on? - I don't know. Hang on. 1629 02:07:14,927 --> 02:07:16,553 - She is alive. STEVE: Put her on the PA. 1630 02:07:16,721 --> 02:07:18,305 Ellie, just hold on tight. 1631 02:07:18,931 --> 02:07:22,225 We're still trying to determine the nature of the malfunction... 1632 02:07:22,393 --> 02:07:24,895 ...but the important thing is you're okay. 1633 02:07:25,063 --> 02:07:26,229 What? 1634 02:07:26,397 --> 02:07:30,192 It's all right, Ellie. The important thing is that you're safe. 1635 02:07:31,152 --> 02:07:33,445 What malfunction? 1636 02:07:34,781 --> 02:07:36,239 What...? 1637 02:07:37,408 --> 02:07:39,034 What happened? 1638 02:07:40,370 --> 02:07:42,037 What day is this? 1639 02:07:42,705 --> 02:07:45,707 I'm sorry, Ellie, did you say what day? 1640 02:07:46,793 --> 02:07:49,044 How long was I gone? 1641 02:07:50,797 --> 02:07:55,592 Ellie, the IPV dropped straight through the Machine. 1642 02:07:55,760 --> 02:07:57,427 You didn't go anywhere. 1643 02:07:58,304 --> 02:08:01,640 But I did. I did go. 1644 02:08:01,808 --> 02:08:04,184 That's what I've been trying to tell everyone. 1645 02:08:08,648 --> 02:08:11,733 But the headset didn't record a single image? 1646 02:08:11,901 --> 02:08:14,528 Just this. Static. 1647 02:08:14,737 --> 02:08:15,779 Thank you. 1648 02:08:15,947 --> 02:08:19,365 Now, doctor, let me show you what we saw. 1649 02:08:28,834 --> 02:08:32,670 Forty-three separate remote cameras show exactly the same event. 1650 02:08:32,838 --> 02:08:34,380 The IPV dropped straight through. 1651 02:08:34,548 --> 02:08:38,134 Everyone who watched saw exactly the same thing. 1652 02:08:38,301 --> 02:08:40,136 Nothing happened. 1653 02:08:41,471 --> 02:08:43,764 How do you explain this, doctor? 1654 02:08:45,767 --> 02:08:46,892 I can't. 1655 02:08:47,102 --> 02:08:48,561 CLINTON: I would encourage you... 1656 02:08:50,355 --> 02:08:54,525 ...not to inflame this situation beyond the facts. 1657 02:08:54,693 --> 02:08:58,112 Let us deal with this on the facts. 1658 02:08:58,280 --> 02:09:01,157 We are monitoring what has actually happened. 1659 02:09:01,324 --> 02:09:06,662 We are taking what we believe is factually appropriate steps. 1660 02:09:06,830 --> 02:09:10,040 Amid a flurry of accusations and counter-accusations... 1661 02:09:10,250 --> 02:09:12,835 ...by the nations representing the Machine Consortium... 1662 02:09:13,003 --> 02:09:15,921 ...the president has ordered a special inquiry. 1663 02:09:16,131 --> 02:09:18,924 However, the appointment to the committee of Michael Kitz... 1664 02:09:19,134 --> 02:09:21,969 ...who has recently resigned as National Security Advisor... 1665 02:09:22,137 --> 02:09:24,472 ...has raised a number of eyebrows on Capitol Hill. 1666 02:09:24,639 --> 02:09:28,434 I have made no decision to run for Congress, I have announced no candidacy. 1667 02:09:28,602 --> 02:09:31,187 The fact that I resigned as National Security Advisor... 1668 02:09:31,354 --> 02:09:33,063 ...has nothing to do with anything... 1669 02:09:33,231 --> 02:09:36,400 ...other than I want to devote all of my energy to this inquiry. 1670 02:09:37,152 --> 02:09:41,821 The people of the world have a right to know what really happened. 1671 02:09:42,656 --> 02:09:45,158 And yet every scientific instrument confirms... 1672 02:09:45,326 --> 02:09:49,496 ...the IPV was out of contact for only a fraction of a second. 1673 02:09:49,663 --> 02:09:51,706 Isn't that correct, doctor? 1674 02:09:53,417 --> 02:09:55,710 A fraction of a second Earth time, yes. 1675 02:09:56,587 --> 02:09:57,837 SENATOR: Earth time? 1676 02:09:58,005 --> 02:10:01,633 ELLIE: Senator, I believe that the Machine opened up a wormhole... 1677 02:10:01,801 --> 02:10:06,763 ...a tunnel through the fabric of space-time, also known as an Einstein-Rosen Bridge. 1678 02:10:06,931 --> 02:10:11,059 Now, because of the effects of general relativity, what I experienced as 18 hours... 1679 02:10:11,227 --> 02:10:13,478 ...passed instantaneously on Earth. 1680 02:10:13,646 --> 02:10:17,982 Isn't it true that these wormholes you speak of are merely theoretical predictions? 1681 02:10:18,150 --> 02:10:20,902 There is no evidence they actually exist, is there? 1682 02:10:21,070 --> 02:10:22,779 ELLIE: There is no direct evidence, no. 1683 02:10:22,947 --> 02:10:24,697 KITZ: Tell me something, doctor... 1684 02:10:24,865 --> 02:10:27,992 ...why do you think these aliens would go to all this trouble? 1685 02:10:28,160 --> 02:10:32,372 Bring you tens of thousands of light years and then send you home without proof? 1686 02:10:33,040 --> 02:10:35,750 They said that's how it's been done for billions of years. 1687 02:10:36,126 --> 02:10:39,712 KITZ: That's very neat. You have no proof because they didn't want you to have any. 1688 02:10:39,880 --> 02:10:44,634 A phenomenon known in psychiatric circles, I believe, as a self-reinforcing delusion. 1689 02:10:45,219 --> 02:10:46,845 Is that what you think? Delusional? 1690 02:10:47,012 --> 02:10:51,140 KITZ: Well, I do think you may have suffered some kind of an episode. Yeah, I do. 1691 02:10:51,308 --> 02:10:54,185 Doctor, I'd like to propose an alternate hypothesis... 1692 02:10:54,395 --> 02:10:58,064 ...and I'd like you to bring your scientific expertise to bear on it. 1693 02:10:58,232 --> 02:11:01,442 To fake a signal from Vega... 1694 02:11:02,111 --> 02:11:03,695 ...what would you need? 1695 02:11:05,405 --> 02:11:09,199 You would need a satellite to transmit the signal, but it would be impossible to... 1696 02:11:09,367 --> 02:11:13,287 You'd need a satellite and need launch capabilities to put the satellite into orbit. 1697 02:11:13,454 --> 02:11:16,665 And the message itself. To put something like this together... 1698 02:11:16,833 --> 02:11:19,126 ...so complex, drawing on many disciplines... 1699 02:11:19,294 --> 02:11:21,253 - Would be impossible. KITZ: Impossible? 1700 02:11:22,547 --> 02:11:24,464 Impossible? 1701 02:11:24,632 --> 02:11:28,260 Is there anyone who might have been up to the challenge? 1702 02:11:28,428 --> 02:11:30,888 Someone with extraordinary technical expertise... 1703 02:11:31,055 --> 02:11:33,265 ...enormous financial resources... 1704 02:11:33,433 --> 02:11:37,811 ...someone perverse enough, eccentric enough to come up with the idea? 1705 02:11:39,188 --> 02:11:40,230 Hadden? 1706 02:11:41,190 --> 02:11:43,650 S. R. Hadden. 1707 02:11:43,818 --> 02:11:46,445 [CROWD MURMURING] 1708 02:11:47,947 --> 02:11:50,991 You're implying that this was all some kind of a hoax? 1709 02:11:51,159 --> 02:11:52,409 That he engineered this? 1710 02:11:52,577 --> 02:11:53,827 KITZ: S. R. Hadden... 1711 02:11:53,995 --> 02:11:58,874 ...a legendary power broker and manipulator in perhaps his final bid for immortality. 1712 02:11:59,042 --> 02:12:01,710 Maybe he wanted to explore and exploit new technologies... 1713 02:12:01,878 --> 02:12:04,087 ...and get the governments to pick up the tab. 1714 02:12:04,297 --> 02:12:07,049 Perhaps this was his final altruistic gesture... 1715 02:12:07,300 --> 02:12:11,011 ...to unite the world in some common goal. Maybe all of the above. 1716 02:12:11,179 --> 02:12:16,099 S. R. Hadden, a brilliant and complicated man. 1717 02:12:18,645 --> 02:12:22,898 Doctor, are you familiar with the scientific precept... 1718 02:12:23,066 --> 02:12:25,192 ...known as Occam's razor? 1719 02:12:31,406 --> 02:12:32,573 ELLIE: Yes. 1720 02:12:34,576 --> 02:12:36,661 It means that all things being equal... 1721 02:12:36,828 --> 02:12:39,330 ...the simplest explanation tends to be the right one. 1722 02:12:39,498 --> 02:12:41,040 KITZ: Exactly. 1723 02:12:41,208 --> 02:12:43,668 Now, you tell me. What is more likely here? 1724 02:12:43,835 --> 02:12:47,296 That a message from aliens results in a magical machine... 1725 02:12:47,464 --> 02:12:50,174 ...that whisks you away to the center of the galaxy... 1726 02:12:50,384 --> 02:12:53,260 ...to go windsurfing with your dad and a split second later... 1727 02:12:53,428 --> 02:12:56,889 ...returns you home without a single shred of proof? 1728 02:12:57,057 --> 02:13:00,851 Or that your experience is the result of being... 1729 02:13:01,019 --> 02:13:05,481 ...the unwitting star in the farewell performance of one S.R. Hadden? 1730 02:13:05,649 --> 02:13:09,443 A man with the means, motive and opportunity to play you and the rest of us... 1731 02:13:09,695 --> 02:13:13,906 ...as pawns in the biggest, most elaborate, most expensive hoax of all time? 1732 02:13:15,200 --> 02:13:17,118 MAN: Dr. Arroway. 1733 02:13:18,996 --> 02:13:23,374 You come to us with no evidence, no record... 1734 02:13:23,542 --> 02:13:25,334 ...no artifacts. 1735 02:13:25,502 --> 02:13:29,672 Only a story that, to put it mildly, strains credibility. 1736 02:13:30,799 --> 02:13:33,926 Over half a trillion dollars were spent. 1737 02:13:34,094 --> 02:13:37,096 Dozens of lives were lost. 1738 02:13:37,723 --> 02:13:42,435 Are you really gonna sit there and tell us we should just take this all... 1739 02:13:43,186 --> 02:13:44,729 ...on faith? 1740 02:13:48,734 --> 02:13:50,943 KITZ: Please answer the question, doctor. 1741 02:13:54,864 --> 02:13:56,948 Is it possible that it didn't happen? 1742 02:13:57,116 --> 02:13:58,283 Yes. 1743 02:13:58,451 --> 02:14:00,994 [CROWD MURMURING] 1744 02:14:01,162 --> 02:14:04,289 As a scientist I must concede that. I must volunteer that. 1745 02:14:08,627 --> 02:14:10,545 KITZ: Wait a minute, let me get this straight. 1746 02:14:10,713 --> 02:14:14,591 You admit you have absolutely no physical evidence to back up your story? 1747 02:14:14,925 --> 02:14:15,967 Yes. 1748 02:14:16,135 --> 02:14:19,179 You admit that you very well may have hallucinated this whole thing? 1749 02:14:19,346 --> 02:14:22,140 - Yes. - You admit that if you were in our position... 1750 02:14:22,308 --> 02:14:26,061 ...you would respond with exactly the same degree of incredulity and skepticism? 1751 02:14:26,228 --> 02:14:27,479 Yes. 1752 02:14:27,646 --> 02:14:30,607 Then why don't you simply withdraw your testimony and concede... 1753 02:14:30,775 --> 02:14:35,945 ...that this journey to the center of the galaxy in fact never took place? 1754 02:14:38,949 --> 02:14:40,950 Because I can't. 1755 02:14:41,118 --> 02:14:43,828 [CROWD MURMURING] 1756 02:14:47,500 --> 02:14:51,169 I had an experience. 1757 02:14:52,838 --> 02:14:55,423 I can't prove it. I can't even explain it. 1758 02:14:55,591 --> 02:14:58,676 But everything that I know as a human being, everything I am... 1759 02:14:58,844 --> 02:15:00,970 ...tells me it was real. 1760 02:15:03,015 --> 02:15:06,893 I was given something wonderful, something that changed me forever. 1761 02:15:07,061 --> 02:15:08,603 A vision... 1762 02:15:08,771 --> 02:15:10,855 ...of the universe... 1763 02:15:11,023 --> 02:15:13,691 ...that tells us undeniably... 1764 02:15:13,859 --> 02:15:16,110 ...how tiny and insignificant... 1765 02:15:16,277 --> 02:15:19,988 ...and how rare and precious we all are. 1766 02:15:21,157 --> 02:15:23,575 A vision that tells us that we belong to something... 1767 02:15:23,743 --> 02:15:29,414 ...that is greater than ourselves, that we are not... That none of us are alone. 1768 02:15:34,045 --> 02:15:38,048 I wish I could share that. 1769 02:15:40,552 --> 02:15:41,718 I wish... 1770 02:15:43,179 --> 02:15:47,224 ...that everyone, if even for one moment... 1771 02:15:47,392 --> 02:15:53,147 ...could feel that awe and humility and hope. 1772 02:15:53,565 --> 02:15:55,566 But... 1773 02:16:01,739 --> 02:16:04,032 That continues to be my wish. 1774 02:16:45,199 --> 02:16:48,534 MAN 1: Dr. Arroway, get a picture, please? Get a photo over here? 1775 02:16:50,162 --> 02:16:51,787 WOMAN: Here comes Ellie. 1776 02:17:28,075 --> 02:17:30,993 MAN 2: Reverend Joss! Reverend Joss! 1777 02:17:31,161 --> 02:17:34,538 MAN 3: Reverend Joss, what do you believe? What do you believe? 1778 02:17:38,794 --> 02:17:42,797 As a person of faith, I'm bound by a different covenant than Dr. Arroway. 1779 02:17:44,549 --> 02:17:46,801 But our goal is one and the same. 1780 02:17:47,302 --> 02:17:48,928 The pursuit of truth. 1781 02:17:52,474 --> 02:17:53,766 I, for one, believe her. 1782 02:18:17,331 --> 02:18:20,208 So, what happens now? We give her a medal? 1783 02:18:20,376 --> 02:18:23,253 I'd say at least a healthy grant. 1784 02:18:23,421 --> 02:18:26,881 I assume you read the confidential report from the investigating committee? 1785 02:18:27,091 --> 02:18:28,842 KITZ: I flipped through it. 1786 02:18:29,010 --> 02:18:33,221 I was especially interested in the section on Arroway's video unit. 1787 02:18:34,015 --> 02:18:36,349 The one that recorded the static. 1788 02:18:37,601 --> 02:18:39,311 Continue. 1789 02:18:39,937 --> 02:18:43,773 The fact that it recorded static isn't what interests me. 1790 02:18:48,612 --> 02:18:49,988 Continue. 1791 02:18:50,865 --> 02:18:52,699 What interests me... 1792 02:18:52,867 --> 02:18:56,703 ...is that it recorded approximately 18 hours of it. 1793 02:19:01,959 --> 02:19:03,877 That is interesting, isn't it? 1794 02:19:10,551 --> 02:19:14,387 ELLIE: You can see over there, we're building 45 brand-new dishes. 1795 02:19:14,555 --> 02:19:18,516 And that means when you put them together with all the radio telescopes... 1796 02:19:18,684 --> 02:19:20,185 ...all over the world... 1797 02:19:20,353 --> 02:19:25,023 ...then we get to hear farther into space than anybody has ever heard before. 1798 02:19:25,191 --> 02:19:26,231 Yeah. 1799 02:19:26,399 --> 02:19:29,234 Are there other people out there in the universe? 1800 02:19:30,278 --> 02:19:33,030 That's a good question. What do you think, huh? 1801 02:19:33,615 --> 02:19:36,950 - I don't know. - That's a good answer. 1802 02:19:37,827 --> 02:19:38,869 Skeptic, huh? 1803 02:19:40,163 --> 02:19:45,042 The important thing is that you all keep searching for your own answers. 1804 02:19:45,210 --> 02:19:48,045 I'll tell you one thing about the universe, though. 1805 02:19:48,213 --> 02:19:52,091 The universe is a pretty big place. 1806 02:19:53,093 --> 02:19:58,597 It's bigger than anything anyone has ever dreamed of before. 1807 02:20:00,183 --> 02:20:01,850 So if it's just us... 1808 02:20:03,478 --> 02:20:06,271 ...it seems like an awful waste of space. 1809 02:20:07,774 --> 02:20:09,149 Right?