Searching for life on another planet
6 Minute English
BBC
4.5 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 7 May 2026
⏱️ 7 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Will we ever be able to live on a planet that isn't Earth? A science and space journalist explainss the latest research and data collected from planet TRAPPIST-1e. Neil and Becca teach you some new language to understand this potentially habitable planet.
Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260507
Practise your listening skills at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:06.0 | Improve your listening with the listening room. |
| 0:09.7 | Listen to BBC news reports and answer the questions to test your understanding. |
| 0:15.7 | From female guerrilla friendships to Michelin-starred food in space. We know you'll find something that interests you. |
| 0:23.9 | Find the listening room on our website now, BBClearningEnglish.com. |
| 0:29.8 | Six Minute English from BBC LearningEnglish.com. |
| 0:36.6 | Hello, this is Six Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil. |
| 0:40.9 | And I'm Becca. |
| 0:42.4 | Neil, do you believe that life exists away from planet Earth? |
| 0:46.7 | Well, I'm not sure about the kind of little green men that you see in science fiction movies, |
| 0:52.9 | but also I think we cannot be alone in the universe. |
| 0:57.5 | What about you, Becca? What do you think? |
| 0:59.5 | I agree. I think that maybe life does exist beyond our planet, but maybe not as we see in alien |
| 1:07.3 | movies. Well, in this episode, we'll be learning from science and space experts |
| 1:12.2 | about whether the conditions for life exist on a planet 40 light years away. |
| 1:18.9 | Yes, and as usual, you can find a transcript for this episode, |
| 1:22.8 | along with all the vocabulary and a worksheet on our website, BBClearning English.com. |
| 1:28.7 | Okay, a quiz question for you, Becca. How long would it take to drive a car to the sun |
| 1:34.9 | at 100 kilometres an hour? Is it A, 70 years, B, 170 years or C, 1,700 years. |
| 1:45.0 | Well, Neil, the sun seems very far away, so I'll go for C, 1,700 years. |
| 1:52.0 | I hope you have enough petrol for that. Well, we'll find out the answer to the question later. |
| 1:58.0 | Now though, some science and space experts are excited about a planet in a different |
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