# Aliens burning coal? [bonus preview]

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fossil-files-7375611/aliens-burning-coal-bonus-preview
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fossil-files-7375611/aliens-burning-coal-bonus-preview.md
Podcast: [The Fossil Files](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fossil-files-7375611)
Published: 2026-05-12T02:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://a94020de-22e2-432b-af22-019fdb3026ee.libsyn.com/aliens-burning-coal-bonus-preview
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/a94020de-22e2-432b-af22-019fdb3026ee/episode_31_alien_coal_preview.m4a?dest-id=5062010
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-fossil-files-7375611/episodes/aliens-burning-coal-bonus-preview
Duration seconds: 539

## Resource

Are we alone? For decades a global effort has been made to search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), but have we been looking in the wrong place? A new paper suggests that we should be looking for advanced technological civilizations that had access to coal as this was an important energy rich source enabling industrialisation. In this bonus episode, Susie and Rob take a look at the geological, palaeontolological and evolutionary implications of the seach for coal burning aliens. This week's paper is "How common are oxygenic photosynthesis and large coal deposits on exoplanets?" by Lincoln Taiz and colleagues, published in the International Journal of Astrobiology in January 2026. Widescreen art by NASA/SETI.

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-fossil-files-7375611/episodes/aliens-burning-coal-bonus-preview/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fossil-files-7375611/aliens-burning-coal-bonus-preview.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.