It’s officially the “Beijing International Automotive Exhibition,” but its friends call it “Auto China,” and it’s now the largest car show in the world. Nearly 1000 companies flock to the exhibits taking up more than 380,000 square meters, or over 50 football fields! Or 1,246,719 feet and 50 soccer fields, if you’re from America! Or 9,329,989 beep-boop-zoinks and 50 astro-space-ball fields if you’re a Martian from outer space! Any way you spin it, this car show is a big deal, and there were two standout trends.
The first was electric vehicles. There’s always been an issue with charging, as makers have tried to maximize how far cars can travel on single charge while minimizing how long that charge takes. Now, a company called BYD claims to have an ultra-fast charging system that can provide 400 km of range with only 5 minutes of charging. What’s more, it’s designed to operate under extreme weather conditions. Since batteries are usually sensitive to high or low temperatures, addressing this is a major step in making electric vehicles as reliable as gas cars.
The other big topic was also fully autonomous, or self-driving cars. The company Geely developed a self-driving car built specifically for ride-hailing, so there’s no steering wheel or driver’s seat. That means you can pick your nose without fear of the driver judging you! Xpeng’s driverless car uses a combination of lasers, radar, and cameras to build a real time picture of the road, but we hope it works just as well in the clouds, because they may be extending this technology into flying cars as early as next year. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s just my Uber! That’s one way to beat traffic.
In What Is Outer Space?, learn eight facts about outer space. How many planets are there? Are all stars yellow? Learn that and more in this trip through our Solar System.
Can you zoom to the moon with the Numberblocks? Here's how to play:
- Cut out your rocket counters with a grown-up. Place them at the start. The player who throws the highest number on the die goes first.
- Take turns to roll the die and move around the board. The first person to reach the moon is the winner!
Watch full episodes of Numberblocks on their official YouTube channel!
From the scorching surface of Mercury to the icy winds of Neptune, this BBC Learning Hub playlist takes you on an awe-inspiring voyage across our celestial neighborhood. Explore the mysteries of alien worlds, witness dramatic planetary weather, uncover the origins of Saturn’s rings, and ponder life on Mars. Whether you're a curious stargazer or a space science enthusiast, these video clips from landmark BBC series like The Planets and Wonders of the Solar System will ignite learner's imagination and deepen your cosmic curiosity.
In Europa and Life on Moons, Professor Brian Cox explains how the geological discoveries on faraway moons have impacted what scientists think about them. Then he visits an ice cave in Iceland to discuss how the ice cave can teach us about Europa, Jupiter’s moon. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Landing Curiosity on a Mission to Mars Professor Brian Cox explains what scientists thought about life on Mars in the 1970s, how that changed, and what we learned from the first landing on Mars, the Curiosity rover. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In The Most Profound Question — Are We Alone?, Professor Brian Cox explains the most profound question that we can answer, and how humans can investigate Earth to support discoveries in outer space. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Uranus, a Boring Planet?, Professor Brian Cox explains what scientists have learned about Uranus, a planet described as featureless and boring. But Uranus does have a mystery! How did it end up tipped on its side with rings that circle it from top to bottom? This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Neptune, Ice Giant, Professor Brian Cox explains how Neptune is unique because of its atmosphere, cold temperatures, weather, and wind speed. Learn how the pressure and lack of features on Neptune create the highest wind speeds in the Solar System. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Saturn's Dramatic Weather, Professor Brian Cox explains how Saturn is able to maintain dramatic weather when it is so far from the Sun. Learn how the pressure on Saturn creates clouds, storms, and diamond rain. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In The Rings of Saturn, Professor Brian Cox explains what scientists have learned about how Saturn’s rings came to be and how new they are. Learn which came first, Saturn’s rings or its moons. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Jupiter's Influence on the Solar System, Professor Brian Cox describes how Jupiter has had the largest influence on the formation of our Solar System. Learn how our Solar System is particularly unique within the galaxy. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
It’s officially the “Beijing International Automotive Exhibition,” but its friends call it “Auto China,” and it’s now the largest car show in the world. Nearly 1000 companies flock to the exhibits taking up more than 380,000 square meters, or over 50 football fields! Or 1,246,719 feet and 50 soccer fields, if you’re from America! Or 9,329,989 beep-boop-zoinks and 50 astro-space-ball fields if you’re a Martian from outer space! Any way you spin it, this car show is a big deal, and there were two standout trends.
The first was electric vehicles. There’s always been an issue with charging, as makers have tried to maximize how far cars can travel on single charge while minimizing how long that charge takes. Now, a company called BYD claims to have an ultra-fast charging system that can provide 400 km of range with only 5 minutes of charging. What’s more, it’s designed to operate under extreme weather conditions. Since batteries are usually sensitive to high or low temperatures, addressing this is a major step in making electric vehicles as reliable as gas cars.
The other big topic was also fully autonomous, or self-driving cars. The company Geely developed a self-driving car built specifically for ride-hailing, so there’s no steering wheel or driver’s seat. That means you can pick your nose without fear of the driver judging you! Xpeng’s driverless car uses a combination of lasers, radar, and cameras to build a real time picture of the road, but we hope it works just as well in the clouds, because they may be extending this technology into flying cars as early as next year. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s just my Uber! That’s one way to beat traffic.
In What Is Outer Space?, learn eight facts about outer space. How many planets are there? Are all stars yellow? Learn that and more in this trip through our Solar System.
Can you zoom to the moon with the Numberblocks? Here's how to play:
- Cut out your rocket counters with a grown-up. Place them at the start. The player who throws the highest number on the die goes first.
- Take turns to roll the die and move around the board. The first person to reach the moon is the winner!
Watch full episodes of Numberblocks on their official YouTube channel!
From the scorching surface of Mercury to the icy winds of Neptune, this BBC Learning Hub playlist takes you on an awe-inspiring voyage across our celestial neighborhood. Explore the mysteries of alien worlds, witness dramatic planetary weather, uncover the origins of Saturn’s rings, and ponder life on Mars. Whether you're a curious stargazer or a space science enthusiast, these video clips from landmark BBC series like The Planets and Wonders of the Solar System will ignite learner's imagination and deepen your cosmic curiosity.
In Europa and Life on Moons, Professor Brian Cox explains how the geological discoveries on faraway moons have impacted what scientists think about them. Then he visits an ice cave in Iceland to discuss how the ice cave can teach us about Europa, Jupiter’s moon. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Landing Curiosity on a Mission to Mars Professor Brian Cox explains what scientists thought about life on Mars in the 1970s, how that changed, and what we learned from the first landing on Mars, the Curiosity rover. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In The Most Profound Question — Are We Alone?, Professor Brian Cox explains the most profound question that we can answer, and how humans can investigate Earth to support discoveries in outer space. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Uranus, a Boring Planet?, Professor Brian Cox explains what scientists have learned about Uranus, a planet described as featureless and boring. But Uranus does have a mystery! How did it end up tipped on its side with rings that circle it from top to bottom? This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Neptune, Ice Giant, Professor Brian Cox explains how Neptune is unique because of its atmosphere, cold temperatures, weather, and wind speed. Learn how the pressure and lack of features on Neptune create the highest wind speeds in the Solar System. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Saturn's Dramatic Weather, Professor Brian Cox explains how Saturn is able to maintain dramatic weather when it is so far from the Sun. Learn how the pressure on Saturn creates clouds, storms, and diamond rain. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In The Rings of Saturn, Professor Brian Cox explains what scientists have learned about how Saturn’s rings came to be and how new they are. Learn which came first, Saturn’s rings or its moons. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
In Jupiter's Influence on the Solar System, Professor Brian Cox describes how Jupiter has had the largest influence on the formation of our Solar System. Learn how our Solar System is particularly unique within the galaxy. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.