Life on Earth and Mars
In Life on Earth and Mars, Professor Brian Cox explains the conditions that are required for life to begin. Learn how Earth and Mars had these conditions at the same time. Could life have started in two places at once? Or might the life on Earth have come from 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.
Lesson Express
Q: What type of images has the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) sent back?
A: The MRO sent back images of weather, sand dunes, avalanches, and seasonal sand movement. It took pictures of the Eridania Basin, an ancient sea.
Q: Do you think life emerged in one place or multiple places at once? Why?
A: Student responses will vary.
Q: How were the environments in early Earth and early Mars similar?
A: Both planets had similar geologic activity, including hydrothermal vents that may have created the beginning of life.
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In Reaching the Surface of Mercury, Professor Brian Cox explains how scientists were able to send the space probe Messenger to Mercury, a particularly difficult planet for us to explore. 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 Changes on Venus, Professor Brian Cox explains how Venus went from being a planet with the conditions to sustain life to a hot, cloudy, hellish landscape. Learn how greenhouse gases and volcanoes played a role in making Venus what it is today. 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 Mercury, the Solar System's Smallest Planet, narrator Professor Brian Cox highlights the brutal environment of the smallest planet in our Solar System. Its small size meant Mercury didn’t have enough gravity to hang on to its atmosphere. Without the protection of even that thin line of gas, temperatures fluctuate from 842°F (450°C) during the day to -290°F (-180C) degrees at night on the rocky planet. 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 Intelligent Life — Is It Out There?, Professor Brian Cox explains what happened when complex life developed and what this means for the search for life beyond Earth. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.