Explore the exciting discoveries from two NASA missions to study comets, Stardust and Deep Impact, which collected valuable data about the nature of comets. The Stardust spacecraft was designed to capture dust particles from comet Wild 2 and deliver them to Earth for analysis. The Deep Impact missio
Learn how scientists used the fossils of one-celled aquatic organisms, called diatoms, to understand ancient climate conditions in eastern Africa, in this video from NOVA: Becoming Human. White layers of a rock formation consist of deep-water diatoms and darker layers consist of shallow-water diatom
Explore the complex process of designing and building a satellite using the MAVEN mission to Mars as an example. Plans for the MAVEN satellite went through a thorough review of the concept, budget, and risk analysis before proceeding to the next step of the process. Even after the design review is a
Learn about the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission to Mars in this video from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Mars does not have a global magnetic field like Earth but does have patches of magnetic fields. Scientists use magnetometers to study the planet's magnetic anomalies.
In the early 1900s, most geologists thought that Earth's appearance, including the arrangement of the continents, had changed little since its formation. This video segment, adapted from the "Earth Explorer" episode of Discovering Women, describes the impact the theory of plate tectonics has had on
Learn about powerful cyclones seen at Saturn's north and south poles in this video from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. From a distance, Saturn appears to be serene; however, the Cassini spacecraft has provided detailed views that show the planet's active atmosphere. A giant cyclone (with a diamet
Discover dark features in Jupiter's atmosphere called "hot spots," and their connection to large-scale atmospheric waves. David Choi describes his research on hot spots clearings in Jupiter's atmosphere that appear bright in infrared light. Analysis of data from the Cassini mission in 2000 reveal ho
In this video from NASA, learn about the history of defining a planet, and examine how classification changes based on new knowledge. Our understanding of the solar system has evolved since the ancient Greeks, who first used the word planetes to distinguish the objects that moved against the backdro
Learn how a giant storm on Saturn sent temperatures soaring in this video from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. About once a Saturn year, the planet develops a massive storm called a Great White Spot. Planetary scientist Brigette Hesman describes observations of the storm that erupted on Saturn i
This video from NASA introduces a proposed mission to study potential habitable worlds around gas giants such as Jupiter. The Europa Jupiter System Mission, a proposed joint venture between NASA and ESA (the European Space Agency), would send two spacecraft to study Jupiter and its four largest moon
Meet NASA scientist Lynn Carter, who studies the geology of planetary surfaces, in this video adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Science Center. Carter describes how scientists learn about Earth by studying other planets and moons. Objects such as the Moon have older surfaces, which serve as a record
Discover why Mercury has a tail like a comet, and why its poles are covered in ice despite its close proximity to the Sun. Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, rotates three times on its axis every two of its years. Despite having temperatures that are hot enough to melt lead, the tilt of the pla
