Water on Moons - for iPod/iPhone: Recent Episodes
The Open University
Has ice ever been discovered on the earth’s moon? What are the benefits of finding water on other planets?
It’s hard to underestimate the importance of water given it covers 70% of the Earth's surface, and makes up well over 50% of the human body but how common is it on other celestial bodies? The question of whether other planets contain ice and water remains one of the most important lines of inquiry for many scientists working in that field because water can shield us against radiation, in its component forms of hydrogen and oxygen it’s the most powerful chemical rocket propellant known and of course water can sustain life.
The following 4 films examine how much water if any has been discovered on Moons in our Solar System and its implications for science
The idea of a bone-dry Moon persisted for decades until the 1990s, when a new generation of orbiting spacecraft started gathering data.
Transcript -- The idea of a bone-dry Moon persisted for decades until the 1990s, when a new generation of orbiting spacecraft started gathering data.
Transcript -- Louise Prockter describes why there is ice in the moons of Jupiter and beyond.
Paul Schenk describes icy moons in general and tells you more about the exotic ices that can be found further from the Sun.
Transcript -- Paul Schenk describes icy moons in general and tells you more about the exotic ices that can be found further from the Sun.
In this video David Rothery of The Open University and Michele Dougherty of Imperial College London describe the amazing world of Enceladus.
Transcript -- In this video David Rothery of The Open University and Michele Dougherty of Imperial College London describe the amazing world of Enceladus.