Review of "PBS Video: The Planets," DVD version

 Review of

PBS Video: The Planets, DVD version

Five out of five stars

Fascinating scientific discoveries

 This two-disc collection of the latest discoveries regarding the characteristics of the objects in the solar system is one of the most fascinating videos that you will ever watch. It turns out that the planets and other bodies in the solar system are far more complex and dynamic than ever thought possible. 

 It is also clear that while the orbits of the planets are stable over periods of 100 million years or so, it appears that there was some significant instability in the first billion years of the solar system. The latest theory is that Uranus was hit by an object the size of Mars, which explains why it is so cold and revolves on what we would call its’ side. It turns out that Pluto, far more distant from the sun, is warmer than Uranus. 

 Some of the most amazing action takes place on the moons of the gas giants of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Not only is there extremely dynamic geological action, there are reasons to believe that the conditions conducive to the formation of life exist on some of them. 

 With so much new information received from the probes described in these videos, scientists will be spending years in analysis. While the probes were expensive, in many ways the recovered data has made them a bargain. These videos should be in every middle and high school science curriculum. 


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