As you read this, five of the eight planets in the Solar System have spacecraft orbiting them or landers on their surfaces - and more are on the way. In his new series Solar System, Prof Brian Cox reveals the freshest insights coming from these spacecraft and landers, and which of the planets they're studying holds the most promise for finding signs of life.
So, naturally, we had to ask him all about it: from filming in the most alien-like places on Earth to his hope that aliens might explore the vast expanses of the Universe after we humans (possibly) extinguish ourselves.
As a show, Solar System sounds familiar, but this series is very current and looks behind the scenes of the biggest space missions right now. What were your hopes for the show?
That was one of the central ones: to show that there are over 40 spacecraft currently active in the Solar System, so the amount of knowledge that we have of our neighbourhood is increasing all the time. With that increase - that huge amount of data that's raining down on us every second from these probes - we find that there are more questions than answers quite a lot of the time.
So, as with a lot of science, one of the things I hope that the audience takes away is that in no sense do we know everything about our neighbourhood in space.
In particular, [in the show] we talk about life - and life is a central part of any exploration of the Solar System. We say that the Solar System is a giant chemistry set and life is chemistry complex carbon chemistry.
I think it's fair to say that we're finding more potential habitats than we ever would have guessed, in stranger places than we ever would have guessed. Ceres, the minor planet, is a good example. The fact that it appears, because of data from a spacecraft called Dawn, to have liquid water below its surface is a tremendous surprise.
This story is from the October 2024 edition of BBC Science Focus.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2024 edition of BBC Science Focus.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
The theory behind marine cloud brightening is that brighter or whiter clouds reflect more sunlight back into space.
IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
A running streak, where you run every day without taking rest days, can be highly motivating and beneficial for overall fitness. Running is great cardiovascular exercise and isn't to be discouraged (and finding a routine with some consistency is great). Getting a bit of exercise as often as possible is also hugely beneficial for your mental health.
WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
The Mediterranean diet may help you live longer, especially if you also adopt the lifestyle of people living near the Med during the 1950s.
WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
The world's deepest blue hole (marine sinkhole) lies off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's at least 420m (1,378ft) deep, but explorers still haven't found its bottom.
HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by glands in our bodies called the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping the body respond to stress. While essential for our health, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can lead to several issues.
THE LUNGFISH
In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?
