3D Space: Illusion or Reality?

This video excerpt from NOVA’s "The Fabric of the Cosmos: What Is Space?" reveals new data about black holes that has led to a new idea about the universe: Instead of everything being a three-dimensional object, it’s possible that everything is actually just a hologram.

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All Planet Sizes

This illustration from the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory shows the approximate sizes of the planets relative to each other. Note that the planets are not shown at appropriate distances from the Sun.

Are We Alone?

This video segment adapted from NOVA features a variety of scientific perspectives on the age old question, "Are we alone in the universe?" Animations make vivid the improbability that we could intercept a radio wave signaling extra terrestrial intelligence.

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Characteristics of the Sun

This video segment adapted from NASA describes the basic characteristics of our star, the Sun.

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Comets Bombard the Early Earth

Visualize how comets carrying chemicals necessary for life could have made their way to Earth billions of years ago in this video segment adapted from NOVA.

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Comets Deliver Amino Acids to Earth

Amino acids, essential ingredients for life, may have been delivered to Earth by comets billions of years ago, as visualized in this video segment adapted from NOVA.

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Development of a Habitable Planet

Students investigate the origin of the elements, the process of planet formation, the evolution of life on Earth, and the conditions necessary for life as we know it.

Earth as a System

This visualization adapted from NASA maps progressive global changes onto a rotating globe. Earth's atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere are shown to be dynamic and interconnected.

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Evolution of the Moon

This video from NASA looks at how Earth's moon has changed since its formation about 4.5 billion years ago.

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Expedition 8 Crew Talks to Students in Japan

In this video segment adapted from NASA, students in Matsuyama City, Japan, interview Expedition 8 Commander and NASA Science Officer Mike Foale and Flight Engineer Alexander Kaleri about life and work aboard the International Space Station.

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Exploration of Comets

In this interactive activity from NASA, explore the anatomy and life cycle of a typical comet and learn about several comet missions.

How the Inner Solar System Formed

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, explore the theory that small bits of gas and dust combined to form protoplanets billions of years ago, which in turn collided to create the four rocky planets of the inner solar system.

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Illuminating the Northern Lights

The mysteries of the colorful bands known as the northern lights are beginning to unfold as scientists explore their causes in this video from QUEST produced by KQED.

Is the Moon Geologically Active?

Learn what lunar surface features tell us about the Moon's geological activity in this activity adapted from NASA.

Jupiter: Earth's Shield

Jupiter's immense gravity protects Earth from asteroids. In this video segment adapted from NOVA, scientists searching for signs of life in the universe identify solar systems with Jupiter-like planets that may be shielding smaller nearby Earth-like planets from comets and asteroids.

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Lunar Eclipse Essentials

In this video from NASA, learn how the path of the Moon through Earth's shadow creates lunar eclipses.

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Meteor Showers

This video segment adapted from NASA uses animation to illustrate the properties of meteor showers and comets. Included is are visualizations of a comet's tail and of Earth passing through a debris stream left behind by meteoroids.

Mystery of the Multiverse

This video excerpt from NOVA’s "The Fabric of the Cosmos: Universe or Multiverse?" explores the idea of the multiverse, stating that there could be multiple universes outside the boundaries of our universe. Statistically speaking, there’s a chance that there’s another Earth out there exactly like ours.

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A New Theory of Lightning

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, follow scientists as they test a new theory suggesting that lightning here on Earth is triggered by cosmic rays from far-away dying stars.

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Planet-Hunting

Learn about NASA’s Kepler mission and how scientists search for planets orbiting stars outside our solar system in this video segment adapted from NOVA.

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