Do We Really Need the Moon?
Space scientist and lunar fanatic Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock explores people's intimate relationship with the Moon, a familiar presence in the sky that most take for granted.
The moon is such a familiar presence in the sky that most of us take it for granted. But what if it wasn't where it is now? How would that affect life on Earth?
Space scientist and lunar fanatic Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock explores our intimate relationship with the moon. Besides orchestrating the tides, the moon dictates the length of a day, the rhythm of the seasons and the very stability of our planet.
Yet the moon is always on the move. In the past, it was closer to the Earth and in the future it will be farther away. That it is now perfectly placed to sustain life is pure luck, a cosmic coincidence. Using computer graphics to summon up great tides and set the Earth spinning on its side, Aderin-Pocock implores us to look at the Moon afresh: to see it not as an inert rock, but as a key player in the story of our planet, past, present and future.
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Clips
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Measuring the distance to the Moon
Duration: 02:38
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Faster objects orbit further
Duration: 00:31
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What If The Moon Was Nearer Earth?
Duration: 02:24
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Where Did The Moon Come From?
Duration: 03:03
Music Played
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Barry Gray
Fireball XL5
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Tinie Tempah
Pass Out (Album Version)
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Maggie Aderin-Pocock |
Executive Producer | Helen Thomas |
Director | Tim Lambert |
Broadcasts
- Tue 1 Feb 2011 21:00
- Tue 1 Feb 2011 23:20Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two Scotland
- Wed 2 Feb 2011 01:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ HD
- Tue 8 Feb 2011 23:30Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ HD
- Thu 10 May 2012 22:00
- Fri 11 May 2012 02:30
- Sat 12 May 2012 23:40
- Mon 14 May 2012 23:25Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ HD
- Sat 10 Nov 2012 23:40
- Tue 27 May 2014 22:00
- Wed 28 May 2014 02:00
- Thu 25 Sep 2014 21:00
- Fri 26 Sep 2014 02:40
- Tue 14 Oct 2014 22:30
- Sat 3 Jan 2015 20:00
- Sun 12 Apr 2015 21:00
- Tue 14 Apr 2015 00:10
- Wed 15 Apr 2015 23:00
- Thu 3 Mar 2016 21:00
- Sun 6 Mar 2016 20:00
- Thu 29 Sep 2016 22:00
- Sat 1 Oct 2016 22:30
- Sun 2 Oct 2016 02:20
- Sun 2 Apr 2017 21:00
- Sun 20 Aug 2017 19:00
- Wed 31 Jan 2018 22:00
- Thu 18 Jul 2019 00:35
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