Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
The tidiest theory of the Moon’s origin is known as the Giant Impact Hypothesis – the idea that, amid the volatile early era of the solar system’s formation, a Mars-sized protoplanet collided with the primordial Earth. From the massive ensuing explosion, much of the planetary debris coalesced into a new, Earth-orbiting body. But while the theory accounts for much of what we understand about the Moon, it leaves some critical question unanswered. Namely, if it was formed mostly from a foreign body, why do lunar samples show the chemical makeup of the Moon and Earth to be nearly identical? In this video, the US filmmaker John D Boswell synthesises animations and original music with the voice of the planetary scientist Sarah T Stewart to explore several theories for the Moon’s birth, as well as for how it might have helped to yield life on Earth. The result is a stylish, speculative lunar history that might inspire a renewed sense of awe for our closest celestial companion.
Video by John Boswell
Website: melodysheep
video
Chemistry
Why do the building blocks of life possess a mysterious symmetry?
12 minutes
video
Cosmology
Tiny, entangled universes that form or fizzle out – a theory of the quantum multiverse
11 minutes
video
Astronomy
The history of astronomy is a history of conjuring intelligent life where it isn’t
34 minutes
video
Metaphysics
Simple entities in universal harmony – Leibniz’s evocative perspective on reality
4 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
video
Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
video
Cognition and intelligence
What’s this buzz about bees having culture? Inside a groundbreaking experiment
8 minutes
video
Earth science and climate
The only man permitted in Bhutan’s sacred mountains chronicles humanity’s impact
22 minutes
video
Cosmology
The Indian astronomer whose innovative work on black holes was mocked at Cambridge
13 minutes