Life in the Solar System

Big Picture Science

Spewing lava and belching noxious fumes, volcanoes seem hostile to biology. But the search for life off-Earth includes the hunt for these hotheads on other moons and planets, and we tour some of the most imposing volcanoes in the Solar System.

Plus, a look at how tectonic forces reshape bodies from the moon to Venus to Earth. And a journey to the center of our planet reveals a surprising layer of material at the core-mantle boundary. Find out where this layer was at the time of the dinosaurs and what powerful forces drove it deep below.

Guests:

Samantha Hansen – Geologist at the University of Alabama

Paul Byrne – Associate professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis

Robin George Andrews – Science journalist and author of “Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond”

Featuring music by Dewey Dellay and Jun Miyake

Originally aired May 29, 2023

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