Development of a Habitable Planet

Students explore space science by reviewing scientific vocabulary terms. In this planet identification lesson plan, students identify the nine planets in our solar system and discuss which ones could potentially harbor life at some...

Mars used to have liquid water, can you make it come back? Use the lesson and simulation to understand why Mars lost its magnetic field, why atmosphere is important, and what gravity has to do with it. This is the third lesson in a...

There is a specific zone, or distance from a star, that a planet must be in order to have water in a liquid form. The activity demonstrates how flux density depends on its distance from the source. A photovoltaic cell gets power to drive...

Students focus on stellar luminosities to estimate size of habitable zones, map out habitable zone around hot light bulbs that serve as models of stars, investigate how size of model "habitable zone" around light bulbs depends on...

Looking to take a trip? Why not go to space? Here, scholars take on the role as travel agent to create a guide to their favorite planet including travel tips and sightseeing recommendations. 

Amaze your class with the fact that more than 1,000 confirmed planets exist. The video explains the formation and development of planets, especially the earth. It covers the solar nebula, birth of the sun, and the development of the...

Extraterrestrial life? What makes life possible? What makes a habitable planet? These are the questions explored through this video. Some of the concepts presented include the essentiality of water for life and how its liquid form is not...

Olivier Guyon, professor of optical science and astronomy, explains how scientists are searching for other planets that can support life. Viewers learn the odds of finding a habitable planet, how long it would take, and some techniques...

Students explore the orbital characteristics a planetary home needs to support Earth-like life forms. They develop an understanding of critical planetary mass to determine which newly discovered planets might be capable of supporting life.

With so indescribably many stars and planets in existence, certainly we aren't alone in the universe! Or are we? Strangely, we haven't discovered any hints of life beyond Earth. The contradiction, known as the Fermi paradox, is...