The devastation caused in just 5 minutes when an asteroid smashes into the Earth.

Planetary science - for iPod/iPhone

Reconstructing the Impact

Planetary science

Transcript -- A short introduction to this album.

Transcript -- Planetary science

What happens when an asteroid crashes into a planet? Geologists investigate the causes of the Reis crater in Germany.

The Nature of Impacts

Transcript -- What happens when an asteroid crashes into a planet? Geologists investigate the causes of the Reis crater in Germany.

Transcript -- The Nature of Impacts

When an asteroid penetrates the Earth's surface, it incredible temperatures and shockwaves  transform the landscape.

The Formation of Craters

Transcript -- When an asteroid penetrates the Earth's surface, it incredible temperatures and shockwaves  transform the landscape.

Transcript -- The Formation of Craters

Transcript -- The devastation caused in just 5 minutes when an asteroid smashes into the Earth.

Transcript -- Reconstructing the Impact

Comparing the size and shape of craters on Earth and other planets. Special focus on the Rio Quarto crater in Argentina.

Low Angle Impacts

Transcript -- Comparing the size and shape of craters on Earth and other planets. Special focus on the Rio Quarto crater in Argentina.

Transcript -- Low Angle Impacts

Bildung

Our planet is at the centre of a cosmic shooting gallery. This album examines the evidence for and effect of asteroid impacts and meteor explosions on Earth. The 6 video tracks assess the environmental effects caused by bolides of different sizes and trajectories. How do scientists detect that a crater on Earth is the result of an asteroid impact? Ian Gilmour visits an unusual circular feature at Nordingen in Southern Germany and Peter Schultz describes the oblique impact at Rio Quarto in Argentina. When comets collide with planets, the consequences can be catastrophic. What kind of impact could cause mass extinction on earth?

This material forms part of The Open University course S283 Planetary science and the search for life.