Paul Olding

Wonders of the Solar System

BBC 2 Sunday 7^th March 9pm – Empire of the Sun

BBC 2 Sunday 28^th March 9pm – Dead or Alive

Wonders of the Solar System is a 5 part Hi Def BBC2 series presented by Prof Brian Cox. My episode is called ‘Dead or Alive’ and (generally) looks at the way the heat within worlds keeps them alive, but can also run out leading some to an early death.

First stop India. Heading out of Mumbai, we travelled to Mahabaleshwar to experience Venus through the massive lava flood plains of the Deccan Traps. We were also there to film the solar eclipse over the Ganges in Varanasi for the episode Empire of the Sun.

Next to the city of Middlesboro in Kentucky, the town built inside a huge asteroid impact crater. Could it have been made by an asteroid sent by Jupiter? Then onto Arizona to the Grand Canyon, one of Earth’s own natural wonders, but not the largest canyon in the Solar System.

Across to Big Island, Hawaii to climb Mauna Kea, built like Olympus Mons on Mars, only not as big. Also to witness the red hot lava of Kilauea. Over to Maui to talk to the scientists tracking PHAs or potentially hazardous asteroids and to attempt (and fail) to see the Persied Meteor shower.

Finally, to Ethiopia, to the molten lava lake of Erte Ale and chance to experience the one of Brian’s wonders of the Solar System – the volcanic world of Io.