Ep 13. The Sun

In Big History season 1 episode 13, titled "The Sun," the focus shifts to the celestial body that has the most significant impact on life on Earth: the sun.

The episode begins by exploring how the sun was formed, tracing its origins back billions of years to the time of the Big Bang. The show explains how the sun's immense gravitational pull allowed it to collect vast amounts of gas and dust, eventually compressing it into a large, hot ball of plasma.

As the episode continues, the focus shifts to the sun's role in the solar system and its interaction with the planets that orbit it. Viewers learn how the sun's gravity keeps the planets in their respective orbits and how its energy powers the complex processes that occur on Earth, such as photosynthesis and the water cycle.

The episode also touches on the sun's mood swings, specifically its famous sunspots and solar flares. These phenomena can have an impact on Earth, causing power outages and other disruptions to modern life. The episode explores how scientists are working to better understand these events and predict their occurrence.

One of the most fascinating parts of the episode is its exploration of the sun's future. The show explains that the sun is slowly running out of fuel and will eventually become a red giant, swelling to an enormous size that will swallow up the inner planets. But this won't happen for several billion years, giving humanity plenty of time to prepare (if we survive that long).

Overall, "The Sun" is a fascinating exploration of one of the most critical celestial bodies in our solar system. It's a reminder of just how much the sun impacts life on Earth and highlights the importance of continued scientific exploration and study.