Weird But True! Season 1 Episode 1 Space Rocks

Weird But True! is a children's television series that explores the fascinating world around us through quirky and unexpected facts and discoveries. Hosted by siblings Charlie and Kirby Engleman, the show takes viewers on a journey to unearth the most awe-inspiring and strange things about the natural world, technology, history, and many other topics that will leave them in awe.

In the first episode of the first season, titled "Space Rocks," the Engleman siblings take viewers on a journey through the fascinating world of meteorites and asteroids. The episode begins with Kirby testing Charlie's knowledge on space rocks. While Charlie seems to be well-informed, Kirby reveals that there is much more to be learnt about space rocks than we think we know!

The episode then delves into the history of meteorites, from the first recorded impact in China in 1490 to the massive meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013. Through animation and expert interviews, the Engleman siblings explain how meteorites are formed in space and how they make their way to Earth.

The show then takes viewers to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where the siblings meet with Dr Denton Ebel, a research scientist and curator of the museum's meteorite collection. Dr Ebel explains that meteorites are extremely important to the study of the universe as they give us clues about the formation of the planets, including our own.

Next, the Engleman siblings visit a testing facility to learn how scientists determine the age of meteorites. They learn that a process called "radiometric dating" allows scientists to determine the age of a meteorite by measuring the natural decay rate of certain atoms.

The episode also explores the idea of asteroid mining, where companies are planning to extract valuable resources from asteroids that fly near Earth. The Engleman siblings visit a company that is developing technology to land spacecrafts on asteroids and extract materials such as water and rare metals.

Throughout the episode, the Engleman siblings present fascinating and often surprising facts about space rocks, such as how some meteorites contain amino acids, the building blocks of life. They explain how meteorites are named, the difference between meteoroids and meteorites, and how often meteorites fall to Earth.

The episode concludes with a fun activity where Kirby and Charlie demonstrate how to make a comet using items found around the house. They explain that comets are essentially "dirty snowballs" made of ice and dust that orbit the sun.

Overall, "Space Rocks" is an entertaining and informative episode that offers a glimpse into the fascinating world of space rocks. Through animated illustrations, expert interviews, and hands-on activities, the Engleman siblings make learning about meteorites and asteroids fun and engaging for viewers of all ages.