Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible

Earth 2.0 (2x1)

Uitzenddatum: Sep 01, 2010

Dr. Michio Kaku believes it is possible to transform a neighboring Planet into a second Earth. Space scientist Geoff Landis demonstrates how we could build floating cities in the gaseous atmosphere of Venus. The nightmarish conditions on the planet's surface lead Kaku to look farther afield and he meets up with Bob Zubrin from the Mars Society, who explains how the Red Planet could be geoengineered. Mars already has water, but all of it is frozen solid. So Chris McKay, a NASA research scientist, offers an audacious solution — build a huge solar mirror the size of Texas to melt the Martian ice caps. Michio eventually hits on an even more daring plan — heat up Mars by shooting asteroids at the planet's surface. The resulting Armageddon could eventually lead to the birth of Earth 2.0.