1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,440 Pluto, you know, it's the little guy in the solar system. 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:04,280 Right. 3 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:05,440 The one that got demoted from planet status. 4 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:06,280 Yeah. 5 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:08,160 But there's so much more to it than most people realize. 6 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:09,720 And that's what we're gonna do today. 7 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:11,800 We're gonna do a deep dive into this 8 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:13,640 fascinating world of Pluto. 9 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:15,000 It's a really interesting story. 10 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:15,820 It is. 11 00:00:15,820 --> 00:00:18,240 From its discovery to its surprising features, 12 00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:21,620 what those features might tell us about life beyond Earth. 13 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,120 Welcome to Cosmos in a Pod, Space and Astronomy series. 14 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:31,120 It's a story that actually starts with a hunch, you know. 15 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,400 An astronomer named Percival Lowell, 16 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:36,520 back in the early 1900s, 17 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,200 had this idea that there was another planet out there. 18 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,960 This hidden planet X, he called it. 19 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:43,760 And he thought it was tugging at the orbits 20 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:44,920 of Uranus and Neptune. 21 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:46,600 Oh wow, so he was way ahead of his time. 22 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:47,520 So did he find it? 23 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:48,760 He looked and looked, 24 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:50,960 but he never actually found planet X. 25 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:52,520 Oh man, that's gotta be disappointing. 26 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:54,680 So did anyone ever pick up where he left off? 27 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,720 Well yeah, fast forward a few decades to 1930, 28 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,520 and we meet Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory. 29 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:05,320 And get this, he was using like old school methods. 30 00:01:05,320 --> 00:01:08,840 No fancy computers, no high tech telescopes, 31 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,320 just photographic plates and a ton of patients. 32 00:01:11,320 --> 00:01:15,440 Can you imagine hours and hours comparing these images, 33 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:17,560 trying to find any little dot that moved? 34 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:19,240 Wow, that sounds incredibly tedious. 35 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:20,080 I can't even imagine. 36 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:21,200 Oh, it was. 37 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,900 But after almost a year of this meticulous work, 38 00:01:23,900 --> 00:01:26,480 he found it, just this tiny speck of light 39 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:28,880 that shifted against the background stars. 40 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,080 Pluto had been found. 41 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,960 Wow, that must have been a huge moment for astronomy. 42 00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:35,720 Did they realize back then how small Pluto actually was? 43 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,360 Not at all, they thought it might even be bigger 44 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,760 than our moon, which is part of the reason 45 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:41,880 why it got that planet label in the first place. 46 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:43,440 But as our technology improved, 47 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,140 astronomers started realizing that Pluto 48 00:01:45,140 --> 00:01:47,720 was actually much, much smaller. 49 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:49,700 So how small are we talking exactly? 50 00:01:49,700 --> 00:01:51,380 Like, give us a sense of scale. 51 00:01:51,380 --> 00:01:52,520 Think about it this way. 52 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,160 Pluto's diameter is smaller than the width 53 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:56,280 of the United States. 54 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:58,200 Whoa, that's crazy small. 55 00:01:58,200 --> 00:01:59,840 I guess I can see why that would raise some questions 56 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:01,360 about its planet status. 57 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,320 But was that the only reason it got demoted? 58 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,520 That and the discovery of the Kuiper Belt in the 1990s, 59 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:07,840 it really changed the game. 60 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:09,580 Okay, hold on, what's the Kuiper Belt? 61 00:02:09,580 --> 00:02:13,040 Well, it's like this huge zone out past Neptune, 62 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,680 just chock full of icy objects, 63 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,800 like a cosmic deep freeze out there. 64 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,320 And surprise, Pluto turned out to be just one 65 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,160 of many objects hanging out in this icy neighborhood. 66 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,160 And some of them were pretty close to Pluto's size. 67 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,400 So basically, Pluto wasn't so unique after all. 68 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,280 It had a lot of company out there. 69 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,080 So what happened then? 70 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,480 Well, that brings us to that infamous year, 2006. 71 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:38,700 The year Pluto got reclassified. 72 00:02:38,700 --> 00:02:42,160 The International Astronomical Union, the IAU, 73 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,040 decided it was time to have a serious conversation 74 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,240 about what a planet actually is. 75 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,400 Right, because clearly there was some confusion. 76 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:51,720 So what criteria did they come up with? 77 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:53,760 Okay, so they laid down three main rules. 78 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:54,580 Got it. 79 00:02:54,580 --> 00:02:56,840 First, a planet has to orbit the sun. 80 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:57,680 Okay, makes sense. 81 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,160 Second, it needs enough gravity 82 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:01,640 to pull itself into like a round shape. 83 00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:03,040 Right, gotta be spherical. 84 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:04,100 What's the third rule? 85 00:03:04,100 --> 00:03:06,440 This is the one where Pluto got tripped up. 86 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:08,540 The third rule is that a planet has to clear 87 00:03:08,540 --> 00:03:10,200 its neighborhood of other objects, 88 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,260 meaning it has to be the dominant gravitational force 89 00:03:13,260 --> 00:03:14,100 in its orbit. 90 00:03:14,100 --> 00:03:17,640 Ah, so Pluto couldn't keep its orbital space tidy enough. 91 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:18,680 That's what did it in. 92 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:19,520 Pretty much. 93 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,480 It shares its space with all those other 94 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:22,640 Kuiper belt objects. 95 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:25,400 So the IAU created a new category. 96 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:26,880 They called it dwarf planet, 97 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:28,160 and that's where Pluto ended up. 98 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,520 But honestly, being reclassified 99 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:32,080 didn't make it any less interesting. 100 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:32,920 Oh, absolutely. 101 00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:35,020 In fact, I think it made it even more intriguing. 102 00:03:35,020 --> 00:03:37,080 So what makes Pluto so fascinating? 103 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:38,820 Well, first of all, imagine this. 104 00:03:38,820 --> 00:03:41,380 A surface made of nitrogen ice, 105 00:03:41,380 --> 00:03:43,000 like vast stretches of it. 106 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,040 And then mixed in, you have these patches of methane 107 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:47,400 and carbon monoxide ice. 108 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,560 Wow, that sounds so alien. 109 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,000 So different from anything here on Earth. 110 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:52,840 Totally. 111 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:53,660 And that's not all. 112 00:03:53,660 --> 00:03:56,000 Pluto even has this like super thin atmosphere 113 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,640 that actually expands and contracts as it orbits the sun, 114 00:03:58,640 --> 00:03:59,880 almost like it's breathing. 115 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:01,040 No way. 116 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:02,300 That is seriously cool. 117 00:04:02,300 --> 00:04:04,000 So what else makes Pluto stand out? 118 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:05,880 Remember those incredible images we got 119 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,800 from the New Horizons mission back in 2015? 120 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:10,120 Of course. 121 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:11,380 Who could forget those? 122 00:04:11,380 --> 00:04:13,320 They were stunning. 123 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,840 One of the most iconic ones was that huge, 124 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:17,560 heart-shaped region they found. 125 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:19,560 Officially, it's called Tombow Regio, 126 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:21,340 named after its discoverer. 127 00:04:21,340 --> 00:04:25,160 It's this gigantic plane of nitrogen ice. 128 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,400 It really captured everyone's imagination. 129 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,400 Yeah, that picture was everywhere. 130 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,360 It's amazing how we went from like a blurry dot 131 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,500 to those detailed pictures. 132 00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:37,080 What else did New Horizons teach us about Pluto? 133 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,400 It was a game changer for sure. 134 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,060 For one, it showed us that Pluto 135 00:04:41,060 --> 00:04:43,280 is not just a dead, frozen world. 136 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:45,480 There's evidence of cryovolcanism. 137 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:46,880 Hold on, cryovolcanism? 138 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:48,160 What in the world is that? 139 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,640 Imagine volcanoes, but instead of spewing out molten rock, 140 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:54,720 they erupt with icy materials like water, ammonia, 141 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:55,800 or methane. 142 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,200 So there's actually geological activity happening 143 00:04:58,200 --> 00:04:59,400 beneath Pluto's surface. 144 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:00,360 Does that mean there could be? 145 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:01,660 A subsurface ocean. 146 00:05:01,660 --> 00:05:03,720 Scientists think it's possible, and that's a big deal. 147 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,720 Because liquid water, even as it's deep underground, 148 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:08,720 could mean that there's a chance for life, 149 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,360 even on a dwarf planet billions of miles away. 150 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:12,200 Exactly. 151 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,480 It's one of the most exciting things about Pluto. 152 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:16,520 Wow, you've totally blown my mind here. 153 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:18,040 An ocean on Pluto. 154 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:19,360 It changes everything. 155 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,040 So what else makes this place so unique? 156 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:23,480 Well, Pluto's not alone out there. 157 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,400 It's got a whole entourage, a system of five moons. 158 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,280 Five moons. 159 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:30,360 Wow, Pluto might be small, but it sounds like it's 160 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:31,400 got a lot going on. 161 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:32,880 Oh, it definitely does. 162 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:36,280 And its relationship with its largest moon, Charon, 163 00:05:36,280 --> 00:05:38,240 is particularly interesting. 164 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:39,760 What's so special about Charon? 165 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,720 Most moons, they orbit their planets pretty predictably. 166 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,040 Charon is so large, almost half the size of Pluto itself, 167 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,960 that they actually orbit a common center of gravity. 168 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,720 And get this, that center of gravity is outside of Pluto. 169 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:54,440 Wait, seriously? 170 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,020 So they're more like a pair of dancers 171 00:05:56,020 --> 00:05:57,360 than a planet and its moon? 172 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:58,000 Exactly. 173 00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:59,660 It's called a binary system. 174 00:05:59,660 --> 00:06:02,480 And it's a pretty unique dance these two icy worlds 175 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:03,320 do together. 176 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:04,360 This is incredible. 177 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,700 Pluto just keeps getting more and more fascinating. 178 00:06:06,700 --> 00:06:10,200 From a heart-shaped nitrogen glacier to a possible ocean, 179 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:12,080 a constantly changing atmosphere, 180 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,520 and this unique dance with Charon. 181 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,160 And to think, it was all just a blurry dot 182 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:18,280 before New Horizons. 183 00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:21,280 It really shows you the power of space exploration, right? 184 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:21,840 Absolutely. 185 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:24,960 It completely transforms how we see these distant worlds 186 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:26,000 and how we understand them. 187 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:26,800 For sure. 188 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,760 Before we move on, I have to ask about the whole demotion 189 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:30,560 thing. 190 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,080 It seemed like the whole world was upset about it. 191 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:35,640 Like, Pluto was everyone's favorite underdog. 192 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:37,760 It definitely captured the public's imagination, 193 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:38,400 didn't it? 194 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,680 There were people who felt like Pluto 195 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,600 had been unfairly demoted. 196 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,000 They started campaigns like, Pluto is a planet. 197 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,240 Bring back our ninth planet, and things like that. 198 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,440 It was almost like people felt personally offended 199 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:51,280 on Pluto's behalf. 200 00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:51,760 Meh. 201 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:53,800 Like, how dare you demote our little buddy? 202 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:55,760 Well, I think there's a sentimental attachment there, 203 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:56,260 right? 204 00:06:56,260 --> 00:06:59,360 It was this tiny world on the edge of our solar system. 205 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:01,720 People grew up with it being a planet. 206 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,520 So it was hard to let go. 207 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:04,480 I get it. 208 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,600 But what's the scientific take on all this? 209 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:09,360 Was the demotion justified? 210 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:11,280 From a purely scientific point of view, 211 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,200 the reclassification was needed. 212 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,440 It was all about consistency and reflecting what 213 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,440 we know about the solar system. 214 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,960 It helped us to see that there's a whole spectrum of objects 215 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:23,760 out there, from giant planets to these dwarf planets, 216 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:25,480 asteroids, comets. 217 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:27,560 And they each have their own story to tell. 218 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:29,640 So it was less about Pluto losing its status 219 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,560 and more about gaining a new understanding of the solar 220 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:33,400 system as a whole. 221 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:34,040 Exactly. 222 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:37,320 It's about recognizing the incredible variety 223 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:38,200 that's out there. 224 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:39,160 I like that. 225 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:40,400 It's not about demotion. 226 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,840 It's about evolution, about refining our understanding 227 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:44,880 as we learn more. 228 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:45,400 Absolutely. 229 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:47,860 And even though Pluto is not considered a planet anymore, 230 00:07:47,860 --> 00:07:50,640 it's still an amazing and complex world. 231 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:51,140 Right. 232 00:07:51,140 --> 00:07:53,520 And in a way, losing its planet status 233 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,160 gave it something maybe even more valuable, 234 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,640 a whole new level of mystery and intrigue. 235 00:07:58,640 --> 00:07:59,640 Definitely. 236 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,920 So what are some of the biggest mysteries 237 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,760 that scientists are still trying to solve about Pluto? 238 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,080 Well, one of the big ones is that ocean we talked about. 239 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,800 We still don't know for sure if it's there. 240 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:13,580 And if it is, what's it like? 241 00:08:13,580 --> 00:08:16,120 Could there be some form of life down there? 242 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:17,720 Those are big questions. 243 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:19,120 And what about its atmosphere? 244 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,360 You mentioned how it expands and contracts. 245 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:26,040 What happens to it over Pluto's 248-year orbit around the sun? 246 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:28,160 Yeah, that's another area where we need more data. 247 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,240 Pluto's atmosphere is constantly changing. 248 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:31,720 It's a dynamic system. 249 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:33,760 And we're still trying to understand the nuances 250 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:34,800 of how it all works. 251 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:36,420 So many questions still to be answered. 252 00:08:36,420 --> 00:08:40,280 It really seems like Pluto's demotion didn't diminish 253 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:41,240 its importance at all. 254 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:44,920 If anything, it highlighted how important it is as a window 255 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,120 into this icy frontier of our solar system. 256 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:49,080 I couldn't agree more. 257 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,120 Pluto's story is a reminder that our solar system 258 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:52,200 is full of surprises. 259 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,240 And we still have so much more to learn. 260 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:54,760 It is. 261 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:55,440 Yeah. 262 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,680 And I have a feeling you've got even more fascinating things 263 00:08:57,680 --> 00:08:58,720 to tell us about Pluto. 264 00:08:58,720 --> 00:08:59,900 Oh, absolutely. 265 00:08:59,900 --> 00:09:00,980 So let's take a quick break. 266 00:09:00,980 --> 00:09:03,400 And then we'll be right back to delve even deeper 267 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:06,160 into this captivating dwarf planet. 268 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:07,820 It's incredible when you think about it. 269 00:09:07,820 --> 00:09:10,800 Pluto's story is a real testament to human curiosity 270 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:14,080 and this desire we have to explore the unknown. 271 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:17,080 It all started with this basic question, right? 272 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,960 Is there another planet out there hiding in the darkness? 273 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,720 And that question led to this amazing discovery, 274 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:24,800 this whole new region of our solar system 275 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:26,320 that we call the Kuiper Belt. 276 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,160 It's a huge shift in perspective, isn't it? 277 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,680 We went from seeing Pluto as this lone oddball, way out 278 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:33,760 there on its own, to realizing it's 279 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,400 part of this huge family of icy objects. 280 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:36,900 Yeah. 281 00:09:36,900 --> 00:09:38,560 So does that mean, like, are there 282 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:41,240 other Pluto-like worlds in the Kuiper Belt 283 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:42,680 just waiting for us to find them? 284 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:43,640 Oh, absolutely. 285 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:44,840 The Kuiper Belt is vast. 286 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,200 It's like this giant cosmic treasure chest. 287 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,000 And we've barely scratched the surface. 288 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,200 Who knows what other icy worlds are hiding out there, 289 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:53,800 each one with its own unique story waiting to be told. 290 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:55,440 Maybe we'll even find some that, like, 291 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:57,920 make us rethink our definition of a planet altogether. 292 00:09:57,920 --> 00:09:58,420 Wow. 293 00:09:58,420 --> 00:10:00,560 The possibilities are endless. 294 00:10:00,560 --> 00:10:01,760 It's mind blowing. 295 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:05,240 So thinking about Pluto and its neighbors in the Kuiper Belt, 296 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,360 what can they teach us about the early solar system? 297 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:10,640 I mean, we're talking about objects that were formed 298 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:11,760 billions of years ago. 299 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:13,100 That's one of the most exciting things 300 00:10:13,100 --> 00:10:14,880 about studying the Kuiper Belt. 301 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,080 These objects are like time capsules. 302 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:18,680 They hold clues about the conditions 303 00:10:18,680 --> 00:10:21,480 that existed when our solar system was just a baby. 304 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,080 By studying their composition, what they're made of, 305 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,400 their orbits, how they interact with each other, 306 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:28,800 we can actually piece together the events that led 307 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,600 to the solar system we see today. 308 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,760 So in a way, Pluto's demotion actually 309 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:34,800 led to something even bigger. 310 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,960 It's not just about planets anymore. 311 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:38,920 It's about this much grander story, 312 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,440 the evolution of our entire solar system, 313 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:43,800 and understanding the diversity of objects within it. 314 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:44,400 Exactly. 315 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:46,880 Pluto's story is a perfect example of how science works. 316 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:48,440 Sometimes what seems like a step back 317 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:50,880 can actually open up a whole new world of understanding. 318 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,800 And who knows, maybe someday with new discoveries 319 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:55,640 and new ways of thinking, Pluto might even 320 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:57,320 earn its way back into the planet club. 321 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:58,440 Maybe. 322 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,000 But even if it doesn't, Pluto will always hold 323 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:02,600 a special place in our hearts. 324 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,800 It's this little world that challenged our assumptions 325 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,400 and pushed us to look beyond what we thought we knew. 326 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:09,240 I agree. 327 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:10,640 It's a great story. 328 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,360 And it reminds us that the universe is full of surprises. 329 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:15,080 We just have to keep exploring. 330 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaking of surprises, I'm curious, 331 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:18,960 when you look at Pluto and everything 332 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:20,840 we've learned about it, it makes you 333 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,920 realize just how much our understanding of space 334 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,120 has changed in such a short amount of time. 335 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:27,920 It really is amazing, isn't it? 336 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,600 It's been an incredible journey. 337 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,400 Just a few decades ago, Pluto was 338 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,160 nothing but a blurry dot, a symbol of the unknown. 339 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,280 And now, thanks to missions like New Horizons, 340 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,320 we see it as this complex, dynamic world, 341 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:42,280 a place with its own unique beauty 342 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:44,280 and incredible scientific value. 343 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,880 And that's what makes astronomy so fascinating, 344 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,440 this drive to explore, to push the boundaries 345 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:52,400 of our knowledge to uncover the secrets of the universe. 346 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,320 It's not just about finding answers. 347 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,280 It's about asking the right questions, 348 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,920 the questions that lead us to even greater discoveries. 349 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:00,520 Couldn't have said it better myself. 350 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:02,560 It's a never-ending quest. 351 00:12:02,560 --> 00:12:05,000 And I think Pluto's story is the perfect embodiment 352 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,320 of that spirit. 353 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,520 It's a reminder that there's always more to learn, 354 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:09,880 more to explore. 355 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:11,560 The universe is full of surprises, 356 00:12:11,560 --> 00:12:13,000 just waiting to be uncovered. 357 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:14,160 Well said. 358 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:16,400 I think we've given Pluto the attention it deserves, 359 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:17,160 wouldn't you say? 360 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:20,640 We've covered its discovery, its demotion, its unique features, 361 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,000 those fascinating moons, the groundbreaking New Horizons 362 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:25,200 mission. 363 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,200 We've even touched on some of the bigger questions 364 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:29,880 that Pluto raises about the nature of our solar system 365 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:32,640 and the constantly evolving field of astronomy. 366 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:34,640 It's been a fantastic deep dive. 367 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:36,360 I think we've covered just about everything. 368 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:39,360 And Pluto, even with its dwarf planet status, 369 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:42,560 has really solidified its place as a cosmic celebrity, 370 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:45,160 a world that continues to inspire us and remind us 371 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,640 that there's always more to learn, always more to explore. 372 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:49,320 And if you're as captivated by Pluto 373 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,480 and the mysteries of the universe as we are, be sure to. 374 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:54,720 Be sure to subscribe to Cosmos in a Pod 375 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:58,320 for more deep dives into the wonders of the universe. 376 00:12:58,320 --> 00:12:59,680 We've got new episodes every week. 377 00:12:59,680 --> 00:13:04,840 We explore everything from black holes to distant galaxies, 378 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,200 exoplanets, the search for life beyond Earth. 379 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:09,080 All that good stuff. 380 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:10,600 Ah, and so much more. 381 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,000 And hey, don't forget to check out our YouTube channel, too. 382 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:13,520 Yes. 383 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:15,720 For all those amazing visuals and animations, 384 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:17,160 you know, something that really brings 385 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:19,240 these cosmic wonders to life. 386 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:20,760 Yeah, we put a lot of work into that. 387 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:22,960 Be sure to subscribe and hit that notification bell 388 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:24,160 so you don't miss a thing. 389 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:27,200 OK, folks, thanks for joining us on this incredible journey 390 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,480 to Pluto, to Pluto and beyond. 391 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:31,600 Until next time. 392 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:32,400 Keep looking up. 393 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:55,000 And keep exploring the cosmos.