Mercury: The Impossible Planet

Go to curiositystream.thld.co/geogr... and use code GEOGRAPHICS to save 25% off today, that’s only $14.99 a year. Thanks to Curiosity Stream for sponsoring today’s video.
→ Subscribe for new videos two times per week.
/ @geographicstravel
This video is #sponsored by Curiosity Stream.
Love content? Check out Simon's other KZbin Channels:
Biographics: / @biographics
Warographics: / @warographics643
MegaProjects: / @megaprojects9649
SideProjects: / @sideprojects
Into The Shadows: / intotheshadows
TopTenz: / toptenznet
Today I Found Out: / todayifoundout
Highlight History: / @highlighthistory
Business Blaze: / @brainblaze6526
Casual Criminalist: / thecasualcriminalist
Decoding the Unknown: / @decodingtheunknown2373

[@geographicstravel]

Go to curiositystream.thld.co/geographics_1022 and use code GEOGRAPHICS to save 25% off today, that’s only $14.99 a year. Thanks to Curiosity Stream for sponsoring today’s video.

[@Phenom24uk]

What is the music you used for this? Its beautiful

[@jeremyrockatansky]

absolutely love curiosity stream! signed up years ago after you mentioned it!

[@rashadbell822]

I’d forgotten about all about your channels for some reason I haven’t gotten notifications from any of them. Thought about it and checked to see if you had been cancelled lol

[@MusicalRaichu]

I really like Curiosity Stream!

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

Hang on hang on back up there a bit Simon You said something about Mercury having *magnetic tornadoes* MAGNETIC TORNADOES and then for some reason I can't even begin to fathom, you stopped talking about that Don't get me wrong, the rest of the video was plenty interesting, but somehow I doubt it was *magnetic tornadoes* interesting.

[@silvenimoy3115]

“When William Herschel first got whiff of Uranus”…….Simon, your writers, I love it 😂

[@whosyourdaddymedia]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who caught that!! My inner 12 year old is still laughing.

[@MikeH1768]

Don't forget to add "probing Uranus".

[@kewgardensstation]

"...caught whiff of Uranus"... I truly LOL'd for the first time in years. Funniest shit I've ever heard. Give your writers a raise, Simon - they deserve it!

[@randylahey1232]

@@whosyourdaddymedia no you're not the only one that caught it we all did you guys are just the few immature enough to actually find it funny, you're all pathetic

[@hl8333]

Just as hilarious as title Anton Petrov 'Gas found coming out of Uranus'

[@jackcoogan310]

I love how Simon leans into the Uranus jokes

[@user-xs2bf6vb9t]

Careful, he will get Hershel to get a whiff of Uranus 2

[@jennypoussin3866]

Mercury has been probed less than Uranus 🤣

[@cleverusername9369]

Credit where credit is due, the script was written for him by a Morris M.

[@jackcoogan310]

@@cleverusername9369 very fair! Thanks for crediting the right person!

[@retroarcadefan]

Simon certainly has an obsession with Uranus.

[@stanjuan1178]

Possibly the two best Uranus jokes ever to be delivered in deadpan. Dry humor is my jam. I wonder how hard it was for Simon to deliver those.

[@oatyoats4168]

Simon your writers are just top notch couldn’t help giggling at Uranus being probed less than mercury.

[@hzaagman8005]

As much as I love science, in this video I particularly *love* that each chapter title is named after a Queen song or album. I'm sure *Freddie Mercury* would have loved it, too! Thank you Simon and everyone else who did any work on this video.

[@DerptyDerptyDUM]

Gotta be Morris M writing. He's such a legend. 🏆

[@Leyrann]

Don't forget the "Planet Freddie" at some point in the video.

[@cheffrey82]

Yes! That was a nice little Easter egg

[@xsailor85]

So would Ami Mizuno AKA Sailor Mercury

[@matt-irby]

@@Leyrann Around 10:02!

[@michaelb1761]

"Caught a whiff of Uranus" and "Only Neptune and Uranus have been probed less", ahh Simon.

[@kayleighlehrman9566]

"A planet's a planet, no matter how small." Until it's Pluto, I guess.

[@rafaelbrisolara7599]

Well, size is not Pluto's issue 😅

[@chitlitlah]

A better example would be Ceres.

[@k5sss]

Mercury has cleared its orbit; Pluto, Charon and Ceres have not. That’s the line, not size.

[@chitlitlah]

I thought Ceres was too small to gravitationally pull itself into a spherical shape, but apparently it's a lot larger than I thought. Pretend I named some asteroid that's too small to even meet the definition of a dwarf planet.

[@bamacopeland4372]

Just don't tell that to Burton guster.

[@lyndilou6314]

I appreciate all the subtle puns scattered throughout the video. Informative as always, thanks Simon and team!

[@TheK01234]

I love when Simon throws out anime references that go over his head and he doesn't even look phased

[@Clevelandlantis]

Just throwing it out there, should really be a space specific playlist on this channel. These have easily become my favorite on here. More space geography please for the love of god

[@Styxswimmer]

Astrographics

[@raedusoleil6375]

Seconded!

[@zacharyphillips8551]

lol I've just made my own

[@-MarcusAurelius]

@@Styxswimmer Astrographics is good but I think I prefer cosmographics

[@JonoSSD]

I think Simon would rather just create a new channel for that. lol

[@aran5033]

In a poetic way, I wanna pet and hug Mercury now, our small boi is doing his best, trying to do what earth like planets do, while his dad sun is looking at him and keeping him safe from the dangers of the outer space. Cute! ☺️

[@ignitionfrn2223]

2:00 - Chapter 1 - Is this the world we created ? 5:45 - Chapter 2 - Made in heaven 9:40 - Chapter 3 - In the lap of the gods 13:45 - Chapter 4 - Hot space 17:20 - Chapter 5 - The miracle - Chapter 6 -

[@greendragonreprised6885]

Great use of Queen song and album titles.

[@redhandtheblack]

0:22 There appears to be another Queen reference, Breakthrough :)

[@BonShula]

Did you do this for free? 🤣🤣

[@redhandtheblack]

There's another one about 10 mins in where Mercury is referred to as Freddie.

[@gfear24]

@@redhandtheblack "Planet Freddie"

[@nickfisher8569]

I love the Uranus jokes hidden in the script. “When William Hershel caught a whiff of Uranus” and “only Neptune and Uranus got probed less..”😂

[@Roguescienceguy]

Simon is that kinda guy who has more KZbin channels than there are objects in the Kuyper belt

[@Kalebfenoir]

I'd actually wonder if Mercury originally started out as the core of a small gas giant that was too close to the sun. It eventually burned off its atmosphere in the solar wind, and it's heavier materials condensed onto its core, which forms Mercury's oversized core covered in a thin layer of other stuff. We've seen gas giants in other systems like that, but ones that haven't burnt down to the core yet. But it's possible. Depending on how big the original gas giant was, it might not have even taken too long.

[@thespazdragon]

"When Hershcel first caught whiff of Uranus..." You can't help yourself can you XD

[@bigredcube91]

“A whiff of Uranus…” 😂

[@StevenLockey]

Did Simon miss that completely or just do a really good job of keeping a straight face :)

[@doggonemess1]

@@StevenLockey I'm thinking he's good at the deadpan delivery. Leslie Nielsen would be proud.

[@doggonemess1]

14:58 Oh, man. He followed it up with "only Neptune and Uranus have been probed less". XD

[@StevenLockey]

@@doggonemess1 Don't know, seen him miss a few really blatant ones before, but you never know, this may be take 10 😂

[@Henchman1977]

Not only is mercury closest to earth on average, it's closest on average to every planet.

[@oswb8225]

🤯

[@Grimsace]

All I'm gonna say is anyone who has tried to put a probe in close orbit around Kerbal in KSP understands EXACTLY why getting to Mercury is hard af.

[@duckrutt]

Moho is a pig to get to. Getting into orbit around Eeloo is also annoying.

[@kahnadah]

Simon: "A planet's a planet, no matter how small." Pluto: "AM I A JOKE TO YOU?"

[@Gamefreak924]

A Mob Psycho reference?! Seems the writer has some good tastes, and I'm sure Simon was extremely confused

[@platinumhawke]

Too bad there's no G-Witch references.

[@NextEevolution]

It was another Geographics covering another planet or a MegaProjects covering a mission to get to a certain planet where the writer made a FullMetal Alchemist reference. Genuinely enjoy catching them lol

[@--enyo--]

My thoughts as well. 🤣

[@Admcorranhorn]

I just did a hard stop mod video, "was that a Mod Psycho reference?" Glad it wasn't just me =)

[@HueghMungus]

@@--enyo-- What was the reference?

[@moldgrim1]

Mercury. Made in heaven. In the lap of the gods. Planet Freddie. The amount of Queen references is...fantastic!

[@daytwaqua]

The Raiders of the Lost Ark Nazi face melting reference brought a smile to my face. Well done Simon and/or the writers, well done.

[@joeyr7294]

Nice, the Whistlerverse starts the morning off with a space vid...thanks Simon and Co. for all you're hard work for our entertainment 🍻💯👍

[@Dank-gb6jn]

🥃

[@joeyr7294]

@@Dank-gb6jn 🍻💯

[@eddiehancockii]

Whistlerverse. I like it. That's a thing now v

[@joeyr7294]

@@eddiehancockii sounds good to me lol

[@Silverwing2112]

Whistlerverse, very nice. I'm just jealous I didn't come up with that.

[@suspicious241]

i love simon making anime references while clearly not uderstanding them. it is very funny hearing him make a Mob Psycho 100 reference without batting an eye.

[@--enyo--]

He’s a professional at just going with references he doesn’t get. 🤣

[@GrndAdmiralThrawn]

Mercury’s large, dense metallic core holds the Loot Of A Thousand Worlds.

[@corycyr6677]

"A planet is a planet, no matter how small." Pluto would like a word with you sir....

[@k5sss]

Mercury has cleared its orbit; Pluto, Charon and Ceres have not. That’s the line, not size.

[@xeddtech]

We'd love a dedicated space channel Simon! Exploring everything within the cosmos, from black holes and exoplanets to quasars and string theory. It would make an amazing channel with your presentation behind it!

[@bridgetrodriguez4643]

Omg 😳 I was just thinking that😂 That would be amazing

[@arcadiaberger9204]

Oh, HELL yes, let's have an all-space channel! With the Gateway station about to open up for business, it's a perfect time.

[@raidermaxx2324]

also, Mercury is obviously the core of an ice giant that tacked in too close to the sun during the early solar system formation, hence the fact its literally just an iron core

[@andreasrau2161]

It's always a pleasure to hear your narrations, Simon!

[@SKBSKBSKBSKBSK]

not really

[@damislav]

@@SKBSKBSKBSKBSK yes really

[@archstanton6102]

@@SKBSKBSKBSKBSK begone troll

[@SKBSKBSKBSKBSK]

@@archstanton6102 your bf talks too fast he talks AT you instead of TO you

[@resileaf9501]

Space videos are consistently my favorite of this channel. Absolutely wonderful watch. :D

[@Jason_Quinn]

Yeah, wasn't expecting to hear Mob Psycho 100 references in an astronomy video. You keep doing what you're doing.

[@camilasuarez4596]

I’m impressed and in love of how you guys used Queen songs + albums as titles!! I’m smiling like crazy after a terrible day ❤

[@liamrobert2460]

Fantastic series, an wondrous combination of science, history, soothing narration, and the sheer awe of our solar system

[@alexlabs4858]

“Planets are planets no matter how small” He said it! Pluto IS a planet! Bring back Pluto!!

[@broodyhenloloa]

This channel deserves at least 5 million subscribers.

[@SlamdalfTheGrey]

0:14 Simon sounds like the voice at the end of a prescription drug commercial reading the side effects at 2x speed lol

[@ssreeser95]

Simon: Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system. Pluto: Am I a joke to you?

[@k5sss]

Mercury has cleared its orbit; Pluto, Charon and Ceres have not. That’s the line, not size.

[@mowm88]

See this is the Simon I prefer--great job hosting, good copy to read, interesting subject matter, and Not Editorializing randomly (about whatever) when it's not needed. This was well done.

[@mackenziemoore5088]

I guess you're not a fan of Side Projects, Casual Criminalist, Brain Blaze, or Decoding the Unknown? Lol

[@tispre]

so what you meant to say was, "shut up, fact boy, and read." This isn't the compliment you think it is...

[@mowm88]

@@mackenziemoore5088 Au contraire I am. But this side of Simon is a welcome change.

[@mowm88]

@@tispre This isn't the insight you think it is.

[@302racing3]

5:28 *Cries in Pluto*

[@Metallica4Life92]

I really enjoyed all the Queen and Freddy Mercury innuendos and references you put into this one:)

[@awesomedata8973]

Good thing he only got a "whiff" of Uranus -- I imagine his curiosity was satisfied pretty quickly. Oh, and great video about Mercury!

[@mho...]

Basically a lonely Moon, without a planet, held captive by the Sun

[@thedarkmoon2341]

Here are two more mysteries about Mercury: There are no visible light photos of the surface of Mercury from Mercury Messenger. All surface mapping was conducted in the near infrared. Nobody knows the surface illumination level of the Sun lit side of Mercury in Lux, the reading a light meter would show if you were standing on the surface, with well insulated boots. Peculiar.

[@imdabomdiggitty4399]

I like the Mob Psycho reference he snuck in real quick

[@dannyfa7x]

Simon, I have to compliment the beard my man. The bread to forehead ratio has got to be nearly equal. Fantastic 👍🏼

[@aetherial87]

"A planet's a planet, no matter how small." Pluto: Am I a joke to you?

[@RPIdemon]

This title reminds me of my favorite two-part Doctor Who episodes. The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit

[@Nyitemare]

Top level writing on this one! Absolutely loved it. That outro was wonderful

[@WildStar2002]

12:14 "When William Herschel first caught whiff of Uranus..." 🤣

[@ChurchSleazy]

Mercury isn't the smallest planet. Its just the smallest one the IAU chooses to acknowledge. Dwarf planetd, Belt planets, and Satellite planets should all qualify.

[@BruceBoyde]

Aw yeah, more space stuff. I usually kind of know all of the stuff in these but they're still among my favorite videos.

[@scottymoondogjakubin4766]

Mercury is probably the most forgotten planet in the solar system ! about time it got some attention !

[@metroidhunter965]

“A planet’s a planet, no matter how small” *Pluto has entered the chat*

[@petercozzaglio6070]

I really like these segments on the planets. I am hoping to be alive when astronomers discover the mythical planet 9. Though I have been disappointed the Pluto has been reduced to a dwarf planet, I do understand…. I have also wondered if this possible planet 9 is big enough to be what causes Earths 15.000 year wobble.

[@jamesmaxwell9289]

Pardon me, but I've never heard of this earth's, 15,000 year wobble. Is this "wobble" established in the scientific community? I ask this because only recently I have been looking at various Scriptures relating to our planet. Isaiah lived about 600 bc, and Isaiah 24, wrote the following: "Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty... and turneth it upside down... the windows from on high are open and the foundations of the earth do shake. The earth shall REEL TO AND FRO like a drunkard"... the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed" Is there a cycle of earth "Wobble" established in the scientific community?

[@brianarbenz1329]

Is Mercury tidally locked in its orbit around the Sun? I have understood from readings that it effectively is because the orbit is elliptical, so the planet's three rotations per two revolutions around the Sun mean the same sides are always facing or away from ole' Sol. Is that correct? If so, is there a relatively temperate zone where the two sides meet - a line where the extremes balance each other out?

[@charchar635]

love listening to simon make anime references he doesnt get

[@greatestcait]

I never expected to hear a reference to Mob Psycho 100 but here we are.

[@gbryant261]

Fall out of my chair moment, "when Herschel first got a whiff of Uranus,". Got my attention.

[@israelhernandez145]

William Herschel got a whiff of Uranus. 😂

[@MulToyVerse]

"Neptune tugs on Uranus!" -Michio Kaku

[@arcadiaberger9204]

I look forward to the day (not that I'll live to see it myself) when thousands and eventually millions of humans are living according to a calendar of 176 days, counting from one Mercurian Sunrise to the next.

[@Beryllahawk]

Once more a fantastic script and great video!! I really do hope you eventually put together a space playlist at the least. These are always so much FUN! And this one had far too much humor for me to watch it safely whilst eating dinner, hahahah!

[@actualfactuals3715]

"After all, a planet's a planet no matter how small" Pluto would beg to differ

[@jesserothhammer7378]

15:04 he just said "only Neptune or Uranus have been probed" and now I know he's doing it on purpose lol

[@ThePhysicalReaction]

"When William Herschel first got whiff of Uranus in 1781, it was noted that the new 7th planet, likewise, had an orbital discrepancy"

[@crisstryna_mma1622]

This episode was excellent 👏. Thankyou Simon and the team.

[@Julius_Sneezer1]

Got the notification right after watching the latest episode of Gundam: The Witch From Mercury

[@magnusgreel275]

That was an inspirational end to the video, well done to both the writer and Simon's delivery!

[@swrennie]

Simon: "After all, a planet's a planet, no matter how small". Pluto: " Am I a joke to you?"

[@k5sss]

Mercury has cleared its orbit; Pluto, Charon and Ceres have not. That’s the line, not size.

[@goober5713]

You leave my custard TV alone there Simon!!! Just like high school, I do all the work on the project and you want your name on it!! Not this time Whistler!!!!

[@rickwhitescarver8526]

Kudos for the got a whiff of Uranus in the video. Double kudos for delivering that line with a straight face and without missing a beat

[@danielauto3767]

Nice video. Minor correction: The statement that "it's easy to get to Mercury, the hard part is stopping." Isn't correct. Both parts are hard. That's why the mission to Mercury took flyby visits to Earth and Venus (which help with the "getting there") and flybys past Mercury itself (which help with the stopping" ).

[@monkeybuttdevinlane]

"a planet's a planet, no matter how small"...... I'm sure Pluto felt the same way.

[@DeBedschbacher]

Dunno if it was you Si, or someone within your Team. But whoever is the Queen Fan, that was a very welcome kind of magic!

[@tommy1484]

Simon: a planets a planet no matter how small.. Pluto: 👁️👄👁️

[@NeidalRuekk]

FINDING this little oddball can be a real trick, but transits illuminate where it is perfectly. I've seen three of them, and only about that many times in the evening sky

[@mindchap]

Love the subtle Queen nods

[@Oldmonstrosityshop]

I’ve only just come across Geographics and have been consuming the videos like an insatiable lunatic for the past few days. Every video ends with a slight semi. Love it.

[@m.v.t.e.o]

love the subtle Uranus puns

[@Netasuke]

Yay! Another spacographics!

[@Yo_Its_Matty_ice]

"When William Herschel got a whiff of Uranus" Nice

[@oncomics1128]

Simon said "probed." And "got wind of." What? Uranus, of course...

[@Sepaedius]

I can't wait to see what wonders the Pepe probe will reveal to us

[@juanrondon2072]

Keep up the good work Simon!!

[@steelfabric]

Under my rock on the opposite side of the world, I get the Truss/Cheese reference.

[@carolpond3340]

Based Simon making a mob psycho reference

[@joeschmoe5063]

Certainly not a place I expected to hear a Mob Psycho 100 reference

[@angelally7776]

Love the Mob Psycho reference! 😂

[@--enyo--]

Ah ha ha I think we can all agree that Simon did not get the Mob Psycho reference, but for the writer I appreciated it. 😂

[@eaphantom9214]

18:43 - Interesting comparison! 😂😂

[@kalvds9345]

Love these videos on planets Simon!

[@frankkahl3097]

I’m feeling a deep connection with Mercury, being also supremely dense once in a while while.

[@Roguescienceguy]

Future humans might decide to drag it to Venus and use it as it's moon to speed up it's rotation

[@chrisruiz3451]

Was not expecting a mob psycho 100 reference 🤣

[@Literarydilettante]

"When William Herschel caught whiff of Uranus." 😆 Noice!

[@krobson4849]

What I learned from this video: Jane Curtin's character on Third Rock From the Sun was named after a mars fragment.

[@bluechew69]

I signed up for curiosity stream yesterday with someone elses link.

[@presidentirinavladimirovna7054]

Love the reference to MOB Psycho 100 Simon