Destiny or Chance

This cassette tells the remarkable story of how our solar system came into existence, providing a tour of our understanding of the Earth, its planetary neighbours and other planetary systems.

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Written by a leading planetary scientist, Destiny or Chance tells the remarkable story of how our solar system came into existence. For anyone interested in understanding our solar system, this is an invaluable and gripping story, providing a fast-paced and expert tour of our new understanding of the Earth, its planetary neighbours and other planetary systems. Many works describe the inventory of the solar system: Ross Taylor's work is unique because it explains to us why the solar system looks the way it does, and how it came about. We learn why Mars is so small, where comets come from, how rings form around planets, why asteriods exist and why Pluto isn't even a planet at all. En route, we discover that chance events have shaped the course of the history of our solar system: dramatic collisions, for example, have caused the tilts and spins of planets, the extinction of the dinosaurs, and the rise of man. Ross Taylor also discusses the eternal questions: why is Earth so suitable for harbouring life? Do we live in a designer universe or a chance one? What might other planetary systems look like? Are we alone?