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How do we study the stars? - Yuan-Sen Ting

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13,946 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

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Our best technology can send men to the Moon and probes to the edge of our solar system, but these distances are vanishingly small compared to the size of the universe. How then can we learn about the galaxies beyond our own? Yuan-Sen Ting takes us into deep space to show how astronomers study the stars beyond our reach.

Why have humans evolved to be sensitive only to optical light? Why might this be an advantage? Why might it be a disadvantage? [Hint: What wavelength does the Sun preferentially emit its energy?] If there are organisms elsewhere in the Universe sensitive to the other wavelengths, what would they look like? Sketch your idea.

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Yuan-Sen Ting, Amali Vaz, Gautham Narayan
  • Director Tolga Yıldız, Serin İnan
  • Composer Ismail Genc
  • Sound Designer Himalaya Sound
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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