74. What was the first planet in the solar system? How many stars are in the sky? How do fireworks get up in the sky? Ft special guest expert author of Space Detectives, Mark Powers.

Full Episode description

In this week’s show we answer three questions from Ted, Polly and Tara with help from special guest expert Mark Powers. 

Mark is the author of Space Detectives a story about two boys who go to space to run an ice cream shop and solve mysteries along the way. We also have a competition to win a copy of the book! 

We find out which was the first planet in the solar system, how big it is compared to earth, how many moons it has and discuss the big storm happening on it as well as how many satellites have been out to see it. 

Mark tells us how many stars are in the sky. We also discuss stars, how they don’t actually twinkle, how many you can see when you think you can see a million on a starry night and how bright most stars are compared to our nearest star, the sun! 

We also talk about the invention of fireworks in China using bamboo and gunpowder, how they were used to fire rats and what it is that shoots them high into the sky! 

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Website: www.everythingunderthesun.co.uk

Find out how to submit an answer on our website.

Space Detectives, Mark Powers – https://www.waterstones.com/book/space-detectives/mark-powers/dapo-adeola/9781526603180

Molly Oldfield studied History at Oxford before becoming a QI elf, writing and researching questions for the BBC quiz show for twelve years. She has written three books. They are The Secret Museum, a book about all the things that are in museums that rarely, if ever, go on display; Wonders of the World’s Museums filled with things you can see, and Natural Wonders of the World about all kinds of creatures and places on our beautiful planet we call home. 

This podcast will also be published as Everything Under the Sun – A Year of Curious Questions in September 2021 by Ladybird at Penguin Random House. 

With thanks to Ash Gardner, Tyler Simmons Dale and Audio Networks. 

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