Our Smelly Solar System

What is one method scientists use to understand the composition of celestial bodies?

• By measuring their gravitational pull

• By tasting samples from space

• By analyzing their spectroscopic signatures

• By listening to their radio waves

What did scientists discover about the composition of Uranus's clouds?

• They are rich in ammonia

• They contain high levels of hydrogen sulfide

• They are mostly made of water vapor

• They have a high concentration of carbon dioxide

What does the presence of hydrogen sulfide in Uranus's atmosphere suggest about its formation?

• It formed closer to the Sun

• It formed at the same time as the Sun

• It formed farther from the Sun

• It has a similar formation to Earth

What challenge did scientists face when analyzing Titan's atmosphere?

• Absence of nitrogen in the atmosphere

• Inability to simulate Titan's conditions

• Overlapping spectroscopic signals

• Lack of data from space probes

What did scientists discover when recreating Titan's atmosphere in the lab?

• The presence of oxygen

• The absence of methane

• The presence of complex molecules called aromatics

• The presence of water vapor

What unusual scent is associated with a clay-like meteorite known as the 'cosmic mudball'?

• Brussels sprouts or vanilla

• Lavender

• Burnt toast

• Freshly cut grass

What is a potential issue when studying the scents of meteorites?

• They are too rare to find

• They do not emit any scent

• Their scents are influenced by Earth-based compounds

• They are too small to analyze