0:00 / 5:48
How Did NASA Touch the Sun Without Melting?
A TED-Ed lesson on the Parker Solar Probe — the fastest object humans have ever built — and how it flew through the Sun's corona in 2021. Discover the strange mystery that the Sun's outer atmosphere is hotter than its surface.
How it works
- Press play to start the video.
- Videos 5 minutes or longer pause once or twice for a quick check. Get it right and you're on your way. If not, you'll see a friendly explanation and the video simply keeps going. Short videos skip the checks.
- At the end there's a 3-question test. Score 60% or more to complete the lesson, and 80% or more to master it. You can always watch again and try for a higher score.