MERCURIO si sta RESTRINGENDO: il PIANETA più vicino a Sole!

Mercury isn't just "the little ball near the Sun." In this video, we explore its geology as a journey: from the extreme surface conditions to the iron core that occupies much of the planet. We'll explore why a solar day lasts 176 Earth days, how a still-partially liquid core generates a weak but active magnetic field, and what gigantic craters like Caloris tell us about the planet's impact history. We'll delve into the lobate scarps, the gigantic compression scarps that testify to Mercury's global contraction (reduction in radius by several kilometers). We'll see the volcanic plains and evidence of even explosive volcanism, and the surprising presence of water ice in the shadowed polar craters. Finally, a look at the most recent publications on "young" tectonics, internal structure, and heterogeneous crust, and what we will be able to better understand with BepiColombo (ESA/JAXA), arriving in orbit in 2026. A small planet with an enormous history: contraction, volcanoes, ice, and still-active processes that are rewriting our understanding of rocky worlds near the Sun! References: Banks, M. E., et al. (2016). Recent tectonic activity on Mercury revealed by small thrust fault scarps. Nature Geoscience, 9, 626–629. Watters, T. R., et al. (2023). Widespread young graben associated with lobate scarps on Mercury. Nature Geoscience, 16, 332–338. Padovan, S., et al. (2023). Crustal density and lithospheric thickness of Mercury revealed by gravity and topography data. Communications Earth & Environment, 4, 151. Rufu, R., et al. (2025). Mercury's structure explained by a hit-and-run collision between two similar-sized protoplanets. Nature Astronomy, 9, 39–47. Kerber, L., et al. (2011). Pyroclastic deposits on Mercury: Evidence from MESSENGER flybys. Science, 333(6051), 436–439. Thomas, R.J., et al. (2014). Global distribution of pyroclastic deposits on Mercury: The view from MESSENGER. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 119(10), 2239–2254. Blewett, D. T., et al. (2011). Hollows on Mercury: MESSENGER evidence for geologically recent volatile-related activity. Science, 333(6051), 1856–1859. Peplowski, P. N., et al. (2011). Radioactive elements on Mercury’s surface from MESSENGER: Implications for the planet’s formation and evolution. Science, 333(6051), 1850–1852. Timestamp: 00:00 Mercury in general 01:18 Mercury numbers 02:54 If we were on Mercury 04:46 Mercury’s core and mantle 06:39 Hypotheses about a gigantic core 07:55 Geological characteristics of Mercury 10:36 Is Mercury shrinking? 12:56 Mercury has experienced “recent” volcanism 14:55 Surface carbon and water ice deposits 17:59 The future of Mercury