This video focuses on the Meteosat satellite, which provides data on weather variables to meteorological centres to be incorporated into weather forecast predictions. In order to understand climatic changes and how stable the weather system is, it is important to know the history of Earth’s weather. A brief history, starting 4,5 billion years ago, is provided. Observations are made about the differences in planetary neighbours Earth, Venus and Mars, despite their similar origins.

The history of our weather is largely driven by forces beyond Earth, deep in the solar system: sun, Earth’s orbit, Earth’s axis tilt, volcanic nature of Earth, galactic rubbish. Animations show what the Netherlands, ice and sea levels in northern regions and the Sahara would have looked like 50 000 years ago. Images of Earth from Meteosat are shown for the years: 1991, 1981, 1973 and 1968. Scientists actually know very little about Earth, its weather and how it all works. ESA’s ERS-1 provides data on Earth, allowing scientists to connect the present to the past.