The disappearing act of Saturn's young rings

Richard Durisen, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy from Indiana University Bloomington, and Paul Estrada, Research Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, discuss their research on the surprisingly recent formation of Saturn's rings and why they are disappearing over time. They explore the findings about the rings' age, composition, and structural evolution. The chapter also highlights the importance of the Cassini mission in providing detailed information about Saturn's rings. The chapter concludes with the discussion of future missions to study Saturn's rings and the emotional reflection on the end of the Cassini mission.