Prof Alessandro Morbidelli of the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur in Nice gives the 2nd Lobanov-Rostovsky Lecture in Planetary Geology. He talks about the formation of planets in the universe. Morbidelli uses numerical modelling and geochemical and cosmochemical analyses to explain planetary formation within our solar system. He provides a growth history of the Earth, with reference to the specific elements found in the Earth mantle, as well as insight into the composition and timing of moon formation. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/