How the Universe Works
A users guide to the cosmos from the big bang to galaxies, stars, planets and moons. Where did it all come from and how does it all fit together. A primer for anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered.
Genre: Documentary
Cast:Phil Plait , Michelle Thaller , Richard Lintern , Mike Rowe , Hakeem Oluseyi , Lawrence Krauss , James S. Bullock , Paul M. Sutter , Moogega Cooper , Dan Durda , Nina Lanza , Jani Radebaugh , Erik Dellums , Michio Kaku , Kevin Walsh , Alex Filippenko , Max Tegmark , Grant Tremblay
S1.E1 ∙ Big Bang
This is the greatest story ever told, the creation of everything us. The programme investigates how the Universe came into existence out of nothing, and how it grew from a miniscule point, smaller than an atomic particle, to the vast cosmos we see today.
S1.E2 ∙ Black Holes
Black Holes,the most powerful destroyers in the Universe, the most mysterious phenomena in the heavens. For years they were only speculation, now modern astronomy is proving them frighteningly real and showing that they may well shape everything we see.
S1.E3 ∙ Galaxies
Galaxies, home to stars, planets and us, come in all shapes and sizes. Witnesses the evolution of galaxies; from clouds of cold gas floating in the voids of space 13 billion years ago, to the magnificent spirals that fill our night sky.
S1.E4 ∙ Stars
The story of how stars were made by the Universe and how Stars then went on to engineer everything else in that very universe. They changed the Universe by spawning further generations of stars, then planets and eventually the building blocks of life.
S1.E5 ∙ Supernovas
Stars are not eternal; they are dying in unimaginably large explosions called supernovas. Second only to the Big Bang, these explosions are where creation and destruction meet. Only now have we begun to understand how these wonders in our sky work.
S1.E6 ∙ Planets
There are just eight planets in our solar system, but there could be a hundred billion planets in our Milky Way galaxy alone. This show follows the journey of planets as they grow from grains of dust to the magnificently diverse worlds we see today.
S1.E7 ∙ Solar Systems
Is our solar system unique? Since the first discovery of a planet orbiting another star, some 280 alien solar systems have been identified. It's only by looking at solar systems far beyond our own, that we can understand how remarkable our universe is.
S1.E8 ∙ Moons
Moons come in every possible shape and size. Home to incredible natural phenomena like gigantic geysers and colossal volcanoes, moons also offer perhaps the best chance of finding alien life in the Universe - and they probably exist in the billions.
S2.E1 ∙ Volcanoes
Scientists are discovering volcanoes on worlds we once thought dead. From our nearest planetary neighbour to tiny moons billions of miles away, today we are discovering volcanoes on alien worlds. Are these worlds where, tomorrow, we might find life?
S2.E2 ∙ Megastorms - The Winds of Creation
On Earth, violent and destructive storms create new opportunities for life. In our quest to discover if we are alone in the universe, we shouldn't just look for worlds, we should look for weather. Find chaotic weather and maybe we will find alien life.
S2.E3 ∙ Planets from Hell
Over the last twenty years we have discovered an extraordinary zoo of planetary nightmares outside our own solar system, all of them truly wild worlds, a collection of monsters. Now we must face the question: Is every planet out there a planet from hell?
S2.E4 ∙ Megaflares - Cosmic Firestorms
The Universe is a magnetic minefield. The Sun spits out flares capable of battering life on Earth. But out there in space lie the true magnetic monsters. As we uncover dangerous megaflares in the cosmos, the question is, will we end up in the firing line?
S2.E5 ∙ Extreme Orbits - Clockwork and Creation
The only reason life on Earth is possible is because of our stable orbit around the Sun. Elsewhere in the Universe, orbits are chaotic, violent and destructive. On the largest scale, orbits are a creative force and construct the fabric of the Universe.
S2.E6 ∙ Comets - Frozen Wanderers
We follow the odyssey of a comet as it sails through space, watching every move as it evolves from a chunk of ice and rock into an active nucleus engulfed in a gaseous haze. What we learn is a revelation; comets are even more mysterious than we imagined.
S2.E7 ∙ Asteroids - Worlds That Never Were
From icy worlds with more fresh water than Earth to flying mountains of pure metal, asteroids shaped our past and promise much for the future. Could these enigmatic space rocks hold the key to how life in the Universe arises and is extinguished?
S2.E8 ∙ Birth of the Earth
The Earth was formed by a series of cosmic cataclysms including the most powerful blast in the Universe. Yet amid the turmoil our world was born. Could the same chain of events have created other earths elsewhere, inhabited by creatures like us?
S3.E1 ∙ Journey from the Center of the Sun
How does light escape from the sun? We take a journey from the center of the sun, following the path of light. We witness its fiery birth from in the core, its 430,000 mile battle against gravity and magnetism, and its escape from the solar surface.
S3.E2 ∙ The End of the Universe
How and when will the Universe end? Gravity and dark matter are poised to annihilate the Universe in a big crunch. Expansion and dark energy may tear it apart. Or, a phase transition could kill us tomorrow in a cosmic death bubble.
S3.E3 ∙ Jupiter: Destroyer or Savior?
Beneath Jupiter's swirling clouds lie our solar system's deepest secrets: from its violent youth, through the birth of life to the death of the sun. Now, scientists are unlocking these secrets and discovering that every living thing exists tha to Jupiter.
S3.E4 ∙ First Second of the Big Bang
The first second of the Universe, the creation of everything when space, time, matter and energy burst into existence. It is the most important second in history, which seals the Universe's fate and defines everything that comes after - including us.
S3.E5 ∙ Is Saturn Alive?
Saturn's secrets are out. The ferocious weather, the evolving ring system and the discovery of active geology on Saturn's moons has rewritten the textbooks. Scientists are looking for life on Saturn's moons and they may have found it on Titan.
S3.E6 ∙ Weapons of Mass Extinction
An overview of historical mass extinctions and what is in store for the future.
S3.E7 ∙ Did a Black Hole Build the Milky Way?
What built the Milky Way? New research might now have the answer, revealing an unlikely hero. At the heart of our galaxy sits a super massive black hole, one of the most destructive objects in the Universe. Could it be our creator?
S3.E8 ∙ Our Voyage to the Stars
One day, a cosmic disaster will make life on Earth impossible. To survive, we must find a new home amongst the stars. Scientists are already developing new propulsion systems to take us to these distant worlds.
S3.E9 ∙ The Search for a Second Earth
Is there another Earth out there with liquid oceans, rocky continents and life like us? Astronomers seek the answer with spectroscopy, direct imaging and telescopes. They hope to find evidence of atmospheres, magnetospheres and signs of life.
S4.E1 ∙ How the Universe Built Your Car
Beneath the hood of your car lies the history of the Universe. The iron in your chassis, the gold in your stereo and the copper in your electronics all owe their existence to violent cosmic events that took place billions of years ago.
S4.E2 ∙ Earth, Venus's Evil Twin
There is a hellish planet in our solar system; covered in thick dense clouds and roasted by colossal temperatures. Incredibly this is a vision of Earth's future. To understand how our world will be destroyed we need to look at Earth's evil twin Venus.
S4.E3 ∙ Monster Black Hole
Black holes are the least understood places in the universe, where the rules of physics collapse. We go inside the super-massive black hole in the center of the Milky Way.
S4.E4 ∙ Edge of the Solar System
Giant magnetic bubbles millions of miles wide, bizarre invisible matter, and a death star tearing through bands of icy comets, flinging them into violent orbits. All this and more could be inside our cosmic backyard, and effecting our lives on Earth.
S4.E5 ∙ Dawn of Life
We're on the verge of unconvering the how life on Earth came to be. Our origin is a hotly contested scientific debate. Did we come from strange volcanic hatcheries deep under the sea? Or did life on Earth come from another planet?
S4.E6 ∙ Secret History of the Moon
Our Moon is stranger than you think, and we reveal its incredible secrets. Can we thank the Moon for life on Earth? What explains the mysterious tunnels beneath its surface? Is a lunar base the key to humanity's future in space?
S4.E7 ∙ The First Oceans
For years, scientists suspected that the oceans came from molecules delivered to Earth from distant stars by asteroids, but a new discovery suggests that their true origins may be more exotic.
S4.E8 ∙ Forces of Mass Construction
There's a mysterious force you can't see or touch, but it affects everything in the universe. Magnetism has shaped our cosmos, and without it, Creation would simply disintegrate. We follow scientists trying to understand how this strange force works.
S5.E0 ∙ Most Amazing Discoveries
From the furthest reaches of space to our own cosmic backyard, we count down the discoveries that changed everything we know about our universe.
S5.E1 ∙ The Mystery of Planet 9
Scientists have discovered a mysterious ninth planet on the very edge of our solar system. Ten times the size of Earth, this strange world could have moons with extraterrestrial life.
S5.E2 ∙ Black Holes: The Secret Origin
The question in every galaxy and super anomaly students and viewers minds are how do black holes grow so massive. For every possible solution, there exists a different cause. The study continues.
S5.E3 ∙ Secret History of Pluto
Astronomers discovered a host of other icy objects orbiting around Pluto. Renewed interest was piqued, especially after a New Horizons probe took some high-resolution photos of Pluto in 2015.
S5.E4 ∙ Stars That Kill
The universe is home to real-life Death Stars that could destroy planet Earth. The latest science reveals the terrifying secrets of NASA's six deadliest: vampire stars, supernovas that can vaporize a planet, and unpredictable stars gone rogue.
S5.E5 ∙ The Universe's Deadliest
The ultimate guide to the worst places in the universe. There is Betelgeuse in its death throes and could become a supernova and the possibly a death star. Chuck, the crash-test dummy will be sent on travels to other deadly events,
S5.E6 ∙ Life and Death on the Red Planet
Life on Mars went through a series of life impacting events and the first impact may have seeded life on earth by debris from Mars..
S5.E7 ∙ The Dark Matter Enigma
Dark matter is the biggest mystery of the cosmos. Scientists know that it has been vital to the universe since its birth, new discoveries reveal that it could create black holes, cause mass extinctions, and might even have helped to shape life on the Earth. Might there be a dark matter universe that may account for all the events that aren't really definable? This is all pure speculation and if's.
S5.E8 ∙ Strangest Alien Worlds
Discoveries of new planets have revealed countless worlds much stranger than Earth. Some of these strange worlds don't have stars, others are made out of diamonds. Will we ever find a planet like Earth, or are these distant worlds stranger than fiction?
S6.E1 ∙ Are black holes real
Various eminent scientists explain the current knowledge of Black Holes and try to answer the question, do they really exist? The two great theories of Einstein's General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics don't work together to explain Black Holes which is a big problem. Other theoretical constructs such as Gravastars and Planck stars have been postulated but proving their existence is just as difficult as that of Black Holes. So where next?
S6.E2 ∙ Twin Suns: The Alien Mysteries
Planets that orbit two suns instead of one might be deadly hell worlds, but new discoveries reveal that sci-fi star systems with binary stars might be optimal places for alien life.
S6.E3 ∙ Dark History of the Solar System
Our solar system hides a dark and violent past, and new discoveries reveal that Earth and the planets were formed from the destruction of alien worlds that came before us.
S6.E4 ∙ Death of the Milky Way
The Milky Way is dying, and using the latest science and discoveries, experts are investigating what's killing it.
S6.E5 ∙ Uranus & Neptune: Rise of the Ice Giants
Uranus and Neptune are mysterious, icy worlds at the edge of our solar system, and new discoveries reveal that these strange planets may have helped start life on Earth.
S6.E6 ∙ Secret History of Mercury
Mercury has a dangerous secret that may one day threaten life on Earth.
S6.E7 ∙ The Quasar Enigma
Quasars are the brightest and most powerful objects in our universe, and though they have shaped the cosmos, they might ultimately destroy everything that exists.
S6.E8 ∙ Strange Lives of Dwarf Planets
New discoveries reveal the secrets of hundreds of strange, tiny worlds called dwarf planets.
S6.E9 ∙ War on Asteroids
Scientists discuss various types of asteroids, previous collisions between asteroids and Earth, and various technologies that may be employed to stop future collisions. Also discussed are ways in which nature can prevent or lessen the impact of collisions.
S6.E10 ∙ Mystery of Spacetime
Spacetime is the secret structure that controls our universe, time, light, and energy.
S7.E1 ∙ Nightmares of Neutron Stars
Neutron stars are strange and violent phenomena that defy the laws of physics, and new discoveries reveal that these bizarre nightmares are far more deadly than previously believed, with the power to destroy planets and even other stars.
S7.E2 ∙ When Supernovas Strike
Supernovas are the violent death of giant stars, and new discoveries reveal that these cataclysmic events create the elements that are essential to all life in the universe.
S7.E3 ∙ The Interstellar Mysteries
Discoveries about interstellar space, the space between the universe's stars, reveal that it's not empty and unremarkable as previously thought, but filled with weird objects and strange phenomena that might hold the darkest secrets of the cosmos.
S7.E4 ∙ How Black Holes Made Us
Black holes are not the violent monsters people think they are, and new discoveries reveal that they might have been essential to creating stars, giving light, and building the universe itself.
S7.E5 ∙ Secret World of Nebulas
Nebulas are the strange structures of cosmic gas and dust where stars are born and die, and new discoveries reveal the secrets of these mysterious places.
S7.E6 ∙ Did the Big Bang Really Happen?
New discoveries are causing astronomers to question if the Big Bang really happened, and using the latest science, they investigate if it wasn't just the start of our universe but many mysterious multiverses.
S7.E7 ∙ Battle of the Dark Universe.
Dark matter and dark energy are locked in an epic battle for control of the cosmos, and the winner will determine the fate of the universe. New discoveries might reveal which force will emerge victorious.
S7.E8 ∙ Hunt for Alien Life
The latest discoveries suggest that we might be on the verge of discovering life beyond our planet, and scientists are investigating if earth's life began elsewhere in the universe, and whether we need to evolve to know for sure.
S7.E9 ∙ Finding the New Earth
New discoveries have revealed thousands of exoplanets beyond the solar system. Some resemble earth enough that one could be a new home for humanity. Even with cutting-edge technology, finding the perfect one is the scientific challenge of the age.
S7.E10 ∙ Cassini's Final Secrets
For twenty years, NASA's Cassini spacecraft revealed the strange secrets of Saturn until it vaporized in its atmosphere in a blaze of glory. But today its legacy lives on, as fresh data from the probe helps scientists make brand-new discoveries.
S8.E1 ∙ Asteroid Apocalypse: The New Threat
If a massive asteroid collides with Earth, it could end life on the planet as one knows it.
S8.E2 ∙ NASA's Journey to Mars
NASA is on a mission to send humans to Mars within just 15 years, but to reach this next frontier of space exploration, experts must discover new technology and cutting-edge science that protects astronauts from the Red Planet's deadliest killers.
S8.E3 ∙ Hunt for Alien Evidence
The discovery of extraterrestrial life might face an impossible challenge: the physics of the universe itself; but using cutting-edge tech, experts might be on the verge of a groundbreaking find - and the evidence could already be in hand.
S8.E4 ∙ Death of the Last Stars
Our universe's stars are dying off faster than new ones are born, and using the latest technology, experts investigate the secrets of the last stars of the cosmos and what this stellar apocalypse means for life on earth.
S8.E5 ∙ Secrets of Time Travel
A look at the concepts behind changing the way we travel through the space-time continuum, and how extreme speed and extreme gravity can change the rules of the game.
S8.E6 ∙ When NASA Met Jupiter
NASA's Juno spacecraft is part of a cutting-edge mission to explore the mysteries of Jupiter. As this mighty probe is pummeled with deadly radiation, it gathers new data that could change everything we know about the solar system's biggest planet.
S8.E7 ∙ Edge of the Universe
We don't yet know where the edge of the universe is or what happens there; but thanks to cutting-edge technology and new discoveries, experts might finally reveal the secrets of the phenomena that can be found in deepest reaches of the cosmos.
S8.E8 ∙ Monsters of the Milky Way
The center of the Milky Way is home to strange and deadly phenomena that we don't yet understand, but using the latest science, experts are revealing how the super-massive black hole at our galaxy's core shapes life on Earth.
S8.E9 ∙ Earth's Death Orbit
Earth's journey through the universe is a perilous one, and new discoveries reveal that our planet is heading toward a mysterious area of the cosmos that could eject us out of the Milky Way and into oblivion.
S8.E10 ∙ Pluto's Strangest Secrets
This off-season episode is made up of two How the Universe Works episodes (S6.8 Strange Lives of Dwarf Planets and S5.3 Secret History of Pluto) and an episode of Space's Deepest Secrets(4.10 Pluto's Strange Secrets)
S8.E13 ∙ Attack of the Asteroids
This off-season episode is made up of three other asteroid-related episodes of How the Universe Works: S8.1 Asteroid Apocalypse: The New Threat, S6.9 War on Asteroids, and S3.6 Weapons of Mass Extinction.
S8.E14 ∙ Forces of the Unknown
This off-season episode was made up of three other regular season episodes of How the Universe Works: S8.7 Edge of the Universe, S7.3 The Interstellar Mysteries, and S4.4 Edge of the Solar System.
S9.E1 ∙ Journey to a Black Hole
Journey to the M87 supermassive black hole and explore its mystery.
S9.E2 ∙ Mission to a Comet
The Rosetta mission is a groundbreaking expedition to land on a comet for the very first time.
S9.E3 ∙ Secrets of the Sun
Cutting-edge discoveries about the sun challenge everything known about its atmosphere.
S9.E4 ∙ Aliens Of The Microcosmos
New discoveries reveal how bacteria, viruses and other alien micro-organisms built life on Earth.
S9.E5 ∙ Curse of the White Dwarf
Dead stars called white dwarfs may be the key to understanding the cosmos.
S9.E6 ∙ War of the Galaxies
Discover how galaxies are locked in continual combat across the universe.
S9.E7 ∙ The Next Supernova
A supernova hasn't occurred in 400 years, and the search is on to locate which star may be next.
S9.E8 ∙ Secret Lives of Neutrinos
New science reveals why neutrinos are the universe's strangest particles.
S9.E9 ∙ Birth of the Monster Black Holes
Scientists have discovered one of the first supermassive black holes.
S9.E10 ∙ Gravitational Waves Revealed
Gravitational waves allow scientists to explore the universe in a new way.
S9.E11 ∙ Mystery of Alien Worlds
An explosion in the discovery of exoplanets is challenging everything we know about our universe; experts use cutting-edge astronomy to investigate these mysterious alien worlds and how they defy the laws of physics.
S10.E1 ∙ Secrets of the Cosmic Web
New astronomical research is beginning to reveal an invisible scaffold of dark matter known as the Cosmic Web, an intergalactic network that transformed the Universe from a chaotic Big Bang into the structured beauty of the present day cosmos.
S10.E2 ∙ Curse of the Cosmic Rays
Cosmic rays capable of destroying human DNA are hurtling through outer space like subatomic bullets, causing space crews radiation damage.
S10.E3 ∙ Hunt for Dark Matter
Dark Matter is thought to be the cosmic glue that holds the universe together, yet the search for it continues to eluded scientists today.
S10.E4 ∙ Dark History of Earth
Earth's history is marked by one cosmic disaster after another, forging the path of human evolution; now, experts explore how the Earth has teetered on the verge of destruction.
S10.E5 ∙ Hunt for the Universe's Origin
Experts explore the elusive endeavor of determining the age of the cosmos.
S10.E6 ∙ Voyager's Ultimate Mission
Experts explore the ultimate, ongoing mission of the Voyager spacecraft.
S11.E1 ∙ The Moons of Saturn
Saturn with more than 80 moons, could be the most dynamic planetary system in our neighborhood, and with underground oceans and protective magnetic fields, experts explore how these satellites could rewrite the rules of the Solar System.
S11.E2 ∙ A Robot's Guide to Mars
Mars is infested with robots, orbiting the planet and roaming the Martian surface on a mission to uncover its secrets; now, Perseverance joins this dedicated group of machines to uncover if there is, or was ever, life on the Red Planet.
S11.E3 ∙ The Most Violent Event in the Universe
The collision of two supermassive black holes is the most violent event that can occur in the universe; experts explore where a black hole's energy originates and what really happens when the two most powerful objects in the cosmos clash.
S11.E4 ∙ Countdown to Catastrophe
The year is 2029. An asteroid is hurtling towards Earth at 40,000 mph that will reduce New York to ashes. Now, experts confront the story of this fictional asteroid event to determine what could happen, and how it might be stopped.
S11.E5 ∙ Solar System Special
New discoveries have rewritten the history of our solar system, revealing a complex and violent story that begins with the birth of our Sun from the debris of a massive galactic collision, to its eventual fate as a lone zombie star.
