How the Universe Works

How the Universe Works85%

TV 2010-04-25 42m Documentary
★ 8.3 / 10 · 125 votes
Ratings
Combined
84.8 %
3 sources
IMDb
8.9 /10
7,730 votes
Trakt
82 %
403 votes
TMDB
82 %
125 votes

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.

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Status
Ended
Runtime
42m
Seasons
11
Episodes
93
Studio
Discovery
Networks
Science , Discovery
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Links
IMDb, TVDB, Wikidata
Cast
Mike Rowe Mike Rowe Himself - Narrator Michelle Thaller Michelle Thaller Phil Plait Phil Plait
Nina Lanza Nina Lanza Self - Planetary Scientist
Hakeem Muata Oluseyi Hakeem Muata Oluseyi Moogega Cooper Moogega Cooper
Jani Radebaugh Jani Radebaugh
Dan Durda Dan Durda Self - Planetary Scientist
Kevin J. Walsh Kevin J. Walsh
Paul M Sutter Paul M Sutter Self - Astrophysicist
Erik Dellums Erik Dellums Self - Narrator
Chris Mckay Chris Mckay Self - Astrobiologist
Season 1 2010 · 8 eps
  1. 1 Big Bang The programme investigates how the Universe came into existence out of nothing, and how it grew from a minuscule point, smaller than an atomic particle, to the vast cosmos we see … Apr 25, 2010 42m
  2. 2 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… May 2, 2010 42m
  3. 3 Galaxies The evolution of galaxies, from clouds of cold gas floating in space 13 billion years ago, to the vast gravitationally bound systems of today. May 10, 2010 42m
  4. 4 Stars Examining the birth of stars, and how their creation changed the cosmos for ever, leading to planets and life itself. May 10, 2010 42m
  5. 5 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. On… May 17, 2010 42m
  6. 6 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… May 17, 2010 42m
  7. 7 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 f… May 24, 2010 42m
  8. 8 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… May 24, 2010 42m
Season 2 2012 · 8 eps
  1. 1 Volcanoes - The Furnaces of Life Are we alone in the Universe? What makes Earth so different? Part of the answer is our volcanoes. without them we would not be here either. Today we are discovering volcanoes on a… Jul 11, 2012 42m
  2. 2 Megastorms - The Winds of Creation Destructive weather forces are symptoms of Earth's creative energy. In our quest to discover if we are alone in the universe, we shouldn't just look for worlds, we should look for… Jul 18, 2012 42m
  3. 3 Exoplanets - Planets from Hell We once thought that the only planets were in our solar system. We have found many other planets but they are nothing like we expected, from deep-frozen, toxic snowballs, to scorc… Jul 25, 2012 42m
  4. 4 Megaflares - Cosmic Firestorms The Universe is a magnetic minefield. Spinning star systems crackle and explode, magnetic monsters rip worlds apart, star-quakes shoot beams of devastating energy, and galactic fl… Aug 1, 2012 42m
  5. 5 Extreme Orbits - Clockwork and Creation We owe our existence to the stability of earth's orbit. But we are the freaks: everywhere else we look we find orbits are chaotic, unstable, and violent. Yet on the very largest … Aug 8, 2012 42m
  6. 6 Comets - Frozen Wanderers As time machines from the early universe, comets could hold the key to unlock the secrets of the cosmos, and may even be the origin of life itself. In this episode, we learn that … Aug 15, 2012 42m
  7. 7 Asteroids - Worlds That Never Were Asteroids wiped out the dinosaurs and may be back for us but they also built the Earth and may have brought life to its barren surface. Asteroids will shape our future as much as … Aug 22, 2012 42m
  8. 8 Birth of the Earth The Earth was formed by a series of cataclysms without which we would not exist. Could the same events have created other earth-like planets elsewhere in the Universe inhabited by… Aug 29, 2012 42m
Season 3 2014 · 9 eps
  1. 1 Journey from the Center of the Sun How does light escape from the sun? We take a journey from the centre of the sun, following the path of light. We witness its fiery birth from in the core, its 430,000 mile battle… Jul 9, 2014 42m
  2. 2 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 transit… Jul 16, 2014 42m
  3. 3 Jupiter: Destroyer or Savior? Beneath Jupiter's clouds lie our solar system's deepest secrets: from its violent youth, through the birth of life to the death of the sun. Scientists are discovering that the sol… Jul 23, 2014 42m
  4. 4 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 … Jul 30, 2014 42m
  5. 5 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… Aug 6, 2014 42m
  6. 6 Weapons of Mass Extinction Asteroids strike, planets collide, black holes blast out death rays, volcanoes erupt and ice engulfs the planet. These are the universe’s weapons of extinction. They’ve happened b… Aug 13, 2014 42m
  7. 7 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 destructi… Aug 20, 2014 42m
  8. 8 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 t… Aug 27, 2014 42m
  9. 9 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 … Sep 3, 2014 42m
Season 4 2015 · 8 eps
  1. 1 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 viol… Jul 14, 2015 42m
  2. 2 Earth, Venus's Evil Twin An examination of Venus; and what it may indicate about Earth's future. Jul 21, 2015 42m
  3. 3 Monster Black Hole A look inside the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way to discover terrifying secrets about parallel universes, wormholes, and space-time. Jul 28, 2015 42m
  4. 4 Edge of the Solar System Huge magnetic bubbles millions of miles wide; strange invisible matter, and a death star tearing through bands of icy comets, flinging them into violent orbits. Aug 4, 2015 42m
  5. 5 Dawn Of Life Discovering how life on Earth came to be; the possibility that life on Earth come from another planet. Aug 11, 2015 42m
  6. 6 Secret History of the Moon The incredible secrets of the moon are revealed; the moon might be responsible for life on Earth. Aug 18, 2015 42m
  7. 7 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… Aug 25, 2015 42m
  8. 8 Forces of Mass Construction Scientists attempt to understand how this strange force of magnetism works. Sep 1, 2015 42m
Season 5 2016 · 9 eps
  1. 1 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. Nov 22, 2016 42m
  2. 2 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 l… Nov 29, 2016 42m
  3. 3 Black Holes: The Secret Origin Recent discoveries could explain how supermassive black holes grow so big, one of the universe's most mysterious questions. Neither dark matter nor cannibalism can fully explain t… Dec 6, 2016 42m
  4. 4 Secret History of Pluto The first close-up images of Pluto revealed unimaginable secrets of this mysterious frozen world. Now, scientists investigate if Pluto is home to a warm ocean of liquid water bene… Jan 3, 2017 42m
  5. 5 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… Jan 10, 2017 42m
  6. 6 The Universe's Deadliest The universe is a dangerous place, and we explore the deadliest spots in the cosmos. Between earth and the edge of the universe, there are a million ways to die, and our crash tes… Jan 17, 2017 42m
  7. 7 Life and Death on the Red Planet Life once existed on Mars, but a series of devastating mass extinctions have made present-day life nearly impossible. The latest science shows how Martian life keeps bouncing back… Jan 24, 2017 42m
  8. 8 The Dark Matter Enigma Dark matter is the biggest mystery of the cosmos. Scientists know that it has been vital to our universe since its birth, and new discoveries reveal that it could create black hol… Jan 31, 2017 42m
  9. 9 Strangest Alien Worlds Discoveries of new planets have revealed countless worlds much stranger than Earth. Some of these worlds don't have stars, others are made out of diamonds. Will we ever find a pla… Feb 7, 2017 42m
Season 6 2018 · 10 eps
  1. 1 Are Black Holes Real? New discoveries are challenging everything we know about black holes, and astronomers are beginning to question if they even exist. The latest science tries to explain how they wo… Jan 9, 2018 42m
  2. 2 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 lif… Jan 16, 2018 42m
  3. 3 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 strange alien worlds that came before us. Jan 23, 2018 42m
  4. 4 Death of the Milky Way The Milky Way is dying, and using the latest science and discoveries, experts are investigating what's killing it. Jan 30, 2018 42m
  5. 5 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 might have helped start life on Earth. Feb 6, 2018 42m
  6. 6 Secret History of Mercury Mercury is a deadly world, facing attacks from the Sun, comets, and other planets, and even though it's the smallest planet in our solar system, it has a dangerous secret a danger… Feb 13, 2018 42m
  7. 7 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. Feb 20, 2018 42m
  8. 8 Strange Lives of Dwarf Planets Our solar system is home to hundreds of strange, tiny worlds called dwarf planets, and new discoveries reveal the secrets of these mysterious places. Feb 27, 2018 42m
  9. 9 War on Asteroids Scientists are using cutting-edge technology to stop an asteroid apocalypse, and for the first time, mankind is closer than ever to keeping Earth safe from these killer space rock… Mar 6, 2018 42m
  10. 10 Mystery of Spacetime Spacetime is the secret structure that controls our universe, and this strange four-dimensional substance controls time, light, and energy. It will also determine how our universe… Mar 13, 2018 42m
Season 7 2019 · 10 eps
  1. 1 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 we ever thought, w… Jan 8, 2019 42m
  2. 2 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. Jan 15, 2019 42m
  3. 3 The Interstellar Mysteries Interstellar space is the space between the universe's stars and new discoveries reveal that it's not empty and unremarkable as previously thought, but filled with weird objects a… Jan 22, 2019 42m
  4. 4 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 un… Jan 29, 2019 42m
  5. 5 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. Feb 5, 2019 42m
  6. 6 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… Feb 12, 2019 42m
  7. 7 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 forc… Feb 19, 2019 42m
  8. 8 Hunt for Alien Life The latest discoveries suggest life beyond this planet; scientists investigate if earth's life began elsewhere in the universe, and whether humans need to evolve to know for sure. Feb 26, 2019 42m
  9. 9 Finding the New Earth New discoveries have revealed thousands of exoplanets beyond our solar system. Some resemble earth enough that one could be a new home for humanity. Even with cutting-edge technol… Mar 5, 2019 42m
  10. 10 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 fres… Mar 12, 2019 42m
Season 8 2020 · 9 eps
  1. 1 Asteroid Apocalypse: The New Threat If a massive asteroid collides with earth, it could end life on our planet as we know it; new discoveries and cutting-edge tech reveal just how close we are to apocalypse and what… Jan 2, 2020 85m
  2. 2 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 scien… Jan 9, 2020 42m
  3. 3 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 grou… Jan 16, 2020 42m
  4. 4 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 st… Jan 23, 2020 42m
  5. 5 Secrets of Time Travel Time travel might be more possible than we ever imagined, and today, cutting-edge technology and the latest research into black holes and wormholes is helping experts get steps cl… Jan 30, 2020 42m
  6. 6 When NASA Met Jupiter NASA's Juno spacecraft is part of a cutting-edge mission to explore the mysteries of Jupiter, and as this mighty probe is pummeled with deadly radiation, it gathers new data that … Feb 6, 2020 42m
  7. 7 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 t… Feb 13, 2020 42m
  8. 8 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 supermassive black ho… Feb 20, 2020 42m
  9. 9 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… Feb 27, 2020 42m
Season 9 2021 · 11 eps
  1. 1 Journey to a Black Hole Journey to the heart of the M87 supermassive black hole, the first and only black hole ever photographed, and explore the mystery of how it grew so large, what lies inside, and ho… Mar 24, 2021 84m
  2. 2 Mission to a Comet Experts embark on a ground-breaking mission to land on a comet. Mar 31, 2021 42m
  3. 3 Secrets Of The Sun A brand-new NASA mission to the Sun reveals cutting-edge discoveries about Earth's star; as the Parker Solar Probe dives through the Sun's atmosphere, what it finds challenges eve… Apr 7, 2021 42m
  4. 4 Aliens of the Microcosmos New discoveries reveal the power of microscopic alien organisms. Apr 14, 2021 42m
  5. 5 Curse of the White Dwarf Dead stars called white dwarfs may be the key to understanding the cosmos. Apr 21, 2021 42m
  6. 6 War of the Galaxies Galaxies are locked in continual combat across the universe, and our own Milky Way will face its biggest opponent ever, the Andromeda Galaxy, in a titanic and deadly struggle that… Apr 28, 2021 42m
  7. 7 The Next Supernova The galaxy is full of stars ready to explode into supernovas, a stellar detonation powerful enough to destroy all life on Earth; it's an event that hasn't occurred in 400 years, a… May 5, 2021 42m
  8. 8 Secret Lives Of Neutrinos Neutrinos are the most mysterious particles in the universe, and they power some of the most explosive events in the cosmos; new discoveries reveal how these ghosts pass through o… May 12, 2021 42m
  9. 9 Birth of Monster Black Holes New discoveries reveal an astonishing supermassive black hole that was born during the earliest days of the cosmos, and finding out how this giant grew so large so quickly may hel… May 19, 2021 42m
  10. 10 Gravitational Waves Revealed Gravitational waves are helping scientists explore the cosmos in revolutionary, new ways, and the discoveries they make are revealing the universe’s greatest mysteries. May 26, 2021 42m
  11. 11 Mystery of Alien Worlds New discoveries reveal the secrets of mysterious alien worlds. Jun 2, 2021 42m
Season 10 2022 · 6 eps
  1. 1 Secrets of the Cosmic Web New research reveals an intergalactic network known as the Cosmic Web. Mar 6, 2022 42m
  2. 2 Curse of the Cosmic Rays Experts attempt to determine where cosmic rays originate in the universe. Mar 13, 2022 42m
  3. 3 Hunt for Dark Matter Physicists attempt to determine if Dark Matter could actually exist. Mar 20, 2022 42m
  4. 4 Dark History of Earth Experts explore how Earth's disastrous history led to human evolution. Mar 27, 2022 42m
  5. 5 Hunt for the Universe's Origin Experts explore the elusive endeavor of determining the age of the cosmos. Apr 3, 2022 42m
  6. 6 Voyager's Ultimate Mission Experts explore the ultimate, ongoing mission of the Voyager spacecraft. Apr 10, 2022 42m
Season 11 2023 · 5 eps
  1. 1 The Moons of Saturn Discover how Saturn's moons could rewrite the rules of the Solar System. Mar 5, 2023 42m
  2. 2 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 … Mar 12, 2023 42m
  3. 3 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 happ… Mar 19, 2023 42m
  4. 4 Asteroid: Countdown to Catastrophe In a fictional scenario set in 2029, an asteroid hurtling towards Earth at 40,000 mph will reduce New York to ashes; examining the hypothetical, experts weigh in to determine what… Mar 26, 2023 42m
  5. 5 Solar System Special New discoveries have rewritten the history of the solar system, revealing a complex and violent story that begins with the birth of the Sun from the debris of a massive galactic c… Apr 2, 2023 84m
Specials 2019 · 12 eps
  1. 1 Saturn's Darkest Secrets New discoveries reveal just how strange Saturn, its rings and its moons are, and using the latest science from cutting-edge NASA missions, experts are steps closer to understandin… Mar 18, 2019 42m
  2. 2 Dark Secrets of Alien Suns Strange alien stars are rewriting everything about the known universe; new discoveries and cutting-edge technology help experts uncover the dark secrets of these hell suns. Mar 25, 2019 42m
  3. 3 Pluto's Darkest Secrets New discoveries reveal just how strange Pluto and similar dwarf planets are, and using the latest science from cutting-edge NASA missions, experts are steps closer to understandin… Apr 1, 2019 42m
  4. 4 Mysteries of the Moon - Part 1 New discoveries reveal our moon's most mysterious secrets, and using cutting-edge technology, experts investigate the dark truth behind its strange and alien features. Apr 8, 2019 42m
  5. 5 Mysteries of the Moon - Part 2 New discoveries reveal our moon's most mysterious secrets, and using cutting-edge technology, experts investigate the dark truth behind its strange and alien features. Apr 15, 2019 42m
  6. 6 Universe's Greatest Mysteries New discoveries are revealing the answers to the universe's greatest mysteries, but even today, there are strange phenomena that remain unexplained; experts use cutting-edge metho… Apr 22, 2019 42m
  7. 7 Life and Death of Stars New discoveries reveal the mysterious birth of stars and their violent deaths. Apr 29, 2019 42m
  8. 8 Secrets of the Giants New discoveries on the inner workings of the universe's biggest planets are revealing the dark secrets that have stumped experts for decades. May 6, 2019 42m
  9. 9 Dark Side of the Big Bang New discoveries reveal the dark secrets and unsolved mysteries behind the Big Bang Theory. May 13, 2019 42m
  10. 10 Earth's Cosmic Journey Earth is spinning on a tilted axis as it orbits around the Sun. Experts and scientists explain how the planet journeys through the Milky Way. 42m
  11. 12 How to Build A Planet Some of the brightest minds and theorists on the planet explore the limits of human knowledge and explain the science behind the rules of the universe. Dec 21, 2020 43m
  12. 13 Moon New scientific discoveries reveal that the moon has an incredible, violent, and dynamic history. Was the moon originally more similar to earth than previously thought? Jan 11, 2021 42m
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