How The Universe Works

If an asteroid collides with the earth it could end life on our planet as we know it. Experts reveal just how close we are to an apocalypse.

If an asteroid collides with the earth it could end life on our planet as we know it. Experts reveal just how close we are to an apocalypse.

A star collapses, creating a black hole with gravity so massive that not even light can escape. But could they provide the key to moving around the universe?

How did the universe come into existence out of nothing? Witness how it grew from a miniscule point, smaller than an atomic particle, to the vast cosmos we see today.

Witness 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.

Explore the violent formation of our solar system, and look forward to its eventual death. And, what do other planetary systems around far-flung stars look like?

From giant burning gas spheres to icy orphaned worlds wandering in interstellar space, explore the strange planets that inhabit the vast spread of the universe.

Are moons the most likely place to find life beyond the Earth? Explore the 300 that lie within our solar system and find out about Earth's turbulent past.

Life is created in unimaginably large explosions called supernovas, scattering the elements formed in the heart of stars. What can they teach us about our origins?

Our entire existence is a result of the nuclear reactions that occur within the sun. Plunge into this ball of gas and discover how it was created.

How and when will the Universe end? Gravity and dark matter are poised to annihilate the Universe in a big crunch. Will expansion and dark energy tear it apart?

How did the gas giants of Jupiter come into being? The inner workings of outer space will be revealed as modern astronomy helps to demystify a series of unusual phenomena.

A user's guide to the cosmos from the Big Bang to galaxies, stars, planets and moons. What dramatic events occurred in the first second after the Big Bang?

Saturn's ferocious weather, its evolving ring system and the discovery of active geology on one of its moons have rewritten the textbooks; explore these new discoveries.

Explore whether catastrophic events such as volcano eruptions, ice ages and asteroid strikes spell out a bleak future for the existence of humans on planet Earth.

What built the Milky Way? At the heart of our galaxy sits a super massive black hole - could it be the key to answering this troublesome dilemma?

One day, a cosmic disaster will make life on Earth impossible. To survive, we must find a new home amongst the stars. Meet the scientists trying to make this possible.

Is there another Earth with liquid oceans, rocky continents and life? Astronomers seek the answer with spectroscopy, direct imaging and telescopes.

Beneath the hood of your car lies the history of the Universe-the various metals present are the result of violent cosmic events at the dawn of time.

Giant magnetic bubbles millions of miles wide, bizarre invisible matter, and a death star tearing through bands of icy comets- all in our cosmic backyard.

Like our planet, Venus started with water. But it was destroyed by too much sun, and rampant volcanism. Is this a vision of Earth's future?

The journey of the atoms that make up your body spans time and space. But how came these chemicals building blocks together to create life?

Go on a terrifying and fascinating journey to infinity and beyond, to the heart of the universe's ultimate enigma: a supermassive black hole.

Across the Universe is a mysterious force that you can't see or touch, but it affects everything and is everywhere. But how exactly does magnetism work?

The origin of the Moon is a great planetary mystery in itself, but what lies beneath its surface could hold the key to future space travel.

Water defines our living blue planet - but how lucky are we to have a home that's warm and wet? Follow the origin of water itself to the birth of our oceans.

Dwarf planets are some of the solar system's most active places, from oceans of liquid water on Pluto to vanishing volcanoes on icy Ceres.

Half of the star systems in our galaxy have two stars, possibly creating habitats for alien life. Here, binary stars fling entire worlds into space.

New research shows the migration of ice planets may have helped start life on Earth, and stopped it from being destroyed. How are they so vital?

Quasars are the brightest objects in space, powered by black holes, and the most mysterious. How do they shape the universe and ultimately aid in its destruction?

The Milky Way is dying and scientists are trying to discover what's killing it. Scientists must trace its whereabouts over the past 13.6 billion years.

Once thought to be an inevitable disaster, scientists now have the technology to prevent asteroids from hitting the Earth. How are they working to do this?

For four years, the Messenger space probe sent images of Mercury, the solar system's smallest planet, closest to the Sun. Could it threaten life on Earth?

The solar system is different to others in the Milky Way, but it hides a violent past. Scientists examine the clues to reveal its secret history.

Space isn't as empty as it seems. It conceals a secret structure called spacetime - an invisible field that governs our lives.

Supernovas are the violent death of giant stars. New discoveries reveal how these events create the elements that are essential to all life in the universe.

Black holes aren't simply violent monsters. New discoveries reveal their importance in creating stars, giving light, and building the universe itself.

New discoveries lead scientists to question if the Big Bang really happened. They investigate if it was the start of many multiverses.

For 20 years NASA's Cassini spacecraft revealed Saturn's strange secrets until it vaporized in its atmosphere. Now, fresh data points to new discoveries.

There are billions of stars in the galaxy, with billions of planets surrounding them. New discoveries force the question - is Earth the only planet with life on it?

NASA's Juno probe is unlocking Jupiter's secrets, answering mysteries and gathering data. Scientists and experts explain the importance of this mission.

Manned missions to Mars are the next frontier of human exploration and NASA wants to put boots on the Red Planet by 2035. But, is it mission impossible?

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.

The universe's stars are dying faster than new ones are born. Experts investigate the last stars of the cosmos and what a stellar apocalypse means for Earth.

26,000 lightyears away at the heart of the galaxy lies a massive black hole. How can something so far away be studied, and what could it teach scientists?

The time travelling machines of Hollywood movies offer infinite opportunities, but could time travel ever really be more than science fiction?

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.

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.

The discovery of extra-terrestrial life faces a near impossible challenge. Experts explore the problems with proving or disproving the existence of aliens.

What happens when galaxies containing billions of stars collide? The gravitational forces of these giants intersect, and they are left irrevocably changed.

The Rosetta mission was a ground-breaking expedition to land on a comet for the very first time. What did this cutting-edge journey uncover about life on Earth?

Experts explain the importance of supermassive black holes. They have some answers, but can they solve the mysteries surrounding these phenomena?

Some of the brightest minds and theorists on the planet explore the limits of human knowledge and explain the science behind our star.

Some of the brightest minds and theorists on the planet explore the limits of human knowledge and explain the science behind the microcosmos.

New discoveries have revealed alien worlds that seem to defy the laws of physics. Experts use cutting-edge astronomy to explore this mystery.

New research suggests dead stars, known as white dwarfs, could be the key to understanding the universe. Experts investigate this mysterious phenomena.

Our galaxy is full of stars waiting to explode into supernovas, an event that could destroy all life on Earth. Experts hunt for the next deadly supernova.

Neutrinos are the most mysterious particles in the universe. New discoveries reveal their significance and how they pass through objects undetected.

Gravitational waves are helping scientists explore the cosmos in new ways. How are these discoveries helping to reveal the universe's mysteries?

The supermassive black hole M87 is the first and only black hole ever photographed. How did it grow so large and what effect does it have on the galaxy?

New research is beginning to reveal an invisible scaffold of dark matter known as the Cosmic Web, an intergalactic network that transformed the universe.

Cosmic rays that damage human DNA are a serious risk in manned space exploration. Can physicists find the source of the rays and help reduce the danger?

Earth's past is marked by one cosmic disaster after another, forging the path of human evolution. Experts explore how close the Earth has come to destruction.

Experts explore the most astonishing discoveries of the Voyager spacecraft. They examine how the operation has transformed into the ultimate mission.

The mysterious dark matter is thought to be the cosmic glue that holds the universe together, yet the search for it continues to puzzle scientists.

Conflicting results make determining the age of the universe difficult. Finding the answer could be the key to many mysteries of the cosmos.