How The Universe Works

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, Edo Berger
Director(s): Paul O'Connor

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, James S. Bullock
Director(s): Claire Justin

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, James S. Bullock

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, James S. Bullock

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, James S. Bullock

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, James S. Bullock
Director(s): Paul O'Connor

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, James S. Bullock

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, Chris McKay

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, Amir Caspi

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.

Stars: Richard Lintern, Mike Rowe, Chris McKay