How the Universe Works

1. S01E01Big BangApril 25, 2010 8.0This is the greatest story ever told, the creation of everything us. The programme investigates how the Universe came into existence out of
2. S01E02Black HolesMay 2, 2010 7.9Black Holes,the most powerful destroyers in the Universe, the most mysterious phenomena in the heavens. For years they were only speculation
3. S01E03Galaxies (aka Alien Galaxies)May 10, 2010 7.6Galaxies, home to stars, planets and us, come in all shapes and sizes. Witnesses the evolution of galaxies; from clouds of cold gas floating
4. S01E04Extreme StarsMay 10, 2010 8.1The story of how stars were made by the universe and how stars went on to engineer everything else in that universe.
5. S01E05SupernovasMay 17, 2010 8.4Stars are not eternal; they die in unimaginably large explosions called supernovas. Second only to the Big Bang, these explosions are where
6. S01E06Season's bestPlanets (aka Extreme Planets)May 17, 2010 8.7There are just eight planets in our solar system, but there could be a hundred billion planets in our Milky Way galaxy alone. This show foll
7. S01E07Solar SystemsMay 24, 2010 8.6Is our solar system unique? Since the first discovery of a planet orbiting another star, some 280 alien solar systems have been identified.
8. S01E08Moons (aka Alien Moons)May 24, 2010 8.4Moons come in every possible shape and size. Home to incredible natural phenomena like gigantic geysers and colossal volcanoes, moons also o

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

1. S02E01Volcanoes - The Furnaces of LifeJuly 11, 2012 8.0Scientists are discovering volcanoes on worlds we once thought dead. From our nearest planetary neighbor to tiny moons billions of miles awa
2. S02E02Megastorms - The Winds of CreationJuly 18, 2012 8.3Examining chaotic weather to help determine whether we are alone in the universe.
3. S02E03Exoplanets - Planets from HellJuly 25, 2012 8.3Discovering an extraordinary zoo of planetary nightmares outside our own planet.
4. S02E04Megaflares - Cosmic FirestormsAugust 1, 2012 7.9The Universe is a magnetic minefield. Spinning star systems crackle and explode, magnetic monsters rip worlds apart, star-quakes shoot beams
5. S02E05Extreme Orbits - Clockwork and CreationAugust 8, 2012 8.0Orbits are a creative force and construct the fabric of the Universe.
6. S02E06Comets - Frozen WanderersAugust 15, 2012 8.4Following the journey of a comet from its beginning as cosmic detritus floating around the outer limits of the solar system to the outgassin
7. S02E07Asteroids - Worlds That Never WereAugust 22, 2012 8.6Asteroids shaped our past and promise much in the future; revealing the mysteries behind giant asteroids that influence the creation and des
8. S02E08Season's bestBirth of the EarthAugust 29, 2012 8.7The Earth was formed by a series of cosmic cataclysms, including the most powerful blast in the universe. Could the same chain of events hav

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

1. S03E01Journey from the Center of the SunJuly 9, 2014 8.4How 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 fr
2. S03E02The End of the UniverseJuly 16, 2014 7.9Examining the ways the unvierse could come to an end.
3. S03E03Jupiter: Destroyer or Savior?July 23, 2014 8.4Beneath Jupiter's clouds lie the solar system's deepest secrets.
4. S03E04First Second of the Big BangJuly 30, 2014 8.0The first second of the Universe, the creation of everything when space, time, matter and energy burst into existence. It is the most import
5. S03E05Is Saturn Alive?August 6, 2014 8.1Scientists are looking for life on Saturn's moons and they may have found it on Titan.
6. S03E06Weapons of Mass ExtinctionAugust 13, 2014 8.3Asteroids strike, planets collide, black holes blast out death rays, volcanoes erupt, and ice engulfs the planet. These are the universe's w
7. S03E07Did a Black Hole Build the Milky Way?August 20, 2014 8.3Research suggests that a super massive black hole might be the creator of the Milky Way.
8. S03E08Our Voyage to the Stars (aka Starman)August 27, 2014 8.2Scientists are working on new propulsion systems that would allow travel to distant worlds.
9. S03E09Season's bestThe Search for a Second EarthSeptember 3, 2014 8.5Astronomers search for evidence of another Earth. Is there another Earth out there with liquid oceans, rocky continents and life like us? As

Season 3 ranked & reviewed

1. S04E01How the Universe Built Your CarJuly 14, 2015 8.3The history of the Universe lies beneath the hood of your car. The iron in your chassis, the gold in your stereo and the copper in your elec
2. S04E02Season's bestEarth: Venus's Evil TwinJuly 21, 2015 8.7There is a hellish planet in our solar system covered in thick, dense clouds and roasted by colossal temperatures. Incredibly this is a visi
3. S04E03Monster Black HoleJuly 28, 2015 7.5A look inside the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way to discover terrifying secrets about parallel universes, wormholes,
4. S04E04Edge of the Solar SystemAugust 4, 2015 8.6Huge magnetic bubbles millions of miles wide; strange invisible matter, and a death star tearing through bands of icy comets, flinging them
5. S04E05Dawn of LifeAugust 11, 2015 8.3Discovering how life on Earth came to be; the possibility that life on Earth came from another planet.
6. S04E06Secret History of the MoonAugust 18, 2015 8.6Our Moon is stranger than you think, and we reveal its incredible secrets. Can we thank the Moon for life on Earth? What explains the myster
7. S04E07The First OceansAugust 25, 2015 8.6For years, scientists suspected that the oceans came from molecules delivered to Earth from distant stars by asteroids, but a new discovery
8. S04E08Forces of Mass Construction (aka Magnetism)September 1, 2015 8.5Scientists attempt to understand how this strange force of magnetism works.

Season 4 ranked & reviewed

1. S05E01Mystery of Planet 9November 29, 2016 8.3Scientists have discovered a mysterious ninth planet ten times the size of Earth on the very edge of our solar system; this strange world co
2. S05E02Black Holes: The Secret OriginDecember 6, 2016 7.6Recent evidence could explain how supermassive black holes grow so big; neither dark matter nor cannibalism can fully explain these beasts,
3. S05E03Secret History of PlutoJanuary 3, 2017 8.6First close-up images of Pluto revealed the unimaginable secrets of this mysterious frozen world. Now, scientists investigate if Pluto is ho
4. S05E04Stars That KillJanuary 10, 2017 8.4Exploring the real-life Death Stars in the cosmos that could snuff out Earth without much effort; the science of the destructive power behin
5. S05E05The Universe's DeadliestJanuary 17, 2017 8.1The universe is a dangerous place, explore the deadliest spots in the cosmos; between earth and the edge of the universe, there are a millio
6. S05E06Life and Death on the Red PlanetJanuary 24, 2017 8.1Life once existed on Mars, but a series of devastating mass extinctions have made present-day life nearly impossible. The latest science sho
7. S05E07The Dark Matter EnigmaJanuary 31, 2017 7.6Dark matter is the biggest mystery of the cosmos. Scientists know that it has been vital to our universe since its birth, and new discoverie
8. S05E08Season's bestStrangest Alien WorldsFebruary 7, 2017 8.7Discoveries of new planets have revealed countless worlds much stranger than Earth. Some of these strange worlds don't have stars, others ar

Season 5 ranked & reviewed

1. S06E01Are Black Holes Real?January 9, 2018 7.8New discoveries are challenging everything we know about black holes -- astronomers are beginning to question if they even exist. The latest
2. S06E02Twin Suns: The Alien MysteriesJanuary 16, 2018 8.5Planets that orbit two suns instead of one might be deadly hell worlds, but new discoveries reveal that sci-fi star systems with binary star
3. S06E03Dark History of the Solar SystemJanuary 23, 2018 8.5Our solar system hides a dark and violent past, and new discoveries reveal that Earth and the planets were formed from the destruction of st
4. S06E04Death of the Milky WayJanuary 30, 2018 8.0Experts utilize the latest science and discoveries to investigate the cause of the Milky Way galaxy's gradual death.
5. S06E05Season's bestUranus & Neptune: Rise of the Ice GiantsFebruary 6, 2018 8.6Uranus and Neptune are mysterious, icy worlds at the edge of the solar system; new discoveries reveal that these strange planets may have he
6. S06E06Secret History of MercuryFebruary 13, 2018 8.5Mercury is a deadly world, facing attacks from the Sun, comets, and other planets; even though it's the smallest planet in the solar system,
7. S06E07The Quasar EnigmaFebruary 20, 2018 8.0Quasars are the brightest and most powerful objects in the universe, and though they have shaped the cosmos, they might ultimately destroy e
8. S06E08Strange Lives of Dwarf PlanetsFebruary 27, 2018 8.4Our solar system is home to hundreds of strange, tiny worlds called dwarf planets, and new discoveries reveal the secrets of these mysteriou
9. S06E09War on AsteroidsMarch 6, 2018 8.3Scientists are using cutting-edge technology to stop an asteroid apocalypse, and for the first time, mankind is closer than ever to keeping
10. S06E10Mystery of SpacetimeMarch 13, 2018 7.7Spacetime is the secret structure that controls our universe, and this strange four-dimensional substance controls time, light, and energy;

Season 6 ranked & reviewed

1. S07E01Nightmares of Neutron StarsJanuary 8, 2019 8.8Neutron stars are strange and violent phenomena that defy the laws of physics, and new discoveries reveal that these bizarre nightmares are
2. S07E02When Supernovas StrikeJanuary 15, 2019 8.9Supernovas are the violent death of giant stars, and new discoveries reveal that these cataclysmic events create the elements that are essen
3. S07E03The Interstellar MysteriesJanuary 22, 2019 8.4Interstellar space is the space between the universe's stars and new discoveries reveal that it's not empty and unremarkable as previously t
4. S07E04How Black Holes Made UsJanuary 29, 2019 8.4Black holes aren't the violent monsters we think they are, and new discoveries reveal that they might have been essential to creating stars,
5. S07E05Secret World of NebulasFebruary 5, 2019 8.6Nebulas are the strange structures of cosmic gas and dust where stars are born and die, and new discoveries reveal the secrets of these myst
6. S07E06Did the Big Bang Really Happen?February 12, 2019 8.3New discoveries are causing astronomers to question if the Big Bang really happened, and using the latest science, they investigate if it wa
7. S07E07Battle of the Dark UniverseFebruary 19, 2019 8.0Dark 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.
8. S07E08Season's bestHunt for Alien LifeFebruary 26, 2019 9.0The latest discoveries suggest that we might be on the verge of discovering life beyond our planet, and scientists are investigating if eart
9. S07E09Finding the New EarthMarch 5, 2019 8.5New discoveries have revealed thousands of exoplanets beyond our solar system, and some resemble earth enough that one could be a new home f
10. S07E10Cassini's Final SecretsMarch 12, 2019 8.5For twenty years, NASA's Cassini spacecraft revealed the strange secrets of Saturn until it vaporized in its atmosphere in a blaze of glory.

Season 7 ranked & reviewed

1. S08E01Asteroid Apocalypse: The New ThreatJanuary 2, 2020 8.6If 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
2. S08E02NASA's Journey to MarsJanuary 9, 2020 8.2NASA is on a mission to send humans to Mars within just 15 years. Still, to reach this next frontier of space exploration, experts must disc
3. S08E03Hunt for Alien EvidenceJanuary 16, 2020 8.7The discovery of extraterrestrial life might face an impossible challenge: the physics of the universe itself; but using cutting-edge tech,
4. S08E04Death of the Last StarsJanuary 23, 2020 8.0Our universe's stars are dying off faster than new ones are born, and using the latest technology, experts investigate the secrets of the la
5. S08E05Secrets of Time TravelJanuary 30, 2020 7.0Time travel might be more possible than we ever imagined, and today, cutting-edge technology and the latest research into black holes and wo
6. S08E06Season's bestWhen NASA Met JupiterFebruary 6, 2020 9.2NASA's Juno spacecraft is part of a cutting-edge mission to explore the mysteries of Jupiter, and as this mighty probe is pummeled with dead
7. S08E07Edge of the UniverseFebruary 13, 2020 7.8We don't yet know where the edge of the universe is or what happens there. Still, thanks to cutting-edge technology and new discoveries, exp
8. S08E08Monsters of the Milky WayFebruary 20, 2020 8.3The 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
9. S08E09Earth's Death OrbitFebruary 27, 2020 8.8Earth's journey through the universe is a perilous one, and new discoveries reveal that our planet is heading toward a mysterious area of th

Season 8 ranked & reviewed

1. S09E01Journey to a Black HoleMarch 24, 2021 7.4Journey to the heart of the M87 supermassive black hole, the first and only black hole ever photographed, and explore the mystery of how it
2. S09E02Mission to a CometMarch 31, 2021 9.0The Rosetta mission with its lander, Philae, is a groundbreaking expedition to land on a comet (Comet 67P) for the very first time; special
3. S09E03Secrets of the SunApril 7, 2021 8.4A 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 a
4. S09E04Aliens of the MicrocosmosApril 14, 2021 7.7The hidden kingdom of microscopic alien organisms shapes the universe as much as galaxies, stars, and planets; new discoveries reveal how ba
5. S09E05Curse of the White DwarfApril 21, 2021 8.6White dwarfs are small, dead stars with a dangerous side, capable of exploding into supernovas and destroying planets; new research suggests
6. S09E06War of the GalaxiesApril 28, 2021 8.4Galaxies are locked in continual combat across the universe, and our own Milky Way will face its biggest opponent ever, the Andromeda Galaxy
7. S09E07The Next SupernovaMay 5, 2021 8.5Our galaxy is full of stars ready to explode into supernovas, a stellar detonation powerful enough to destroy all life on Earth; it's an eve
8. S09E08Secret Lives of NeutrinosMay 12, 2021 8.9Neutrinos are the most mysterious particles in the universe, and they power some of the most explosive events in the cosmos; new discoveries
9. S09E09Birth of the Monster Black HolesMay 19, 2021 8.7New discoveries reveal an astonishing supermassive black hole that was born during the earliest days of the cosmos, and finding out how this
10. S09E10Gravitational Waves RevealedMay 26, 2021 8.5Gravitational waves are helping scientists explore the cosmos in revolutionary, new ways, and the discoveries they make are revealing the un
11. S09E11Season's bestMystery of Alien WorldsJune 2, 2021 9.2An explosion in the discovery of exoplanets is challenging everything we know about our universe; experts use cutting-edge astronomy to inve

Season 9 ranked & reviewed

1. S10E01Secrets of the Cosmic WebMarch 6, 2022 8.9New astronomical research is beginning to reveal an invisible scaffold of dark matter known as the Cosmic Web. This intergalactic network tr
2. S10E02Season's bestCurse of the Cosmic RaysMarch 13, 2022 9.1Cosmic rays capable of destroying human DNA are hurtling through outer space like subatomic bullets, causing space crews radiation damage.
3. S10E03Hunt for Dark MatterMarch 20, 2022 8.9Dark Matter is thought to be the cosmic glue that holds the universe together, yet the search for it continues to elude scientists today.
4. S10E04Dark History of EarthMarch 27, 2022 8.6Earth's history is marked by one cosmic disaster after another, forging the path of human evolution; now, experts explore how the Earth has
5. S10E05Hunt for the Universe's OriginApril 3, 2022 8.3Determining the age of the universe continues to be an elusive endeavor for scientists as their results are conflicting. Without a definitiv
6. S10E06Voyager's Ultimate MissionApril 10, 2022 8.7The two Voyager spacecraft have traveled farther than any human-made object in history. As they reach interstellar space, experts explore th

Season 10 ranked & reviewed

1. S11E01Season's bestThe Moons of SaturnMarch 5, 2023 8.9Discover how Saturn's moons could rewrite the rules of the Solar System.
2. S11E02A Robot's Guide to MarsMarch 12, 2023 8.4Mars is infested with robots, orbiting the planet and roaming the Martian surface on a mission to uncover its secrets; now, Perseverance joi
3. S11E03Most Violent Event in the UniverseMarch 19, 2023 8.3The collision of two supermassive black holes is the most violent event that can occur in the universe. Experts explore where a black hole's
4. S11E04Asteroid: Countdown to CatastropheMarch 26, 2023 8.6In a fictional scenario set in 2029, an asteroid hurtling towards Earth at 40,000 mph will reduce New York to ashes; examining the hypotheti
5. S11E05Solar System SpecialApril 2, 2023 8.6Exploring new discoveries that rewrite the history of the Solar System, revealing a complex and violent story that begins with the birth of

Season 11 ranked & reviewed