Seasons & episodes
S2 · E7Astrobiology 2008-01-29 · 45 min
Does life exist on other planets? Astrobiology is a visionary new science that searches for life in space by combining the disciplines of astronomy, biology and geology. How did life evolve on Earth? What will life look like on other planets? These and other pertinent questions will be answered by a diverse group of scientists.
S2 · E8Space Travel 2008-02-05 · 45 min
When man finally broke free of the Earth's gravitational pull the dream of traveling to other planets became a reality. Today scientists are proposing a bizarre array of technologies in the hope of traveling faster through space, from space craft sporting sails that catch laser beams, to propulsion engines powered by a bizarre entity known as anti-matter.
S2 · E9Supernovas 2008-02-12 · 45 min
A stellar explosion, the supernova is the sensational death of a star. It can shine as bright as 100 billion suns and radiate as much energy as the Sun would emit over 10 billion years. Jets of high-energy light and matter are propelled into space and can cause massive gamma ray bursts and emit intense X-ray radiation for thousands of years. Astronomers believe that this process creates the very building blocks of planets, people and plants.
S2 · E10Constellations 2008-02-19 · 45 min
A constellation is a group of stars that are connected together to form a figure or picture. Explore some of the 88 official constellations and learn about some of the highlights of each.
S2 · E11Unexplained Mysteries 2008-02-26 · 45 min
A look at myths and mysteries concerning the universe. Includes a possibility that life can be sustained on Mars, an examination of time travel, and the theory of a Dark Star as a companion of our sun. Also, a closer look at the Big Bang theory.
S2 · E12Cosmic Collisions 2008-03-04 · 45 min
Our universe is a cosmic shooting gallery, gravity is moving everything around & things will collide. Astronomers are attempting to understand how collisions occur in space.
S2 · E13Colonizing Space 2008-03-11 · 45 min
Space colonization is no longer the fodder of sci-fi, it's becoming a reality. The efforts are underway to establish a colony on Mars, how they plan to grow food, recycle wastewater & introduce greenhouse gases to revive the Red Planet & make it habitable for us.
S2 · E14Nebulas 2008-04-01 · 45 min
Nebulae are clouds of gas that aren't classified as stars, planets, moons or asteroids. Astronomers use the most sophisticated techniques to view them since they are practically invisible to the naked eye.
S2 · E15Wildest Weather in the Cosmos 2008-04-08 · 45 min
Imagine a tornado so powerful, it can form a planet or how about rain made of iron.
S2 · E16Biggest Things in Space 2008-04-15 · 45 min
Discover which is the largest planet, star, star cluster, constellation, black hole, volcano, galaxy, explosions, moon, storm, impact crater and void in space.
S2 · E17Gravity 2008-04-22 · 45 min
Explore how science and humanity discovered, overcame and utilized gravity.
S2 · E18Cosmic Apocalypse 2008-04-29 · 45 min
The Universe as we know it is condemned to death. Space, matter and even time will one day cease to exist and there's nothing we can do about it. Harsh realities are revealed about the future of our Universe; it may collapse and burn or it might be gripped by a galactic ice age. Either of these scenarios might be a long way off. However, our Universe could suddenly be destroyed by a "random quantum fluctuation", a bubble of destruction that can obliterate the entire cosmos in the blink of an eye. No matter how it ends, life in our Universe is doomed.
S3 · E1Deep Space Disasters 2008-11-11 · 45 min
In space travel there is a saying that the first 50 miles and the last 50 miles are the most dangerous. See how a single spark inside a spacecraft or a micrometeoroid less than an inch wide hitting a space station can turn a routine mission into a lethal nightmare. As the missions become longer, venturing to Mars and beyond, the potential disasters will only become bigger. What would happen if a spacecraft ventured too close to a black hole or was hit by a gamma ray burst?
S3 · E2Parallel Universes 2008-11-18 · 45 min
Some of the world's leading physicists believe they have found startling new evidence showing the existence of universes other than our own. One possibility is that the universe is so vast that an exact replica of our Solar System, our planet and ourselves exists many times over. These Doppelganger Universes exist within our own Universe; in what scientist now call "The Multiverse."
S3 · E3Light Speed 2008-11-25 · 45 min
According to the laws of physics we can never travel faster than the speed of light...or can we? Light speed allows us to see things instantly here on Earth, and shows us the entire history of the universe going back nearly 14 billion years. Learn all about light speed, the ultimate constant in the universe and discover ways scientists envision breaking the "light barrier" which may be the only way the star travel of our imaginations ever comes to reality.
S3 · E4Sex in Space 2008-12-02 · 45 min
As man moves to colonize the cosmos, the realities of sexual relationships and reproduction need to be addressed. Probe the physiological, psychological and cultural challenges of sex in space. From the sex act through birth, look at how the extreme environments of space exploration might effect copulation, conception and developing human tissues, as well as how issues around sex might impact the emotional lives of astronauts. Get to the bottom of the rumors to find out if space sex has already happened, and look at how the burgeoning space tourism business may soon lead to a boom in space sex.
S3 · E5Alien Faces 2008-12-09 · 45 min
They soar through the heavens, fly through the oceans and glide along land. But these are not creatures found on a wildlife safari. These are life forms from another planet. Armed with scientific fact and a little imagination, experts come together to take you on an unprecedented journey to the edges of our imagination. Scientists, astrobiologists and astronomers create five lines of extraterrestrial evolution, and explain how creatures on the surface of Earth offer a helping hand to understanding life in The Universe.
S3 · E6Deadly Comets and Meteors 2008-12-16 · 45 min
Asteroids and comets have left their imprint on planet Earth, literally. Since the turbulent formation of the solar system, these space rocks have continued to impact earth. Some have been so violent that they've led to mass extinctions. What's more, radical new theories suggest that asteroid and comet dust harbor deadly viruses that may have triggered some of our worst pandemics. The possibility of future cosmic collisions remains a legitimate threat. Yet, despite their dangers, asteroids and comets may hold vital natural resources, which could actually preserve mankind.
S3 · E7Living in Space 2008-12-23 · 45 min
When mankind eventually leaves the cradle of Earth and ventures forth into the uncharted territories of the cosmos, where, and what form, will our new homes take? Will they be cities under glass, entrenched in distant alien soils? Will they be gleaming metropolises hanging in orbit above our heads, or in the lonely void of space? Will they be hollowed out asteroids, strip-mined for the valuables they horde? How will we grow food? What will the new era of spacesuits be like? The rovers that carry us around? Will robonauts, advanced robotic machines, perform the most dangerous tasks for us? How will we live... in space?
S3 · E8Stopping Armageddon 2009-01-06 · 45 min
It sounds like a Hollywood blockbuster: a deadly asteroid is on a collision course with Earth. But in reality, it's only a matter of time before a giant space rock threatens to wipe out civilization. An asteroid took out the dinosaurs sixty-five million years ago. Are we next? This episode analyzes the threat and explores the many ways--from a nuclear bomb to ingenious new technology--that experts are proposing to stop Armageddon.
S3 · E9Another Earth 2009-01-13 · 45 min
Could we be unique in the universe or is there another planet similar to earth somewhere in the cosmos? Is it possible that Alpha Centauri, our nearest star, is home to another earth-like planet? Earth sized planets have been hard to find, but indirect methods are coming on line to give scientists a good survey of how many such bodies may be in the universe. How rare would it be to find life on another earth-like planet?
S3 · E10Strangest Things 2009-01-27 · 45 min
An exploration of mysterious phenomenon, including alcohol clouds in space, pulsar planets, the possibility of a planet beyond Neptune, and dark matter.
S3 · E11Edge of Space 2009-02-03 · 45 min
There have been both helpful and harmful effects on life on Earth from cosmic effects. Cosmic Phenomena includes the beauty of the Aurora Borealis and rainbows to the dangers of UV radiation and cosmic rays, from the miracle of photosynthesis to the thrill of a meteor shower as we explore the effects caused by the sun and other extra-solar sources, which can get under our skin and scramble man's technology, make life possible and be a threat to our existence all at once.
S3 · E12Cosmic Phenomena 2009-02-03 · 45 min
The majority of space exploration has occurred in Low Earth Orbit, around 120 miles above sea level. For a cool $20 million, any person can take a ride on the International Space Station, around the 1,100 mile band around Earth. Commercial prospects for LEO are huge, there are big dangers lurking for anyone interested in traveling this way, such as radiation, , cosmic rays, and space debris numbering in the thousands threaten any spacecraft traveling in orbit. It's a new frontier and maybe the final frontier, and the possibilities are endless if you are willing to travel to the edge of space exploration.