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How the Universe Works

  • TV-PG
  • 2010–2023
  • 11 seasons
  • Documentary
  • 8.3

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.

Episodes

10 episodes
  1. 1Nightmares of Neutron Stars

    42 minJan 8, 2019

    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, with the power to destroy planets and even other stars.

  2. 2When Supernovas Strike

    42 minJan 15, 2019

    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.

  3. 3The Interstellar Mysteries

    42 minJan 22, 2019

    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 and strange phenomena that might hold the darkest secrets of our cosmos.

  4. 4How Black Holes Made Us

    42 minJan 29, 2019

    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.

  5. 5Secret World of Nebulas

    42 minFeb 5, 2019

    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.

  6. 6Did the Big Bang Really Happen?

    42 minFeb 12, 2019

    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.

  7. 7Battle of the Dark Universe

    42 minFeb 19, 2019

    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.

  8. 8Hunt for Alien Life

    42 minFeb 26, 2019

    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.

  9. 9Finding the New Earth

    42 minMar 5, 2019

    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 technology, finding the perfect one is the scientific challenge of the age.

  10. 10Cassini's Final Secrets

    42 minMar 12, 2019

    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.

Where to watch How the Universe Works

Free with ads

No subscription needed

Availability from JustWatch, via TMDB. Full listing for United States

Series cast

Mike RoweNarrator38 episodes
Michelle ThallerHerself25 episodes
Phil PlaitHimself25 episodes
Nina LanzaSelf - Planetary Scientist19 episodes
Hakeem Muata Oluseyi19 episodes
Moogega Cooper19 episodes
Jani RadebaughSelf - Planetary Scientist19 episodes
Dan DurdaSelf - Planetary Scientist19 episodes
Kevin J. Walsh19 episodes
Paul M SutterSelf - Astrophysicist19 episodes
Erik DellumsHimself - Narrator17 episodes
Chris MckaySelf - Astrobiologist10 episodes
Carly HowettSelf - Planetary Scientist10 episodes
Amber StraughnSelf - Astrophysicist10 episodes
Max TegmarkSelf - Theoretical Physicist10 episodes
Alex PhilippenkoSelf - Astrophysicis10 episodes
Katie FreeseSelf - Cosmologist10 episodes
Grant TremblaySelf - Astrophysicist10 episodes

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