Astronomy

The center of our galaxy is one of the most nightmarish places in the cosmos. It's the home to some of the most incredible forces the universe has to offer. Gas streaming everywhere, stars are being born and dying and exploding, radiation blasting out. And at the very heart is the super massive black hole, 4 million times the mass of the sun. But also the Milky Way, is our safe harbour, our island in this vast, cosmic ocean. And so to understand the heart of our galaxy, is to understand our home in this cosmic void.

The film explores the science of black holes and delves into the incredible techniques used to uncover their secrets. Researchers reveal the fundamental role of black holes in the evolution of our universe and galaxies, with new findings from James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), and analogue experiments. The documentary also features experiments on Earth that mimic black hole physics, offering insights into their behaviors. Although we may never directly observe the inside of a black hole, these experiments allow us to test theoretical physics and gain a deeper understanding of these enigmatic cosmic phenomena.

Stars helped create us, building and spreading the ingredients for life to develop. But there will definitely be a point in the future when, in the future when, you look up, you will no longer be able to see stars.
For billions of years, stars brought life to the universe. Now, they're dying out in a star apocalypse. What's causing the die-off, and what happens to life when the lights go out?

Our world, our solar system, our universe, none of it would exist without a ghostly particle called the neutrino. They are our early warning system whenever there's trouble in the universe. Neutrinos trigger star-killing explosions, supernovas. Neutrinos can answer so many questions, from why do we exist to how was the universe created. Neutrinos can be the very reason that we exist at all. The more we understand these elusive particles, the more we can gain insight into how the universe works.

Chris Lintott and Maggie Aderin-Pocock report on the reaction to the dramatic announcement of the discovery of phosphine gas in the clouds of Venus, a gas that could be a sign of life. Venus remains an inhospitable and unlikely host. But if not Venus, where in the solar system is the best place to look for alien life? Chris and Maggie investigate the latest missions to Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Away from the search for life, Pete Lawrencepreviews the best meteor showers of the year.

In the third episode, the discovery of extraterrestrial life might face an impossible challenge: the physics of the universe itself; but using cutting-edge tech, experts might be on the verge of a groundbreaking find -- and the evidence could already be in hand.