In the concluding episode of the series, Jim encounters ever larger cosmic structures to reveal the latest breakthroughs in our understanding of the universe. For example, Jim comes face to face with our galactic home, the Milky Way, a monstrous structure sculpted by the gravitational forces of dark matter. Jim finds out from pioneering researcher Adrian Fabian about the black hole at its centre, whose strange behaviour includes emitting the lowest note that can be heard in the cosmos. At an even greater scale, Jim encounters huge structures such as the Laniakea Supercluster, of which the Milky Way is only a tiny part. Then there’s the 'Giant Arc', a collection of galaxies that account for more than three per cent of the observable universe. Jim learns from its discoverer, British PhD student Alexia Lopez, that this gargantuan structure is forcing scientists to reassess their theory of how the universe evolves and may overturn some of the most fundamental principles in physics.
One of the main battles of the Second World War took place inside the brain of a mathematician called Alan Turing. During the war, the allies' key objective was to crack the German army's encrypted communications code. Without a doubt, the key player in the game was this interdisciplinary scientist and a long-forgotten hero. Alan Turing's breakthroughs, his story and tragic destiny, gives us a chance to look at the Second World War from a different angle.
This featured film takes a humorous but incisive look at the best-selling instrumentalist of all time – and quite possibly one of the most famous living musicians. Listening to Kenny G investigates the artist born Kenny Gorelick – who took the pop charts by storm with his 1986 breakthrough single, 'Songbird' – exploring his talent for playing jazz so smoothly that a whole new genre, 'Smooth Jazz,' formed around him, and questioning fundamental assumptions about art and excellence. In his own words, Kenny G speaks candidly about his musical background, his stringent work ethic, and his controversial standing in the jazz canon – along with insights from fans and critics alike.
A third of the population regularly struggle with our sleep, which rose to one in two during the pandemic - the highest it's ever been. However, as more and more people seek help, an explosion in sleep science is enabling the study of sleep in ways not possible before. What's more, recent breakthroughs are uncovering what's happening in our brains and bodies while we're asleep, getting us closer than ever to understanding the importance of sleep for our health. Michael Mosley shows why cutting our sleep short can be linked to a host of illnesses, including serious diseases like Alzheimer's. Revealing the very latest science breakthroughs and packed with personal anecdotes, this programme is a useful guide to anyone looking for tips and insights on how to get the benefits from learning how to sleep well.
The search for extraterrestrial life is an age-old quest. But recent breakthroughs make today an era like no other in the history of astronomy. From the exhilarating probing of our own solar system and the Kepler mission’s astounding discovery of thousands of extrasolar planets, to the next-generation telescopes under development, the prospects for finding life beyond Earth have never been stronger. Still, daunting hurdles remain. How can we study anything light years away, let alone a little planet? In the vast universe, where should we even start to look? Is our failure to hear any other voices in the galaxy a sign that we are special? Join leading explorers now searching the galaxy for life and intelligence on other planets—and asks, if we do find other life in the universe... what would that mean?
Over billions of years, planet Earth has become home to an amazing interdependent ecosystem, containing a dizzying variety of animals and plants. But how did life here begin? And does it exist anywhere outside of our solar system? We uncover the secrets of our world by tracking the evolution of the cosmos itself, from the Big Bang onwards. Follow scientists responsible for some of the major breakthroughs in understanding the origins of life and witness how their discoveries are fundamentally changing the way we perceive the universe.
At an even greater scale, Jim encounters huge structures such as the Laniakea Supercluster, of which the Milky Way is only a tiny part. Then there’s the 'Giant Arc', a collection of galaxies that account for more than three per cent of the observable universe. Jim learns from its discoverer, British PhD student Alexia Lopez, that this gargantuan structure is forcing scientists to reassess their theory of how the universe evolves and may overturn some of the most fundamental principles in physics.