Mars is infested with robots, orbiting the planet and roaming the Martian surface on a mission to uncover its secrets; now, Perseverance joins this dedicated group of machines to uncover if there is, or was ever, life on the Red Planet. Our neighbor, Mars, fascinates us. It's a planet that is similar to Earth but with some big differences. Mars is rusty, dusty, frigid, and frozen. Past missions suggest that Mars was once a very different world. The Mars we see today has completely changed from the Mars of a few billion years ago. Without a time machine to explore ancient Mars, we employ a team of high-tech robot investigators, an entire fleet of robotic spacecraft exploring the planet. Working together, they dig into Mars's past to answer the ultimate question -- did Mars once have life?
November 4, 2029. We face a countdown to catastrophe. A giant asteroid hurtles towards Earth at 40,000 mph. It's heading straight for the eastern seaboard of the United States. The space rock could wipe out an entire city and cause widespread devastation. Can Earth survive? Now, experts confront the story of this fictional asteroid event to determine what could happen, and how it might be stopped.
New discoveries have rewritten the history of our solar system, revealing a complex and violent story that begins with the birth of our Sun from the debris of a massive galactic collision, to its eventual fate as a lone zombie star. It is a dramatic history of elegant beauty and extreme violence. The inner solar system was like a congested highway. Planets crossing lanes, frequent collisions. There were a lot of planets that could have made it but didn't, and we just happen to be one of the lucky ones that did. The players in our solar system's story are more tangled up than we ever imagined. Without all of these things interplaying, the Earth wouldn't have the stable environment that we have today, and life wouldn't be able to exist.
In the captivating second part of “Our Universe”, chapters 4 to 6 are presented together in an unmissable journey through the cosmos and life on Earth. These episodes delve deep into the elements that formed our world, the essential role of water, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. They offer an enthralling exploration of our place in the Universe. Dive in to experience this profound story of existence, from stardust to soulmates. In the fourth chapter, we uncover how the elements essential to life were forged in the hearts of stars. Following a green sea turtle’s quest across the ocean for these elements, this episode reminds us that life is built from the remnants of ancient stars. The fifth chapter takes us back to the miraculous arrival of water on Earth, exploring how this vital substance transformed a barren landscape into a thriving blue planet. In the final chapter we witness gravity’s grand influence on life, following two king penguins as their journey of attraction and survival unfolds against the cosmic force that binds us all.
In the second episode, viewers are taken on a breathtaking journey into the darkest corners of the solar system—places untouched by sunlight and hidden from even our most powerful telescopes. Guided by Professor Brian Cox, the episode uncovers mysterious moons, shadowed craters, and vast underground oceans that may harbor the keys to life beyond Earth. As the veil is lifted on these obscure realms, new frontiers of science and imagination emerge, making this a must-see exploration of what lies in the silence between the stars.
Episode 4 explores the far reaches of our solar system, where ice behaves in extraordinary ways. Frozen moons orbiting giant planets may conceal vast oceans beneath their crusts—possible homes for alien life. From spectacular icy eruptions to entire worlds shaped by cold forces, this journey reveals that ice can be as dynamic and powerful as fire. A stunning look at some of the most mysterious and potentially life-supporting places in space.
Our neighbor, Mars, fascinates us. It's a planet that is similar to Earth but with some big differences. Mars is rusty, dusty, frigid, and frozen. Past missions suggest that Mars was once a very different world. The Mars we see today has completely changed from the Mars of a few billion years ago. Without a time machine to explore ancient Mars, we employ a team of high-tech robot investigators, an entire fleet of robotic spacecraft exploring the planet. Working together, they dig into Mars's past to answer the ultimate question -- did Mars once have life?