Episode Guide

Strangest Things in Space will expose the bizarre, mysterious and exotic things in our universe. Scientists will cast their votes for the weirdest structures in the categories of planets, stars, galaxies, moons, clouds, subatomic particles, black holes and invisible phenomenon.

There are actually alcohol clouds floating in space. These giant molecular clouds are filled with organic molecules that produce complex compounds like ethyl alcohol, the stuff we drink. This cocktail cloud may have even delivered the building blocks of life to earth.

Other bizarre clouds in our solar system hover above Venus, the second planet from the sun in our solar system. Venus has a hot, hellish surface. Yet at an altitude of around 30 miles, the temperature is about 70 degrees celsius, which means it's hospitable for life.
 

In space travel there is a saying that the first 50 miles and the last 50 miles are the most dangerous. Explore the controlled explosion of launch, the fiery crucible of re-entry and everything in between. 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?
 

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."

Today, trailblazing experiments by state of the art particle colliders are looking for evidence of higher dimensions and parallel universes. If proof is found, it will change our lives, our minds, our planet, our science and our universe.

 

This episode examines a variety of cosmic events that have had both helpful and harmful effects on life on Earth. From 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, “Cosmic Causes” explores how the effects generated by the sun and other extra-solar sources can literally get under our skin, scramble our technology, make life possible and threaten our existence all at the same time.
 

At this very moment, celestial forces prowl the Universe and threaten man's very existence. They're asteroids and comets and they've left their imprint on Planet Earth, literally.

Initially, they helped build planets through violent collisions. During this fiery bombardment period, they may have even seeded Earth with water and the building blocks for life.

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 extinction events, including one that wiped out the dinosaur. What's more, radical new theories suggest that asteroid and comet dust harbour 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.
 

Low earth orbit is only as high as 120 miles above sea level and this is where the majority of space exploration has occurred. Low earth orbit is an eleven-hundred mile band around earth and for a cool $20 million any private citizen can take the vacation of their lives in the international space station via a Russian Soyuz rocket. The many commercial prospects are huge.

But, the dangers lurking in low earth orbit for any individual willing to travel here are also huge. Cosmic radiation and space debris numbering in the thousands threatens any spacecraft traveling in earth's orbit. It's the new frontier, or the final frontier, and the possibilities are endless if you’re willing to travel to the edge of space.
 

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.
 

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?
 

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.
 

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 to 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 rumours 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.
 

Are we alone? Is there another earth-like planet somewhere in the universe? What's the elusive recipe for a planet like ours? Can we find it, as it floats - hidden - in the billions of stars and trillions of planets that are out there? Could Alpha Centauri, our nearest star less than five light years away, be home to another earth? How can "Hot" Jupiters destroy would-be earth-like planets, while "good" Jupiters serve as protectors of young proto-earths? Earth sized planets are tough to find, but indirect methods are coming on line to give us a good survey of how many such bodies may be in the universe.

Models now being refined can also give scientists a better idea of what future "terrestrial planet finders" should look for. How rare would life of any kind, and in particular advanced life we could converse with, be on any earth-like planet we find? Could we be unique in the universe?
 

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.