NOVA

How big is the universe? Will it ever end? Why is so much of it made of mysterious dark matter and energy? See how mind-bending discoveries over the past 50 years have revolutionized our understanding of the universe.

Explore big discoveries that have revolutionized our understanding of the universe.

Decoding the Universe: Cosmos

Invisible and mysterious, dark matter shapes the cosmos, but scientists are still trying to figure out what exactly it is.

A team of researchers hunt for dark matter deep underground in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

The Deepest Underground Lab in the U.S.

Deepest Underground Lab in the U.S.

Decoding the Universe: Cosmos Preview

In the past 50 years, thanks to Vera Rubin and others, dark matter has become an essential scientific building block, at the foundation of our understanding of the universe.

Vera Rubin's work provided convincing evidence for a mysterious substance, dark matter.

How Vera Rubin broke barriers in astronomy

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Carlisle Companies

Viking

NOVA Science Trust Logo

How big is the universe? If it began with the Big Bang, will it also have an end? Is there life beyond our planet? Questions like these inspired the launch of Voyager I in 1977 and have driven innovative space research and exploration ever since. Trace ground-breaking discoveries that have transformed our picture of the universe, from an age when we knew of no planets beyond our solar system, to today, when we have evidence of thousands and estimate trillions more. And follow the teams trying to solve two of the biggest mysteries in cosmology today: What are dark matter and dark energy? (Premiered May 22 at 9 pm on PBS)

University of Southern California

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Johns Hopkins University

Explore big discoveries that have revolutionized our understanding of the universe.

Space & Flight

Modern timekeeping relies on the accuracy of atomic clocks, which revolutionized timekeeping by using the quantum behavior of atoms to measure time. Discover how these incredibly precise clocks work, and how they ensure global synchronization in everything from GPS to scientific research.

Atomic clocks use quantum physics and the resonant frequency of atoms, like cesium, to define time.

How Atomic Clocks Keep Perfect Time

When we look at the world at the tiniest scales, things get very weird. Take a wild ride through the quantum world, from the discoveries that reveal its strange rules to the amazing technologies it unlocks – with more powerful possibilities to come.

Dive into the universe at the tiniest – and weirdest – of scales.

Decoding the Universe: Quantum

Quantum entanglement is one of the strangest and most fascinating phenomena in physics. Even Einstein didn’t believe it - he called it “spooky action at a distance” - but science has proven it true. Here’s a simple explanation of the most baffling concept in physics.

Quantum entanglement defies our everyday understanding of reality.

The Most Baffling Idea in Physics, Explained

Most Baffling Idea in Physics, Explained

Decoding the Universe: Quantum Preview

When we look at the world at the tiniest scales in the subatomic realm, things get weird – very weird. Welcome to the quantum universe, where particles can spin in two directions at once, observing something changes it, and something on one side of the galaxy can instantly affect something on the other, as if the space between them didn’t exist. Buckle up for a wild ride through the discoveries that proved all of this to be true and paved the way for the digital technologies we enjoy today – and the powerful quantum sensors and computers of tomorrow. Premiered November 6, 2024 at 9 pm on PBSCorrection: The original version of this film had misplaced punctuation, which falsely implied that in 1974, Stephen Hawking was the first to predict black holes. The film, captions, and transcript have been amended to clarify that in 1974, Stephen Hawking first predicted the phenomenon now known as Hawking radiation, referred to in the film as the “Achilles’ heel” of black holes.

Astrophysicist, Barnard College of Columbia University

Dive into the universe at the tiniest – and weirdest – of scales.

Exploding celestial object with title text

How big is the universe? What is it made of? Are we alone? Questions like these have inspired amazing discoveries that have transformed our understanding of the universe since the 1970s, shedding light on everything from exoplanets to black holes to the mysterious dark matter and energy that rule the cosmos. And closer to home, quantum physicists have discovered the weird laws that govern the subatomic world, unlocking amazing technologies – from the smart phone in your pocket to powerful new quantum computers taking shape in labs today.

See how our understanding of nature and the universe has been transformed since the 1970s.

See how our understanding of nature and the universe has been transformed since the 1970s.

Decoding the Universe Episodes

Decoding the Universe: Cosmos

Decoding the Universe: Quantum