How the Universe Works

We're taking a million-year journey from the center of the sun all the way down to our planet to find out how our star's heat and light make it to us.

How and when the universe will end is the ultimate cosmic question. Possibilities include a big crunch caused by gravity and dark matter, a big rip from dark energy, or a cosmic death bubble that could end everything tomorrow.

Beneath Jupiter’s clouds lie our solar system’s deepest secrets. From the birth of life to the death of the sun, scientists are discovering that the solar system, the Earth and every living thing exists because of Jupiter.

We're finding out how the Big Bang set our universe in motion and is defining every aspect of our future.

From the vast hurricanes that rip through its atmosphere to the icy rings that pulse and twist in step with multiple moons, we're digging in to all the exciting elements that make up Saturn.

We're researching the universe's weapons of mass extinction to learn how likely we are to be the next species to go.

New research may reveal that an unlikely hero built the Milky Way. At the heart of our galaxy sits a super-massive black hole. One of the most destructive objects in the universe could be our creator.

One day, a cosmic disaster will make life on Earth impossible. To survive, we must find a new home among the stars. Scientists are already developing new propulsion systems to take us to these distant worlds.

Is there another Earth out there with liquid oceans, rocky continents and life like us? Astronomers seek the answer with spectroscopy, direct imaging and telescopes.