60 second Adventure in Astronomy

Ever wondered where the Universe came from? Or more importantly, where it's headed? Voiced by David Mitchell, this series of 60 second animations examines different scientific concepts from the big bang to relativity, from black holes to dark matter. The series also explores the possibility of life beyond Earth and considers why David Bowie is still none the wiser about life on Mars.

Our preview videos are intended for broadcasters looking to licence content from the Open University.

The Big Bang
Just how big was the Big Bang? Discover how scientists have calculated the exact volume of the noise created at the birth of the Universe.

Supernovae
What happens when a star explodes? Learn how all the elements in the Universe were formed, and where exactly your favourite silver necklace comes from.

Exoplanets
We can't see exoplanets, but we know they're there. This episode explores how scientists have studied distant stars to learn more about the invisible planets that orbit them.

A Day on Mercury
No-one on Mercury could claim there's not enough hours in the day. Find out how you'd pass the time on a planet where a single day lasts two years.

The Rotating Moon
The Moon is like a loyal servant to a Queen, and never turns its back on the Earth. Discover how the Moon's orbit means we always see it's best side.

Life on Mars
Discover how asteroids and microbes flying through space could hold the secret to life on Earth and Mars.

Event Horizons
Just what is the point of no return? German physicist, Karl Schwarzchild calculated the event horizon of black holes. And it can tell us more about the eventual fate of all the galaxies.

Dark Matter
Fritz Zwicky was a Swiss astronomer who discovered Dark Matter in the Universe. But what's the matter with dark matter?

Dark Energy
Who'd have thought Albert Einstein could make a mistake? Dark Energy explores how Einstein was right all along about the expanding Universe. We never should have doubted him.

Special Relativity
Who had more fun in life, Albert Einstein or Richard Feynman? Whichever one of them was travelling faster.

Large Hadron Collider
Some thought it would create another Universe, while others thought it would suck us all into a black hole. But the Large Hadron Collider is not as dangerous as we thought.

Black Holes
Is it possible to make your own black hole? DIY experts take note.

Taking a Galactic Census
How do you take a census in space? Find out how it is possible to produce a 3D map of the galaxy, with a little help from the new Gaia Spacecraft and a whole heap of measuring.

Gaia and the Killer Asteroids
How do you avoid killer asteroids? With the unpredictable threat of killer asteroids attacking the Earth, it's Gaia to rescue!