TV series
A users' guide to the cosmos, from the Big Bang to galaxies, stars, planets and moons: where did it all come from and how does it all fit together? A primer for anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered.
Streaming, rental and purchase options
Checked Jul 22, 2026
How the Universe Works is available to stream on DirecTV On Demand, Discovery+ (Via Amazon Prime), HBO (Via Hulu), HBO Max, Max (Via Amazon Prime), Philo, YouTube TV, and Plex in United States. You can also buy it from Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.
A users' guide to the cosmos, from the Big Bang to galaxies, stars, planets and moons: where did it all come from and how does it all fit together? A primer for anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered.
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 1
Neutron stars are strange and violent phenomena that defy the laws of physics, and new discoveries reveal that these bizarre nightmares are far more deadly than we ever thought, with the power to destroy planets and even other stars.
Where to watch How the Universe Works
Episode 2
Supernovas are the violent death of giant stars, and new discoveries reveal that these cataclysmic events create the elements that are essential to all life in the universe.
Where to watch How the Universe Works
Episode 3
Interstellar space is the space between the universe's stars and new discoveries reveal that it's not empty and unremarkable as previously thought, but filled with weird objects and strange phenomena that might hold the darkest secrets of our cosmos.
Guest stars James S. Bullock
Episode 4
Black holes are not the violent monsters people think they are, and new discoveries reveal that they might have been essential to creating stars, giving light, and building the universe itself.
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Episode 5
Nebulas are the strange structures of cosmic gas and dust where stars are born and die, and new discoveries reveal the secrets of these mysterious places.
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Episode 6
New discoveries are causing astronomers to question if the Big Bang really happened, and using the latest science, they investigate if it wasn't just the start of our universe but many mysterious multiverses.
Guest stars Albert Einstein
Episode 7
Dark matter and dark energy are locked in an epic battle for control of the cosmos, and the winner will determine the fate of the universe. New discoveries might reveal which force will emerge victorious.
Guest stars Albert Einstein
Episode 8
The latest discoveries suggest life beyond this planet; scientists investigate if earth's life began elsewhere in the universe, and whether humans need to evolve to know for sure.
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Episode 9
New discoveries have revealed thousands of exoplanets beyond our solar system. Some resemble earth enough that one could be a new home for humanity. Even with cutting-edge technology, finding the perfect one is the scientific challenge of the age.
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Episode 10
For twenty years, NASA's Cassini spacecraft revealed the strange secrets of Saturn until it vaporized in its atmosphere in a blaze of glory. But today its legacy lives on, as fresh data from the probe helps scientists make brand-new discoveries.
Where to watch How the Universe WorksEpisode information updated Jul 24, 2026
Erik DellumsHimself - Narrator
Mike RoweNarrator
Hakeem Muata OluseyiSelf - Astrophysicist
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