Lost Horizons: The Big Bang

Professor Jim Al Khalili delves into over 50 years of the BBC science archive to tell the story behind the emergence of one of the greatest theories of modern science, the Big Bang. The remarkable idea that our universe simply began from nothing has not always been accepted with the conviction it is today and, from fiercely disputed leftfield beginnings, took the best part of the 20th century to emerge as the triumphant explanation of how the universe began. Using curious horn-shaped antennas, U-2 spy planes, satellites and particle accelerators, scientists have slowly pieced together the cosmological jigsaw, and this documentary charts the overwhelming evidence for a universe created by a Big Bang.

Related Links:
Books and Films - The Big Bang

History of the World in Two Hours

Did you know that 1% of the white noise you see on your television is actually background radiation from The Big Bang? History of the World in Two Hours is a History Channel documentary which tells the epic 14 billion year history of our world in two hours. It’s a fast-paced journey from the beginning of time to the present day, stopping off to explore key turning points, historic moments, and extraordinary connections between the distant past and our daily lives. From the formation of the earth and the emergence of life, to the advance of man and the growth of civilization, it’s a rapid-fire view of our unforgettable story - from zero to 14 billion years in 120 minutes.

Related Links:
Earth: Making of a Planet
Catastrophe (presented by Tony Robinson)

The Universe - Beyond the Big Bang

Beyond the Big Bang is a History Channel documentary taking a look back in time billions and billions of years to the origin of the Big Bang. Leading physicists and historians theorize what happened before the bang occurred, how the physical nature of the universe unfolded as energy became matter forming stars and galaxies, and how the universe continues to expand outward at an ever-accelerating rate.

Related Links:
The Universe (Season 1)