Rise of the Planet Killer

Are you a space buff? Join host Joanna Hausmann and test your skills and knowledge with this quiz about Apollo 13, long distance probe communication, and laser beacons. Plus a little bit of fun!

Getting out of Earth's atmosphere is no easy feat, but neither is answering these questions. Quiz yourself on Goddard's first flight, Atlas V's propulsion systems, and the journey to Mars. Ready to liftoff?

Space travel is all well and good, but returning home to Earth provides another set of problems. Get ready to be quizzed about Yuri Gagarin's crash landing, cutting-edge shuttlecraft, and orbital space flight. Your quiz starts now...

What would happen if we got a message from space? How would we react? Scientists and sci-fi writers, with cooperation from SETI and Carl Sagan's son, Nick, unravel the impact of this world changing event, forming an intriguing hypothetical scenario

How will humans react when an alien spacecraft is on its way to Earth? Will humans learn from aliens, or become colonial subjects? Scientists and sci-fi writers, with cooperation from SETI and Carl Sagan's son, Nick, unravel the impact.

The Arrival has ended. A swarm of small spacecraft depart their huge mothership, and hover in our atmosphere. The ships open their hatches, and deposit thousands of mysterious pods on the earth’s surface. Are they a message, a gift or a weapon?

A mothership the size of Texas is hovering over Earth and we're tired of waiting. We send a rover to explore, and what we find makes us question the definition of life. On Earth, the pods multiply, making contact with them unavoidable.

Go beneath the surface to understand forest fires, car exhaust, and the space station.

Discover the secrets behind the family car, titanium, and letters.

Find out the secrets behind nuclear subs, crash test dummies, and growing fruits and vegetables.

Discover how land mines are placed, how air boats work and how car warehouses work.

Discover the science behind black boxes, steam turbines, and racing cars.

Discover the secrets behind jet engines, weapons, and telescopes.

Follow the production process of aluminum foil, snowboards, soft polymer contact lenses and bread and find out how each of these items is made.

Discover the processes involved in the manufacture of compact discs, mozzarella cheese, pantyhose, and fluorescent tubes.

Everyday objects often have fascinating roots. Find out how toothpicks, acrylic bathtubs, helicopters and beer are made.