NOVA Wonders What's the Universe Made Of?

Season 45 Episode 106 | 53m 11s

The universe is hiding something. In fact, it is hiding a lot. Everything we experience on Earth, the stars and galaxies we see in the cosmos—all the “normal” matter and energy that we understand—make up only 5% of the known universe. Find out how scientists are discovering new secrets about the history of the universe, and why they’re predicting a shocking future.

Aired: 04/04/18

Expires: 05/29/21

Rating: TV-PG

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What Is Dark Matter? A New Clue!
A signal from the dawn of the universe may hold surprising clues about dark matter.
Dark Matter's Invisible Hand
If dark matter interacts with regular matter as predicted, it could cause consequences.
A Scientist Walks Into A Bar #2
A scientist must explain the Big Bang and dark energy so two comedians can understand it.
What is Dark Energy?
Astronomers discovered dark energy in 1998, but are we any closer to understanding it?

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National corporate funding for NOVA Wonders is provided by Draper. Major funding for NOVA Wonders is provided by National Science Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and public television viewers, with additional funding for “Are We Alone?” and “What’s the Universe Made Of?” provided by the John Templeton Foundation. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL-1420749. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.