Martin Rees

Documentary on nature's ultimate abyss, the black hole. It is the darkest thing in the universe and its gravity is so powerful that not even light can escape. Most start out as brilliant stars which, after millions of years, eventually collapse forming a bottomless pit from which there is no escape. Narrated by actor John Hurt and directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker Richard Smith, the program is a journey into interstellar space to explore these mysterious "prisons of light", via an imaginary computer-generated space ship. Guides for the journey include Professor Stephen Hawking, Britain's Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees, and Homer Simpson. The program also examines the history surrounding black holes, from the first conception of them in 1859 to the present day.

The hunt for aliens is on! After a distinguished career in cosmology Professor Martin Rees, the astronomer royal, has taken up the search for extra-terrestrials. Looking for aliens is no longer science fiction - it is a question that's engaging some of the greatest minds in science. As our knowledge of the universe has increased, we're getting closer to answers. Many scientists now think we live in galaxy with a billion Earth-like planets, many of which may be teeming with life. But what kind of life? Has anything evolved into beings we could communicate with? This film gets inside the minds of the scientists considering one of the most exciting and profound questions we can ask - are we alone in the universe? Professor Rees thinks we may have our idea of what an alien is like all wrong. If he's right, it's not organic extra-terrestrials we should look for, it's machines.

Series of investigative science documentaries.