Science: resources for teachers

Enter the world of heavy-duty transport at Volvo. See how powerful trucks are assembled with precision robotics and skilled craftsmanship to keep goods moving across continents.

Engineers cut a huge ferry completely in half — then add an extra section to expand it. Witness this incredible “ship surgery” where timing, precision, and raw power collide to reshape a vessel at sea.

Modern and future warfare rely more on digital command systems than on traditional weaponry. This episode explores how the battlefield has shifted from the physical world to a virtual domain where cyberattacks now form the front line.

What is everything? What is nothing? In this two-part documentary, host and professor Jim Al-Khalili sets out to explore these profound and complex questions. To understand “everything,” he examines the nature of the universe and how mathematics and science have shaped our perception of space. He then turns to the microscopic realm to investigate the idea of “nothing.” Along the way, Al-Khalili reveals a striking connection between the two: everything ultimately emerged from nothing.

The extraordinary story of Katherine Johnson, the mathematical genius whose calculations helped launch America into space. From segregated West Virginia classrooms to NASA’s most critical missions, her work guided Alan Shepard, John Glenn, Apollo 11, Apollo 13, and the space shuttle era. Breaking barriers of race and gender, Johnson became one of the hidden minds behind America’s greatest space achievements.

Are we truly made of star stuff? This fascinating documentary explores the hidden connection between life and the cosmos through one of the universe's most mysterious phenomena: cosmic rays. Journeying from world-class observatories in Spain and Argentina to cutting-edge laboratories at CERN and NASA-affiliated research centres, scientists investigate how particles born in exploding stars may have helped create the building blocks of life, shape Earth's atmosphere, influence evolution, and perhaps determine the fate of life throughout the universe.

This documentary tells the remarkable story of the Saturn V rocket, the engineering masterpiece that made the Moon landings possible. From the early days of the Space Race and the legacy of German rocket science to the race to fulfil President Kennedy’s challenge, it reveals how NASA overcame immense technical obstacles to build the most powerful rocket ever flown and send mankind to the Moon.

Join astronomer Gary Fildes on an unforgettable journey from the UK to the world's darkest skies in Chile. Visiting some of the planet's most powerful observatories, including Paranal, ALMA and La Silla, he discovers how cutting-edge telescopes are revealing the deepest secrets of the universe—and why protecting dark skies is essential for the future of astronomy.

Professor Jim Al-Khalili explores one of the greatest mysteries in science: gravity. From Newton's apple and Einstein's revolutionary theory of relativity to black holes, gravitational waves and the strange way gravity bends time itself, this documentary reveals how gravity shapes the universe—and why scientists are still trying to understand its deepest secrets.

A falling cat seems to break the rules of motion — but the real explanation is even stranger than it looks.

Hosted by Athena Brensberger @astroathens 💫

For centuries, scientists have been baffled by how cats land on their feet. Figuring it out took several theories, calculations, and dropped cats. But it’s helped us understand everything from how to move in zero gravity to building better robots.o

NASA launched its newest space telescope, undertaking its biggest mission yet to study the universe on a much larger scale. A roughly $4 billion project, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will allow scientists to get panoramic views of space and better understand the nature of powerful forces known as dark energy and dark matter. Miles O’Brien joined Amna Nawaz to discuss more.

Europe's largest nuclear power plant has been running without external electricity for more than a week. The Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia plant is relying on emergency diesel generators to keep its six shut-down reactors cool. Nuclear safety expert Dr Nikolaus Müllner tells DW how catastrophic the consequences could be if the diesel runs out.

NASA is preparing to launch its next flagship space observatory, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, on a mission to investigate some of the biggest mysteries in the universe. The $4 billion telescope will study dark energy and dark matter, map galaxies across vast areas of space and search for thousands of planets beyond our solar system. Roman will combine sharp infrared observations with a field of view at least 100 times larger than Hubble's, allowing astronomers to survey the cosmos on an unprecedented scale.

Witness the creation of the Porsche Macan in Leipzig, Germany. From raw materials to sleek design, discover the blend of high-tech automation and expert hand-finishing that defines a Porsche.

We explore artificial intelligence and autonomy in modern warfare — technologies that are no longer science fiction. As the pace of conflict accelerates, machines are beginning to match and surpass human capability. With AI driving faster and more complex systems, the key question becomes: how much control are we willing to hand over? Will humans still guide future conflicts, or are we stepping into a battlefield shaped entirely by AI?

Physicist Jim Al-Khalili explores how quantum physics—our most precise yet puzzling scientific theory—might shape the natural world. From the European robin’s quantum-powered navigation to the surprising role quantum vibrations may play in our sense of smell, he uncovers the strange physics hidden in everyday life. Finally, he asks a bold question: could quantum effects even influence evolution itself?

As Ford ramps up electric vehicle production just outside Detroit, a global transformation is accelerating. EVs are no longer niche—they’re becoming the future of transportation. But behind the surge lies a complex and often controversial supply chain.

From lithium-rich deserts in Chile to experimental extraction projects in California, this documentary explores the hidden cost of the EV boom. While electric vehicles promise a cleaner future, the race for critical minerals like lithium and copper is reshaping landscapes, straining water resources, and impacting local communities.

With demand skyrocketing and supply chains under pressure, the question remains: can the world truly build a clean energy future… without repeating the mistakes of the past?

A documentary look at the people behind America’s Apollo programme, from German V2 rocket scientists brought to the US after WWII, to the engineers, technicians, women, and Black NASA workers who helped build the rockets that sent humans to the Moon. It covers Sputnik, the birth of NASA, Kennedy’s Moon challenge, segregation-era Huntsville, the Apollo 1 tragedy, the triumph of Apollo 11, and the bittersweet end of the Saturn programme.

From the first Mercury astronauts to the final footsteps of Apollo 17, this documentary tells the extraordinary story of how NASA trained a generation of pilots, engineers, and explorers to achieve the impossible.

Through brutal survival courses, zero-gravity flights, underwater simulations, lunar landing trainers, and years of relentless preparation, America's astronauts learned the skills needed to travel 250,000 miles to the Moon, land on another world, conduct scientific research, and return safely to Earth.

Jim Al-Khalili traces the groundbreaking breakthroughs that reshaped our understanding of the universe. From Einstein's theory of general relativity and the discovery of an expanding cosmos to the mind-bending principles of quantum mechanics, this episode explores black holes, quantum entanglement, and the ongoing quest for a unified Theory of Everything. Along the way, it reveals how these extraordinary ideas have revolutionised our view of space, time, and the fundamental nature of reality—culminating in the astonishing possibility that the universe itself could be a vast holographic projection.

Astrophysicist Jim Al-Khalili investigates the invisible force that governs the cosmos: gravity. Tracing its story from Isaac Newton's groundbreaking discoveries to Einstein's game-changing theory of relativity, he uncovers how gravity controls everything from the motion of planets to the formation of black holes. Exploring warped space-time, gravitational waves and the universe's most extreme phenomena, this documentary reveals why gravity remains one of science's greatest unsolved puzzles.

Japan has spent decades leading the world in humanoid robotics—but how close are we to building a robot friend? This documentary explores the country's most advanced companion robots, from emotional AI and robot caregivers to humanoid assistants and lifelike androids, asking whether machines could one day replace human companionship.

A cosmic experiment tests the fabric of the universe.
This video was originally produced in 2019.

Physicists have long debated the reality of "spooky action at a distance," otherwise known as quantum entanglement.

Albert Einstein believed that physical properties, like position or momentum, were definitive and did not change whether anyone observed them or not. But Niels Bohr believed that quantum systems existed in superposition and properties only became definite when measured.

Now, a team of researchers conduct a cosmic Bell test using light from quasars billions of light-years away. By using ancient light to control their experiment, they aim to close a major loophole and show if reality is as strange as quantum mechanics suggests.

What’s up with rocket stages crashing into the moon? Neil deGrasse breaks down headlines about SpaceX rocket stages crashing into the moon and ways of dealing with space junk as we begin a possible permanent presence on the moon.

Chinese companies have pitted their humanoid robots against each other in a flashy "sporting event" - but what's really behind the hype? Is physical AI ready to become a part of our lives?