# How the Universe Works (2010)

> A narrated primer on the cosmos, tracing the universe from the Big Bang through galaxies, stars, planets and moons.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/31140

## Facts

- Seasons: 11
- Episodes: 93
- Episode runtime: 42 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: documentary
- Network: Science, Discovery
- Cast: Mike Rowe, Erik Dellums, Chris Mckay, Carly Howett, Nina Lanza, Hakeem Muata Oluseyi, Amber Straughn, Moogega Cooper
- TMDB rating: 8.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1832668/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: awed, warm, patient, wondrous, educational

## What critics say

Audiences broadly regard the series as an acclaimed, accessible primer on cosmology and astronomy, with strong ratings across most seasons.

## Synopsis

How the Universe Works (2010-2023) is a American science documentary series broadcast on Science and Discovery, with narration by Mike Rowe and Erik Dellums and appearances by astrophysicist Hakeem Muata Oluseyi, planetary scientist Nina Lanza, astrobiologist Chris Mckay and theoretical physicist Max Tegmark. Across eleven seasons and ninety-three episodes of roughly forty-two minutes each, the show works as a users' guide to the cosmos, with each episode tracing one stretch of the universe's story, from the Big Bang to galaxies, stars, planets and moons. Its engine is curiosity: every episode poses a question about where everything came from and how it all connects, then has scientists explain the answer in plain language, supported by sweeping visuals of distant galaxies and planetary surfaces. The structure is episodic within a single unified survey, so viewers can dip into any topic. The tone is awed, warm and patient, closer to a guided tour than a lecture. Fans of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, Planet Earth and Nova will find the same blend of wonder and accessible science. It suits anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered.

## Shows like How the Universe Works

- [NOVA (1974)](https://ember.film/tv/3387)
- [The Planets (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/76061)
- [The Dinosaurs (2026)](https://ember.film/tv/1105182)
- [The Elegant Universe (2003)](https://ember.film/tv/19763)
- [Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking (2010)](https://ember.film/tv/30012)
- [The Universe (2007)](https://ember.film/tv/2491)
- [The Planets (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/5941)
- [One Strange Rock (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/65697)
- [Our Universe (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/134572)
- [Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/107981)

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