Runaway Universe

How did the universe begin and how will it end? These are two of the most profoundly troubling philosophical questions facing the human race. In the early 20th century, Edwin Hubble and other astronomers laid the groundwork for what would become the "big bang" theory of the origins of the universe: the belief that our universe was set in motion when a mighty explosion of gas and matter was propelled outwards into space, in the process spinning off galaxies, stars, moons, and planets. While most scientists now accept the theory, the general feeling has been that the universe is currently static, or expanding slowly. In this NOVA episode, viewers are presented with alarming new evidence indicating that our universe is not only expanding, but moving at a much greater speed than anyone had previously imagined, with the accelerating separation of galaxies suggesting that on some distant day humans may truly find themselves alone in the cosmos. Tracking the work of scientific teams in Chile and Hawaii as they scan the far reaches of the universe for supernovae which may help explain the destiny of the cosmos, this program explores the theories of Einstein and Hubble, and looks at new and mysterious forces shaping the cosmos bearing exotic labels such as dark matter, dark energy, and quintessence. While there's little we can do to influence the ultimate fate of the universe, scientists aided by incredibly powerful telescopes and computers have brought us closer to a deeper understanding of the greater celestial sea in which we float. With its usual high quality graphics and clear presentation, this NOVA video is definitely recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)