Episode 42
Ultima Thule (Episode 28) - The Great Beyond (Parts 1 & 2)
We have finally reached the final chapter of Ultima Thule: Unraveling the Unknown. In the penultimate episode we see how humans have come to view Earth by looking back at it from space, known as the overview effect. But the primary focus of this episode is to try and understand what is both the most abundant and vacant thing in the universe - empty space. We look at first-hand accounts of what space is like from the likes of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, as well as those who have flown to the other side of the Moon and lost sight of Earth all together. We also explore the substance of space - what is the vacuum comprised of? Does it have a smell? What does physics say is happening in any given square meter of empty space? Can any life survive in it? If so, for how long? How deep can we peer into it? What is dark matter and dark energy? How did the Universe begin? What does the future of the Universe look like based on current knowledge? (28/29)
