History’s popular series returns for a third season

THE UNIVERSE

New Season Premieres on  Tuesday, November 11 at 9pm

With “Deep Space Disasters”

NEW YORK, NOV. 7, 2008 –  From the planets to the stars and out to the edge of the unknown, history and science collide in this popular History™ series, now back for its third season.  Today, robotic rovers give us eyes on the red rock of Mars… NASA probes slam into comets at hyper speed… Deep space telescopes capture violent images of the birth of stars and their collapse into black holes…  All of these have significantly changed the way we look at ourselves. And although 50 years have flown by since man first ventured into outer space, the heavens are only now yielding their greatest secrets. Season Three of THE UNIVERSE premieres on History on Wednesday, November 11 at 9pm ET/PT.

Using vivid  computer graphics and engaging top experts in the field, this series brings the universe down to earth to show what life would be like on other planets, and to imagine what kind of life forms might evolve in alien atmospheres.  All-new topics this time on THE UNIVERSE will include space disasters, parallel universes, light speed and sex in space. Each episode examines how the discoveries were made and the fascinating stories of the scientists and explorers who dared to venture into the uncharted territory of the universe.

Upcoming episodes:

DEEP SPACE DISASTERS (Nov. 11)

In space travel there is a saying that the first 50 miles and the last 50 miles are the most dangerous. SPACE DISASTERS will explore the controlled explosion of launch, the fiery crucible of reentry and everything in between. See how a single spark inside a spacecraft or a micrometeoroid less than an inch wide hitting a space station can turn a routine mission into a lethal nightmare. As the missions become longer, venturing to Mars and beyond, the potential disasters will only become bigger. And what would happen if a spacecraft ventured too close to a black hole or was hit by a gamma ray burst? SEASON PREMIERE!

PARALLEL UNIVERSES (Nov. 18)

It may seem like science fiction, but some of the world’s leading physicists today believe they’ve found startling new evidence for the existence of universes other than our own. If Cosmologists, “String Theory” superstars, and trailblazing physicists are right – then parallel universes are not just possible, they’re inevitable. One possibility: the universe is so vast that exact replicas of our Solar System, our planet and ourselves – “Doppelganger Universes” – exist many times over within our own Universe, in what scientist now call “The Multiverse.”  In another scenario, the same “inflationary” forces that gave birth to our universe could create other Parallel Universes. In yet another concept, “Many Worlds” spring as a result of every decision or choice we make. In each of these multiple worlds, things happen in every exotic and fantastic way each of us has ever imagined.  Trailblazing experiments by massive, state-of-the art particle colliders are looking for evidence of higher dimensions and Parallel Universes.

LIGHT SPEED (Nov. 25)

The laws of physics say we can never travel faster than Light Speed – or can we? This episode explores it all, including the ways scientists envision breaking the “light barrier” needed for the star travel of our imaginations. Light speed is the ultimate constant in the universe. Though incredibly fast from a human perspective, in the scales of space it’s agonizingly slow. Light speed lets us see things instantly here on Earth, and shows the history of the universe going back nearly 14 billion years. Traveling at close to light speed, our surroundings become distorted and misshapen as space and time bend over backward to maintain the speed of light as a rock-solid constant. In the vacuum of space, the speed of light may not change; but in other media, it slows down and bends – allowing glass lenses to do their work (and the invention of telescopes), and without which what our eyes see would be a featureless blur.

SEX IN SPACE (Dec. 2)

As humans move to colonize the cosmos, the realities of sexual relationships and reproduction need to be addressed – and the physiological, psychological and cultural challenges of sex in space. This episode looks at how the extreme environments of space exploration might effect copulation, conception and developing human tissues, as well as how issues around sex might impact the emotional lives of astronauts. It gets to the bottom of the rumors to find out if space sex has already happened, and looks at how the burgeoning space tourism business may soon lead to a boom in space sex. 

Other upcoming topics include: ALIEN FACES – scientists, astrobiologists and astronomers create five lines of extraterrestrial evolution, and explain how creatures on the surface of Earth offer a helping hand to understanding life in the universe…. DEADLY COMETS AND METEORS – how asteroids and comets have left their imprint on planet Earth, how they still threaten man’s existence; and how they may also present great resource opportunities …  LIVING IN SPACE – where and in what form will our new homes and lifestyles develop when we eventually leave the cradle of Earth and venture forth into the uncharted territories of the cosmos to do more than visit.

The official minisite, [1] http://history.com/universe, will include the exclusive Interactive Universe, fast facts and Backyard Astronomer videos.

History is promoting The Universe Season Three with a “Hunt Through History Sweepstakes” where viewers search online for answers to Universe-themed trivia questions. Correct answers will enter them for a chance to win one of two trips to the Kennedy Space Center. The promotion will also be featured in InMotion stores throughout November.

THE UNIVERSE is produced by Flight 33 Productions for History™. Executive Producers are Louis C. Tarantino and Douglas J. Cohen.  Executive Producer for History is Carl H. Lindahl. 

History™ and History HD™ are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning, original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connects history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the networks’ program offerings are hit series such as Ax Men,  Battle 360, The Universe, Cities of The Underworld and Ice Road Truckers, as well as acclaimed specials including King, Life After People, 1968 With Tom Brokaw, Lost Book of Nostradamus, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed and Sherman’s March. History has earned four Peabody Awards, four Primetime Emmy® Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy® Awards and received the prestigious Governor’s Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network’s Save Our History® campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take A Veteran to School Day is the network’s latest initiative connecting America’s schools and communities with veterans from all wars. History’s website, located at [2] www.History.com, is the definitive historical online source that delivers entertaining and informative content featuring broadband video, interactive timelines, maps, games podcasts and more.

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