This series takes a fascinating new look at a very old universe. Fifty years after man first ventured into outer space, we examine the greatest secrets of the heavens. Each episode outlines how humans have explored the universe, and scrutinises the discoveries they have made.

We look at hi-tech space telescopes which record the violent birth of stars, robotic rovers which glimpse the red surface of Mars, and sophisticated NASA probes which delve into the mysterious make-up of comets.

As the earth churns ominously with the effects of global warming, this is a revealing and prescient journey into the heavens. From the planets to the stars and out to the edge of the unknown, history and science collide in this epic exploration of the Universe and its mysteries.

In Mars: The Red Planet, we investigate the nature and composition of the planet in our solar system that shares the most similarities with Earth. Despite otherworldly features - such as the largest volcano in the Solar System - the red planet had much in common with our own one.

Rumours of life on Mars may be substantiated as NASA orbiters and rovers discover new evidence of frozen water just beneath the rusty soil. Did alien life exist there? As Earth reels with the effects of global warming, Mars becomes the most likely candidate for eventual human habitation. Cutting-edge computer graphics are used to show what life would be like on Mars, and to imagine what kind of life forms might evolve in alien atmospheres.