PBS Space Time

PBS Space Time is made with PBS and hosted by the astrophysicist Matt O’Dowd. He completed his PhD at NASA’s Space Telescope Science Institute and is now a professor at Lehman College, part of the City University of New York.

The videos take on hard topics without dumbing them down. They cover astrophysics, cosmology, quantum mechanics, relativity and new results from telescopes such as JWST. Each episode builds an argument step by step, with animations to support the ideas. Episodes usually run for fifteen to twenty minutes and are best watched with full attention.

Some highlights include:

An episode asks whether heavier elements beyond the current periodic table could exist and how physicists search for them.

A look at how Earth really moves through the galaxy, combining the motions of the planet, the Sun and the Milky Way.

The idea of silicon-based alien life is tested against real chemistry to see whether it could work.

The channel has over 3.5 million subscribers.

This channel suits anyone aiming for physics, astrophysics or aerospace engineering at university. It stretches understanding well beyond the school syllabus. The way each episode reasons from evidence is also good practice for the kind of thinking used in research and advanced engineering. The topics also link to the engineering behind space telescopes, particle detectors and spacecraft, which turn these ideas into real measurements. It is a demanding channel, so it may suit sixth formers more than younger viewers.