NOVA: Runaway Universe

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Starring: Liev Schreiber
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Type: DVD
Directed By: Alan Ritsko
Studio: WGBH Boston
Release Date: 2006-09-12
Runaway Universe - presents the dramatic quest to unlock the secrets of the stars as two rival astronomy teams search for exploding stars, map gigantic cosmic patterns of galaxies, and grapple with the ultimate question: what is the fate of the universe? With the use of stunning three-dimensional cosmic simulations captured with revolutionary high-definition technology, NOVA presents the first attempt to explore the riddle of "dark energy"- the mysterious repulsive force that some scientists believe counteracts gravity. How big is the universe? What does a supernova look like? Was Einstein’s greatest blunder actually correct? Explore these questions and other fascinating mysteries of the universe with this thrilling intergalactic adventure.

a new and very interesting view of the cosmos
This DVD presented a interesting information that really challenges older views of the universe. NOVA is generally excellent at making complex scientific principles accessible to the non-scientist, and this episode definitely did not disappoint. The questions raised by the possibility of an ever-expanding universe are endless, and it makes me realize just how much we don't know. Yet, everything was easy to understand and presented in a very interesting manner through the interviews with scientists and footage of their work. This is definitely a good DVD for folks interested in physics.

Excellent progress report
This program is a few years old now, but the gist of it remains true. We live in a time when astronomers are coming to terms with the fact that we simply do not know the nature of most of the material in the Universe. The show tells the story of how astronomers use supernovae to determine the rate of expansion of the Universe, and whether it will continue forever. The people involved are the best in the business, and most of them are engaging and even fun to watch. I've used this show many times in an astronomy class for non-scientists and they love it.

I don't belive in Dark Matter.....
Personally I think the whole idea of dark matter is nonsense. Lots of scientists making predictions and theories on the most flimsy of evidence. I think it is very premature to say that the universe is running away at a fast rate. So they noted that the light of distant galaxy is much dimmer then they had thought. Well how does this mean that the universe is running away from us? Is there something else out there that could explain why the light of the galaxy is much fainter? Did they read the data correctly? How can they so sure of their findings?
What if they made errors in their calculations without knowing it? That's the problem with these scientists! They make these big announcements and often do not have hard reliable data to back them up.

pretty good
great info excellent presentation and good covering of a great theory i recommend it

New theories about the expanding universe!
Before Albert Einstein died, he expressed a belief that there was a mysterious energy in the universe that held it together, yet couldn't be seen. He had no proof. In time, however, he came to believe that this thought was a blunder on his part. Now, as it turns out, he may have been right after all. This mysterious energy is known as Dark Energy and certain scientists believe that it occupies at least two-thirds of the known universe with Dark Matter filling most of the last third. Matter, as we know it, only occupies about five percent of the universe. This is part of what the NOVA espisode, Runaway Universe, deals with. There's also the race between two rival astronomy teams, each seeking to find evidence which shows that the expansion of the universe is not slowing down, but rather speeding up. Each team is able to gather the necessary proof for this new theory by observing certain types of exploding stars and the expanding heat and gases that erupt from them. Ten years ago, it seems that almost everyone thought the universe was going to stop expanding and that all the galaxies would eventually be drawn together for a gigantic implosion. Now, it looks as though that particular theory was wrong. What is the force that's causing the universe's expansion to accelerate? This is where the theory of Dark Energy may come into play. A number of today's scientists believe that Dark Engergy counteracts gravity. Rather than gravity pulling all of the galaxies together into one massive clump, Dark Energy may be keeping them apart while at the same time propelling them forward through infinite space and time. As well as discussing these new ideas, the Runaway Universe also has some breathtaking imagery of super novas and gaseous nebulae and spiral galaxies that were taken by the Hubble Space telecope and a much newer scope that enables scientists to see futher into darkness of our universe. If only I was eighteen years old, instead of fifty-six. The next fifty years are going to be astounding for astronomers as new knowledge and insight comes about, especially when we finally put a man on Mars. I wish I could be here for that moment.