How the Universe Works

Cassini’s Final Secrets is a one‑off documentary‑style episode that aired on the BBC’s science strand last month. It’s fronted by veteran presenter Dr Megan Hughes, with interviews from former NASA engineers, planetary geologists and a few of the mission’s original flight controllers. Think of it as a proper “behind‑the‑scenes” look at the Cassini‑Huygens probe that spent thirteen years orbiting Saturn before diving into the planet’s clouds in 2017. The episode walks you through the big discoveries that kept popping up even after the craft was dead. We get a tidy recap of how Cassini mapped the rings, sampled Enceladus’s geysers and even hinted at a subsurface ocean on Titan. New data – released just last year – is unpacked with fresh graphics, showing how the probe’s instruments detected mysterious plasma waves and organic chemistry that still puzzle scientists. The narrative stays clear of spoilers about the final plunge, focusing instead on the legacy the mission left for future explorers. Honestly, it’s not a blockbuster, but it’s surprisingly good for a TV hour. The pacing does wobble a bit when the show lingers on archival footage, and some of the CGI feels a touch dated compared with today’s Netflix space series. Still, the personal anecdotes from the engineers give it a human touch that makes the science feel less sterile. If you liked “The Planets” or “Cosmos” but want something shorter and more grounded, this will hit the spot. Rated PG – there’s a few intense moments of the spacecraft’s fiery descent that might unsettle younger kids, and the occasional technical jargon. First terrestrial broadcast in the UK, it’s not a remake but a fresh companion piece to the 2020 Netflix documentary “The Search for Life on Mars”. Grab a cuppa and settle in; it’s a solid, if not groundbreaking, look at one of humanity’s biggest space triumphs.