Horizon S00E73 · Mission to Mars: A Horizon Special

Overview

Horizon goes behind the scenes at NASA as they countdown to the landing of a 2.5 billion-dollar rover on the surface of Mars. In six days time, the nuclear-powered vehicle - the size of a car - will be winched down onto the surface of the Red Planet from a rocket-powered crane. That's if things go according to plan: Mars has become known as the Bermuda Triangle of space because so many missions there have ended in failure. The Curiosity mission is the most audacious - and expensive - attempt to answer the question: is there life on Mars?

Torrents

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Episodes

1. 1 1. Horizon Christmas Special: Hand me my Sword, Humphrey1966-12-25 · 1h 0mIt is Christmas Day in the house of Hastings. The time (the 1830s), the place (a suburban Victorian home), and the atmosphere (after the pudding with the children waiting to be ent
2. 2 2. The Case of the Ancient Astronauts1977-11-25 · 1h 0mIn this special episode, Horizon reports on Erich von Däniken and his theories about astronauts visiting Earth long ago.
3. 3 3. The Mind's Eye1980-01-28 · 1h 0mThis special episode of Horizon shows the latest advances in research into how the visual eyesight system of humans and animals work.
4. 4 4. 25 Years in Space1982-12-25 · 1h 0mThis Horizon special episode recalls the highlights of the past 25 years of the space age.
5. 5 5. Biology at War: The Mystery of Yellow Rain1984-05-15 · 1h 0mIn the first part of this special two-part series, Horizon reports on the yellow rain problem in South-east Asia.
6. 6 6. Beyond the Moon1984-07-21 · 1h 0mIn this special episode, Horizon brings you a report on space exploration and exploitation. The first half of this episode looks back at the Apollo 11 moon landing, and second the
7. 7 7. Biology at War: A Plague in the Wind1984-10-29 · 1h 0mThis is the second part, of a two-part special series. In this episode, Horizon looks at the history of germ warfare and the research still continuing today in military labs under
8. 8 8. Twenty-First Birthday1985-05-20 · 1h 0mHorizon celebrates twenty one years of work, achievement, and awards with a birthday compilation of highlights from past episodes.
9. 9 9. Halley's Comet - The Apparition1985-11-25 · 1h 0mThis report by Horizon looks into how the apparitions of Halley's comet came to be predicted so accurately.
10. 10 10. Halley's Comet - The Encounter1986-03-13 · 1h 0mSpecial on Halley's comet
11. 11 11. The Diary of Discovery1988-09-28 · 1h 0mThis Horizon special follows the 20 months preparation of the five astronauts who are to man the American space shuttle Discovery launching on the 29th of September in 1988. This i
12. 12 12. Making an Honest Fiver1990-06-06 · 1h 0mThis Horizon special explores the production and processes behind the scenes of the new five pound note to be launched on the 7the June, 1990, in Britain. It considers the design a
13. 13 13. Red Star in Orbit: The Invisible Spaceman1990-12-07 · 1h 0mThis Horizon special episode is part one of a three part series on the projects, cosmonauts, and engineers involved in the Soviet Union space program.
14. 14 14. Red Star in Orbit: The Dark Side of the Moon1990-12-14 · 1h 0mThis Horizon special episode is part two of a three part series on the projects, cosmonauts, and engineers involved in the Soviet Union space program.
15. 15 15. Red Star in Orbit: The Mission1990-12-21 · 1h 0mThis Horizon special episode is the last part of a three part series on the projects, cosmonauts, and engineers involved in the Soviet Union space program. In this episode, two Sov
16. 16 16. A Close Encouter of the Second Kind1992-07-10 · 1h 0mThis Horizon special program explores what happened when the "Giotto" explorer spacecraft passed within 100 kilometres of Halley's Comet.
17. 17 17. Hide and Seek in Iraq1992-08-23 · 1h 0mThis documentary by Horizon reveals the disturbing discoveries made in over 40 inspections looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
18. 18 18. The Truth About Sex1992-10-12 · 1h 0mThis report by Horizon brings you the results of a landmark survey about sex.
19. 19 19. Assault on the Male1993-10-31 · 1h 0mThis Horizon special looks at the mysterious changes in wildlife that has been reported in the USA and that man's reproduction may also be adversely effected.
20. 20 20. 30th Anniversary - The Far Side1994-05-23 · 1h 0mHorizon celebrates its 30th birthday by checking on some of the scientific predictions of last three decades.
21. 21 21. Twice Born1995-02-14 · 1h 0mIn this special episode, Horizon examines the use of foetal surgery for life saving operations.
22. 22 22. Einstein: The Miracle Year1996-03-17 · 1h 0mFirst part of a two-part drama looking at the work and life of Albert Einstein. Mixes archival material with dramatised sequences. Looks at his turbulent private life and the six m
23. 23 23. Einstein: Fame1996-03-18 · 1h 0mThis is the second part of a two-part Horizon series on Albert Einstein looking at Einstein's life and work. This program deals with the break up of his first marriage, his second
24. 24 24. BSE: The Invisible Enemy1996-11-17 · 1h 0mFirst part of a two-part investigation into BSE. Looks into the scientific confusion and official bungling surrounding the problem, which allowed BSE to spread into the human popul
25. 25 25. BSE: The Human Experiment1996-11-18 · 1h 0mThis is part two of a two-part Horizon series on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), more commonly known as "mad cow" disease, and how it is transmitted to humans, becoming CJD
26. 26 26. Molecules With Sunglasses (Update)1996-12-09 · 1h 0mAn update on the earlier 1992 episode, and the continuing story of the Carbon 60 molecule.
27. 27 27. Ice Mummies: The Ice Maiden1997-01-30 · 1h 0mFollows archeologist Natalya Polosmok as she journeys to the Altay Mountains in southern Siberia to search for traces of an ancient people known as the Pazyryk. * Polosmok and
28. 28 28. Ice Mummies: A Life in Ice1997-02-06 · 1h 0mIn this second part of the Ice Mummies trilogy, attention turns to Ötzi, the Neolithic man plucked with an ice pick and some not inconsiderable brute force from an Alpine glacier.
29. 29 29. Ice Mummies: Frozen in Heaven1997-02-13 · 1h 0mThis is the bizarre and fascinating story of the remains of Inca culture, frozen for posterity high in the mountains of the Andes. Evidence has emerged of sacrifice to the mountain
30. 30 30. Computers Don't Bite, Inside the Internet1997-05-17 · 1h 0m
31. 31 31. Antarctica: The Ice Lives1997-10-30 · 1h 0mThis is part one of a three-part Horizon special about the scientists and others who became explorers in the earth's final frontier, Antarctica.
32. 32 32. Antarctica: The Ice Forms1997-11-06 · 1h 0mThis is part two of a three-part Horizon special about the scientists and others who became explorers in the earth's final frontier, Antarctica.
33. 33 33. Antarctica: The Ice Melts1997-11-13 · 1h 0mThis is part three of a three-part Horizon special about the scientists and others who became explorers in the earth's final frontier, Antarctica.
34. 34 34. Crash1998-01-08 · 1h 0mThis programme traces the lessons learned from a century of road fatalities. How have car makers learnt to predict the injuries their designs will inflict, and how have doctors lea
35. 35 35. Darwin: The Legacy1998-03-29 · 1h 0m
36. 36 36. Longitude1999-01-04 · 1h 0mIn this documentary special, Horizon explores how to solve the problem of sailors being unable to pin-point their exact east-west position on the globe.
37. 37 37. Fat Files: Born to Be Fat1999-01-07 · 1h 0mHorizon presents a three-part series focusing on weight-gain, dieting, and eating disorders. In this episode, there is scientific proof that we are not always in control of our app
38. 38 38. Fat Files: Fixing Fat1999-01-14 · 1h 0mHorizon presents a three-part series focusing on weight-gain, dieting, and eating disorders. In this episode, Horizon examines the shift away from invasive dieting methods to more
39. 39 39. Fat Files: Living on Air1999-01-21 · 1h 0mHorizon presents a three-part series focusing on weight-gain, dieting, and eating disorders. In this episode, Horizon looks at the eating disorders called Anorexia and Bulimia.
40. 40 40. Atlantis Uncovered1999-10-28 · 1h 0mThis is part one of a two-part special Horizon series about Atlantis. In this episode, Horizon explores the mystery of whether Atlantis really did exist. Was there really, about 12
41. 41 41. Atlantis Reborn1999-11-04 · 1h 0mThis is part two of a two-part special Horizon series about Atlantis. In this episode, Horizon puts Graham Hancock's controversial theories about the past to the test, dissecting h
42. 42 42. Life and Death in the 21st Century: Living Forever2000-01-04 · 1h 0mWill we find the magic formula that allows us to live forever in the 21st Century?
43. 43 43. Life and Death in the 21st Century: Future Plagues2000-01-05 · 1h 0mAncient diseases we thought we had defeated are returning to haunt us, and plagues of new viruses and bacteria are now emerging.
44. 44 44. Life and Death in the 21st Century: Designer Babies2000-01-06 · 1h 0mWill we ever be able to hand-pick genes to manufacture our own tailor-made baby?
45. 45 45. Inside the Internet2000-06-10 · 1h 0m
46. 46 46. Life on Mars2001-01-11 · 1h 0mHorizon explores how the search for Martians is hotting up.
47. 47 47. Destination Mars2001-01-18 · 1h 0mTantalising new evidence has emerged that life could exist on Mars. But to find out for sure humans will have to journey to this dry, frozen planet.
48. 48 48. What Sank the Kursk?2001-08-08 · 1h 0mIn August 2000, the Russian submarine, the Kursk, sank with the loss of 118 lives. It was a tragedy which shocked the world. But to many the tragedy remains incomprehensible, for t
49. 49 49. First Olympians: A Horizon Special2004-07-23 · 1h 0mIn this documentary, Horizon reports on a skeleton was found 50 years ago in Southern Italy. The bone structure suggests the owner was an ancient athlete.
50. 50 50. Everest: Doctors in the Death Zone (1)2007-09-23 · 1h 0mA team of doctors conducts potentially life-saving experiments in Horizon's 'death zone' This two-part special follows a team of doctors conducting a series of groundbreaking expe
51. 51 51. Everest: Doctors in the Death Zone (2)2007-09-30 · 1h 0mA team of doctors conducts potentially life-saving experiments in Horizon's 'death zone' This two-part special follows a team of doctors conducting a series of groundbreaking expe
52. 52 52. Lost Horizons: The Big Bang2008-09-04 · 1h 0mProfessor Jim Al Khalili delves into over 50 years of the BBC science archive to tell the story behind the emergence of one of the greatest theories of modern science, the Big Bang
53. 53 53. How Mad Are You? (1)2008-11-11 · 1h 0mFirst of a two-part special. Ten volunteers have come together for an extraordinary test. Five are 'normal' and the other five have been officially diagnosed as mentally ill. Horiz
54. 54 54. How Mad Are You? (2)2008-11-18 · 1h 0mSecond part of the special documentary considering where the line between sanity and madness lies as ten volunteers come together for an extraordinary test. With five 'normal' volu
55. 55 55. 40 Years on the Moon2009-07-09 · 1h 0mProfessor Brian Cox takes a look through nearly 50 years of BBC archive at the story of man's relationship with the Moon.
56. 56 56. Pandemic: A Horizon Guide2009-08-09 · 1h 0mIn the wake of the swine flu outbreak, virologist Dr Mike Leahy goesw back over 50 years of BBC archives to explore the history of pandemics: waves of infectious diseases caused by
57. 57 57. Mars: A Horizon Guide2009-11-15 · 1h 0mThe intriguing possibility of life on Mars has fuelled man's quest to visit the Red Planet. Drawing on 45 years of Horizon archive, space expert Dr Kevin Fong presents a documentar
58. 58 58. How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?2009-12-09 · 1h 0mIn a Horizon special, naturalist Sir David Attenborough investigates whether the world is heading for a population crisis. In his lengthy career, Sir David has watched the human p
59. 59 59. Diet: A Horizon Guide2010-01-07 · 1h 0mDr Susan Jebb takes a look through nearly fifty years of amazing BBC archive of mankind's relationship with what we eat, charting the shift from the malnutrition of the past to tod
60. 60 60. The End of God? A Horizon Guide to Science and Religion2010-09-17 · 1h 0mAs the Pope ends his visit to Britain, historian Dr Thomas Dixon delves into the BBC's archive to explore the troubled relationship between religion and science. From the creationi
61. 61 61. What Makes Us Clever? A Horizon Guide to Intelligence2011-01-06 · 1h 0mDallas Campbell delves into the Horizon archive to discover how our understanding of intelligence has transformed over the last century. From early caveman thinkers to computers do
62. 62 62. Japan Earthquake: A Horizon Special2011-03-27 · 1h 0mProfessor Iain Stewart examines the powerful geological forces that unleashed the devastating Japanese earthquake, and explores how the release of this power of the planet brought
63. 63 63. The Space Shuttle: A Horizon Guide2011-04-10 · 1h 0mIn 2011, after more than 30 years of service, America's space shuttle will take to the skies for the last time. Its story has been characterised by incredible triumphs, but blighte
64. 64 64. The End of the World? A Horizon Guide to Armageddon2011-05-12 · 1h 0mOur understanding of the world around us is better now than ever before. But are we any closer to knowing how its all going to end? Dallas Campbell delves into the Horizon archive
65. 65 65. Carrot or Stick? A Horizon Guide to Raising Kids2011-08-11 · 1h 0mChild psychologist Laverne Antrobus delves into the Horizon archive to find out how science has shaped our approach to parenting and education over the last fifty years. From lesso
66. 66 66. Extinct: A Horizon Guide to Dinosaurs2011-09-21 · 1h 0mDallas Campbell explores how mankind's understanding of dinosaurs has developed since the 1970s. He reveals how technological advances led to scientists revising their theories abo
67. 67 67. The Hunt for Higgs: A Horizon Special2012-01-09 · 1h 0mHorizon goes behind the scenes at CERN to follow one of the most epic and expensive scientific quests of all time: the search for the Higgs particle, believed to give mass to every
68. 68 68. Woof! A Horizon Guide to Dogs2012-03-01 · 1h 0mDallas Campbell looks back through the Horizon archives to find out what science can tell us about our best friend the dog, and whether new thinking should change the way we treat
69. 69 69. The Hunt for AI2012-04-03 · 1h 0mMarcus Du Sautoy wants to find out how close we are to creating machines that can think like us: robots or computers that have artificial intelligence. His journey takes him to a
70. 70 70. Stuff: A Horizon Guide to Materials2012-04-19 · 1h 0mEngineer Jem Stansfield looks back through the Horizon archives to find out how scientists have come to understand and manipulate the materials that built the modern world. Whether
71. 71 71. Blink: A Horizon Guide to the Senses2012-07-11 · 1h 0mKevin Fong looks back through 40 years of Horizon archives to explore what science has revealed about methods of perception. He discovers why babies use touch more than any other s
72. 72 72. Immortal? A Horizon Guide to Ageing2012-07-17 · 1h 0mIs there any way to slow or even prevent the ravages of time? Veteran presenter Johnny Ball looks back over the 45 years that Horizon - and he - have been on air to find out what s
73. 73 73. Mission to Mars: A Horizon Special2012-07-31 · 1h 0mHorizon goes behind the scenes at NASA as they countdown to the landing of a 2.5 billion-dollar rover on the surface of Mars. In six days time, the nuclear-powered vehicle - the si
74. 74 74. The Final Frontier: A Horizon Guide to the Universe2012-10-17 · 1h 0mDallas Campbell looks back through almost 50 years of the Horizon archives to chart the scientific breakthroughs that have transformed our understanding of the universe. From Einst
75. 75 75. The Truth About Meteors: A Horizon Special2013-03-03 · 1h 0mOn a bright, cold morning on 15th February 2013, a meteorite ripped across the skies above the Ural mountains in Russia, distintegrating into three pieces and exploding with the fo
76. 76 76. Mend Me: A Horizon Guide to Transplants2013-03-27 · 1h 0mTransplant surgery has now reached incredible heights, from achieving full face transplants to growing organs in the lab. This Horizon Guide looks back at the extraordinary odds do
77. 77 77. Tomorrow's World: A Horizon Special2013-04-11 · 1h 0mLiz Bonnin delves in to the world of invention, revealing the people and technologies set to transform all our lives. She examines the conditions that are promising to make the 21s
78. 78 78. What's Killing Our Bees? A Horizon Special2013-08-02 · 1h 0mChanges in the weather, pesticides, and even a virus have all all been blamed for the ongoing mass deaths of bees Bill Turnbull meets the scientists who are fitting minute radar tr
79. 79 79. Comet of the Century: A Horizon Special2013-11-23 · 1h 0mIt was hoped that Comet ISON could be the brightest and most spectacular comet for a generation. After travelling towards the sun for ten thousand years, it appeared to have been d
80. 80 80. The £10 Million Challenge2014-05-22 · 1h 0mTo celebrate its 50th birthday, Horizon invites the public to play a role in tackling the greatest challenges facing science today. This special episode of Horizon launches the £10
81. 81 81. The Transit of Venus: A Horizon Special2012-06-05 · 1h 0mLiz Bonnin presents a Horizon special about a rare and beautiful event in our solar system, one that we should all be able to see for ourselves - the transit of Venus across the fa
82. 100 100. The Great British Drought1976-05-26 · 1h 0mSomething peculiar has happened to Britain's weather. During the last two months we have heard frequent stories of forest fires, dried-up reservoirs and even rumours of water ratio
83. 101 101. Festival 77: Horizon 20021977-08-26 · 1h 0mHorizon theorizes how life could be in 2002, using extracts from previous Horizon episodes.
84. 102 102. Darwin's Dream1977-09-23 · 1h 0mDarwin's theory of evolution transformed our view of the world. But what would he think of the progress we have made since?
85. 103 103. A Killer in the Village - Update1984-04-02 · 1h 0mAn updated report on AIDS, a catastrophic collapse of the immune system that leads to a bizarre range of cancers and potentially fatal infections.
86. 104 104. Life Story1987-04-27 · 1h 0mA Horizon special dramatizing the race at the University of Cambridge in 1951 for the discovery of DNA.
87. 105 105. Sex: A Horizon Guide2013-09-11 · 1h 0mAlice Roberts looks through 45 years of Horizon archive material to see how science came to understand sex, strived to solve our problems with it and even helped us do it better.
88. 106 106. Climate Change: A Horizon Guide2015-03-04 · 1h 0mDr Helen Czerski delves into the Horizon archive to chart the transformation of a little-known theory into one of the greatest scientific undertakings in history.
89. 107 107. The Mystery of Murder: A Horizon Guide2015-03-09 · 1h 0mMichael Mosley uses the BBC archives to chart scientists' progress as they probed the mind of the murderer to try to understand why people kill, and whether it can help prevent it.
90. 108 108. The Horizon Guide to AI2018-09-04 · 1h 0mDocumentary looking at the perception of AI from 1964 to the present day. Can we be optimistic about all that AI can deliver - or fearful of its ability to control our lives?
91. 109 109. Tim Peake Special - How to be an Astronaut2015-12-13 · 1h 0mAstronaut Tim Peake's video diary of the two years leading up to his arrival at the International Space Station in December 2015.
92. 110 110. Jimmy Carr and the Science of Laughter2016-09-11 · 1h 0mComedian Jimmy Carr takes over Horizon for this one-off special programme, produced as part of BBC2's sitcom season. Jimmy turns venerable documentary strand Horizon into a chat s
93. 111 111. Horizon Special: The Vaccine2021-06-16 · 1h 0mThe extraordinary inside story of the biggest scientific challenge of our age - following a small band of vaccine scientists around the world who took on Covid-19 and ultimately de
94. 112 112. The Life and Times of El Niño2006-01-03 · 1h 0mThe Life and Times of El Niño combines history and science to show how this meteorological monster has affected global economy and political history. As a little understood climati
95. 113 113. Impact! A Horizon Guide to Plane Crashes2013-10-14 · 1h 0mIt's a macabre paradox, but almost every advance in aviation safety has been driven by a crash. After every crash, investigators determine its cause and scientists make every effor
96. 114 114. Impact! A Horizon Guide to Car Crashes2013-10-21 · 1h 0mIn the 1950s up to 8,000 people died every year on the roads in this country - a truly horrific figure. Thankfully it has now fallen to around 2,000 a year - still a terrible toll,
97. 115 115. Cat Watch 2014 - A Cat's Eye View2014-10-07 · 1h 0mPlayful pets, fearsome fighters or deadly hunters? Millions of us have cats in our homes, yet we know very little about them. In this series, Liz Bonnin joins forces with some of t
98. 116 116. Cat Watch 2014 - The Lion in Your Lap2014-10-08 · 1h 0mThe second episode of this unique scientific study reveals the wild side of pet cats. Using GPS trackers and cat cameras, they show how these felines transform from pampered pet to
99. 117 117. Cat Watch 2014 - Cat Talk2014-10-09 · 1h 0mIn the final episode of this groundbreaking scientific study, Liz Bonnin and a team of scientists reveal the secret language of our cats, the surprising conversations they have whe
100. 118 118. What's The Right Diet For You? Part 12015-01-12 · 1h 0mInstead of reaching for the latest fad diet, the best way to lose weight successfully is a personalised approach - diets tailored to your individual biology and psychology. In a gr
101. 119 119. What's The Right Diet For You? Part 22015-01-13 · 1h 0mIt is time to see if personalised dieting will work in normal life. The volunteers have been given one of three diets to follow - based on their genes, their hormones and their psy
102. 120 120. What's The Right Diet For You? Part 32015-01-14 · 1h 0mSo far the volunteers have successfully been losing lost weight, but now the honeymoon period is over. It is the final two months of the diet, and their minds and bodies are fighti
103. 121 121. Journey to the Moon: A Horizon Special2019-07-17 · 1h 0mProfessor Brian Cox takes a journey through the BBC science archive to explore the story of mankind's relationship with the moon, from James Burke testing Nasa equipment to Neil Ar
104. 122 122. Alastair Campbell: Depression and Me2019-05-21 · 1h 0mIn an intensely personal and often surprising film for BBC Two, Alastair Campbell candidly talks about his experience living with depression and explores if radical new treatments
105. 123 123. Ice Station Antarctica: Part One2016-05-21 · 1h 0mBBC weatherman Peter Gibbs makes an emotional return to Antarctica, years after he lived and worked at the British Antarctic Survey's Halley Research Station. (Part One as shown on
106. 124 124. Ice Station Antarctica: Part Two2016-05-28 · 1h 0mBBC weatherman Peter Gibbs's return to Antarctica becomes something of a rescue mission. The British Antarctic Survey reveals how it will save the Halley Research Station from bein
107. 125 125. Coronavirus Special - Part 12020-04-09 · 1h 0mInvestigating the scientific facts and figures behind the biggest public health crisis in living memory as a new coronavirus takes an unprepared world by storm.
108. 126 126. Coronavirus Special - Part 22020-05-19 · 1h 0mDr Chris van Tulleken, Dr Hannah Fry and Michael Mosley examine the latest research and explore some of the big questions about the new coronavirus and the pandemic it has created.
109. 127 127. Coronavirus Special - What We Know Now2021-02-25 · 1h 0mIn this third Horizon special, Dr Chris Van Tulleken is joined by his brother Xand and Dr Guddi Singh to take us through the latest developments and answer current concerns. Though
110. 128 128. Horizon Special: The Vaccine2021-06-16 · 1h 0mThe extraordinary inside story of the biggest scientific challenge of our age - following a small band of vaccine scientists around the world who took on Covid-19 and ultimately de
111. 129 129. Tim Peake Special: How to Be an Astronaut2015-12-13 · 59mIn December 2015, Tim Peake became Britain’s first astronaut on board the International Space Station. For two years, he had been filming a video diary for Horizon as he prepared t