Naked Science

Go inside the cutting-edge technology transforming modern warfare, from fighter-pilot helmets that can effectively see through aircraft and revolutionary flight controls to battlefield 3D printing and the advanced F-35B stealth fighter. The episode also explores groundbreaking prosthetic technology helping injured servicemen and women compete at the Invictus Games

Can technology replace painkillers? Justin Bratton travels across the United States to investigate the future of pain relief, from infrared light therapy and virtual reality treatment to medical cannabis. Discover the groundbreaking innovations helping patients recover faster, reduce chronic pain and rethink modern medicine.

Previously classified files reveal how deeply the British government investigated UFO sightings during the Cold War. From radar-confirmed encounters involving RAF pilots to the mysterious Charlton Crater and Rendlesham Forest incident, this documentary uncovers the secret reports that reached Winston Churchill, the royal family and Britain’s highest military authorities.

Japan has spent decades leading the world in humanoid robotics—but how close are we to building a robot friend? This documentary explores the country's most advanced companion robots, from emotional AI and robot caregivers to humanoid assistants and lifelike androids, asking whether machines could one day replace human companionship.

Professor Jim Al-Khalili explores one of the greatest mysteries in science: gravity. From Newton's apple and Einstein's revolutionary theory of relativity to black holes, gravitational waves and the strange way gravity bends time itself, this documentary reveals how gravity shapes the universe—and why scientists are still trying to understand its deepest secrets.

Jim Al-Khalili goes on a journey through 600 million years of evolution to uncover how the human brain, the most complex structure known in the universe, came to exist.

Astrophysicist Jim Al-Khalili investigates the invisible force that governs the cosmos: gravity. Tracing its story from Isaac Newton's groundbreaking discoveries to Einstein's game-changing theory of relativity, he uncovers how gravity controls everything from the motion of planets to the formation of black holes. Exploring warped space-time, gravitational waves and the universe's most extreme phenomena, this documentary reveals why gravity remains one of science's greatest unsolved puzzles.

Recovery teams face some of their most demanding jobs yet as a burning lorry shuts down the M1 during rush hour, a fully loaded 44-ton Arctic sinks into a muddy country verge, and a crane truck becomes stranded on a rugby pitch. With traffic chaos building and huge vehicles needing specialist recoveries, the engineers must use skill, experience and powerful machinery to get Britain's roads moving again.

Professor Jim Al-Khalili explores the extraordinary 600-million-year evolution of the human brain. From primitive sea creatures and the first neurons to the rise of mammals and the emergence of imagination, he uncovers the scientific breakthroughs that transformed a simple nervous system into the most complex organ in the known universe.

Recovery teams face some of their toughest challenges yet as a stranded slide bed threatens to topple onto the M25, a bin lorry sinks into soft ground on a housing estate, and a motorway breakdown leaves operators working inches from high-speed traffic. With rush hour approaching and safety on the line, every recovery becomes a race against time to keep Britain's roads moving.

Join astronomer Gary Fildes on an unforgettable journey from the UK to the world's darkest skies in Chile. Visiting some of the planet's most powerful observatories, including Paranal, ALMA and La Silla, he discovers how cutting-edge telescopes are revealing the deepest secrets of the universe—and why protecting dark skies is essential for the future of astronomy.

Crouch Recovery's expert operators tackle a series of high-pressure roadside rescues. Simon races to free two lorries hopelessly bogged down in a muddy field, Mary battles dangerous traffic to recover a broken-down Arctic blocking an industrial estate, and Mick faces a frustrating roadside challenge when a stranded 44-ton truck brings a major dual carriageway to a standstill. With every minute counting, the team must use skill, experience and quick thinking to keep Britain's roads moving.

Simon Schaffer reveals the engineering wonders of the 19th century: computers made out of cogs, giant replica dinosaurs, huge telescopes and devices heralding the birth of cinema.