Beyond Einstein

NASA scientists describe some of the ways current science is addressing several of Einstein's fundamental questions and theories in this video adapted from NASA.

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Birth of a Supernova, Type Ia

In this interactive activity from NOVA Online, learn about a type of exploding star — a Type Ia supernova — that is so bright that astronomers can measure the distance to the galaxy in which it resides, and even learn which elements make up the star.

Birth of a Supernova, Type II

In this interactive activity from NOVA Online, learn about a type of exploding star — a Type II supernova — that is so large it has a mass 10 times greater than the mass of our Sun.

Colliding Neutron Stars Create Black Hole and Gamma-ray Burst

This video from NASA describes the detailed computer modeling used to predict that colliding neutron stars can produce gamma-ray bursts similar to those associated with black holes.

Cosmic Origin Spectrograph

This video from NASA features the Cosmic Origin Spectrograph (COS), which allows scientists to use spectrographic analysis to assess the composition of intergalactic material.

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Einstein's Cosmic Speed Limit

This video, adapted from NASA, presents rare experimental evidence from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope supporting Einstein's prediction that space-time is smooth.

Einstein: A Timeline of His Life

This illustrated timeline from the NOVA Web site follows Albert Einstein's life, including 1905, his "Miracle Year," during which he developed his Special Theory of Relativity and the equation, E=mc².

Einstein: How Smart Was He?

This essay from the NOVA Web site explores the impact Einstein made on physics and most everything we know about the cosmos.

Einstein's Innovative Thinking

Students are introduced to two of Einstein's most famous theories -- special relativity and general relativity -- and what he was thinking when he developed them.

The Elements: Forged in Stars

The story of how elements from lithium to uranium are created by stars is illustrated through animation and a hands-on periodic table in this video segment adapted from NOVA.

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Evolution of the Universe

In this video from NASA, learn how the James Webb Space Telescope is helping scientists understand when and how early stars formed, what early galaxies looked like, and how the early universe shaped its underlying structure.

Gamma Ray Telescope Senses High-Energy Radiation

This video from NASA describes the GLAST satellite, which is equipped with a gamma-ray telescope, and shares some background about the kinds of extreme universal phenomena indicated by the presence of gamma rays.

Gravity and the Expanding Universe

This video segment, adapted from NOVA, traces the evolving history of theories about gravity and a force that may oppose it, along with our understanding of the impact of both of these forces on our expanding universe.

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History of the Universe

This interactive timeline from the NOVA Web site recaps the theoretical origin and formation of the universe, and forecasts its eventual fate.

How Big Is the Universe?

In this media-rich essay from the NOVA Web site, astronomer Brent Tully of the University of Hawaiʻi walks you through the latest scientific theories about the size of the universe.

Hubble's Expanding Universe

This adapted video segment, using footage from NOVA and NASA, examines Edwin Hubble's work and how his findings laid the foundation for the Big Bang theory.

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Light Years

This video segment adapted from Shedding Light on Science describes how astronomical distances can be measured in units of light-years, and how the finite speed of light allows astronomers to study how the universe looked long ago.

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The Origin of the Elements

This video segment adapted from NOVA explains the origin of the elements and how scientists use unique element profiles to identify supernova types.

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Pulsars: Jocelyn Bell

In this video segment adapted from the NOVA, we meet Jocelyn Bell, a graduate student responsible for the discovery of pulsars.

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Pulsars: Little Green Men

The story behind Jocelyn Bell's role in the discovery of pulsars is told in this colorful, comic-book-style resource from A Science Odyssey Web site.