Are we alone in the universe? In the history of the human species, perhaps no other question has so sparked the imagination. Living Universe is an ambitious and cinematically rendered spectacle that seeks the answer. Over three hours in length and adorned with state-of-the-art effects, this astounding epic does not wallow in the fear-based doomsday scenarios of some similar explorations. This film thrives in a perpetual state of optimism and wonder. Its theories and fact-based findings result from a continually evolving knowledge of the world beyond our own, and they're supported by interviews with some of the world's most accomplished astronomers, astrophysicists and other scientists. For them, the journey to planets far beyond our own isn't far-fetched science fiction, but rather an exciting inevitability. The insights of these esteemed scientists inform the speculative mission at the film's center - an unmanned journey to a distant planet well outside our solar system. The voyage is piloted by a highly advanced model of artificial intelligence that is capable of navigating any challenge along the way. The film addresses the fundamental questions that such a journey might inspire. What are the intricacies in preparation and implementation for this decades-long flight? What characteristics make the foreign planet an ideal candidate for exploration? How likely is it that we may happen upon signs of intelligent life once we arrive there? And how might the human species react if we discover we are not alone in the universe? In the process, viewers are provided access to the technologies which have informed and expanded our modern understanding of the universe. We learn about the existence of exoplanets which may host a form of life much like our own. This complex information is delivered in easy-to-understand language so even the most novice space watchers can appreciate the possibilities of the film's narrative. Living Universe gives voice to our unquenchable desire to reach into the unknown, and it celebrates our humanity as it's reflected in this pursuit. With a tone of infectious enthusiasm, painstakingly researched narration, and visual splendor suited for the biggest screen you can find, the film ably portrays the majesty of interstellar travel. Directed by: Vincent Amouroux, Alex Barry

Some say LSD produces hallucinations and lowers inhibitions. Others believe it makes people more capable, efficient and creative. In Silicon Valley, many even say LSD can be a tool for self-improvement.

Broadcast 14 November 2006. Clouds of alien life forms are sweeping through outer space and infecting planets with life – it may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. The idea that life on Earth came from another planet has been around as a modern scientific theory since the 1960s when it was proposed by Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe. At the time they were ridiculed for their idea – known as panspermia. But now, with growing evidence, it’s back in vogue and even being studied by NASA. We meet the scientists on a mission to get to the bottom of the beginnings of life on Earth – from the team in Texas who are lovingly building a robotic submarine called DEPTHX to explore a moon of Jupiter, to Southern India where they are investigating a mysterious red rain which fell for two months in 2001. According to local scientist Godfrey Louis, the rain contains biological cells unlike any he had seen before – with no DNA and the ability to replicate at 300°C. Louis has come to the conclusion that the cells are extra-terrestrial in origin. Could all this really be proof that We are the aliens?

We know that certain foods will expand our waistline, but might they also shrink our mental capacity? Food science has taken a turn for the cerebral as researchers are studying the impacts that food can have on the function and vitality of the human brain. Many of the surprising findings are included in the illuminating documentary Better Brain Health: We Are What We Eat. Even prior to our birth, the nourishment we receive determines the development of our brain. In one study of 23,000 pregnant women, it was discovered that the pre-natal consumption of large amounts of sweet, sugary foods resulted in higher incidents of stress, anti-social behaviors and other cognitive issues later in the child's life. Dietary deficiencies have produced similar consequences in laboratory mice. It has been shown that the consumption of omega-3s in the form of seeds, nuts, oily fish and vegetable oils improve upon the electrical properties of nerve cells in the brain. But so few consumers actually receive the nutritional benefits of these foods in their daily diet. The industrialized world relies heavily on processed foods, including those that are composed of astronomical volumes of high fructose corn syrup. Research indicates that these foods produce disturbing imbalances within the brain, which often express themselves in the form of aggression, listlessness and agitation. In one study, hamsters on a strict corn-based diet even resorted to cannibalism. Can nutrition play a role in curbing society's scourge of crime? In one of the film's most fascinating segments, we visit a researcher in the Netherlands who has embarked on an ambitious study in search of the answer. The film presents an international panel of nutrition experts who speak to the power of a proper diet in regulating our mood, impulse control and decision making. Their conclusions are supported in a series of inventive laboratory experiments. Better Brain Health: We Are What We Eat presents an in-depth view of a growing field of research that continues to uncover new possibilities and conclusions. Along the way, we understand the importance of nutrition and learn how we might be capable of retraining our brains to seek out healthier alternatives. Directed by: Raphaël Hitier