In recent years, astronomers have been caught up in one of the most exciting scientific quests - to find new planets around distant stars. Planets from Hell tells the story of these hostile new worlds that have been discovered and explores the tantalising possibility of one day finding a planet like Earth.

A look at how our solar system is teeming with thousands of asteroids and comets. While an impact would be catastrophic for human life, it is now thought these mini-worlds played a vital part in kick-starting life on our planet. Following NASA's successful landing of a probe on an asteroid, these mysterious objects are now yielding their secrets.

Cosmologists answer questions about the shape and size of the cosmos, and how, by decoding radiation from the dawn of time - 15 billion years ago - they can discover the limits and the ultimate destiny of the Universe.