Fascinating and forbidding

Volcanoes are giant mountains of ash and lava which are as fascinating as they are forbidding.

Two intrepid cousins take us on a discovery of the planet's most beautiful, awesome volcanoes.

On a journey mixing adventure, history, science and ancient beliefs, our daredevil hosts share their experiences, interview experts, and take us as close as possible to these fiery forces of nature.

The roots of today’s technologies

A fascinating look at how ancient discoveries have inspired modern-day structures and engineering technologies.

We reveal how each engineering marvel was discovered, highlighting its significance for the world at the time and its impact on future technology.

A hope for the survival of humanity

Asteroids are the most primitive bodies we know. There are probably billions of them, and no two are alike. They bear witness to the first moments of the Solar System.

Originally a source of threat, they now represent a hope for the survival of humanity.

Understanding our solar system

This series is a fascinating journey to the farthest reaches of our solar system to unveil its history, present, and future.

Every planet in our solar system, be it Venus or Jupiter, plays a part in it, which we discover through breathtaking images and scientific explanations.

China's moon mission

The moon is far from having revealed all its secrets. A new and so-far discreet player is changing the game: China.

Its program to explore the moon's far side is a considerable endeavor that redefines the conquest of space.

This film takes us on a fascinating scientific mission to understand the challenges of this research and what is being played out for the future.

Are we predestined?

This series tears down the walls between science and history to reveal how events from the deep past often drive the story of mankind.

Ancient exploding stars, the clash of continents, and the formation of molecules all secretly shaped the history we thought we knew.

Our civilization and innovations, our voyages and battles, are driven not only by the decisions we make but by physics, geology, biology, and chemistry - by forces that can be too small to see or so far back in time that the only way to understand their influence is to think in a whole new way.

Cutting-edge projects that can save the world

This series explores the spectacular green machines that could revolutionize life as we know it and possibly save the world from ecological disasters.

Energy production, transportation, water supply, and more are being studied. These large-scale, cutting-edge projects around the globe combine science, technology, and engineering and will chart a future where the environment not only survives but thrives.

Supersize everything

On the Airbus assembly site near Toulouse, pieces of planes come from the 4 corners of Europe by air, road or water.

Shipping XXL cargo and putting together the puzzle of aircraft parts require complex and ingenious technology.

This film goes behind-the-scene of this technological prowess and the incredible machines used to achieve it.

Also available as a 75'

Bringing to life a million-year-old skeleton

Over a million years old, the Durfort mammoth is the icon of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris and one of the biggest skeletons in the world.

Fragilized by time, this giant fossil needed urgent care and had to be disassembled and reassembled for a complete restoration, a World Premiere, which we follow step by step. This tricky operation is also an opportunity to learn more about the animal.

Through incredible CGI and thanks to all the knowledge collected by the Museum, this film brings this fascinating yet little-known giant back to life.

Also available as a 90mns

Life beneath the ocean's surface

Today, the entire planet has been mapped, yet beneath the surface of the oceans, there is a wealth of biological riches yet to be discovered.

An international expedition has been studying an underwater ridge linking Central America to the island of Malpelo, 500 kilometers off the coast of Colombia.

The incredible concentration of life in the Malpelo reserve is not unique. In this part of the Pacific, seamounts hidden beneath the surface are also thought to harbor exceptional biodiversity.

There are several hundred moons in the solar system.

In our never-ending search for extraterrestrial life, some of these stars could harbour the elements essential for the development of life.

A life changer

Why is music vital to our brain? How does it play a decisive role in our development?

Through an international scientific and neurological investigation, this film unveils the mystery of music’s multiple powers at every stage of our lives.

The fabulous journey of a man passionate about the skies

When he took off to reach the International Space Station, the young French astronaut Thomas Pesquet became the new hero of a generation.

His exceptional destiny was probably the result of the epic stories he heard as a child: mythical conquests of Space, men walking on the moon and experiences defying the laws of gravity. But the astronaut of today is also a man of the future contemplating life in space or the first manned missions to Mars.

SPACE TOMORROW depicts the fabulous journey of a man passionate about the skies, the big adventures of the past and the challenges of tomorrow.

The machines that take us farther, higher, and faster

We live in a time when the world has never been smaller when we can drive, sail, or fly almost anywhere.

This series is about our civilization’s ceaseless desire to move and the machines that take us farther, higher, and above all, faster.

Our host and engineering expert, Sean Riley, takes us across continents, into the skies, under the ocean, and into space to showcase humanity’s innate need for speed — for pleasure, work, exploration, and survival.

The great troublemaker of the Mediterranean

The Callinectes sapidus has a blue carapace ringed with slightly orange spines and pincers powerful enough to break oysters.

This crab of American origin is now spreading all over the Mediterranean, ravaging the local crustacean and mollusk population and affecting the fish stocks.

From France to Sicily and from Tunisia to Catalunya, this invader has dramatically disturbed the local ecosystems with sometimes surprising consequences.

Massive constructions under pressure

Even the most basic bridges are engineering challenges exposed to the elements (wind, rain, seawater...) that damage these massive constructions. Intensive road traffic is also a factor of additional constraints. A crack, even a microscopic one, or a rust point in the wrong place can have serious consequences.

To avoid the worst, bridges are subject to permanent controls and repairs using advanced techniques such as, for example, breaking concrete with high pressure water or cutting a cable so tight that it could unleash like a giant whip.

Maintenance specialists perform daily tasks that are not well known to the public in order to prevent tragedies.

Living beings with superpowers

Living beings have a very variable lifespan; it can be centuries, years, or just a few days, but all eventually face extinction. Yet some animals defy both death and time. They are called tardigrade, lobster, and naked rattaupe and possess real superpowers that enable them to fight disease and aging.

In trying to unravel their mystery, a question arises: do they have the secret of eternal life?

Existential questions

This series seeks to answer some of the Universe’s biggest mysteries.

Why is so much of the Universe missing? Are there other planets like Earth? What is life? Are there parallel universes?

Each episode tells the stories of the incredible breakthroughs that revolutionized our understanding presented by those who did it. It tackles the latest scientific research and reveals astonishing new theories and discoveries.

The genesis

This film is a journey through space and time to understand our origins.

It starts with the creation of our solar system 4.8 billion years ago, takes us through its changes and evolutions until today, and looks at its future.

Millions of tons of methane incubate under the permafrost

At the end of the world, past the Arctic Circle in the deep of Siberia, two Russian scientists are conducting a unique scientific and human experiment. Their aim is nothing less than saving the world from imminent destruction by trying to turn back time, going back to the Ice Age.

All scientists agree on one thing: the melting permafrost is one of the most dangerous and serious environmental catastrophes to come. This frozen layer under the earth’s surface incubates millions of tons of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. A few degrees warmer, the fragile permafrost will set off a climate bomb.

Sergey Zimov claims he has found a way to counter this threat.

A rare face-to-face encounter with the past

It is a precious archaeological relic, an exceptional find, preserved in a Danish marsh for over 2,500 years. The Tollund Man is a natural mummy offering a rare face-to-face encounter with the past.

When we contemplate this sleeping face that has miraculously survived the centuries, a host of questions come to mind: Where did it come from? Who was he? How did he live? What was he doing here, in the peat, with a rope around his neck?

The unknown 95% of our planet

In this remarkable new expedition series, we journey deep into the unknown 95% of our planet.

We enter an unexplored world where extraordinary discoveries await our multi-disciplinary team from the US, UK, Asia, and Europe.

One of the last untouched territories on the planet

In the tradition of great wildlife documentaries, we discover one of the last untouched territories on the planet, an archipelago of coral islands lost in the heart of the South Pacific: the Tuamotus.

This series offers a spectacular immersion into a unique ecosystem to highlight the beauty and complexity of this oasis.

It nestles one of the wealthiest underwater lives in the world, from small exotic fishes to giant ray mantas, sharks, and whales.

An architectural wonder and a technical prowess

In the 17th century, Louis XIV financed the digging of a canal connecting the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the second largest construction of his reign after the Palace of Versailles.

Using the latest technology of its time, the beautifully conceived Canal du Midi is among the oldest functioning canal in Europe and is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.

A journey through space and time

How was the solar system created? Why did life appear on Earth and nowhere else?

These are the questions that WORLDS tries to answer by taking us on a journey through space and time to understand our origins.

On board a nuclear-powered submarine

On board the Vigilant, one of France's 4 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, men and women are working in the greatest secrecy.

This ultra-sophisticated vessel is capable of diving to a depth of 400 meters and staying undetected for several months.

Its highly qualified and trained crew regularly embarks on missions in real conditions.

Nature’s superpower

They wage wars and administer medicines. They are farmers and graziers. They live in a world of coded communications, strict chains of command, secret poison mixtures and prodigious strength.

They have inhabited our planet for millions of years and yet no living creature seems more alien to us. They are the ants.

With its striking visual images, this groundbreaking filml takes us into a mysterious yet fascinating world.

How far will technology go to improve our living conditions?

From the USA to Asia, labs use science and technologies to radically change human beings and to create robots that seem alive.

Masters of the sky

From inside the cockpit, a flight is no longer exactly the same.

This series focuses not only on pilots but also on the mythical planes that have graced our skies.

During a flight aboard one of these extraordinary aircraft, we discover the reality, the complexity, and the ingenuity of the machines and the men who work in this world driven by passion.

A mammal that causes leaps in science

Bats were already on earth during the dinosaurs’ era, 60 million years ago, and this incredible species has actually not evolved since.

Today, scientific studies of bats have revealed astonishing discoveries in the fields of bionics, disease prevention and containment which can crossover to the human world.

The science powering "smart algorithms" in question

Everything seems possible thanks to AI, but at what cost?

Though technology is a powerful driving force for our society’s development, critics within the scientific community are expressing doubts.

Deep learning multilayers form opaque, flawed systems that reproduce stereotypes. It is now an emergency to delve into the science behind the "smart algorithms" to understand better how machines come to their results.

An engineering feat

The first subway line in Paris was inaugurated on July 19, 1900. This new means of transportation was a response to the city's traffic problems.

The project was rushed to be ready for the Universal Exhibition and the Olympic Games which were held in the French capital that year.

How did the engineer Fulgence Bienvenüe, one of the fathers of the subway, imagine and build this network?

The mystery of the standing stones

In Brittany, France, the multitude of menhirs continues to confound archaeologists.

In the Neolithic period, why did men erect these gigantic funerary monuments to the glory of dignitaries who might have been as powerful as the Pharaohs?

Experts try to reveal the mysteries that still shroud these sites and this unique society that shone and disappeared suddenly.

The worst nuclear accident in mankind’s history

On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl disaster impacted the world forever and was considered the worst nuclear accident in mankind’s history, both in terms of casualties and costs.

It all started in 1970 in an area of forest and marshland in Northern Ukraine, where a utopia was made real: the largest nuclear power plant in the world alongside a model town of Soviet communism, Pripyat.

The people who moved to Chernobyl and Pripyat were chosen for their skills, their determination, and their willingness to believe in the future.

Enhancing our perception of the universe

Since the beginning of time, Man has constantly been pushing the boundaries of his world. From 16th-century explorers to 20th-century astronomers, they have sailed across celestial waters, taking their dizzying chart-making skills to new heights.

At the forefront of technology, they have used increasingly powerful and spectacular telescopes to push our knowledge ever further.

From Hawaii to Australia via South Africa and China, this film embarks on an incredible human and scientific adventure to the greatest exploration sites on the planet to enhance our perception of the universe.

Brilliant minds at work

The universe is full of coded secrets: man-made enigmas hiding top-secret information, ancient wisdom lost in indecipherable languages, and mysteries from space brought to us in strange radio waves.

But despite their seemingly impregnable messages, genius cryptanalysts, spymasters, scientists, and self-taught crackers have unraveled some of these great codes.

This series reveals the greatest codes known to humanity and the brilliant minds that crack them.

Research and observation tools

Scientists working on the environment are using drones as research and observation tools.

These scouts, whose usefulness is only beginning, are opening up new avenues for the protection of natural habitats and animal species, the fight against invasive species, and the assessment of natural risks.

A space adventure

A space adventure that uncovers the risks of the hunt for life and the sterilization of the objects that we send into space.

Discover how man can destroy his own research and stumble upon the traces that we ourselves have left.

The salmon run and those awaiting them

In July, in Alaska, millions of salmon run up the rivers. Many are anxiously waiting for them: grizzlies, sea lions, orcas, eagles, sharks... and young divers/photographers.

Paul and Thomas, two marine biologists, are here to live their passion for open spaces and memorable encounters with animals as impressive as extraordinary.

Among all these great predators, there is one in particular they have been on the lookout: the salmon shark.

Taking you to the next level

The elevator is an invisible means of transportation, yet it is the most used worldwide. More than a billion human beings take them every day.

Since its creation in 1853, it has followed the industrial evolution and accompanied innovative technologies.
Today, it is a sophisticated, high-performance piece of equipment.

When we enter an elevator, we are far from imagining all the innovations it has benefited from over the past decades.

Beneath the City of Lights

Everyone has heard about Paris and its architectural treasures. But the City of Lights has many secrets yet to be discovered. Indeed, under its pavement, the French capital hides megastructures that are mysterious, dangerous and unknown to the public.

These underground constructions are unique and essential for the city and represented huge challenges for their builders.

A journey into the construction of Paris' foundations.

An innovative and unexpected policy of large public works

In 14 years of the French presidency, François Mitterrand commissioned 11 major works like the Grande Arche de la Défense, the Opéra Bastille, and the Louvre Pyramid.

Initially, nothing was planned in his campaign promises. His policy of large public works was innovative and unexpected.

Did the former President take himself for Louis XIV? Was there a mystical dimension in the making of these pharaonic monuments? Was this believer in spiritual forces anxious to leave a trace?

Mapping the city of tomorrow

More than any city in the world, Singapore is a laboratory for urban development and the best place to figure out how life will look in megacities at the end of the 21st century.

With extensive computer-generated imagery, FUTUROPOLIS explores the concepts, ideas, and innovations required to face the challenges of the coming decades.

It is a thrilling exploration of the city of tomorrow which most likely will be vertical and floating.

Breakthroughs that shape the world and its future

Driven by interviews with experts and stunning images from around the world, this series offers an unprecedented overview of the most incredible breakthroughs that shape the world and its future in 6 cutting-edge scientific fields: technology, space, medicine, environment, green technologies, and artificial intelligence.

While clearly about science, it is above all about us.

Roissy-Charles-De-Gaulle airport

With 66 million passengers each year, Roissy-Charles-De-Gaulle airport is Europe’s second-largest and busiest hub.

A record pace of one plane every 30 seconds landing or taking off would be an impossible feat without the help of the best cutting-edge technology: runway lights, navigational system, 50-ton tractors that push and pull aircraft from gate to landing strip, and state-of-the-art scanners that screen over 1,200 bags per minute.

Hunting for the most expensive water in the world

Each spring, a race against time begins in Terre Neuve when iceberg hunters assault the chunks of ice released from Greenland. They aim to capture large blocks of ice and load them aboard their boats to resell the water at a high price.

Water from this area is known as the "purest in the world" and grows more popular every year.

But global warming could soon lead to the region's demise, as the North Pole is heating up almost three times faster than the rest of the planet.

Science demystified

Do you think you’ve never been scientifically minded? Are maths, physics, and science disciplines that leave you puzzled?

Finally reconciling the two hemispheres of our brains, this is a series where science is explained by non-scientists for non-scientists

What lies beneath our feet

In his epic novel, Jules Verne sent his characters to the Centre of the Earth, having them going from discovery to discovery in a scientific fantasy that has intrigued generations of scientists.

But what is the reality behind Jules Verne's tales? What do we know about the center of the earth? Has science managed to undertake the same journey imagined by the writer?

Also available as a 90mns

Precursor of Charles Darwin

Born in 1744, Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine Monnet de Lamarck was enthralled by the science of life.

He studied not only botany but also physics, chemistry, meteorology, and even hydrogeology.

Unfortunately, his ideas did not appeal to his contemporaries. It took the writings of Charles Darwin to bring his work to light.

The growing role of science in shaping human life

Genetic mapping allows us to "repair" our defective parts and "improve" our genes; for the first time in history, humankind has the knowledge and the tools to intervene directly in its evolutionary process.

We meet the world's most prominent scientists, anthropologists, and futurologists to explore the state of the art of the human species.

Preparing for future missions

The future of space conquest will depend on controlling the four elements of our planet: Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.

Engineers and scientists worldwide study, test, and try to master any of these to prepare for future missions and advance our knowledge of the Universe.

One of the most important Islamic archaeological sites

Nicknamed the "Versailles of Andalusia", Medina Azahara is today one of the most important Islamic archaeological sites.

Recognized as World Heritage of Humanity, this unique caliphal city, built four centuries before the Alhambra, is the object of a new excavation campaign led by a team of international researchers.

Places of worship

This series is about the stadiums of Europe that host hundreds of millions of spectators, their enthusiasm, and their songs, year after year.

Behind these megastructures are challenges and secrets that make them symbolic.

The secrets of the sperm whale

The sperm whale is one of the most impressive and lesser known animals on the planet.

This film is a playful and fascinating investigation into the mysteries that surround these giants of the seas: an ability to defy the laws of physics, their complex social relationships, a technique for long-distance communication and a sophisticated echolocation system.

Thanks to stunning visual sequences, these leviathans from another age have never been filmed so closely in their daily lives.

A source of scientific and technological innovations

Nature is perfect. For 3.8 billion years, it has found sustainable solutions to the problems it encounters. Through biodiversity, it is a source of limitless innovations that we are only beginning to explore.

This series focuses on biomimicry, the study of nature in the service of scientific and technological discoveries.

Each episode highlights a specific application or research.

The many skills of the legionnaires

All throughout the Gallic Wars, Caesar’s army drew on the power of its military genius to defeat the Gauls.

Once the territories were conquered, the technical skill of the Roman legionnaires was used to build monumental infrastructures like the impressive stone forts that served to protect the borders of the empire.

As an instrument of land conquest and territorial planning, the legion was Rome’s most precious asset.

Homes for future human colonies

Combining art and technology, architects are now designing homes that will welcome future human colonies in the Universe.

Pushing back the limits

The bridges of Paris follow one another along the Seine River, all different since they were built over centuries and reflect the most advanced techniques of each era. First in wood, then in stone, metal, and today in high-performance alloys, they have pushed back the limits of know-how each time.

How have these superstructures withstood the test of time? What challenges were met to gain in lightness and sturdiness, to improve span and strength?

Thanks to 3D images and the participation of the best experts, this film takes us back in time to discover the incredible story of the bridges of Paris.

Also available as a 70'

An emblem of the power of a bygone empire

All roads lead to Rome, or more precisely, to its most iconic landmark: the Colosseum.

Built under Emperor Vespasian in the 1st century CE, this magnificent monument, spanning two thousand years of history, is an emblem of the power of a bygone empire.

With over seven million visitors a year, its massive structure and awesome architecture testify to the genius of ancient Roman building techniques, earning it a place not only among UNESCO’s world heritage sites, but as one of the new seven wonders of the world.

Smarter and more versatile

The value of drones is no longer in doubt with their multiple applications and functionalities.

In the beginning, they were mainly used for observation and to take pictures. Over time, they have become much more intelligent and have found a place in many sectors such as media, agriculture, industry, surveying, thermography, security, and transport.

The advances behind ludicrous research

How do roller coaster rides affect the treatment of asthma? Do we swim faster in water or syrup?

Hundreds of similar research subjects have won awards at the now famous "Ig Nobel" ceremony, the satirical equivalent of the Nobel awards. But the craziest questions can have valuable applications or even lead to genuine progress in fundamental science.

This film brings together the finest discoveries of the Ig Nobel Prizes to reveal the genuine advances in science behind projects with deceptively ludicrous titles.

Home sweet home

We tour the most fabulous and luxurious homes in history.

What unites the rich of the world is a love of a grand home.

The secrets of a pillar of faith

Rocamadour is a breathtaking medieval citadel built on the edge of a cliff in the center of France. Seemingly defying the laws of gravity, it stands at 364 meters, 40 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower.

This medieval city owes its fame to the fabulous treasure it conceals.

Nine centuries after its foundation, this film reveals the secrets of a pillar of faith, renown for extraordinary technical feats and legends.

The closest stars

The Moon and Mars are the stars closest to our planet.

Despite their proximity, there are still many things we do not know about them.

Trying to explain the inexplicable

In Toulouse, France, the National Center for Space Studies has a department that is unique in the world; it is called the Study and Information Group on Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena.

Created more than 40 years ago, the purpose of this little-known public service is to collect, investigate and try to explain testimonies regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

This film unveils the incredible story of this office.

10 centuries of impossible challenges

Venice has been a laboratory of technological and architectural endeavors since its beginnings. Its very construction during the 9th century in a marshy environment hostile to human habitat represented an unrealistic gamble.

The water is now threatening its very existence. Scientists from the world over are trying by all means possible to save the city, turning it into a unique experiment using oceanography, robotics or big data. The stakes couldn’t be higher: can they save Venice and its lagoon?

At the intersection of science and technology, as well as urban planning and history, this film tells the story of 10 centuries of impossible challenges.

A hatching of new worlds

Men are born naturally curious of the Universe and the most being the scientists hunting for "exo planets", the ones outside our solar system.

European researchers are far ahead in this field and, in this film, they share their professional curiosity about the organization of other planetary systems as well as their thoughts on the ultimate question in human mind: should life exists somewhere else, what would it look like?