The quest to uncover the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy has been fraught with difficulties, with scientists and astronomers forced to utilise the cutting edge of technology to observe and record the Sagittarius A* region. As demononstrated in this excellent video, it has been a lenghty and consistently evolving process, which has taken multiple generations to realise, and one which is still far from complete....

Check out this video showing 'Rock Star' physicist Professor Brian Cox talking about his work on the Large Hadron Collider, the current scientific theory on the origin of the universe and what they are hoping to achieve in Geneva, Switzerland. While in the video Professor Cox is talking prior to the LHC's breakdown in September 2008, repairs to the system have now been completed and the scientists at CERN ...

Your early sample of the next jam-packed issue of How It Works is here From an interview with the inimitable Johnny Ball to a fascinating introduction to your immune system, issue five is jam-packed with knowledge for you to soak up. And to kick off the issue and the Formula One season, we have put together a bumper feature dedicated to all things F1. From the cars to the drivers and from the pit lane to the circuits, this feature offers everything ...

This video acts as a basic introduction to how NASA's Ares 1 launch system will carry Orion crew exploration vehicles into space. The Ares 1 and Orion are part of NASA's Constellation program, which upon the termination of its outgoing Space Shuttle fleet (currently scheduled for September 2010), will take over as the main spacecraft for human spaceflight. The Ares 1-X, which can be seen modeled in this video, was the prototype for the project and ...

Discover what it would be like to experience a suborbital spaceflight on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo in this impressive animation that takes you from launch to zero gravity and back down to Earth in six minutes In December, Britain's radical entrepreneur Richard Branson unveiled SpaceShipTwo, the custom-made spacecraft set to ferry eager – and rich – space enthusiasts off the planet for a once-in-a-lifetime trip beyond Earth's atmosphere. Tickets for the excursions, which can accommodate six passengers at a time, will set intrepid astronaut wannabes back an eye-watering $200,000....

VISTA reveals a brand new view of the southern sky Based in Chile's European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Paranal Observatory, the VISTA telescope, or Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy, can see into deep space and map out the sky using infrared wavelengths. VISTA has a large mirror, a wide field of view and sensitive detectors, which help it to reveal a new view of the southern sky. The ...

The Soyuz spacecraft that was launched from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan has docked with the International Space Station. The spacecraft brings with it three more astronauts to live and work on the Space Station, with one from America, Russia and Japan. To watch the docking is real time you can visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8427571.stm To learn more about life on board the International Space Station pick up issue three of How It Works magazine, on sale from the 31st of December at all good newsagents, supermarkets and WHSmiths.

Check out this excellent animation from NASA which charts the life of a star from creation to white dwarf stage. Stars are created when groups of space dust and gases, due to internal nebula turbulence, collapse under their own gravitational attraction. As the cloud collapses a dense, hot core is formed which continues to collect dust and gas before turning into the heart of a protostar. Over millions of years this star continues to gather material ...

If you haven't yet got your copy of issue 2 of How It Works, here's a small selection of our favourite features to whet your appetite. Don't deprive yourself – feed your mind. It's on sale till the end of the year. We take a look inside the most advanced battle tank in the world The largest X-ray generator on Earth, explained...

A simple gyroscope demonstrates the incredible effects of angular momentum This video illustrates how a simple child's toy can defy everything we think we know about gravity. Discover how spinning the wheel of the gyroscope enables it to stand up on its own, balance on a piece of string, and generally appear to levitate – all due to the effects of angular momentum. This video also refers to the ...