How The Universe Works is a science documentary television series that provides scientific explanations about the inner workings of the universe and everything it encompasses. With the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) and visual effects, each episode presents and narrates a topic about the universe (e.g.: the origin of the universe, the formation and the evolution of the Solar System, and the origin and behavior of life), which then are complemented with scientific insights from leading scientists of organizations such as NASA and CERN.

The series originally aired on the Discovery Channel in 2010. All but the second, third and eighth seasons were narrated by Mike Rowe. The second, third and eighth seasons, as well as episodes of the fifth and sixth seasons, were narrated by Erik Todd Dellums.

The first season, which was broadcast on the Discovery Channel from April 25 to May 24, 2010, was released on Blu-ray on February 28, 2012. Since its second season, consisting of eight episodes broadcast between July 11 and August 29, 2012, the show has aired on the Science Channel. The third season aired between July 9 and September 3, 2014.

The fourth season premiered on July 14, 2015, as part of the Science Channel's "Space Week," in honor of New Horizons' flyby of Pluto that day; the season ran through September 1, 2015. The show's fifth season aired from November 22, 2016, through February 7, 2017.

The sixth season premiered on January 9, 2018, and ran through March 13, 2018. The seventh season premiered on January 8, 2019. On December 30, 2019, it was announced that the eighth season would premiere on January 2, 2020.

The ninth season premiered on March 24, 2021. The tenth season premiered on March 6, 2022. The eleventh season premiered on March 5, 2023.

According to the site The Futon Critic, ever since its eleventh season run ended, the show is still on hiatus, as no new seasons of the show has ever been announced. Hence, it is possible that the said documentary series has been canceled.