Have scientists uncovered the secret to immortality? Can meditation stop people wanting to self-harm? And are light-skinned people really the mutants of dark-skinned people?

These questions, and many more, will be answered in Secrets of the Human Body, an innovative cross-platform event being staged by SBS over the coming months.

Secrets of the Human Body will be based around five thought-provoking and compelling Australian-made science documentaries, screening on consecutive Sunday nights on SBSONE from December 9.

Complementing these documentaries will be a series of innovative events involving the filmmakers, scientists and the public, developed in association with the Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus), a newly-established science organisation.

There will also be in-language SBS Radio content.

The Secrets of the Human Body documentaries are:

Immortal
December 5 @ 8:30PM on SBSONE
The key to endless life has been discovered. The bad news is, it can kill you.

The Silent Epidemic
December 12 @ 8:30PM on SBSONE
Too many Australians are turning to self-harm, so scientists seek a radical solution with a world-first experiment.

Kuru: The Science and the Sorcery
December 19 @ 8:30PM on SBSONE
An award-winning medical detective story about a mysterious disease and one man’s quest to unravel its secrets.

Heartbreak Science
December 26 @ 8:30PM on SBSONE
In the fight against the world’s number one killer, scientists are discovering that the heart is much more than just a pump.

Skin Deep
January 2 @ 8:30PM on SBSONE
Nina Jablonski’s global journey to reveal the secrets of human skin colour.