Up Next
Back to Show
Watch Preview
NOVA
Great Human Odyssey
Season 43
Episode 12
Our ancient human ancestors once lived only in Africa in tiny bands of a few thousand hunter-gatherers. Then we moved out of our African cradle, spreading rapidly to every corner of the planet. How did we acquire the skills, technology and talent to thrive in every environment on earth? How did our prehistoric forebears cross the Sahara, survive frigid ice ages, and sail to remote Pacific islands?
Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
53:21
Can bringing predators—and fear—back into an ecosystem help restore its natural balance?
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:21
Follow the epic journey of dog domestication and see what science says about dogs’ love.
1:52:46
Paleontologist Kirk Johnson explores the dynamic history—and future—of ice at the poles.
53:31
Discover the science behind Leonardo da Vinci's masterpieces—and Mona Lisa's iconic smile.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:25
Can new engineering techniques help prevent deadly bridge collapses?
53:27
Amazing fossils reveal how mammals took over after an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:32
Discover why scientists and entrepreneurs alike have their sights set on the Moon again.
53:22
In the shadow of Vesuvius and Pompeii, a lesser-known volcano puts Naples at risk.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:34
New technologies are promising a new renaissance in space travel.
53:23
New archeological evidence shows the stunning engineering of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:15
Journey to Kīlauea volcano to investigate the eruptions that shook Hawaiʻi in 2018.