NOVA
NOVA brings you stories from the frontlines of science and engineering, answering the big questions of today and tomorrow, from how our ancestors lived, to whether parallel universes exist, to how technology will transform our lives.
PREVIEWS (255)
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S47 E18: Beyond the Elements: Indestructible PreviewGlass so strong you can jump on it, rubber so tough it protects a clay pot ...Glass so strong you can jump on it, rubber so tough it protects a clay pot dropped from 50 feet, endless varieties of plastic. Scientists and engineers have created virtually indestructible versions ... -
S47 E17: Beyond the Elements: Reactions PreviewJust about every solid, liquid, or gas in the world as we know it begins with ...Just about every solid, liquid, or gas in the world as we know it begins with reactions between individual atoms and molecules. Host David Pogue dives into the transformative world of chemical ... -
S48 E1: Secrets in our DNA PreviewSome 30 million Americans have sent their DNA to be analyzed by companies like ...Some 30 million Americans have sent their DNA to be analyzed by companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA. But what happens once the sample is in the hands of testing companies, and how accurate are ... -
S47 E8: Saving Notre Dame PreviewWhen Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire in 2019, Paris came perilously close to ...When Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire in 2019, Paris came perilously close to losing more than 800 years of history. As engineers rebuild, researchers use cutting-edge technology to piece together ... -
S47 E16: Can We Cool the Planet? PromoAs global temperatures rise, scientists are exploring solutions from planting ...As global temperatures rise, scientists are exploring solutions from planting trees to sucking carbon out of the air to geoengineering. But would they work? And what are the risks of engineering ... -
S47 E9: Nature's Fear Factor PreviewFor animals in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, the normal balance of ...For animals in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, the normal balance of competition and predation was upended when a war wiped out the top predators. The remaining animals didn’t simply grow in ... -
S47 E14: A to Z: How Writing Changed the World PromoJust as handwritten records changed how societies work, the printing press ...Just as handwritten records changed how societies work, the printing press transformed the spread of information, igniting the Industrial Revolution. How did technologies–from pen to paper to ... -
S47 E13: A to Z: The First Alphabet PreviewWriting shaped our world and the rise of human knowledge, from the trading of ...Writing shaped our world and the rise of human knowledge, from the trading of goods to tales of ancient goddesses and kings. Follow the evolution of the written word, from 4,000-year-old carvings in ... -
S47 E12: Secret Mind of Slime PreviewScientists investigate the bizarre “intelligence” of slime molds, which ...Scientists investigate the bizarre “intelligence” of slime molds, which appear to learn and make decisions—without a brain. These cunning, single-celled blobs can navigate mazes and create ... -
S47 E15: Touching the Asteroid PromoIn October 2020, a NASA spacecraft called OSIRIS-REx attempts to reach out and ...In October 2020, a NASA spacecraft called OSIRIS-REx attempts to reach out and grab a piece of an asteroid named Bennu to bring it back to Earth. The OSIRIS-REx team has just three chances to extend ... -
S47 E11: Human Nature Sneak PeekWith an extraordinary new technology called CRISPR, we can now edit ...With an extraordinary new technology called CRISPR, we can now edit DNA—including human DNA. But how far should we go? Gene-editing promises to eliminate certain genetic disorders like sickle cell ... -
S47 E11: Human Nature PreviewWith an extraordinary new technology called CRISPR, we can now edit ...With an extraordinary new technology called CRISPR, we can now edit DNA—including human DNA. But how far should we go? Gene-editing promises to eliminate certain genetic disorders like sickle cell ... -
S47 E10: Decoding COVID-19 PreviewThe coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has upended life as we know it in a matter of mere ...The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has upended life as we know it in a matter of mere months. At the same time, an unprecedented global effort to understand and contain the virus—and find a treatment for ... -
S47 E7: Eagle Power PreviewEagles dominate the skies. But what makes these predators so special? ...Eagles dominate the skies. But what makes these predators so special? Researchers study one special bird—and stunning up-close footage reveals her exceptional strength, eyesight, and flying skills. ... -
S47 E6: The Truth About Fat PreviewScientists are coming to understand fat as a dynamic organ—one whose size may ...Scientists are coming to understand fat as a dynamic organ—one whose size may have more to do with biological processes than personal choices. Explore the mysteries of fat and its role in hormone ... -
S47 E6: The Truth About Fat PrologueScientists are coming to understand fat as a dynamic organ—one whose size may ...Scientists are coming to understand fat as a dynamic organ—one whose size may have more to do with biological processes than personal choices. Explore the mysteries of fat and its role in hormone ... -
S47 E5: Cuba's Cancer Hope PreviewWhen the U.S. trade embargo left Cuba isolated from medical resources, Cuban ...When the U.S. trade embargo left Cuba isolated from medical resources, Cuban scientists were forced to get creative. Now they’ve developed lung cancer vaccines that show so much promise, some ... -
S47 E4: Mysteries of Sleep PreviewFrom fruit flies to whales, virtually every animal sleeps. But why? Why do we ...From fruit flies to whales, virtually every animal sleeps. But why? Why do we need to spend nearly a third of our lives in such a defenseless state? Scientists are peering more deeply into the ... -
S47 E3: Cat Tales PreviewWorshipped as a goddess, condemned as satanic, and spun into a stunning array of ...Worshipped as a goddess, condemned as satanic, and spun into a stunning array of breeds, cats have long fascinated humans. But did we ever really domesticate them? And what can science tell us about ... -
S47 E2: Dog Tales PreviewDogs have long been dependable companions by our sides. But it wasn’t always ...Dogs have long been dependable companions by our sides. But it wasn’t always that way, and a look at their closest living relative, the wolf, makes it clear why. Research into dog domestication and ... -
S47 E1: Polar Extremes PreviewFollowing a trail of fossils found in all the wrong places–beech trees in ...Following a trail of fossils found in all the wrong places–beech trees in Antarctica, redwoods and hippo-like mammals in the Arctic–NOVA uncovers the bizarre history of the poles, from miles-thick ...
