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The Great Math Mystery

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Making North America: Origins

Making North America: Origins

Season 42 Episode 20
53:35
Making North America: Life

Making North America: Life

Season 42 Episode 21
53:35
Making North America: Human

Making North America: Human

Season 42 Episode 22
53:36
Inside Einstein's Mind

Inside Einstein's Mind

Season 42 Episode 23
53:07
Iceman Reborn

Iceman Reborn

Season 43 Episode 5
53:32
Can Alzheimer's Be Stopped?

Can Alzheimer's Be Stopped?

Season 43 Episode 8
52:51
Bombing Hitler's Supergun

Bombing Hitler's Supergun

Season 43 Episode 14
53:49
School of the Future

School of the Future

Season 43 Episode 15
1:53:34
Ultimate Cruise Ship

Ultimate Cruise Ship

Season 44 Episode 4
53:09
Building Chernobyl's MegaTomb

Building Chernobyl's MegaTomb

Season 44 Episode 8
52:55
Killer Volcanoes

Killer Volcanoes

Season 44 Episode 16
54:10
Killer Hurricanes

Killer Hurricanes

Season 44 Episode 17
53:11
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NOVA

The Great Math Mystery

Season 42 Episode 7

Join NOVA on a mathematical mystery tour—a provocative exploration of math's astonishing power across the centuries. We discover math's signature in the swirl of a nautilus shell, the whirlpool of a galaxy, and the spiral in the center of a sunflower. It all leads to the ultimate riddle: Is math a human invention or the discovery of the language of the universe?

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Season
Building Chernobyl's MegaTomb
Unlock with PBS Passport
52:55
Engineers race to build a massive dome to contain the crumbling remains of the reactor.
Ultimate Cruise Ship
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:09
Join pioneering shipbuilders as they embark on a feat of maritime engineering.
School of the Future
1:53:34
How can the science of learning help us rethink the future of education for all children?
Bombing Hitler's Supergun
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:49
Discover how Allied forces conspired to destroy one of Hitler’s most diabolical weapons.
Can Alzheimer's Be Stopped?
52:51
Join investigators as they untangle the cause of Alzheimer’s and race to develop a cure.
Iceman Reborn
53:32
Watch as Otzi, a 5000-year-old mummy, is brought to life and preserved with 3D modeling.
Inside Einstein's Mind
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:07
Retrace the thought experiments that inspired his theory on the nature of reality.
Making North America: Human
53:36
How has the land shaped our lives, from the arrival of the first Americans to today?
Making North America: Life
53:35
How did massive volcanic eruptions, inland seas, and land bridges pave the way for life?
Making North America: Origins
53:35
Experience the colossal geologic forces that shaped our continent over 3 billion years.
Vaccines—Calling the Shots
53:10
Examine the science behind vaccinations and the risks of opting out.
At the Edge of Space
Unlock with PBS Passport
52:52
Can scientists unravel the mysterious phenomena that lurk between Earth and space?
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