Up Next
Back to Show
Watch Preview
NOVA
Mystery of Easter Island
Season 39
Episode 14
A remote, bleak speck of rock in the middle of the Pacific, Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, has mystified the world ever since the first Europeans arrived in 1722. How and why did the ancient islanders build and move nearly 900 giant statues or moai, weighing up to 86 tons? And how did they transform a presumed paradise into a treeless wasteland, bringing ruin upon their island and themselves?
Support Provided By
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:47
See how Earth transformed from a barren hellscape to a planet capable of sustaining life.
53:31
Dive into the subconscious to see what’s really driving the decisions you make.
53:30
Neuroscientists discover the tricks and shortcuts the brain takes to help us survive.
53:19
Investigate one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in recorded history.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:31
Follow scientists determined to save the critically endangered right whale.
53:31
Here’s how the U.S. could reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
53:31
Americans use ancient wisdom and new technology to fight extreme weather.
53:31
See the latest stunning images and discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope.
53:21
Archaeological discoveries reveal traces of ancient civilizations in the Amazon.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:20
Thousands race to build Europe's biggest construction project–London's new railroad.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:32
Discover how the concepts of zero and infinity revolutionized mathematics.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:22
What exactly is crypto, and how does it work? This technology is more than just money.