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NOVA
Rise of the Mammals
Season 46
Episode 17
Sixty-six million years ago, an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs in a fiery global catastrophe. But we know little about how their successors, the mammals, recovered and took over the world. Now, hidden inside ordinary-looking rocks, an astonishing trove of fossils reveals a dramatic new picture of how rat-sized creatures ballooned in size and began to evolve into the vast array of species.
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Surprising evidence at the world’s oldest temple overturns our understanding of human history.
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53:39
New evidence sheds light on the remarkable life—and mysterious collapse—of the ancient jungle city.
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53:31
What if violent asteroid impacts actually jump-started life on Earth? Explore a dramatic theory.
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53:41
See how ingenuity and teamwork keep the crew alive and doing science 250 miles above Earth.
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53:40
Astronauts and Mission Control relive terrifying moments during construction of the ISS.
53:28
Find out why deadly flash floods are on the rise and how we can protect ourselves from them.
53:21
Explore mysterious 9,000-year-old Stone Age megastructures found in the Arabian Desert.
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53:32
Discover how two revolutionary ancient inventions changed the course of humanity forever.
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53:27
Discover how Homo sapiens outlasted Neanderthals – and how they helped make us who we are today.