Skip to main content
Ship That Changed the World

Up Next

The Cannabis Question

The Cannabis Question

Season 48 Episode 11
53:36
Particles Unknown

Particles Unknown

Season 48 Episode 12
53:28
Edible Insects

Edible Insects

Season 48 Episode 14
53:28
Alaskan Dinosaurs

Alaskan Dinosaurs

Season 48 Episode 21
53:21
Ancient Maya Metropolis

Ancient Maya Metropolis

Season 48 Episode 22
53:31
Arctic Sinkholes

Arctic Sinkholes

Season 49 Episode 1
53:30
Great Mammoth Mystery

Great Mammoth Mystery

Season 49 Episode 3
53:16
Why Ships Crash

Why Ships Crash

Season 49 Episode 8
53:20
Ice Age Footprints

Ice Age Footprints

Season 49 Episode 9
53:43
Rebuilding Notre Dame

Rebuilding Notre Dame

Season 49 Episode 13
53:43
Ocean Invaders

Ocean Invaders

Season 49 Episode 16
53:32
Nazca Desert Mystery

Nazca Desert Mystery

Season 49 Episode 17
53:31
Back to Show
NOVA

Ship That Changed the World

Season 48 Episode 9

The Age of Exploration and Europe’s imperial colonization of far-off lands was launched by a revolution in ship design that made long-distance voyages practical. A newly discovered 500-year-old wreck offers vital clues to this momentous innovation.

Watch Preview
Support Provided By
Season
Egypt's Tombs of Amun
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:40
A long-lost ancient cemetery opens the door to a unique period in Egyptian history.
Dino Birds
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:35
Fossils reveal how birds survived the killer asteroid and became today’s only living dinosaurs.
Extreme Airport Engineering
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:40
Follow the race to build a world-class airport on the site of one of America’s busiest flying hubs.
What Are UFOs?
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:43
Can science reveal the secrets of mysterious objects seen in our skies?
Lost Tombs of Notre Dame
53:40
Mysterious bodies are found under one of the world’s most famous cathedrals.
Building Stuff: Change It!
53:40
From electric flight to artificial noses, engineers are finding new ways to preserve our planet.
Building Stuff: Reach It!
53:40
Humans are born to roam. See how engineers are inventing new ways to explore and extend our range.
Building Stuff: Boost It!
53:40
Is engineering humanity’s superpower? See how we can amplify our natural abilities in amazing ways.
Decoding the Universe: Quantum
53:40
Dive into the universe at the tiniest – and weirdest – of scales.
Solar System: Wandering Worlds
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:34
Meet the surprising, oddball worlds moving around our solar system.
Solar System: Icy Worlds
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:34
Visit strange, frozen worlds to discover the bizarre ice that forms beyond Earth.
Solar System: Volcano Worlds
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:34
Discover the powerful volcanic eruptions that have shaped worlds across our solar system.
Active loading indicator