Back to Show
NOVA
Ben Franklin's Balloons Preview
The first stage in human flight didn’t begin with the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, but with daring inventors and aeronauts in 18th century Paris. In a period of just 19 months, humanity not only left the ground for the first time but thanks to a handful of brilliant and colorful pioneers, developed all the essential features of today's hot air air and gas balloons.
Support Provided By
Unlock with PBS Passport
52:55
Engineers race to build a massive dome to contain the crumbling remains of the reactor.
1:53:34
How can the science of learning help us rethink the future of education for all children?
53:32
Watch as Otzi, a 5000-year-old mummy, is brought to life and preserved with 3D modeling.
53:07
Retrace the thought experiments that inspired his theory on the nature of reality.
53:41
How has the land shaped our lives, from the arrival of the first Americans to today?
53:35
How did massive volcanic eruptions, inland seas, and land bridges pave the way for life?
53:35
Experience the colossal geologic forces that shaped our continent over 3 billion years.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:41
Watch as the New Horizons spacecraft captures our first clear view of Pluto’s icy surface.
53:40
The catastrophic collapse of the ground beneath our feet is a growing worldwide hazard.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:10
Which technologies worked in the race to track down the men behind the marathon attack?
Unlock with PBS Passport
52:53
Can science help us understand why some people commit horrific acts of mass murder?