Skip to main content

Up Next

Asteroids: Spark of Life?

Asteroids: Spark of Life?

Season 53 Episode 1
53:31
Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire

Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire

Season 53 Episode 2
53:40
Can Dogs Talk?

Can Dogs Talk?

Season 53 Episode 3
53:39
Mammal Origins

Mammal Origins

Season 53 Episode 4
53:38
Rain Bombs

Rain Bombs

Season 53 Episode 5
53:24
Stone Age Temple Mystery

Stone Age Temple Mystery

Season 53 Episode 6
53:25
Return to the Moon

Return to the Moon

Season 53 Episode 7
53:08
Athens: Birth of Democracy

Athens: Birth of Democracy

Season 53 Episode 8
53:40
The Battle to Breathe

The Battle to Breathe

Season 53 Episode 9
53:34
Knowledge Keepers

Knowledge Keepers

Season 53 Episode 10
53:41
Stone Age Masterpiece

Stone Age Masterpiece

Season 53 Episode 11
53:42
Space Wars

Space Wars

Season 53 Episode 12
53:54
Back to Show
NOVA

Treasures of the Earth: Metals Preview

The enduring luster of gold, the conductivity of copper, the strength of steel—the special properties of metals have reshaped societies and defined eras; they have such an important role in human history that entire ages have been named after them. But what gives metals their astounding characteristics?

Support Provided By
Season
Rain Bombs
53:24
A deadly—and growing—global weather phenomenon mystifies scientists.
Mammal Origins
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:38
Explore mammals’ surprising origins, long before the age of dinosaurs.
Can Dogs Talk?
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:39
Do speech buttons really allow dogs to talk to us? Scientists investigate.
Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:40
New evidence sheds light on the remarkable life—and mysterious collapse—of the ancient jungle city.
Asteroids: Spark of Life?
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:31
What if violent asteroid impacts actually jump-started life on Earth? Explore a dramatic theory.
NOVA Season 52
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:41
See how ingenuity and teamwork keep the crew alive and doing science 250 miles above Earth.
Operation Space Station: High-Risk Build
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:40
Astronauts and Mission Control relive terrifying moments during construction of the ISS.
Superfloods
53:28
Find out why deadly flash floods are on the rise and how we can protect ourselves from them.
Ancient Desert Death Trap
53:21
Explore mysterious 9,000-year-old Stone Age megastructures found in the Arabian Desert.
Human: Building Empires
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:32
Discover how two revolutionary ancient inventions changed the course of humanity forever.
Human: Into the Americas
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:26
Follow ancient humans’ journey into an icy and perilous new land.
Human: Neanderthal Encounters
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:27
Discover how Homo sapiens outlasted Neanderthals – and how they helped make us who we are today.
Active loading indicator