Up Next
Back to Show
NOVA
Prediction by the Numbers Prologue
Predictions underlie nearly every aspect of our lives, from sports, politics, and medical decisions to the morning commute. With the explosion of digital technology, the internet, and “big data,” the science of forecasting is flourishing. But why do some predictions succeed spectacularly while others fail abysmally? And how can we find meaningful patterns amidst chaos and uncertainty?
Support Provided By
53:16
Sir David Attenborough explores a site with traces of ancient mammoths and Neanderthals.
53:30
In the Arctic, enormous releases of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, threaten the climate
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:21
Intrepid paleontologists discover that dinosaurs thrived in the Arctic’s cold and dark.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:28
Take a tasty look at insect foods that could benefit our health and our warming planet.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:28
Join the hunt for the universe’s most common—yet most elusive and baffling—particle.
53:36
As state-legalized cannabis spreads, NOVA explores its little-known risks and benefits.
53:46
NASA launches its most ambitious search yet for traces of ancient life on Mars.
53:32
Discover the fascinating chemistry that makes our world and everything in it—including us.
53:30
Discover the fascinating chemistry that makes our world and everything in it—including us.
53:31
Discover the fascinating chemistry that makes our world and everything in it—including us.