NOVA

Bat Superpowers

53m 23s

Bats have been implicated in deadly epidemics such as COVID-19 and Ebola, yet scientists are discovering evidence that they may hold a key to a longer and healthier life. From caves in Thailand and Texas to labs around the globe, NOVA meets the scientists who are decoding the superpowers of the bat.

Episodes

Search Engine Breakdown

S48 E101 - 20m 37s

Why does a widely used internet search engine deliver results that can be blatantly racist and sexist? Two leading information researchers investigate their discoveries of hidden biases in the search technology we rely on every day.
Bat Superpowers

S48 E10 - 53m 23s

Bats have been implicated in deadly epidemics such as COVID-19 and Ebola, yet scientists are discovering evidence that they may hold a key to a longer and healthier life. From caves in Thailand and Texas to labs around the globe, NOVA meets the scientists who are decoding the superpowers of the bat.
Ship That Changed the World

S48 E9 - 53m 12s

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.
Great Electric Airplane Race

S48 E7 - 53m 6s

Can new emission-free electric planes replace our polluting airliners and revolutionize personal transportation in our cities? NOVA takes a ride in some quiet, energy-efficient, prototypes that are vying for success as electric flight takes off.
Hindenburg: The New Evidence

S48 E6 - 53m 13s

80 years after the world’s largest airship ignited in a giant fireball, newly discovered footage sparks a reinvestigation of what exactly caused the Hindenburg disaster.
Fighting for Fertility

S48 E5 - 53m 6s

What causes infertility, and how can assisted reproductive technologies help? Follow the journeys of people navigating fertility challenges from structural inequalities and racism to falling sperm counts, egg freezing, and IVF.
Reef Rescue

S48 E4 - 53m 21s

If oceans continue to warm at the current pace, coral reefs could be wiped out by the end of the century. But scientists from around the globe are rushing to help corals adapt to a changing climate through assisted evolution.
Picture a Scientist

S48 E3 - 1h 33m

Women make up less than a quarter of STEM professionals in the United States, and numbers are even lower for women of color. But a growing group of researchers is exposing longstanding discrimination and making science more inclusive.
Looking for Life on Mars

S48 E2 - 53m 46s

NASA launches its most ambitious hunt for traces of life on Mars, landing a car-sized rover in a rocky, ancient river delta. The rover will stow samples for possible return to Earth and test technology that may pave the way for human travel to Mars.
Secrets in our DNA

S48 E1 - 53m 26s

Some 30 million Americans have sent their DNA to be analyzed by companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA. But what happens once the sample is in the hands of testing companies, and how accurate are their results? NOVA explores the power of genetic data to reveal family connections, ancestry, and health risks—and even solve criminal cold cases.

Extras + Features

Arctic Drift Preview

S48 E13 - 30s

Join scientists on the biggest Arctic research expedition of all time. Facing hungry polar bears, perilous sea ice cracks, and brutal cold, the team strives to understand the forces that are changing the region—and the world—forever.
Particles Unknown Preview

S48 E12 - 30s

Outnumbering atoms a billion to one, neutrinos are the universe’s most common yet most elusive and baffling particle. NOVA joins an international team of neutrino hunters whose discoveries may change our understanding of how the universe works.
The Cannabis Question Preview

S48 E11 - 30s

As state-legalized cannabis spreads, NOVA investigates the latest scientific evidence for its potential benefits and risks, and how criminalization has disproportionately harmed communities of color.
Bat Superpowers Preview

S48 E10 - 30s

Bats have been implicated in deadly epidemics such as COVID-19 and Ebola, yet scientists are discovering evidence that they may hold a key to a longer and healthier life. From caves in Thailand and Texas to labs around the globe, NOVA meets the scientists who are decoding the superpowers of the bat.
Ship That Changed the World Preview

S48 E9 - 29s

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.
Mysterious Bones Found in 500-Year-Old Shipwreck

S48 E9 - 3m 3s

Underwater archaeologists find mysterious bone fragments in a 500-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Sweden. What could they belong to?
Hi-Risk High-Rise Preview

S48 E8 - 30s

Gleaming symbols of prestige, skyscrapers are an ingenious way to save space in dense urban areas. But even as we devise ways to defend them against fires, wind, and earthquakes, can we also make them more livable, interactive, and eco-friendly?
Great Electric Airplane Race Preview

S48 E7 - 29s

Can new emission-free electric planes replace our polluting airliners and revolutionize personal transportation in our cities? NOVA takes a ride in some quiet, energy-efficient, prototypes that are vying for success as electric flight takes off.
You Could Take a Flying Car to Work Someday

S48 E7 - 5m 23s

As electric vehicle technology takes off—literally—how will the logistics of air traffic work? Watch how NASA researchers are writing the rules that will make air travel via electric vehicles safe.
Hindenburg: The New Evidence Preview

S48 E6 - 30s

80 years after the world’s largest airship ignited in a giant fireball, newly discovered footage sparks a reinvestigation of what exactly caused the Hindenburg disaster.
Newly Analyzed Footage Helps Solve Hindenburg Mystery

S48 E6 - 6m 45s

Newly analyzed amateur footage of the crash shows the airship’s final seconds from a fresh angle—allowing historians for the first time to see the airship from nose to tail just after the fire breaks out.
A Woman's Journey with Infertility and Adoption

S48 E5 - 1m 52s

Mia Fassi’s infertility journey started when she was in her mid-30s. After unsuccessful in vitro treatments, adopting a child felt like an easy transition to consider.

Schedule

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NOVA

The Cannabis Question

Wednesday
Sep 29

9:00 pm

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1 Hour

A look at the risks posed by cannabis on the developing adolescent brain and the potential long-term health consequences of its use.
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NOVA

The Cannabis Question

Wednesday
Sep 29

9:00 pm

Image

1 Hour

A look at the risks posed by cannabis on the developing adolescent brain and the potential long-term health consequences of its use.
Image

NOVA

The Cannabis Question

Thursday
Sep 30

2:00 am

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1 Hour

A look at the risks posed by cannabis on the developing adolescent brain and the potential long-term health consequences of its use.
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NOVA

The Cannabis Question

Thursday
Sep 30

3:00 am

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1 Hour

A look at the risks posed by cannabis on the developing adolescent brain and the potential long-term health consequences of its use.
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NOVA

The Cannabis Question

Thursday
Sep 30

7:00 pm

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1 Hour

A look at the risks posed by cannabis on the developing adolescent brain and the potential long-term health consequences of its use.
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NOVA

The Cannabis Question

Friday
Oct 1

12:00 am

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1 Hour

A look at the risks posed by cannabis on the developing adolescent brain and the potential long-term health consequences of its use.
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NOVA

The Cannabis Question

Friday
Oct 1

8:00 am

Image

1 Hour

A look at the risks posed by cannabis on the developing adolescent brain and the potential long-term health consequences of its use.
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NOVA

The Cannabis Question

Saturday
Oct 2

8:00 pm

Image

1 Hour

A look at the risks posed by cannabis on the developing adolescent brain and the potential long-term health consequences of its use.
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NOVA

The Cannabis Question

Sunday
Oct 3

12:00 am

Image

1 Hour

A look at the risks posed by cannabis on the developing adolescent brain and the potential long-term health consequences of its use.

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