NOVA

Zero to Infinity

53m 32s

Zero and infinity. These seemingly opposite, obvious, and indispensable concepts are relatively recent human inventions. Discover the surprising story of how these key concepts that revolutionized mathematics came to be – not just once, but over and over again as different cultures invented and re-invented them across thousands of years.

Episodes

Zero to Infinity

S49 E19 - 53m 32s

Zero and infinity. These seemingly opposite, obvious, and indispensable concepts are relatively recent human inventions. Discover the surprising story of how these key concepts that revolutionized mathematics came to be – not just once, but over and over again as different cultures invented and re-invented them across thousands of years.
Crypto Decoded

S49 E18 - 53m 22s

From Bitcoin to NFTs, crypto is making headlines. But what exactly is it, and how does it work? Experts go beyond the hype and skepticism to unravel the social and technological underpinnings of crypto – exploring how it came to be and why this new technology may change more than just money.
Nazca Desert Mystery

S49 E17 - 53m 31s

One of the world’s greatest ancient enigmas, the Nazca lines are a dense network of criss-crossing lines, geometric shapes, and animal figures etched across 200 square miles of Peruvian desert. Who created them and why? Ever since they were rediscovered in the 1920s, scholars and enthusiasts have raised countless theories about their purpose.
Ocean Invaders

S49 E16 - 53m 32s

Lionfish–long prized in home aquariums–have invaded the Atlantic, and are now one of the ocean’s most successful invasive species, wreaking havoc in waters across the globe. Join ocean explorer Danni Washington on a journey to find out how they took over, why they’re doing so much damage, and what can be done about it.
Can Psychedelics Cure?

S49 E15 - 53m 47s

Hallucinogenic drugs—popularly called psychedelics—have been used by human societies for thousands of years. Today, scientists are taking a second look at many of these mind-altering substances – both natural and synthetic – and discovering that they can have profoundly positive clinical impacts, helping patients struggling with a range of afflictions from addiction to depression and PTSD.
Computers v. Crime

S49 E14 - 53m 30s

In police departments and courts across the country, artificial intelligence is being used to help decide who is policed, who gets bail, how offenders should be sentenced, and who gets parole. But is it actually making our law enforcement and court systems fairer and more just? This timely investigation digs into the hidden biases, privacy risks, and design flaws of this controversial technology.
Ending HIV in America

S49 E11 - 53m 33s

Almost 40 years after the discovery of HIV, could we be on the verge of ending the AIDS epidemic in America? How did scientists tackle one of the most elusive deadly viruses to ever infect humans? Can innovative drugs bring new infections to zero?
Saving Venice

S49 E12 - 53m 31s

Rising seas and sinking land threaten to destroy Venice. Can the city’s new hi-tech flood barrier save it? Discover the innovative projects and feats of engineering designed to stop this historic city from being lost to future generations.
Ultimate Space Telescope

S49 E10 - 53m 33s

Follow the dramatic story of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope – the most complex machine ever launched into space – in hopes of peering deeper back in time than ever before and answering some of astronomy’s biggest questions.
Ice Age Footprints

S49 E9 - 53m 32s

Ancient footprints in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park reveal new evidence of Ice Age humans that walked the land alongside enormous ground sloths and mammoths—thousands of years earlier than archaeologists thought people were in the Americas.
Why Ships Crash

S49 E8 - 53m 31s

When the colossal Ever Given container ship crashed in the Suez Canal in March 2021, international supply chains ground to a halt. How did it happen? Follow the investigation into one of the most expensive shipping disasters ever.
Dinosaur Apocalypse: The Last Day

S49 E7 - 53m 33s

The search continues for signs of what might have happened on the day the dinosaurs died. Scientists uncover remarkable evidence, including a near perfectly preserved dinosaur leg and what could be pieces of the asteroid itself.

Extras + Features

Zero to Infinity Preview

S49 E19 - 28s

Zero and infinity. These seemingly opposite, obvious, and indispensable concepts are relatively recent human inventions. Discover the surprising story of how these key concepts that revolutionized mathematics came to be – not just once, but over and over again as different cultures invented and re-invented them across thousands of years.
The Area of a Circle, Explained with Pizza

S49 E19 - 4m 23s

One of the oldest calculus problems, finding the area of a circle, can be visualized using a pizza. By dividing it up into ever smaller slices and laying them out next to one another, eventually you get something close a rectangle.
Thought Experiment: The Infinite Hilbert's Hotel

S49 E19 - 4m 9s

In a thought experiment first proposed in the 1920s, the Hilbert’s Hotel has an infinite number of rooms and helps demonstrate some of the strange properties of infinity.
The History of Crypto Goes Further Back Than You Think

S49 E18 - 10m 2s

The invention of cryptocurrency revolutionized much of tech, from surveillance to e-commerce.
How the NFT Was Invented

S49 E18 - 3m 30s

Tech Entrepreneur Anil Dash and Artist Kevin McCoy created the first example of a non-fungible token, or NFT, expanding the possibility of owning digital items.
Crypto Decoded Preview

S49 E18 - 30s

From Bitcoin to NFTs, crypto is making headlines. But what exactly is it, and how does it work? Experts go beyond the hype and skepticism to unravel the social and technological underpinnings of crypto – exploring how it came to be and why this new technology may change more than just money.
Why Experts Say Permanent Daylight Saving Time is Unhealthy

S49 - 4m 30s

The misalignment of our internal clocks and the sun could result in a handful of heath concerns, experts say.
Artificial Intelligence Reveals Ancient Desert Drawings

S49 E17 - 4m 25s

Archaeologists are working to unveil Nazca geoglyphs stone by stone, but can AI help scientists identify and recover even more of these hillside geoglyphs?
Nazca Desert Mystery Preview

S49 E17 - 27s

One of the world’s greatest ancient enigmas, the Nazca lines are a dense network of criss-crossing lines, geometric shapes, and animal figures etched across 200 square miles of Peruvian desert. Who created them and why? Ever since they were rediscovered in the 1920s, scholars and enthusiasts have raised countless theories about their purpose.
Who Carved These Mysterious Lines in the Desert?

S49 E17 - 6m 57s

The Nazca were an ancient group of farmers and fishermen that used desert plateaus as a canvas for giant geoglyphs. But some of these drawings pre-date the Nazca. Who created them and why?
Divers Hunt Venomous Fish Invading Our Oceans

S49 E16 - 3m

Without any natural predators, invasive lionfish populations grow unchecked and wreak havoc on marine ecosystems. Watch free divers hunt these poisonous fish.
Cats Might Be One of the Most Invasive Species

S49 E16 - 2m 12s

Non-native species, like cats and honeybees, can either become naturalized, as a part of the ecosystem, or invasive and disrupt the ecosystem.

Schedule

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NOVA

Emperor's Ghost Army

Tuesday
Dec 6

7:00 pm

1 Hour

High-action experiments and 3-D technology provide insight into how China's terracotta army was made.
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NOVA

Emperor's Ghost Army

Wednesday
Dec 7

8:00 am

1 Hour

High-action experiments and 3-D technology provide insight into how China's terracotta army was made.
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NOVA

Ghosts of Stonehenge

Wednesday
Dec 7

9:00 pm

1 Hour

Archaeological digs reveal new clues as to who built Stonehenge and why.
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NOVA

Ghosts of Stonehenge

Thursday
Dec 8

2:30 am

1 Hour

Archaeological digs reveal new clues as to who built Stonehenge and why.
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NOVA

Ghosts of Stonehenge

Sunday
Dec 11

4:00 am

1 Hour

Archaeological digs reveal new clues as to who built Stonehenge and why.
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NOVA

Ghosts of Stonehenge

Tuesday
Dec 13

7:00 pm

1 Hour

Archaeological digs reveal new clues as to who built Stonehenge and why.
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NOVA

Ghosts of Stonehenge

Wednesday
Dec 14

12:00 am

1 Hour

Archaeological digs reveal new clues as to who built Stonehenge and why.
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NOVA

Ghosts of Stonehenge

Wednesday
Dec 14

8:00 am

1 Hour

Archaeological digs reveal new clues as to who built Stonehenge and why.
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NOVA

Rebuilding Notre Dame

Wednesday
Dec 14

9:00 pm

1 Hour

A team of engineers, masons and timber workers restore France's Notre Dame Cathedral following the April 2019 fire.
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NOVA

Rebuilding Notre Dame

Wednesday
Dec 14

9:00 pm

1 Hour

A team of engineers, masons and timber workers restore France's Notre Dame Cathedral following the April 2019 fire.
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NOVA

Rebuilding Notre Dame

Thursday
Dec 15

1:30 am

1 Hour

A team of engineers, masons and timber workers restore France's Notre Dame Cathedral following the April 2019 fire.
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NOVA

Rebuilding Notre Dame

Thursday
Dec 15

3:00 am

1 Hour

A team of engineers, masons and timber workers restore France's Notre Dame Cathedral following the April 2019 fire.
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NOVA

Rebuilding Notre Dame

Sunday
Dec 18

4:00 am

1 Hour

A team of engineers, masons and timber workers restore France's Notre Dame Cathedral following the April 2019 fire.
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NOVA

Rebuilding Notre Dame

Sunday
Dec 18

4:00 am

1 Hour

A team of engineers, masons and timber workers restore France's Notre Dame Cathedral following the April 2019 fire.

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