Interview: De-Extinction, Dire Wolves, and Jurassic Park with Beth Shapiro
Can we bring extinct species back to life? Evolutionary biologist Beth Shapiro claims we just did. As Chief Science Officer at Colossal, her team made headlines in spring 2025 with the announcement of the de-extinction of the dire wolf. She takes us behind the headlines to explain how this is no “Jurassic Park” fantasy.
Episodes
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Secrets of the Forest
S52 E8 - 53m 41s
Can forests help cool the planet? Follow scientists through spectacular landscapes as they study complex networks of trees, fungi, and creatures large and small – all in a quest to tackle the twin threats of climate change and species extinction.
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Revolutionary War Weapons
S52 E7 - 53m 39s
How did a ragtag army defeat the most powerful army in the world to win American independence? Discover the key military technologies that helped propel the colonies to victory, from the Brown Bess musket to the world’s first military submarine.
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Baltimore Bridge Collapse
S52 E6 - 53m 32s
On March 26, 2024, a massive container ship plowed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six highway workers. How did the ship lose control? Why did the bridge fail so catastrophically? And how many other bridges around the world are at risk?
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Pompeii's Secret Underworld
S52 E5 - 53m 40s
For over two centuries, archaeologists have hailed Pompeii as a sophisticated city at the heart of an advanced ancient civilization. But a series of new excavations is painting a much more complex picture of the city tragically buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.
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Egypt's Tombs of Amun
S52 E4 - 53m 40s
Follow archaeologists as they discover a long lost ancient cemetery in Egypt’s sacred desert. Treasures emerge unlike anything seen by the team, revealing details of a unique period, when women had extraordinary power.
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Dino Birds
S52 E3 - 53m 35s
Why are birds the only dinosaurs still alive today? Rare fossil discoveries are revealing the secrets of bird evolution, telling the story of how some resilient feathered dinos became the vast array of colorful bird species that fill our skies.
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Extreme Airport Engineering
S52 E2 - 53m 40s
In New York City, a team of elite engineers and construction workers are on a mission to build the ultimate airport. Follow their ups and downs as they race to build a new, world-class LaGuardia on the site of one of America’s busiest aviation hubs.
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What Are UFOs?
S52 E1 - 53m 43s
After decades in the shadows, UFOs are being studied seriously. Are they weather balloons, optical illusions, secret military technology? Or something else? Follow scientists as they try to unravel the mystery of the strangest objects in our skies.
Extras + Features
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Opening a Sealed Egyptian Tomb
S52 E4 - 2m 38s
Beneath the sand and mud bricks of Egypt, a sealed tomb reveals its secrets for the first time in centuries. As archaeologists carefully break through the entrance, they uncover an unusual vase that doesn’t resemble any known Egyptian artifact - but the most breathtaking discovery is a never-before-seen sculpture.
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The God’s Wife of Amun: Powerful Women in Ancient Egypt
S52 E4 - 3m 3s
A monument from Ancient Egypt depicts an unusually powerful woman, standing alongside the king. Who was she? Discover the God’s Wife of Amun, a female role with extraordinary power, comparable to the medieval pope and endowed with great wealth.
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What's Inside These Ancient Egyptian Jars?
S52 E4 - 1m 58s
Hidden for nearly 3,000 years, a beautifully preserved canopic jar is discovered in Egypt. These sacred vessels, adorned with symbolic heads, played a vital role in protecting the deceased in the afterlife. Learn more about ancient Egyptian burial traditions and how they honored the dead.
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Dino Birds Preview
S52 E3 - 29s
Why are birds the only dinosaurs still alive today? Rare fossil discoveries are revealing the secrets of bird evolution, telling the story of how some resilient feathered dinos became the vast array of colorful bird species that fill our skies.
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How Birds Survived the Dinosaur Apocalypse
S52 E3 - 2m 48s
Birds are the only dinosaurs still alive today, but how did they survive the asteroid? Most birds were wiped out, along with the rest of the dinosaurs and 75 percent of all life on Earth, but one group of birds made it through. Discover how they endured, and which traits made them resilient in the brutal aftermath of the mass extinction event.
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How Birds Evolved to Fly (feat. Slow-Mo Baby Birds)
S52 E3 - 2m 56s
Birds today make flight look effortless, but its evolution was complex. Scientists are still trying to discover exactly how birds took to the skies, and today, a new perspective has emerged by studying how flightless chicks become skilled flyers. With high-speed cameras and careful observation, discover how researchers are gaining insights into the development of bird flight.
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What You’re Probably Seeing If You Spot a UFO
S52 E1 - 2m 17s
When you spot a UFO, are you really seeing something unknown? You can actually see things in Earth's orbit like weather balloons, the International Space Station, and a 60-satellite system called Starlink. Technology has created more clutter in the sky — and a much greater chance for us to misinterpret what we're seeing.
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What Are UFOs? Preview
S52 E1 - 30s
After decades in the shadows, UFOs are being studied seriously. Are they weather balloons, optical illusions, secret military technology? Or something else? Follow scientists as they try to unravel the mystery of the strangest objects in our skies.
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UFO Sightings: How Scientists are Trying to Capture More Data
S52 E1 - 5m
There have been reports of UFO and UAP sightings for decades, but these accounts are often difficult to verify. Now, scientists are in search of the elusive: hard data. From machine learning sites that analyze the sky 24/7, to a crowd-sourcing app that asks the public to submit their own UFO videos, discover the inventive methods at play to capture more data.
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Area 51: UFO Sightings and an Infamous Government Cover-Up
S52 E1 - 2m 35s
For decades, rumors of alien spacecraft at Area 51 have captivated the public imagination. In what is now known as one of the most infamous government cover-ups, an absence of information fueled wild speculation. Discover how UFO stories may have served as a convenient smokescreen for secret testing of advanced military technology.
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Is the Government Hiding Information on UFOs?
S52 E1 - 1m 3s
The government does keep secrets about aerospace technology, but are those linked to UFO sightings? How much do they really know? With growing concerns about national security and more citizen sightings of unidentified objects in our airspace, the need to identify these unknown objects is greater than ever before.
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The $8 Billion Overhaul of LaGuardia Airport: Engineering a New Era
S52 E2 - 2m 12s
The redevelopment of LaGuardia was nothing short of remarkable: almost every aspect of the airport was renovated while flights were still coming and going, and architects took special care to future-proof their work through innovative and forward-thinking designs. Over the course of 8 years, engineers rebuilt Terminals B&C, constructed two massive pedestrian walkways, and made key improvements.
Schedule
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Image
NOVA
Ice Age Footprints
Wednesday
Dec 10
1 Hour
A look at what thousands of prehistoric footprints in New Mexico's White Sands National Park might reveal about the peopling of the Americas. -
Image
NOVA
Hunt for the Oldest DNA
Wednesday
Dec 10
1 Hour
Scientists discover the oldest DNA ever found and reveal the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in the Arctic. -
Image
NOVA
Ice Age Footprints
Thursday
Dec 11
1 Hour
A look at what thousands of prehistoric footprints in New Mexico's White Sands National Park might reveal about the peopling of the Americas. -
Image
NOVA
Hunt for the Oldest DNA
Thursday
Dec 11
1 Hour
Scientists discover the oldest DNA ever found and reveal the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in the Arctic. -
Image
NOVA
Ice Age Footprints
Thursday
Dec 11
1 Hour
A look at what thousands of prehistoric footprints in New Mexico's White Sands National Park might reveal about the peopling of the Americas. -
Image
NOVA
Ice Age Footprints
Saturday
Dec 13
1 Hour
A look at what thousands of prehistoric footprints in New Mexico's White Sands National Park might reveal about the peopling of the Americas. -
Image
NOVA
Hunt for the Oldest DNA
Saturday
Dec 13
1 Hour
Scientists discover the oldest DNA ever found and reveal the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in the Arctic. -
Image
NOVA
Ice Age Footprints
Sunday
Dec 14
1 Hour
A look at what thousands of prehistoric footprints in New Mexico's White Sands National Park might reveal about the peopling of the Americas. -
Image
NOVA
Hunt for the Oldest DNA
Sunday
Dec 14
1 Hour
Scientists discover the oldest DNA ever found and reveal the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in the Arctic. -
Image
NOVA
Ice Age Footprints
Tuesday
Dec 16
1 Hour
A look at what thousands of prehistoric footprints in New Mexico's White Sands National Park might reveal about the peopling of the Americas. -
Image
NOVA
Hunt for the Oldest DNA
Tuesday
Dec 16
1 Hour
Scientists discover the oldest DNA ever found and reveal the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in the Arctic. -
Image
NOVA
Ice Age Footprints
Wednesday
Dec 17
1 Hour
A look at what thousands of prehistoric footprints in New Mexico's White Sands National Park might reveal about the peopling of the Americas. -
Image
NOVA
Hunt for the Oldest DNA
Wednesday
Dec 17
1 Hour
Scientists discover the oldest DNA ever found and reveal the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in the Arctic. -
Image
NOVA
Ice Age Footprints
Wednesday
Dec 17
1 Hour
A look at what thousands of prehistoric footprints in New Mexico's White Sands National Park might reveal about the peopling of the Americas. -
Image
NOVA
Hunt for the Oldest DNA
Wednesday
Dec 17
1 Hour
Scientists discover the oldest DNA ever found and reveal the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in the Arctic. -
Image
NOVA
Polar Extremes
Wednesday
Dec 17
2 Hours
Paleontologist Kirk Johnson explores the polar extremes of the planet, including miles-high ice sheets and warm polar forests brimming with life. -
Image
NOVA
Polar Extremes
Wednesday
Dec 17
2 Hours
Paleontologist Kirk Johnson explores the polar extremes of the planet, including miles-high ice sheets and warm polar forests brimming with life. -
Image
NOVA
Polar Extremes
Thursday
Dec 18
2 Hours
Paleontologist Kirk Johnson explores the polar extremes of the planet, including miles-high ice sheets and warm polar forests brimming with life. -
Image
NOVA
Polar Extremes
Thursday
Dec 18
2 Hours
Paleontologist Kirk Johnson explores the polar extremes of the planet, including miles-high ice sheets and warm polar forests brimming with life. -
Image
NOVA
Polar Extremes
Thursday
Dec 18
2 Hours
Paleontologist Kirk Johnson explores the polar extremes of the planet, including miles-high ice sheets and warm polar forests brimming with life.
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