Science and Nature

NOVA

NOVA brings you stories from the frontlines of science and engineering, answering the big questions of today and tomorrow, from how our ancestors lived, to whether parallel universes exist, to how technology will transform our lives. Visit the official website to watch full-length documentaries, or explore our world through short-form video, on our digital publication NOVA Next.

Great American Eclipse

53m 34s

Explore the spectacular cosmic phenomenon of a total solar eclipse. In April 2024, the Moon’s shadow is sweeping from Texas to Maine, as the U.S. witnesses its last total eclipse until 2044, and scientists scramble to unlock the secrets of our Sun.

Episodes

  • The Cannabis Question: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Cannabis Question

    S48 E11 - 53m 36s

    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: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Bat Superpowers

    S48 E10 - 53m 13s

    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: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    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: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Great Electric Airplane Race

    S48 E7 - 53m 7s

    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: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    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: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    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: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Reef Rescue

    S48 E4 - 54m 6s

    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.

Extras + Features

  • Building a Family as a Transgender Person: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Building a Family as a Transgender Person

    S48 E5 - 5m 41s

    Trystan Reese felt grateful that he was able to become pregnant and give birth. But for parents about to transition, there are steps they can take to preserve their fertility.

  • Fighting for Fertility Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Fighting for Fertility Preview

    S48 E5 - 28s

    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.

  • To Start a Family, This Woman Turned to Egg Freezing: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    To Start a Family, This Woman Turned to Egg Freezing

    S48 E5 - 7m 34s

    At 39, Brigitte Adams became an early adopter of egg vitrification, a technology that can dramatically improve the preservation of a woman's eggs and, potentially, her future fertility.
    Here’s her story.

  • The Coronavirus Pandemic's Toll on Mental Health: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Coronavirus Pandemic's Toll on Mental Health

    S48 - 6m 6s

    The precautions we’ve taken to quell the coronavirus pandemic—sheltering in place, social distancing, not spending much time with people outside our own households—have exacerbated America’s mental health crisis.

  • GameStop, Reddit, and the Rise of Risky Trades: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    GameStop, Reddit, and the Rise of Risky Trades

    S48 - 8m 35s

    As many as one in four Americans have invested in speculative "meme" stocks in 2021, many using new mobile apps like Robinhood. How risky is it for small investors entering a volatile market?

  • Reef Rescue Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Reef Rescue Preview

    S48 E4 - 28s

    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.

  • Scientists Breed a New Generation of "Super Corals": asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Scientists Breed a New Generation of "Super Corals"

    S48 E4 - 4m 45s

    Some corals, called "super corals," are more resistant to temperature changes and bleaching. Discover how scientist Ruth Gates began a "super coral" breeding program to create more resilient reefs.

Schedule

  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Life

    Sunday
    Apr 28

    1 Hour

    The intertwined story of life and the landscape in North America -- from origins to dinosaurs and an ancient primate invasion.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Life

    Sunday
    Apr 28

    1 Hour

    The intertwined story of life and the landscape in North America -- from origins to dinosaurs and an ancient primate invasion.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Life

    Sunday
    Apr 28

    1 Hour

    The intertwined story of life and the landscape in North America -- from origins to dinosaurs and an ancient primate invasion.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Life

    Tuesday
    Apr 30

    1 Hour

    The intertwined story of life and the landscape in North America -- from origins to dinosaurs and an ancient primate invasion.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Banner-L1

    NOVA

    Wednesday
    May 1

    1 Hour

    This long-running, award-winning documentary series focuses on science, its many applications, speculation, history and researchers. Inspired by the BBC documentary program "Horizons, " the U.S. series frequently features interviews with scientists directly involved in the topic at hand, and sometimes even boasts footage of a particular discovery.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Life

    Wednesday
    May 1

    1 Hour

    The intertwined story of life and the landscape in North America -- from origins to dinosaurs and an ancient primate invasion.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Wednesday
    May 1

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Wednesday
    May 1

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Thursday
    May 2

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Thursday
    May 2

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Friday
    May 3

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Sunday
    May 5

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Sunday
    May 5

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Sunday
    May 5

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Tuesday
    May 7

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Wednesday
    May 8

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Making North America: Human

    Wednesday
    May 8

    1 Hour

    From Ice Age to the oil boom, humans face challenges and uncover wealth hidden in North America's landscape.
  • Image
    NOVA: Why Bridges Collapse: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Why Bridges Collapse

    Wednesday
    May 8

    1 Hour

    The 2018 collapse of a section of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy; bridge collapses in the U.S.; engineering techniques that can make bridges safer and prevent them from breaking down.
  • Image
    NOVA: Why Bridges Collapse: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Why Bridges Collapse

    Wednesday
    May 8

    1 Hour

    The 2018 collapse of a section of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy; bridge collapses in the U.S.; engineering techniques that can make bridges safer and prevent them from breaking down.
  • Image
    NOVA: Why Bridges Collapse: TVSS: Iconic

    NOVA

    Why Bridges Collapse

    Thursday
    May 9

    1 Hour

    The 2018 collapse of a section of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy; bridge collapses in the U.S.; engineering techniques that can make bridges safer and prevent them from breaking down.

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