Episodes
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Rebuilding Notre Dame
S49 E13 - 53m 30s
In April 2019, the world watched as a devastating fire almost destroyed Paris’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. Go behind the scenes with a team of engineers, masons, and timber workers tackling the daunting challenges of restoring the historic landmark.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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Ice Age Footprints
S49 E9 - 53m 21s
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.
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Why Ships Crash
S49 E8 - 53m 20s
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.
Extras + Features
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The Hidden Cause of Traffic Jams—and How to Solve Them
S49 - 6m 5s
Some traffic jams seem to happen out of nowhere—it’s not rush hour, no construction, no accidents. These are called phantom traffic jams, generally caused by drivers tapping the brakes on and off. Could autonomous vehicles eliminate these traffic jams, and make our roads safer? Some researchers think so.
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The False Promise of Cloning Your Pet
S49 - 6m 37s
Departed pets can now live on through reproductive cloning. But many owners have been surprised to find that genetics aren’t everything—Fluffy the second turns out to be an animal all its own.
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Ultimate Space Telescope Preview
S49 E10 - 28s
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.
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How Scientists Created JWST's First Test Image
S49 E10 - 4m 50s
A month after its launch, the next step for the James Webb Space Telescope was to align all 18 of its mirrors. Aligning the 18 mirrors of the James Webb Space Telescope took extreme precision and allowed it to take its first image—a star amongst many galaxies.
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Why Distant Galaxies Look Red
S49 E10 - 3m 40s
The James Webb Space Telescope, a project 30 years in the making, launched in December 2021 and arrived at its destination point in January. The telescope will be able to see further into the infrared part of the spectrum than Hubble, and further back in time.
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NASA Reacts to the James Webb Space Telescope Images
S49 E10 - 1m 55s
This team of space scientists, visual developers and science writers have been working together since early June processing the images of celestial objects, and the spectra of the atmosphere of an exoplanet, for release to the public, so the world can see what Webb can do. They are the only team members who’ve had the privilege of seeing the images.
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This Device Smells Diseases by Imitating a Dog's Nose
S49 - 4m 43s
By studying dog noses, scientists at MIT are building an electronic nose that is learning to analyze odors to sniff out diseases. Could this tech someday be integrated into smartphones?
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Humans May Have Lived in North America Earlier Than Thought
S49 E9 - 4m 16s
Ancient human footprints in White Sands National Park reveal that humans first arrived in North America thousands of years earlier than previously thought.
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Ice Age Footprints Preview
S49 E9 - 30s
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.
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The Crash That Shut Down the Global Economy, Explained
S49 E8 - 3m 31s
How could one ship shut down the global economy? An investigator shows why the Ever Given crashed into the bank of the Suez Canal, while the Cosco Galaxy—which passed through the waterway on the same day—did not.
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Why Ships Crash Preview
S49 E8 - 29s
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.
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New Fossil May Reveal Clues to Dinosaurs' Final Days
S49 E7 - 2m 44s
Watch scientists uncover what might be the first dinosaur fossil ever found from the day the dinosaurs died.
Schedule
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Image
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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