E01 Pluto and Beyond
2019-01-02
Since it explored Pluto in 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft has been zooming toward NASA’s most distant target yet. Join the mission team as the probe attempts to fly by Ultima Thule, an object 4 billion miles from Earth.
E02 Einstein's Quantum Riddle
2019-01-09
Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance,” but today quantum entanglement is poised to revolutionize technology from computers to cryptography. Physicists have gradually become convinced that the phenomenon—two subatomic particles that mirror changes in each other instantaneously over any distance—is real.
E03 Kïlauea: Hawai'i on Fire
2019-01-23
Journey to Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, which sent rivers of lava through communities and into the sea when it erupted in 2018. A group of scientists and locals investigate the spike in volcano activity that turned paradise into an inferno.
E04 Decoding the Great Pyramid
2019-02-06
New archeological evidence sheds light on the stunning engineering of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
E05 Rise of the Rockets
2019-02-13
With new technologies, NASA and private companies are promising a new renaissance in space travel.
E06 The Next Pompeii
2019-02-20
In the shadow of Vesuvius and Pompeii, a lesser-known volcano puts the city of Naples at risk.
E07 Saving the Dead Sea
2019-04-24
Scientists, engineers and political leaders devise a plan to save the Dead Sea, whose levels have declined by more than 65 feet since 1976.
E08 Inside the Megafire
2019-05-08
Scientists try to determine the cause for the increasing megafire threat by exploring the physics of fire, how firestorms move and travel and by analyzing aerial drone and satellite data to catch fires before they start.
E09 First Horse Warriors
2019-05-15
Canadian anthropologist Niobe Thompson travels to sites in Kazakhstan, genetics labs in Denmark and anthropology museums in Russia to unlock mysteries surrounding the first riders of wild horses.
E10 Lost Viking Army
2019-05-22
Forensic archaeologist Cat Jarman and her team investigate the Great Heathen army, a legendary Viking fighting force that invaded England in the 9th century.
E11 Back to the Moon
2019-07-10
On the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing, NOVA looks ahead to the hoped-for dawn of a new age in lunar exploration. This time, governments and private industry are working together to reach our nearest celestial neighbour. But why go back? The Moon can serve as a platform for basic astronomical research; as an abundant source of rare metals and hydrogen fuel; and ultimately as a stepping stone for human missions to Mars and beyond. Join the next generation of engineers that aim to take us to the Moon, and discover how our legacy of lunar exploration won't be confined to the history books for long.
E12 The Planets: Inner Worlds
2019-07-24
The rocky planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars all have similar origins, but only one supports life.
E13 The Planets: Mars
2019-07-24
The dry, red planet Mars was once a blue water world studded with active volcanoes and may have even had the ingredients to support life.
E14 The Planets: Jupiter
2019-07-31
Jupiter's gravitational force made it a wrecking ball as it barreled through the early solar system, but it also helped shape life on Earth as it brought comets laden with water and possibly the asteroid that put an end to the dinosaurs.
E15 The Planets: Saturn
2019-08-07
Nasa's Cassini reveals the mysteries of Saturn's rings and new hope for life on one of its moons.
E16 The Planets: Ice Worlds
2019-08-14
Uranus and Neptune's unexpected rings, supersonic winds and dozens of moons; an up-close view of Pluto before exploring the Kuiper belt.
E17 Why Bridges Collapse
2019-10-16
Join experts as they compare what happened in several deadly bridge collapses across America.
E18 Look Who's Driving
2019-10-23
Self-driving cars may one day be big business, but will they ever be safer than human drivers?
E19 Rise of the Mammals
2019-10-30
Sixty-six million years ago, an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs in a fiery global catastrophe. An amazing trove of fossils reveals how mammals took over, ultimately evolving into the huge array of species—including humans—that rule the Earth today.
E20 Dead Sea Scroll Detectives
2019-11-06
Since the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947, these fragile parchment relics have intrigued scholars, religious leaders, and profiteers alike. The 2,000-year-old scrolls include the oldest-known versions of the Hebrew Bible and hold vital clues about the birth of Christianity. While certain scrolls have survived intact, others have been ravaged by time—burnt, decayed, or torn to pieces—and remain an enigma. Now, scientists are using new technologies to read the unreadable, solve mysteries that have endured for millennia, and even discover million-dollar fakes.
E21 Decoding Da Vinci
2019-11-13
How Leonardo da Vinci used science to create his legendary artwork. Included: why Mona Lisa's smile is so captivating—and what it took to create it.
E22 The Violence Paradox
2019-11-20
Is violence actually declining? If so, why? And can we build a more peaceful future?
E23 Animal Espionage
2019-11-27
Camera technology is revolutionizing the study of animals—without them even noticing.
