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United States

Northern Mariana Islands

Puerto Rico

American Samoa

Guam

U.S. Virgin Islands

U.S. Minor Outlying Islands

US & Territories

In this two-hour special, renowned paleontologist Kirk Johnson takes us on an epic adventure through time at the polar extremes of our planet. Following a trail of strange fossils found in all the wrong places—beech trees in Antarctica, hippo-like mammals in the Arctic—Johnson uncovers the bizarre history of the poles, from miles-high ice sheets to warm polar forests teeming with life. What caused such dramatic changes at the ends of the Earth? And what can the past reveal about our planet’s climate today—and in the future? (Premiered February 5, 2020)

Paleontologist Kirk Johnson explores the dynamic history—and future—of ice at the poles.

Polar Extremes

Canada

US, US Territories, Canada

In October 2020, a NASA spacecraft called OSIRIS-REx attempts to reach out and grab a piece of an asteroid named Bennu to bring it back to Earth. The OSIRIS-REx team has just three chances to extend its spacecraft’s specialized arm, touch down for five seconds, and collect material from the surface of Bennu. But if they can pull it off, scientists could gain great insight into Earth’s own origins—and even learn to defend against rogue asteroids that may one day threaten our planet. (Premiered October 21, 2020)

Spacecraft OSIRIS-REx attempts to grab a piece of an asteroid to bring it back to Earth.

Touching the Asteroid

General - US & Territories

Thousands of ancient footprints stretch for miles across New Mexico’s White Sands National Park, capturing moments when Ice Age humans encountered now-extinct beasts, including mammoths and enormous ground sloths. These footprints tell an intimate story about what life was like during the Ice Age and reveal surprising new evidence about when humans arrived in North America. (Premiered May 25 at 9 pm on PBS)

Ancient footprints provide new evidence of humans and extinct giant beasts of the Ice Age.

Ice Age Footprints

Mexico

US, US Territories, Canada, Mexico

(This program is no longer available for online streaming.) A sequel to one of the most popular NOVAs of all time, "Miracle of Life," this Emmy Award-winning program tracks human development from embryo to newborn using the extraordinary microimagery of Swedish photographer Lennart Nilsson.

Trace human development from embryo to newborn through the stunning microimagery of photographer Lennart Nilsson.

Life's Greatest Miracle

Jupiter is not just the oldest planet orbiting the sun—it’s also the largest. So when the young gas giant went on a rampage through the inner solar system, it shaped the fate of everything in its path. Speeding towards the Sun, Jupiter’s massive gravitational force hurled debris into interstellar space, stunting the growth of would-be planets. Earth might have been doomed had Saturn not pulled Jupiter back. Today, Jupiter resides in the outer solar system, where its gravity bends the paths of asteroids and stokes volcanic activity on its moon Io. But it could one day wreak havoc again. (Premiering July 31 at 9 pm on PBS)

Jupiter's massive gravitational force has made it both a wrecking ball and a protector of Earth.

The Planets: Jupiter

Diseases that were largely eradicated in the United States a generation ago—whooping cough, measles, mumps—are returning, in part because nervous parents are skipping their children's shots. NOVA's "Vaccines—Calling the Shots" takes viewers around the world to track epidemics, explore the science behind vaccinations, hear from parents wrestling with vaccine-related questions, and shed light on the risks of opting out.

Examine the science behind vaccinations, the return of preventable diseases, and the risks of opting out.

Vaccines—Calling the Shots

After years of anticipation, autonomous vehicles are now being tested on public roads around the world. As ambitious innovators race to develop what they see as the next high-tech pot of gold, some experts warn there are still daunting challenges ahead, including how to train artificial intelligence to be better than humans at making life-and-death decisions. How do self-driving cars work? How close are we to large-scale deployment of them? And will we ever be able to trust AI with our lives? (Premiered October 23, 2019)

As self-driving cars take to the streets, investigate how they work, and if they are safe.

Look Who's Driving

NOVA revolves around a simple premise: the world of science is exciting! For NOVA viewers, science means adventure and exploration--because from ants to aliens, this weekly documentary series probes the far reaches of earth, sea and stars.  NOVA proves that science is neither secret lore nor sacred ritual but rather, at its heart, a lifelong journey of discovery.

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?

Researchers at MIT create an electronic nose using chemical odor sensors.

This Device Smells Diseases by Imitating a Dog's Nose

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.

The Suez Canal is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.

The Crash That Shut Down the Global Economy, Explained

To uncover the secrets of a pterosaur egg, Sir David Attenborough visits researchers using the latest technology to analyze these extinct creatures’ fossils.

Bones and shells can tell us a lot about how these creatures lived.

Inside a Fossilized Pterosaur Egg

With teamwork, careful handling, and a little help from liquid nitrogen, scientists unearth a remarkable baenid turtle fossil.

The Late Cretaceous period was kind of the heyday of turtles.

Watch Scientists Extract a Rare Turtle Fossil

Watch scientists uncover what might be the first dinosaur fossil ever found from the day the dinosaurs died.

This might be the first time in 66 million years that this leg has seen the light of day.

New Fossil May Reveal Clues to Dinosaurs' Final Days

Russia's invasion of Ukraine brings "unprecedented" threats to nuclear power plant safety, a nuclear researcher told NOVA.

Ukraine's 15 active nuclear reactors generate about half of the country's electricity.

Watch Page

Hero Area

Look Who's Driving

Upcoming Schedule

Episodes

Polar Extremes

Touching the Asteroid

Ice Age Footprints

Life's Greatest Miracle

The Planets: Jupiter

Vaccines—Calling the Shots

Shorts

This Device Smells Diseases by Imitating a Dog's Nose

The Crash That Shut Down the Global Economy, Explained

Inside a Fossilized Pterosaur Egg

Watch Scientists Extract a Rare Turtle Fossil

New Fossil May Reveal Clues to Dinosaurs' Final Days

War Threatens Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plants

Watch Page

Hero Area

Look Who's Driving

Upcoming Schedule

Episodes

Polar Extremes

Touching the Asteroid

Ice Age Footprints

Life's Greatest Miracle

The Planets: Jupiter

Vaccines—Calling the Shots

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Shorts

This Device Smells Diseases by Imitating a Dog's Nose

The Crash That Shut Down the Global Economy, Explained

Inside a Fossilized Pterosaur Egg

Watch Scientists Extract a Rare Turtle Fossil

New Fossil May Reveal Clues to Dinosaurs' Final Days

War Threatens Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plants