The Arctic Jet Stream Affects Global Climate. Here's Why.
A team of scientists explore the skies to learn how the Arctic atmosphere can have global implications.
This Detector Can Catch Cosmic Neutrinos
In Antarctica, scientists have built the largest neutrino detector, which can catch cosmic neutrinos from billions of light-years away.
Arctic Drift Preview
Join scientists on the biggest Arctic research expedition of all time. Facing hungry polar bears, perilous sea ice cracks, and brutal cold, the team strives to understand the forces that are changing the region—and the world—forever.
Particles Unknown Preview
Outnumbering atoms a billion to one, neutrinos are the universe’s most common yet most elusive and baffling particle. NOVA joins an international team of neutrino hunters whose discoveries may change our understanding of how the universe works.
Why is Researching Cannabis so Hard?
Cannabis is labeled as a Schedule 1 drug—the same category as heroin and LSD—and, despite being legal in many states, is illegal on a federal level.
CBD Helps Anxiety Patients in a Clinical Trial
Are the chemical compounds found in cannabis, including CBD, a potential treatment for reducing anxiety? Here's what one clinical study is finding—and the story of one of its patients.
Incarcerated for Cannabis: Who's Still in Prison and Why?
The majority of Americans now live in a state or territory where cannabis is legal for medical use. But many people remain incarcerated for cannabis possession.
Cannabis Reverses Brain Aging in Mice
Low doses of THC from cannabis can help older mice learn faster, researchers found. Could it have the same effect in humans?
How Cannabis Affects Teens' Brains
To understand the effects cannabis has on the function and development of adolescents' brains, a clinical psychologist performs brain scans on teenagers that use the drug and those that don't.
How Some Parents Brought CBD to Market to Treat Epilepsy
Discover how a group of parents brought a controversial epilepsy treatment — CBD tinctures — to market, and ultimately helped a child reduce how often they got seizures.
What is the Endocannabinoid System?
THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, binds to receptors in and outside of the brain, causing cells to behave differently. Cannabinoid receptors, named after cannabis, are found in nearly every organ of the human body.
A Veteran's Story of Medical Cannabis Use and Arrest
To manage his post-traumatic stress after serving in Iraq, Sean Worsley got a medical cannabis card in Arizona. Then he and his wife were charged with possession in Alabama, which changed the course of their lives.
The Cannabis Question Preview
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.
Genetically Modifying Mosquitoes to Reduce their Numbers
In an attempt to reduce the number of disease-carrying mosquitoes in Florida, scientists turn to genetic modification.
Lights Flashed in the Sky During Mexico's Latest Earthquake
Explore the possible explanations behind Mexico’s earthquake lights and whether we may see them again as the ground continues to shift beneath us.
Why are Bats Tolerant of the Diseases They Carry?
Laboratories around the world are mobilizing to find the answers because just how this stealthy nocturnal animal functions remains largely a mystery.
Unique Adaptations may Explain Bats' Resistance to Viruses
The heartbeats of some species of flying bat can reach 1,066 beats per minute. Could this level of activity — unrivaled by any other mammal — help explain bat super immunity?
Bat Superpowers Preview
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.
How Wildfires and Ozone Led to Terrible Air Quality
During summer 2021, cities like New York and Sacramento reported higher-than-normal air pollution — with Denver on Aug. 7 reporting the worst air quality in the world.
What will it take to get out of this pandemic?
In most U.S. states, a surge in cases is reigniting conversations about the country’s response to the pandemic. Dr. Alok Patel speaks with a leading epidemiologist and a specialist in infectious diseases to gain perspective on pressing concerns, from vaccine effectiveness and boosters to vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and inequity at a national and global scale.
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