NOVA

Science and Nature Series / 25 Seasons

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.

53m 43s

How Medieval Armorers Made Knights Bulletproof

2m 15s

A select few suits of armor were crafted with secret techniques that made them stronger than others, possibly even bulletproof. Historians and ballistics experts reconstructed the amor of an elite knight and tested its strength by shooting it with a musket.

How Do Hurricanes Form?

1m 2s

Scientists predict that our increasingly warmer atmosphere and oceans will feed these hurricanes — we may not see more of them that we used to, but the ones we do see are likely to get more and more intense.

Could Mars Have a Ring Around It One Day?

2m 16s

Phobos, one of Mars' moons, has an uncertain origin, but its surface grooves show that tidal forces are pulling it apart. In time, Mars' gravity will shatter it entirely, creating a ring of debris around the planet.

Solar System: Wandering Worlds Preview

30s

From meteorites that impact Earth, to a moon that orbits backwards, to an imposter lurking in the asteroid belt, a variety of strange, wandering worlds are rewriting what we know – and even how we think about – our solar system.

Solar System: Icy Worlds Preview

30s

Out in the solar system, ice can get bizarre. Visit strange, frozen worlds – from Uranus’s ultra-hot superionic ice, to glaciers of nitrogen ice on Pluto, to carbon dioxide snow on Mars – and discover why the ice here on Earth is so unique.

Solar System: Volcano Worlds Preview

30s

Around our solar system, violent eruptions are shaping distant worlds. Discover the explosive forces that helped create some of the most dynamic worlds in our cosmic neighborhood – and what makes the volcanoes right here on Earth so special.

How a Walnut-Shaped Moon Help Shape Saturn’s Rings

2m 35s

Shaped by gravitational forces over millions of years, Saturn's rings are incredibly complex. A tiny moon named Pan, just 17 miles wide, has notably influenced their structure by creating the Encke Gap.

Solar System: Strange Worlds Preview

30s

From a dwarf planet that looks like a deflated football, to a tiny moon with cliffs taller than Mt. Everest, to the spectacular rings of Saturn, discover how the effects of gravity produce the amazing variety of weird worlds in our solar system.

How the Martian Atmosphere Helped Nasa’s Rovers Restore Energy

2m 59s

NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers exceeded their expected lifespan on Mars. Unique Martian weather conditions may have played a role in restoring their energy levels.

This Powerful Psychedelic May Help Treat Opioid Addiction

3m 28s

There's growing evidence that ibogaine, a powerful psychedelic, may help treat opioid addiction, traumatic brain injuries, and even depression. But it can be dangerous too — including side effects like cardiac arrest and death.

Can Technology Detect Deepfakes Better Than Humans Can?

7m 9s

Researchers are trying to develop tools to thwart deep fakes in several different ways — from before they are even made, to detecting them once they are out on the internet.

Solar System: Storm Worlds Preview

30s

Out in the solar system, the weather gets wacky – with globe-spanning dust storms, monsoons of liquid methane, and lightning 10 times stronger than here on Earth. Discover the forces driving the dramatic weather on neighboring planets and moons.

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