Paleontologist Kirk Johnson shows a group of high schoolers that plant species in Virginia used to be right at home near the North Pole.

Inhabiting the Ross Sea—as far south as McMurdo Sound—Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) have the most southerly distribution of any mammal on Earth. Scientists began studying a breeding population of Weddell seals in 1968 and quickly found out these pinnipeds don’t always have it easy.

Trees are living records of Earth’s climatic past. Play NOVA’s Polar Lab to learn how trees grow by simulating how they respond to different environments.

In the premiere episode of Antarctic Extremes, join hosts Caitlin Saks and Arlo Pérez as they follow in the footsteps of the brave scientists that have made McMurdo Station, an otherworldly Antarctic outpost, their research base and their second home. Five days, 12,000 miles, and seven time zones with hundreds of pounds of camera gear in tow, Caitlin and Arlo go on a mind-boggling journey.

Researchers use camera traps in a Brazilian rainforest to capture a day-in-the-life of Alex the armadillo.

How do you study an animal you can't even get close to? Camera traps and drones are revolutionizing wildlife biology by recording the secret lives of animals—from whales and tigers to elusive giant armadillos—all without disturbing them.

Five experts weigh in on the complexities of measuring violence.

Psychologist Karen Wynn runs an experiment to find out whether babies are born with a sense of morality.

Violence is all over the news. But some say we’re living in the most peaceful time in history. Journey through time and the human mind to investigate whether—and how—violence has declined. And witness how people are working to stop violence today.

The Milgram Shock Experiment suggests that when an authority figure makes an order, even if seemingly violent, most people will carry it through.

Modern-day anatomy experts find inspiration in drawings from Leonardo da Vinci’s cadaveric dissections. But they also recognize what he got wrong.

Leonardo da Vinci was a Renaissance genius. Not only did he paint masterpieces of art, but he was an obsessive scientist and inventor, dreaming up complex machines centuries ahead of his time, including parachutes, armored tanks, hang gliders, and robots. On the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death, with the help of biographer Walter Isaacson, NOVA investigates the secrets of Leonardo’s success.

An engineer used powerful lights, cameras, and computer software to digitally remove the varnish from the "Mona Lisa," allowing people today to see the painting as Leonardo da Vinci created it.

To master Mona Lisa's form, da Vinci carefully studied the human eye and mouth—and he dissected at least 30 human bodies.

This camera system, developed by NASA engineers, images damaged Dead Sea Scroll fragments in 12 different wavelengths of light—bringing the writing back to life.

Some Dead Sea scroll replicas appear surprisingly authentic. But a thorough examination by scholars reveal some of their features aren't quite right.

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.

Paleontologists analyze concretions—hard orbs of minerals that can collect around material like bone—and discover fossils of mammals that lived on Earth just after an asteroid killed the dinosaurs.