NOVA

Science and Nature Series / 24 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.

Watch Latest: S52 E6

53m 32s

Who Carved These Mysterious Lines in the Desert?

6m 57s

The Nazca were an ancient group of farmers and fishermen that used desert plateaus as a canvas for giant geoglyphs. But some of these drawings pre-date the Nazca. Who created them and why?

Nazca Desert Mystery Preview

27s

One of the world’s greatest ancient enigmas, the Nazca lines are a dense network of criss-crossing lines, geometric shapes, and animal figures etched across 200 square miles of Peruvian desert. Who created them and why? Ever since they were rediscovered in the 1920s, scholars and enthusiasts have raised countless theories about their purpose.

Ocean Invaders

28s

Lionfish–long prized in home aquariums–have invaded the Atlantic, and are now one of the ocean’s most successful invasive species, wreaking havoc in waters across the globe. Join ocean explorer Danni Washington on a journey to find out how they took over, why they’re doing so much damage, and what can be done about it.

Why NASA is Going Back to the Moon

4m 53s

The upcoming launch of NASA’s Artemis I is a big step toward sending humans back to the moon for the first time in 50 years. Discover what scientists hope this launch could mean for the future of space travel.

How Psychedelics Change the Brain

4m 11s

Psychedelics might interact with the brain by turning off the brain’s default mode network and affecting a thin sheet of gray matter called the claustrum. This could shake up communication between different regions of the brain.

Can Psychedelics Cure? Preview

30s

Hallucinogenic drugs—popularly called psychedelics—have been used by human societies for thousands of years. Today, scientists are taking a second look at many of these mind-altering substances – both natural and synthetic – and discovering that they can have profoundly positive clinical impacts, helping patients struggling with a range of afflictions from addiction to depression and PTSD.

How Scientists Developed a Drug to Prevent HIV

3m 5s

Here's how scientists developed a once-a-day pill that reduced the risk of sexually transmitted HIV transmission by 99%, a breakthrough that transformed the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Watch the DART Spacecraft Smash into an Asteroid

51s

Could we deflect an asteroid barreling toward Earth? NASA’s DART mission--the first test of its kind--showed that we may be able to knock an asteroid off its path, if we ever need to.

Computers v. Crime Preview

30s

In police departments and courts across the country, artificial intelligence is being used to help decide who is policed, who gets bail, how offenders should be sentenced, and who gets parole. But is it actually making our law enforcement and court systems fairer and more just? This timely investigation digs into the hidden biases, privacy risks, and design flaws of this controversial technology.

Saving Notre Dame’s Iconic Stone Vaulting

2m 53s

The water used to fight a fire at Paris’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral and months of rainwater damaged the Cathedrals’ stonework but a team of geologist have a plan to save it.

Rebuilding Notre Dame

30s

In April 2019, the world watched as a devastating fire almost destroyed Paris’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. Go behind the scenes with a team of engineers, masons, and timber workers tackling the daunting challenges of restoring the historic landmark.

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