NOVA

Can forests help cool the planet? Follow scientists through spectacular landscapes as they study complex networks of trees, fungi, and creatures large and small – all in a quest to tackle the twin threats of climate change and species extinction.

How did a ragtag army defeat the most powerful army in the world to win American independence? Discover the key military technologies that helped propel the colonies to victory, from the Brown Bess musket to the world’s first military submarine.

Imagine taking an elevator to space. Or blasting off in a nuclear rocket. That might sound like science fiction, but scientists are racing to develop new, more efficient methods of space travel - and some pretty wild ideas are on the table. Discover the rocket-less future of space travel and the quest to make it happen.

It’s an age-old question: Do aliens exist? And what are the odds we’ll make contact? A famous mathematical equation, known as the Drake Equation, helps scientists estimate the odds of finding intelligent alien civilizations, but new discoveries and unknown factors could change everything.

If the universe as we know it started with the Big Bang, will it also have an end? And if it’s going to end someday - how? Discover the four main ideas about how the universe might end, and find out which one has the most evidence supporting it. With host Athena Brensberger, dive into our universe's very distant future in this episode of What the Physics?!

In January 2025, scientists announced the discovery of organic molecules— the building blocks of life— in samples retrieved from a distant asteroid named Bennu. What can this discovery reveal about the secrets of life's origins? Or how common life may be elsewhere in the universe?

How did the massive container ship Dali drift into Baltimore’s Key Bridge, causing the deadly collapse? Just minutes before impact, the ship suffered two devastating blackouts, causing it to lose steering control and triggering disaster. Investigators piece together the chain of events that led to the catastrophic collapse.

On March 26, 2024, a container ship lost power and veered off course, striking a critical support of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Engineers explain how a vulnerability in the bridge's design led to a devastating chain reaction, causing the bridge to collapse and blocking the busy Port of Baltimore for eleven weeks.

On March 26, 2024, the world collectively gasped as a massive container ship, the Dali, lost control and plowed into the landmark Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The busy four-lane bridge suffered a catastrophic collapse and crashed into the Patapsco River. How did a modern ship lose all power and propulsion? And why did the bridge fail so catastrophically?

An asteroid is on a collision course with Earth, possibly making impact in 2032. In the unlikely event that Asteroid 2024 YR does strike Earth, it would generate an explosion equal to nearly 8 million tons of TNT. That’s 500 times the power of the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima during WWII. But there’s no cause for alarm: Space agencies estimate there’s about a 2% chance of impact.

In a recently discovered tomb in Pompeii, archeologists made a startling discovery: partially mummified remains. The custom in the Roman Empire was for the dead to be cremated, not buried. The unusual choice reveals a surprising history and one man’s unexpected rise to power. Discover who this mysterious person was, and why did he decided to forgo tradition when he died.

Gladiatorial games were a vital part of ancient Roman life, and in Pompeii, the amphitheater was a stage for both bloodsport and spectacle. But the violence wasn’t always contained to the arena. Discover how tensions between rival towns turned deadly, spilling blood in the streets as the games devolved into a citywide riot.

For over two centuries, archaeologists have hailed Pompeii as a sophisticated city at the heart of an advanced ancient civilization. But a series of new excavations is painting a much more complex picture of the city tragically buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.

Hidden for nearly 3,000 years, a beautifully preserved canopic jar is discovered in Egypt. These sacred vessels, adorned with symbolic heads, played a vital role in protecting the deceased in the afterlife. Learn more about ancient Egyptian burial traditions and how they honored the dead.

Beneath the sand and mud bricks of Egypt, a sealed tomb reveals its secrets for the first time in centuries. As archaeologists carefully break through the entrance, they uncover an unusual vase that doesn’t resemble any known Egyptian artifact - but the most breathtaking discovery is a never-before-seen sculpture.

Were ancient Egyptians obsessed with death? That common misconception hides the true relationship between life and death in ancient Egypt. Discover how they thought about death, why they invested so much in life after death, and how their belief in the afterlife shaped Egyptian culture.

A monument from Ancient Egypt depicts an unusually powerful woman, standing alongside the king. Who was she? Discover the God’s Wife of Amun, a female role with extraordinary power, comparable to the medieval pope and endowed with great wealth.

Follow archaeologists as they discover a long lost ancient cemetery in Egypt’s sacred desert. Treasures emerge unlike anything seen by the team, revealing details of a unique period, when women had extraordinary power.

Why are birds the only dinosaurs still alive today? Rare fossil discoveries are revealing the secrets of bird evolution, telling the story of how some resilient feathered dinos became the vast array of colorful bird species that fill our skies.

Birds today make flight look effortless, but its evolution was complex. Scientists are still trying to discover exactly how birds took to the skies, and today, a new perspective has emerged by studying how flightless chicks become skilled flyers. With high-speed cameras and careful observation, discover how researchers are gaining insights into the development of bird flight.