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.
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Video description:
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.
On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated just 16 minutes before it was due to land. All seven astronauts aboard perished, and the implications for the future of the space shuttle program were enormous. Through interviews with astronauts and their families, and with members of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, take a look at the Columbia tragedy — and at NASA itself.
Black chemist Percy Julian met with every possible barrier in a deeply segregated America. Here's how he rose to the highest levels of scientific and personal achievement.