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 E8

53m 41s / TV-PG

Ultimate Crash Test: Impact Preview

30s

Car safety experts just pulled off a first-of-its-kind remote controlled multi-vehicle pile up. Now investigators are put to the test as they analyze the data and look for insights into driver behavior and vehicle design.

Ultimate Crash Test: Countdown Preview

30s

What really happens in a multi-vehicle pileup? A first-of-its-kind experiment aims to stage a high speed crash to gain new insights on car safety. But how can they create and study a complex collision without putting any lives in danger?

Why Just Planting Trees Won’t Save the Planet

3m 4s

A paper published in 2019, estimated that there is enough land on Earth to support an extra trillion trees to capture carbon. But in the rush to grow trees, people ignored the supporting environment that exists in a forest. Discover why biodiversity matters in forests.

Secrets of the Forest Preview

30s

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 Deadly Was the Musket?

4m 57s

At Fort Ticonderoga, a centuries-old weapon is put through a modern test. Using ballistic gel, a slow-motion camera and a chronograph, experts investigate the true power of the British “Brown Bess” musket.

The World’s First Combat Submarine

10m 49s

During the American Revolution, an American inventor developed an underwater vessel that could destroy British ships by attaching a bomb to the hull of a ship. These are some of its unique features.

Revolutionary War Weapons Preview

30s

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.

The Rocket-Less Future of Space Travel

5m 17s

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.

Do Aliens Exist? This Famous Equation Offers a Clue

5m 4s

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.

4 Ways the Universe Could End

5m 7s

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?!

Building Blocks of Life Discovered on Distant Asteroid

6m 3s

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?

What Went Wrong on the Dali Before the Baltimore Bridge Collapse

2m 57s

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.

What Caused Baltimore’s Key Bridge to Collapse?

2m 57s

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.

Baltimore Bridge Collapse Preview

30s

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?

This Asteroid Might Make Impact With Earth in 2032

3m 33s

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.

This Pompeii Priest Had an Unexpected Rise to Power

2m 58s

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.

A Brutal Gladiator Fight in Ancient Pompeii

2m 37s

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.

Pompeii's Secret Underworld Preview

30s

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.

What's Inside These Ancient Egyptian Jars?

1m 58s

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.

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