Overview

Science and Nature Series / 2 Seasons

Overview combines aerial cinematography with science storytelling to reveal both the natural phenomena and human forces shaping our planet. The series will feature stories about agriculture, engineering, the environment and natural wonders told by the scientists, rangers, farmers and artists who are responsible for innovating the world around us.

13m 32s

The Secret Islands of the Everglades

S1 E24 / 9m 46s

The Everglades is a water world — It’s the widest and slowest river in the United States. But in the heart of this great water body exist secret islands that have outsize importance for the cultural heritage of a people and for the biodiversity of this important wetland.

Want to Solve Wildfires and Drought? Leave it to BEAVERS!

S1 E23 / 9m 46s

The charismatic beaver is more than a charming, vegetarian stream-dweller. it’s actually a master architect, capable of restoring rivers, bringing back dwindling fish populations and even preventing wildfire. Travel with host Joe Hanson to Central Oregon where a group of scientists set up a kind of beaver laboratory to learn more about the crepuscular creatures.

Why the Fastest Place on Earth is Disappearing

S1 E22 / 7m 23s

The Bonneville Salt Flats are perfect for speed. Every year, cars and motorcycles break land speed records on the flat expanse of the Bonneville Salt Flats. It’s been a tradition for more than a century, and racers have built a thriving community around the salt races. But how did these salt flats form, and why are they disappearing now?

What are Wild Coyotes Doing in the Big City?

S1 E21 / 9m 7s

Chicago is the third-largest city in the U.S., and one of the country’s most diverse. There’s a secret subculture here that’s growing larger by the year but lurks out of sight in shadow — coyotes! More than 4,000 of these canines prowl the streets of Chicago; you’ll even find them stalking amongst the skyscrapers of Michigan Avenue and busy Lake Shore Drive.

What Makes These Dunes Sing?

S1 E20 / 11m 15s

Why do dunes sing? Head into the mysterious world of sand with host Joe Hanson! Along the way we meet Dr. Melany Hunt and Dr. Nathalie Vriend who solved the longstanding mystery of why dunes sing.

Why Earth’s Newest Glacier is Inside an Active Volcano

S1 E19 / 8m 35s

It was the scene of the most cataclysmic natural disaster in American history, a place of unimaginable devastation. Today, the crater of Mt. St. Helens Volcano is experiencing a rebirth — it’s the site of the world’s newest glacier. Not only is it the newest, it’s also one of the few that’s growing. What’s behind its growth and how might it one day help scientists discover life on other planets?

Why are There 30 Million Horseshoe Crabs on This Beach?

S1 E18 / 8m 15s

Every spring, the beaches of Delaware Bay play host to one of the world’s wildest parties. Millions of prehistoric crabs (and hundreds of thousands of birds) converge here. These horseshoe crabs spend most of their lives in the ocean depths. But every May and June, their spindly little legs will carry them 60 miles or more to congregate on sandy beaches up and down the Atlantic coast.

Are Roller Coasters Actually Good For Your Brain?

S1 E17 / 9m 2s

Roller coasters have the power to heal. Host Joe Hanson explores the world of coasters, exploring the safety protocols ride engineers consider in designing them and the impact they have on the human body. We learn about how the experience of riding coasters can have positive impacts in our lives.

US Streets are Dangerous. We Can Fix Them.

S1 E16 / 7m 52s

Cars dominate US city streets, and there’s no better example than Atlanta, GA. Streets in Atlanta are designed for getting cars around as fast as possible. The result? Pedestrian deaths in ATL are twice the national average. But the city is trying to change that, starting with Peachtree Street.

Inside the Fight to Save an Ancient Forest

S1 E15 / 10m 39s

The ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest are home to giant trees and many secrets, which science is just beginning to understand. But these forests are at risk of disappearing. In British Columbia on First Nations territory, a small band of forest defenders are risking life and liberty to protect some of the last remaining ancient forests.

How To Stop Your Poop From Killing Corals

S1 E14 / 7m 23s

Corals all over the world are threatened by warming ocean temperatures. But 30 years of data show that reefs off the Florida Keys could protect themselves from rising temperatures if they weren’t also dealing with nutrient pollution coming from land. What’s weakening these corals? Sewage. And there’s something we can do about it.

Why Oil Country is Turning to Wind Power

S1 E13 / 9m 29s

Texas is an oil state, right? Yes! But it’s also a wind state. If Texas were a country it would be fifth in the world for wind energy generation. Take a trip through wind country with host Joe Hanson as he explores a wind farm in his home state of Texas.

How Five Billion lbs of Las Vegas Garbage Powers a City

S1 E12 / 8m 54s

Most the of 600 billion pounds of waste that Americans produce every year ends up in landfills. All that trash can have huge impacts on the environment. But modern landfills have found a new use for all that trash — they’re turning it into energy.

Can Dynamite Save You From An Avalanche?

S1 E11 / 8m 24s

Avalanches are mysterious and complex and the science of these natural phenomena is incomplete. But one thing that is known is how to prevent them. To do that, you have to do something counterintuitive — you have to start them.

Humans Cause Traffic Jams, AI Can Fix Them

S1 E10 / 9m 46s

Traffic is one of the biggest problems plaguing cities today. Idling cars cause increased emissions, more traffic means more accidents, and it is, of course, annoying. Meet traffic scientist, Dr. Alex Bayen who is working to solve traffic with automation.

How a Mind-Blowing World of Ice Gets Made

S1 E9 / 7m 46s

It’s a mile long and 150 feet high, and covered in the most spectacular ice falls anyone has ever seen. And it’s all human made. The Ouray Ice Park is the world’s premiere location for ice climbing and attracts visitors from around the world. Nobody has ever attempted to create anything on this scale. How do they do it?

Flight Lessons from a World Champion Drone Racer

S1 E8 / 7m 49s

Experience the world through two-time Drone Racing League Champion Jordan Temkin’s eyes as we dive into the mechanics and the physics of FPV (First-Person View) drones.

How Bison are Saving America's Lost Prairie

S1 E7 / 8m 28s

The prairie landscape has come to symbolize the American heartland. But an ecosystem that once covered a vast swath of the continent has all but disappeared. Just a tiny fraction remains. But researchers and conservationists in Oklahoma may have hit upon two surprising keys to saving this lost ecosystem: bison and fire. Their efforts could help restore degraded grasslands around the world.

Who Made These Giant Desert Figures... and Why?

S1 E6 / 7m 19s

The three human figures and two animals that make up the Blythe Geoglyphs - or Blythe Giant Intaglios - are enormous. So big in fact, that they can’t be fully appreciated from the ground. But the figures were carved into the earth long before air travel was invented. So who made them...and why?

Climbers’ Paradise is the Last Refuge for an Ancient Species

S1 E5 / 8m

It’s called the Land of Arches. With more than 100 natural sandstone arches, Kentucky’s Red River Gorge is a breathtaking natural spectacle. The gorge is considered one of the world’s premier rock climbing destinations. It’s also a haven for rare plants and animals. Why? The rugged topography that makes this place so conducive for climbing has also created a place where rare species thrive.

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