NOVA

NOVA

Science and Nature Series / 22 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: S49 E10

53m 33s / TV-PG

Animal-to-Human Organ Transplants

4m 59s

Of the over 100,000 people on the waitlist for an organ in the United States, 17 die every day. Now, the first pig-to-human heart transplant reveals some of the challenges of xenotransplantation.

Increasing Access to Brain-Controlled Prosthetics

2m 55s

"If we think about bionic limbs as more of a therapy, as treatment," a bioethicist told NOVA, "then we can start to take away some of the disparate access to artificial limbs that are very technologically advanced."

Predicting My MS Preview

38s

In 2005, filmmaker Jason DaSilva was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis, a rare type of MS that has no known cure and inflicts progressively debilitating symptoms. In this moving personal film, DaSilva looks back on the challenges he’s faced, delves into the science behind MS, and investigates the potential risk factors that may–or may not–have contributed to his rare diagnosis.

Predicting My MS

30m 37s

In 2005, filmmaker Jason DaSilva was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis, a rare type of MS that has no known cure and inflicts progressively debilitating symptoms. In this moving personal film, DaSilva looks back on the challenges he’s faced, delves into the science behind MS, and investigates the potential risk factors that may–or may not–have contributed to his rare diagnosis.

Augmented Preview

31s

Follow the dramatic personal journey of Hugh Herr, a biophysicist working to create brain-controlled robotic limbs. At age 17, Herr’s legs were amputated after a climbing accident. Frustrated by the crude prosthetic limbs he was given, Herr set out to remedy their design, leading him to a career as an inventor of innovative prosthetic devices.

What is 5G, and is it Safe to Use on Planes?

5m 39s

5G is a leap forward in wireless technology, providing data speeds up to 100 times faster than 4G. So why is this seemingly revolutionary tech raising concern in the aviation industry?

Great Mammoth Mystery Preview

28s

Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique site in southern England where amateur fossil hunters uncovered giant mammoth bones and evidence of Neanderthals. A team of paleontologists and archaeologists soon discover that the site preserves rare evidence of the extinct beasts and early human inhabitants of Britain dating to over 200,000 years ago.

Introducing NOVA's Financial Lab

1m 22s

Managing money is hard! Even when you know what you should do, it can be hard to actually do it. In NOVA’s Financial Lab, students practice strategies for making financial decisions by taking care of a pet while learning how to overcome common behavioral biases.

Secrets in the Scat Preview

30s

Scott Burnett is “Scatman”—an Australian ecologist on the trail of the secrets of poop. By identifying and analyzing animal scat for DNA and hormones, he discovers essential details of their behavior, how they fit in the ecosystem, and even how to protect them.

Arctic Sinkholes Preview

30s

Colossal explosions shake a remote corner of the Siberian tundra, leaving behind massive craters. In Alaska, a huge lake erupts with bubbles of inflammable gas. Scientists are discovering that these mystifying phenomena add up to a ticking time bomb, as long-frozen permafrost melts and releases vast amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

These Artifacts and Foods Tie Modern Maya to the Past

4m 4s

“The contemporary Maya people still practice not only Maya traditions, but Mesoamerican traditions," anthropologist Iyaxel Coteji Ren told NOVA. "It's one of the traits that distinguish Maya culture."

Can South Carolina's Salt Marshes Be Saved?

8m 27s

Beyond being important to both the economy and marine life in the South, salt marshes also serve as buffers, shielding communities on the coast from erosion and dangerous weather events. But in South Carolina, which boasts the largest expanse of salt marsh of any Atlantic state, these ecosystems are in decline.

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