The Vikings, renowned for their ferocity, wielded a weapon unmatched in their age: the legendary Ulfberht sword. Crafted with a technique lost to their contemporaries for centuries, the Ulfberht was both a marvel of engineering and a work o…

The dazzling world of crime solving portrayed on television, exemplified by shows like "CSI," stands in stark contrast to the often-bleak reality of the forensic crime lab. Lacking firm scientific standards, consistent oversight, and adequa…

Since the first European sightings in 1722, Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, has captivated and perplexed the world. The construction and transport of nearly nine hundred colossal statues, the moai – some weighing up to 86 tons – remains an endu…

Why return to Mars? The planet, far from being barren, promises possibilities beyond measure. Nearly fifty years of Martian exploration have offered tantalizing hints that Mars might once have supported life—and could still do so. The remar…

Did Hurricane Sandy represent an improbable confluence of weather patterns, or does a warming climate fuel the intensity of hurricanes? How did this catastrophic storm render search and rescue operations so perilous? "Inside the Megastorm" …

The April 2010 eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano transformed much of Europe into a region shrouded in ash, grounding millions of travelers. But was Eyjafjallajökull merely a prelude? Now, a more ominous Icelandic volcano, Katla…

Evidence gleaned from Neanderthals illuminates the lineage of these hominids, who vanished approximately 30,000 years ago. This understanding is informed, in part, by geneticist Svante Pääbo's 2010 reconstruction of the Neanderthal genome, …

Unmanned aerial vehicles – some spanning the length of a Boeing 747, others no larger than a songbird – perform feats once confined to the realm of science fiction. The core technologies enabling these robotic aircraft to fly, perceive thei…

Following his 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic, Colonel Charles Augustus Lindbergh—the Lone Eagle—achieved unparalleled global fame. The arrival of his cherished son, Charles, affectionately nicknamed Little Lindy or simply the Eaglet b…

In the tombs and temples of ancient Egypt, reliefs from 3,600 years ago portray pharaohs and warriors charging into battle aboard horse-drawn chariots, depicted with undeniable pride. Some historians assert that the chariot instigated a tec…

"Earth From Space" is a remarkable two-hour program offering a stunning new perspective on our world, captured from the vantage point of space. Developed in close collaboration with NASA scientists, the NOVA production translates data from …

What drives someone to enter a theater, a place of worship, or a classroom brimming with students and unleash a torrent of violence? What confluence of factors can compel a human being to commit such an abhorrent act? Can scientific inquiry…

On February 15, 2013, a 7,000-ton asteroid plunged into the Earth's atmosphere over Russia, detonating with the force of thirty Hiroshima bombs. In the days that followed, NOVA’s team joined impact scientists in Russia, collaborating on the…

In the year 1900, Greek sponge divers unearthed a shipwreck dating back two millennia. Within its depths lay a complex bronze mechanism of geared components, the function of which has vexed scientists for decades. Recent advances in imaging…

The rust-colored hills of Western Australia hold secrets—fragments of the Earth’s infancy, whispers of life's first stirrings, and echoes of the profound changes that shaped our world.

How did life conquer the Earth? The answer lies buried in ancient Australian fossils, explored in "Life Explodes." Half a billion years ago, Australia remained connected to the supercontinent Gondwana. While the oceans pulsed with strange a…

"Monsters" journeys to the heart of prehistoric Australia, to the very dawn of the Age of Dinosaurs. Host Richard Smith confronts the previously unknown reptilian rulers of this ancient land. NOVA resurrects these colossal creatures that on…

Following the devastating asteroid impact widely accepted as the cause of the dinosaurs' extinction, Australia embarked on a solitary journey across the southern oceans. Accompanied by host Richard Smith, NOVA journeys across the continent …

NOVA investigates the pursuit of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombers, focusing on the significant part played by contemporary technology in the unfolding events.

On May 20, 2013, an EF5 tornado, a mile wide and intensely violent, ravaged Moore, Oklahoma, claiming 24 lives and leaving entire neighborhoods in ruins. It was the third such devastating storm to strike the city in fourteen years. Yet, for…