A generation ago, diseases like whooping cough, measles, and mumps had been largely conquered in the United States. Now, they are reappearing, in part due to parental anxieties leading some to forgo their children's vaccinations. NOVA’s "Va…

NOVA journeys into the intricate realm of cryptography, encountering the scientists at the forefront of the struggle to safeguard our digital information. These specialists draw upon expertise in extreme physics, mathematics, and a burgeoni…

NOVA delves into the compelling narrative of the search for Flight MH370, profiling the individuals – experts, investigators, and those driven by hope – who have dedicated months to finding the missing aircraft. The program explores the uns…

With the Ebola epidemic poised to overwhelm containment, NOVA journeys to the epicenter, documenting the valiant efforts of medical personnel battling a relentless tide of patients and the urgent work of scientists striving for vaccines and…

NOVA is undertaking a series of recreations of pivotal flights, beginning with the world's first manned journey into the air on November 21, 1783. A relative of the Montgolfier brothers – whose pioneering work captivated Benjamin Franklin –…

At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, aerial combat was a rudimentary affair; opposing nations’ air forces comprised mere handfuls of fragile biplanes, from which pilots sporadically exchanged rifle fire. By 1918, however, the fighter pla…

The following explores the painstaking work of paleontologists as they piece together the anatomy of a truly terrifying carnivore: a 53-foot behemoth distinguished by its immense dorsal sail, scimitar-like claws, and powerful jaws. This spe…

To secure his immortality, the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, was interred within a colossal mausoleum, guarded by an army of approximately nine thousand life-sized terracotta figures. With unprecedented access to cutting-edge resea…

In a matter of minutes during March, a debris flow spanning a square mile impacted the community of Oso, Washington, claiming 41 lives and obliterating nearly fifty homes. Geologists are now studying the event, drawing parallels with recent…

The moment Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface, he became an instant icon. Yet, this accomplished engineer and test pilot possessed a profound aversion to the spotlight, and so the personal story of how his unique blend of skill, …

On July 4, 2012, researchers at CERN, the world’s largest particle physics laboratory, announced the discovery of a subatomic particle remarkably consistent with the predicted properties of the Higgs Boson. This particle is theorized to be …

The undertaking to secure, refloat, and salvage the Costa Concordia cruise ship, which struck a reef and capsized off the coast of Italy on January 13, 2012, resulting in the loss of 32 lives, was a monumental operation. The immense wreck—a…

Across continents, from Siberia to Louisiana, the earth has yielded to geological forces, opening monstrous fissures that have consumed highways, apartment buildings, livestock, and even people. Witnessing dramatic collapses, *NOVA* journey…

The Colosseum, a landmark of antiquity, stands as a stark testament to Roman imperial might and its capacity for brutality. Beneath its elegant facade and balanced design lay a remarkably sophisticated structure, forged from 100,000 tons of…

Driven by audacious curiosity, an archaeologist and a team of sculptors collaborate to painstakingly carve an iconic temple-tomb, hoping to unlock the secrets of Petra's stone city. Simultaneously, scientists employing remote sensors and hy…

Whether a Christian church, an Islamic mosque, or a secular museum, the Hagia Sophia and its soaring dome have consistently inspired reverence and awe. For eight centuries, it held the distinction of being the world’s largest enclosed space…

Embark with NOVA on a compelling journey through the history of mathematics—a provocative investigation into its astonishing reach across time. We uncover mathematics' pervasive presence in the graceful curve of a nautilus shell, the vortex…

A quarter-century ago, NASA initiated one of astronomy's most ambitious endeavors: the Hubble Space Telescope. Marking this significant anniversary, NOVA recounts the remarkable history of the telescope that irrevocably altered our comprehe…

Years before the events of September 11th, a far more deadly, yet largely forgotten attack originating from the ocean struck our coasts. This campaign endured for three and a half years, resulting in the loss of 5,000 lives. Now, renowned u…

The oceans are absorbing carbon emissions at an alarming pace, a surge that is steadily increasing their acidity. Scientists are now working urgently to understand the consequences of this change and to develop potential remedies.

On July 14, 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft, a marvel of modern engineering, is poised for a flyby of Pluto, destined to capture the first detailed images of the dwarf planet. After a nine-year journey spanning three billion miles, humani…

NOVA unveils the unfolding narrative of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, encompassing both the well-known events and the lesser-publicized near-disasters at a neighboring power plant, just miles from the catastrophic meltdowns. With unpreceden…