The connection between Aboriginal Australians, the woodchucks of Pennsylvania, the Nobel Prize awarded in Stockholm, and the gay community of New York City seems impossible to discern. Yet, the link is Hepatitis. NOVA delves into this enigm…

NOVA presents a profile of Dr. Edward Teller, the figure known as the "Father of the Hydrogen Bomb." A scientist of exceptional renown and a brilliant theorist, he is also regarded by some as the most perilous figure in American science.

NOVA delves into the realm of natural engineering, investigating the fundamental questions of biological design. It seeks to understand what constitutes effective design in the natural world and the evolutionary reasons behind specific adap…

Cardiovascular disease affects over forty million Americans. NOVA explores recent findings regarding risk factors and potential preventative measures for heart attacks and strokes—conditions frequently resulting in death.

For the Inuit, whaling forms a cornerstone of their existence, providing not only sustenance but also a vital connection to their cultural heritage. Yet, conservationists are now advocating for limitations on the hunting of bowhead whales i…

A series of recent air disasters has prompted renewed scrutiny of the safety of contemporary commercial flight. NOVA examines some of the underlying issues and the innovative solutions being explored to address them.

Each year, millions of tourists flock to the sun-drenched shores of the Mediterranean, drawn by the promise of clear, azure waters and the warmth of a semi-tropical sun. Yet, decades of overuse have diminished the region's idyllic beauty, t…

NOVA delves into the remarkable Jari project within the Amazon basin. It began eleven years ago when the reclusive billionaire, Daniel K. Ludwig, acquired 3.5 million acres of pristine jungle.

NOVA examines the formation of male and female identities. The program traces the influence of culture on the development of sex differences, from infancy through childhood. Originally released as "The Secret Of The Sexes" by Vestron Video …

One of the earliest films to emerge from contemporary China follows NOVA as she examines the findings of Chinese scientists in their relentless quest to understand particularly aggressive and evasive cancers, diseases that claim the lives o…

In a single hour, NOVA offers a glimpse into the complex year-long cycle of a coastal lagoon, revealing the delicate tidal ecosystem that sustains the ocean as a whole.

Deep within the shale formations of the Western Rocky Mountains lies a vast reservoir of oil—a quantity exceeding that found in the Middle East, enough to potentially free us from reliance on foreign petroleum. Yet, will this shale oil trul…

Does interferon—often abbreviated as IF by medical professionals—represent the miraculous cure for cancer, as some physicians assert? NOVA journeys to London, Stockholm, Houston, San Francisco, and New Haven to explore this question, presen…

Voyager 1 is scheduled to reach Saturn on Wednesday, November 12, 1980, marking the first time the ringed planet will undergo such a detailed, close examination. Astronomers anticipate a wealth of new data, unprecedented in its scope. The d…

Thomas Edison stands as the very embodiment of the American ideal, the inventive genius who reshaped modern life. Yet, beneath the celebrated image lay a more intricate reality. He was a figure of contradictions: a brilliant mind often hamp…

Water is abundant, yet its true utility is often overlooked. *NOVA* journeys to the Adirondack Mountains, where acid rain threatens the delicate ecosystems of high-altitude lakes. The program explores the Mississippi River, examining how ch…

NOVA chronicles the development of still and cine photography within the realm of scientific inquiry—a journey from the groundbreaking achievements of early 19th-century innovators to the profound insights gained through increasingly rapid …

The remarkable sensitivity of touch receptors in our skin allows for a precise discernment of even the subtlest shifts in texture and pressure. Yet, the mechanism by which these physical stimuli are translated into felt sensation remains an…

Rudolph, with his endearing red nose, is now inextricably linked to the cheer of Christmas. NOVA turns its attention to this association with a visit to Rhum, an island off the Scottish coast where wild red deer roam.

Time, a concept that has persistently challenged the understanding of scientists and philosophers alike, is explored with wit and wonder in a special program hosted by Dudley Moore. NOVA delves into the mysteries of time, offering a visuall…