Nova
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.
- 1974-2026
- 53 seasons
- PBS
- Documentary
- TV-PG
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.
Season 53 Episode Guide
17 Episodes 2026
Episode 1
Asteroids: Spark of Life?
Wed, Jan 21, 2026 54 mins
Discover how scientists are unearthing evidence from lunar rocks and ancient impact craters, revealing that the very objects known for extinguishing life might have actually sparked it.
Episode 2
Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire
Wed, Jan 28, 2026 54 mins
Uncover the lost secrets of a once-mighty empire. The city of Angkor, the seat of the great Khmer Empire in Southeast Asia for 500 years, was once the biggest city in the world.
Episode 3
Can Dogs Talk?
Wed, Feb 4, 2026 54 mins
Do speech buttons really allow dogs to talk to us? Scientists investigate.
Episode 4
Mammal Origins
Wed, Feb 11, 2026
Fascinating fossil clues and cutting-edge science reveal how a small, resilient group of animals faced extinction events, outlived giants, and ultimately gave rise to the diverse world of mammals we know today, including us.
Episode 5
Stone Age Temple Mystery
Wed, Feb 25, 2026 57 mins
On a remote hillside in modern-day Turkey sits Göbekli Tepe, the oldest temple on Earth. Ground-breaking new evidence reveals that a sophisticated community of settled hunter-gatherers, not nomads, lived here year-round for centuries.
Episode 6
Return to the Moon
Wed, Apr 15, 2026 53 mins
Fifty years since the last Apollo mission, the Artemis II astronauts take a ten day trip to orbit the Moon and return to Earth.
Episode 7
Rain Bombs
Wed, Apr 22, 2026
An invisible, unpredictable atmospheric force is wreaking havoc across the globe, sinking super-yachts and bringing down planes. Follow scientists as they race to understand these catastrophic weather events.
Episode 8
Athens: Birth of Democracy
Wed, Apr 29, 2026
From mysterious fragments of ancient voting machines to mass graves and dramatic assassinations, discover the dark secrets and innovative solutions that defined the world's first direct democracy.
Episode 9
The Battle to Breathe
Wed, Sep 16, 2026
The decades long scientific search for a life saving treatment for Cystic Fibrosis.
Episode 10
Knowledge Keepers
Wed, Sep 23, 2026
In a fascinating exploration of human ingenuity, see how indigenous communities in North America have long practiced a distinct version of science and engineering.
Episode 11
Stone Age Masterpiece
Wed, Sep 30, 2026
In southern France lies the Chauvet Cave, an archaeological treasure hidden from the world. Sealed by a rockfall 20,000 years ago, and rediscovered in 1994. Step into the stunning cave that's reshaping our understanding of prehistoric art.
Episode 12
Space Wars
Thu, Oct 8, 2026
A high-stakes war is silently escalating above our heads, space is now a critical battleground. Satellites, vital to our daily lives and economies, are vulnerable to attack both from adversaries and the debris that's filling crowded orbits
Episode 13
Evolution: Brain Power
Thu, Oct 8, 2026
Brains might be the most complex structures on our planet—so how did evolution build them? To find out, rewind the clock three billion years to trace the evolutionary story of the dolphin, one of the smartest animals alive today.
Episode 14
Evolution: Need to Feed
Thu, Oct 8, 2026
The relentless pursuit of energy, the very act of eating, has profoundly shaped life on Earth. Follow the evolution of the bat to discover the untold story behind every bite we take.
Episode 15
Evolution: Body Builders
Thu, Oct 8, 2026
Earth teems with life in every imaginable form—creatures that walk, swim, slither, and fly. How did evolution craft such a dazzling variety of body plans?
Episode 16
Evolution: The Mating Game
Thu, Oct 8, 2026
Sex changed everything—evolutionary speaking, that is. From the first exchange of genes to the origins of males and females, uncover the evolutionary leaps that reshaped life.
Episode 17
Evolution: On the Run
Thu, Oct 8, 2026
Run. Leap. Swim. Pounce. Slither. Fly. Life moves in countless ways—but it wasn't always this way. How did running machines like the horse evolve from creatures that couldn't move on their own?