NOVA Wonders - Season 1
Season 1
NOVA Wonders takes viewers on a journey to the frontiers of science, where researchers are tackling some of the biggest questions about life and the cosmos. From the mysteries of astrophysics to the secrets of the body to the challenges of inventing technologies that could rival - and even surpass - the abilities of the human mind, these six hours reveal how far we've come in our search for answers, how we managed to get here, and how scientists hope to push our understanding of the universe even further. Along the way, we meet the remarkable people who are transforming our world and our future.
Episodes
What Are Animals Saying?
Can we crack the code of animal communication? Follow the clues that reveal how animals "talk" to each other —from spider thumps and mice mating songs to the intricate signals between our closest relatives, the chimps.
What's Living in You?
Dive into the human microbiome, an ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses living right beneath our noses. Discover how parasite larvae can grow in our skin, and how ingesting poop in a pill can save lives.
Are We Alone?
Join astronomers and engineers on a hunt for life on worlds near and far. Discover the next generation of telescopes, probes and robots that are getting us one step closer to answering one of humanity's biggest questions: Are we alone?
Can We Build a Brain?
Decode the latest advances in artificial intelligence. AI can interpret emotions, play games, even act as personal companions. How does it actually work—and is it truly intelligent? And are we handing over too much power to machines?
Can We Make Life?
"It's alive!" Since Dr. Frankenstein spoke those famous words, we've been alternately enthralled and terrified by the idea of creating life in the lab. Now, a revolution in genetic engineering and thrilling innovations in synthetic biology are bringing that dream—or nightmare, as the case may be—closer to reality. New tools allow researchers to use cells to create their own DNA and edit it into existing genomes with more ease and less cost than ever before. Explore the promise and peril of CRISPR. Along with renewed hopes for treating some genetic diseases, there's serious talk of using the newest technologies to bring long-extinct animals back from the dead – like the team hoping to resurrect the woolly mammoth. Science fiction is quickly becoming science fact. Another daring genetic experiment to bioengineer animals could prevent Lyme disease. But the power to make life comes with deep ethical questions. What are the potential rewards—and dangers—of tinkering with nature? NOVA Wonders explores the benefits and the burden of risk surrounding the controversial new technology.
What's the Universe Made of?
Peer into the deepest unknowns of the universe to explore the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. Join physicists on their quest to uncover the identity of these elusive components, and their epic battle over the fate of the universe.
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