Video Details

NOVA

Grade Levels:	6 - 13+
Core Subject(s):	Science, Social Studies
Website:	http://www.uen.org/emedia
Usage rights:	Download and retain personal copies in perpetuity.

Availability information for this program

Episodes:

• NOVA Fractals: Hunting the Hidden Dimension

  You may not know it, but fractals, like the air you breathe, are all around you. Their irregular, repeating shapes are found in cloud formations and tree limbs, in stalks of broccoli and craggy mountain ranges, even in the rhythm of the human heart. In this film, NOVA takes viewers on a fascinating quest with a group of maverick mathematicians determined to decipher the rules that govern fractal geometry.

  Length:	00:00:00

• NOVA. America's Stone Age Explorers.

  Who were the first Americans, and where did they come from? Come explore Stone Age America, and see how the Clovis Spear can give us clues to answer this integral question.

  Length:	00:54:39

• Nova. Ants: Little Creatures Who Run the World.

  Dr. Edward Wilson, a sociobiologist, suggests that another group of animals - ants - may actually be the most successful Earth creature. Ants outnumber humans at a rate of a million to one. They can be found almost everywhere on the planet, and have existed in some form back almost to the time of the earliest living things.

  Length:	00:55:28

• NOVA. Arctic Passage: Prisoners of the Ice.

  NOVA recreates the expeditions of Sir John Franklin and Roald Amundsen, two Arctic explorers who set out to find the legendary Arctic sea route known as the Northwest Passage.

  Length:	01:45:10

• NOVA. Becoming Green. Car of the Future.

  What will the car of the future be like? Will it run on hydrogen, batteries, ethanol, or some as-yet undiscovered technology? Find out as NOVA and the much-loved "Car Talk" brothers, Tom and Ray, also known as Click and Clack, from public radio, take a light-hearted but knowledgeable look at the serious issue of what's to come for our transportation.

  Length:	00:53:18

• NOVA. Becoming Green. What's Up With the Weather?

  This video gives students a sense of the direct impact environmental responsibility has on the weather. Topics discussed in this video: record-high temperatures worldwide, increased frequency of drought, deadly flooding, and catastrophic hurricanes. What does all of this have to do with how WE live our lives?

  Length:	01:54:10

• NOVA. Cracking the Maya Code.

  The ancient Maya civilization of Central America left behind an intricate and mysterious hieroglyphic script, carved on monuments, painted on pottery, and drawn in handmade bark-paper books. For centuries, scholars considered it too complex ever to understand - until recently, when an ingenious series of breakthroughs finally cracked the code and unleashed a torrent of new insights into the Mayas' turbulent past. For the first time, NOVA presents the epic inside story of how the decoding was done - traveling to the remote jungles of southern Mexico and Central America to investigate how the code was broken and what Maya writings now reveal.

  Length:	00:53:42

• NOVA. Dying to be Thin.

  Nova explores the serious consequences of eating disorders in Nova: Dying to Be Thin. Anorexia and bulimia have become mainstream maladies, with open discussion of the millions of cases throughout the U.S. Anorexia alone accounts for the highest death rate of any psychological illness. If patients survive, the effects of self-imposed starvation can be extreme, from bone loss to heart damage. Nova goes behind closed doors to explore experimental treatments for these eating disorders.

  Length:	00:54:54

• NOVA. Einstein Revealed Part 01.

  His name is synonymous with genius. Albert Einstein illuminated the most fundamental scientific truths of his time and became an international celebrity. But what of the private man behind the public hero? Newly discovered letters shed light on his bold thought experiments and forbidden loves. A two hour NOVA special: Einstein Revealed.

  Length:	00:53:56

• NOVA. Einstein Revealed Part 02.

  His name is synonymous with genius. Albert Einstein illuminated the most fundamental scientific truths of his time and became an international celebrity. But what of the private man behind the public hero? Newly discovered letters shed light on his bold thought experiments and forbidden loves. A two hour NOVA special: Einstein Revealed.

  Length:	00:56:38

• NOVA. Life's Greatest Miracle.

  This program uses the extraordinary microimagery of Swedish photographer Lennart Nilsson to track human development from embryo to newborn. With a microscopic view of conception and the development of a new human life, NOVA's "Life's Greatest Miracle" presents the earliest stages of development of the embryo, documents the development of the embryo into a fetus, highlighting the growth and formation of vital organs, body parts, and senses, and concludes with the birth of a child.

  Length:	00:56:23

• Nova. Monster of the Milky Way.

  Join NOVA on a mind-bending hunt for a monster lurking at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. For a long time, black holes were dismissed as pure science fiction. Find out how discussions about black holes are shaping the way we think about our galaxy.

  Length:	00:53:04

• NOVA. Mysterious Life of Caves.

  NOVA's team descends through miles of twisting, plunging caverns, including some of the most exotic in the world that are off limits to all except researchers. NOVA was given special permission to film in these fragile, often perilous places, which have turned the science of speleology on its head.

  Length:	00:54:08

• Nova. Mystery of the Megavolcano.

  A remote lake in Southeast Asia conceals evidence of Earth's greatest volcanic cataclysm of the last 100,000 years. In a classic science detective story, NOVA pieces together the clues about this great catastrophe and probes questions raised about human evolution and Earth's fragile ecosystems.

  Length:	00:46:26

• NOVA. Newton's Dark Secrets.

  Sir Isaac Newton's accomplishments border on the uncanny, as does his image in the world of science. As the historian Mordechai Feingold has written, "With time, the historical Newton receded into the background, overshadowed by the very legacy he helped create. Newton thus metamorphosed into science personified." So what is that legacy? What were those accomplishments? Nova explores the man behind the legend.

  Length:	00:53:37

• NOVA. Pocahontas Revealed.

  Historians, archeologists, and the descendants of Virginia's colonial-era Indians are finally piecing together the intriguing true story behind Pocahontas' alluring myth. Did this young princess save the captured Smith from certain death at the hands of her chiefly father? Did she act on her own? Or was she part of a bigger plan to bind together two cultures in the middle of an epic clash? "Pocahontas Revealed" investigates these questions.

  Length:	00:53:41

• NOVA. ScienceNow. Season 05.

  What makes a planet a planet? If you wrote a song about the concept of Twin Prime Conjecture, what would it sound like? Has a bird previously thought to be extinct reappeared? These questions and many more are discussed in Season 5 of ScienceNow.

  Length:	00:53:36

• NOVA. ScienceNow. Season 06.

  Will a doomsday rock the size of the Rose Bowl hit Earth in 2036? Is there a biological reason behind the compulsion to eat? These questions and many more are discussed in this season of ScienceNow.

  Length:	00:53:35

• NOVA. ScienceNow. Season 08.

  Why build a space elevator? Will research into "longevity genes" help us live longer and healthier lives? Can satellites help archeologists pinpoint ancient Mayan ruins buried deep in the jungle? These and many other thought-provoking questions are discussed in Season 8 of ScienceNow.

  Length:	00:54:35

• NOVA. ScienceNow. Season 09.

  How does the "intelligence" of an ant colony or the stock market arise out of the simple actions of its members? How does sleep enhance learning and memory? These questions and so much more are discussed in this episode of ScienceNow.

  Length:	00:53:51

• NOVA. ScienceNow. Season 10.

  How do lifestyles and environments change the way our genes are expressed? What does an artist's sculpture, held within the protected quarters of the CIA, have to do with decoding solutions? These and many other questions are discussed in Season 10 of ScienceNow.

  Length:	00:54:42

• NOVA. Secrets of Lost Empires: Inca.

  The Inca fortresses have survived many centuries of violent volcanic earthquakes; indeed, they have survived better than solid European-style colonial buildings. How did the Incan craftsmen shape and fit together such enormous stones without metal tools? Architect Vince Lee helped us figure out one way in which the Inca could have handled the smaller stones. But how the Inca carved and fitted together 100-ton blocks of stone remains a mystery.

  Length:	00:54:11

• NOVA. Secrets of the Parthenon.

  NOVA was granted access to the Greek government's Acropolis Restoration Project - multi-decade, multi-million-dollar effort to rescue the Parthenon and other ancient structures on the Athenian Acropolis. The Parthenon, in particular, was in danger of collapse. Over the last 32 years, experts have disassembled, analyzed, and painstakingly repaired thousands of marble blocks, bringing to light the Parthenon's astonishing, unsuspected design features and raising questions about how exactly the ancient Greeks did it.

  Length:	00:53:46

• Nova. Solar Energy: Saved By the Sun.

  In the face of steeply rising oil prices and political turmoil in the Middle East, there is new urgency in finding a solution to our uncertain energy future. Breakthroughs in new materials and ingenious designs for solar collectors are transforming the technology into a vastly cheaper, more efficient alternative. NOVA presents the latest thinking from solar enthusiasts and skeptics as it investigates cutting-edge research developments. The film introduces viewers to the scientists and businesspeople who are racing to make solar power practical?for lighting, heating, and running power plants.

  Length:	00:51:34

• Nova. Tales From the Hive.

  Spend a year in this hive and experience life as a bee. Amazingly up-close footage filmed with specially developed macro lenses brings you the most intimate- and most spectacular- portrayal of a working bee colony ever filmed. It?s not frightening- it?s fascinating. See things you never imagined. Hear things only bees hear. Discover new found facts about the strange and complex life of bees.

  Length:	00:55:28

• NOVA. The Great Inca Rebellion.

  The largest empire in pre-Columbian America, the Inca, ruled the most advanced civilization in the New World. By the time the Spanish arrived, the Inca had built the breathtaking city of Machu Picchu, pioneered a sophisticated system of high-altitude highways, and forged luxurious treasures of gold. So how could a tiny Spanish army of gold-seeking adventurers bring the powerful Inca Empire, home to over 10 million people, so quickly to its knees?

  Length:	00:53:44

• NOVA. Warnings From the Ice.

  Does it seem warmer each year? Or is it actually getting colder? While the climate moves naturally between warm and cold, scientists are questioning if these fluctuations are adversely influenced by humans and their activities. Nova travels to the Antarctic in Nova: Warnings From the Ice with scientists as they study the ice for clues to the possible directions of global weather. By analyzing air bubbles within the ice and collecting data on the movement of ice sheets, scientists (working under extreme conditions) expect to gain insight into the changing pattern of temperature shifts.

  Length:	00:54:41

• NOVA: Building the Great Cathedrals

  Take a dazzling architectural journey inside those majestic marvels of Gothic architecture, the great cathedrals of Chartres, Beauvais and other European cities. Carved from 100 million pounds of stone, some cathedrals now teeter on the brink of catastrophic collapse.

  Length:	00:54:13

• NOVA: Crash of Flight 447

  How could an airliner with state-of-the-art electronic safety and navigation features and a faultless safety record simply fall out of the sky? NOVA assembles a team of seasoned pilots, engineers, and safety experts to examine the evidence that emerged in the weeks following this horrific disaster.

  Length:	00:54:11

• NOVA: DNA: Secret of Photo 51

  On April 25, 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick published their groundbreaking discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. But their crucial breakthrough depended on the pioneering work of another biologist, Rosalind Franklin.

  Length:	00:00:00

• NOVA: Dogs Decoded

  Dogs have an uncanny ability to read and respond to human emotions. Humans, in turn, respond to dogs with the same hormone responsible for bonding mothers to their babies. How did this incredible relationship between humans and dogs come to be?

  Length:	00:54:57

• NOVA: Emergency Mine Rescue

  This one-hour film chronicles the fate of the 33 miners trapped in a collapsed Chilean gold and copper mine in August 2010 and investigates the many challenges faced by both the miners and those working around the clock to bring them safely to the surface.

  Length:	00:54:18

• NOVA: Ghost in Your Genes

  Scientists have long puzzled over the different fates of identical twins: both have the same genes, yet only one may develop a serious disease like cancer or autism. What's going on? Does something else besides genes determine who we are? NOVA explores this startling possibility in this program.

  Length:	00:00:00

• NOVA: Is There Life on Mars? Reports from the Pheonix Lander

  This NOVA showcases the latest scientific results from the rovers and Phoenix, which are poised to reveal provocative new clues in the tantalizing search for water and life on the Red Planet.

  Length:	00:00:00

• NOVA: Last Extinction - Megabeasts' Sudden Death

  What killed the mammoths? Near the end of the last ice age 13,000 years ago, these mighty beasts disappeared from North America together with some 35 other groups of mammals. For four decades, debate has raged over the cause of their abrupt demise. NOVA presents an in-depth investigation of a controversial new hypothesis which suggests that a massive impact from space could be the culprit, and also explores alternate theories.

  Length:	00:00:00

• NOVA: Last Extinction - Megabeasts' Sudden Death (Audio Described Video)

  What killed the mammoths? Near the end of the last ice age 13,000 years ago, these mighty beasts disappeared from North America together with some 35 other groups of mammals. For four decades, debate has raged over the cause of their abrupt demise. NOVA presents an in-depth investigation of a controversial new hypothesis which suggests that a massive impact from space could be the culprit, and also explores alternate theories.

  Length:	00:00:00

• NOVA: Quest for Solomon's Mines

  In the summer of 2010, NOVA and National Geographic embarked on two cutting-edge field investigations that illuminate the legend of Solomon and reveal the source of the great wealth that powered the first mighty biblical kingdoms.

  Length:	00:54:24

• NOVA: Secrets of Stonehenge

  Dated to the late Stone Age, Stonehenge may be the best-known and most mysterious relic of prehistory. Every year, a million visitors are drawn to England to gaze upon the famous circle of stones, but the monument's meaning has continued to elude us.

  Length:	00:54:13

• NOVA: The Pluto Files

  When the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium stopped calling Pluto a planet, director Neil deGrasse Tyson found himself at the center of a firestorm led by angry, Pluto-loving elementary school students. What is it about this cold, distant, icy rock that captures so many hearts? Now, almost 10 years after the news broke on the front page of The New York Times, "Pluto Not a Planet? Only in New York," and nearly four years after the IAU (International Astronomical Union) officially reclassified the ninth planet as a plutoid, NOVA travels cross-country with Tyson to find out.

  Length:	00:00:00

• NOVA: Trapped in an Elevator

  Once brawny but simple machines, elevators are now getting a brainy makeover and reaching new heights. "Trapped in an Elevator" reveals the secrets of these ubiquitous machines and investigates personal stories of those who have been caught inside when they do fail.

  Length:	00:54:10

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