Weather & Natural Disasters

A Brief History of the National Weather Service

American Experience

Since 1938, advances in radar, satellite imagery and a better understanding of the forces of nature have allowed meteorologists at the National Weather Bureau, now known as the National Weather Service, to forecast storms with increasing accuracy. Continue

Tavis Smiley Reports | New Orleans: Tavis' Reflections

Tavis Smiley

Tavis shares his thoughts on New Orleans native and Hurricane Katrina survivor Herreast Harrison. Tavis and Jonathan Demme have chronicled Harrison's struggle to rebuild her home since 2007. Continue

Can Animals Predict Disaster?

Nature

In interviews with scientists and eyewitnesses, NATURE probes the evidence that some animals may have senses that allow them to predict impending natural disasters long before we can. Continue

New Orleans: Been in the Storm Too Long

Tavis Smiley

Tavis Smiley Reports teams with Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme to revisit New Orleans and capture the mood and spirit of the city and some of its most resilient residents five years after Hurricane Katrina and the levee breech. Continue

Sun Catcher Craft

PBS Parents

Have some homemade fun in the sun with this craft made of recycled plastic water bottles. Continue

Deadliest Tornadoes - Preview

NOVA

In the wake of April 2011's tornado outbreak, learn how we can protect ourselves and our communities in the future. 5/9/2012 Continue

Radioactive Wolves - Preview

Nature

Enter into the lives of the wolves and other wildlife thriving in the "dead zone" around Chernobyl. 4/25/2012 Continue

Deadliest Tornadoes

NOVA

Why was the 2011 tornado season in the U.S. so extreme, and why did so many die? Continue

Growing Tomatoes

America Revealed

Ted Sheely is a farmer in California’s central valley; he grows onions, wine grapes, pistachios and a key ingredient for pizza sauce, tomatoes - fifteen to sixteen acres of them in fact. 13 million tonnes of tomatoes are produced in California every year. A third of the tomatoes consumed by the entire world! California is the perfect place to grow fruit and vegetables, Ted Sheely explains why Continue

This Wednesday 4/11 PBS is your destination for exploration

PBS Presents

Join Yul Know this Wednesday as we go to sea to meet some of the ocean's giants on NATURE, uncover the roots of tornado outbreaks on NOVA and get a look at the US food machine on AMERICA REVEALED. This night of back-to-back exploration begins Wednesday at 8/7c. Continue

Unnatural disaster

Need To Know

Harry Shearer, the writer comic Simpsons voice actor/radio host and longtime resident of New Orleans, wants to puncture the myths and misperceptions about Hurricane Katrina on its five-year anniversary. Continue

Extreme Ice

NOVA

An acclaimed photographer joins scientists to document the runaway melting of glaciers. Continue

Violent Hawaii

Nature

The Hawaiian chain of islands, made up of six main islands plus two smaller ones, stretches for more than 1,500 miles through the heart of the Pacific Ocean. It is a place of idyllic beauty. But it is also a land of volcanic fury, raging mountaintop blizzards, dangerous rockslides, monster waves, and even tsunamis. Continue

The Asteroid That Hit L.A.

NOVA scienceNOW

Use a catastrophe calculator to try out some "what-if" scenarios regarding an asteroid potentially striking Los Angeles. Continue

Hunt for the Supertwister - Preview

NOVA

Take a safe front-row seat to the risky and thrilling art of chasing twisters. 5/9/2012 Continue

TTC Extra: Fewer Americans Going 'Green'

To The Contrary

As we celebrate Earth Day, a new poll shows fewer Americans are being environmentalists Continue

Earth Day: Our Planet

PBS Presents

Celebrate Earth Day year-round by watching PBS' best programs on the environment. We've curated the most recent and compelling full-length programs, clips, and articles here on the "Our Planet" collection page. We're also featuring great local videos as well from member stations across the country. Continue

Wind Power

America Revealed

Yul travels to Albany New York to see Dr Michael Brower Chief Technical Officer at AWSTruepower – a wind predicting company. Dr Brower explains how he uses wind mapping data to accurately predict the flow of wind. This in turn enables him to locate suitable places to build new wind farms. Continue

Air Traffic Controller

America Revealed

Yul meets Debra Griffith, air traffic control manager at the Air Traffic Control Command center in Northern Virginia. Debra talks Yul through the complex and concise system that keeps our planes in the air. She explains to Yul how factors such as the weather can seriously affect the day’s flight plan. Continue

Exploration Wednesdays

PBS Presents

Investigate the world around and beyond us with host Yul Kwon. Join us for back-to-back episodes of Nature, NOVA and America Revealed, Wednesday nights on PBS. 4/11/2012 Continue

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