Watch NOVAs

Ancient Refuge in the Holy Land (Nov. 2004)

Israel's remote Cave of Letters holds clues to a Jewish uprising against the Romans. Watch now (49 mins.)

Art Authentication (July 2008)

See how clever computer algorithms can distinguish a master fake from a masterpiece. Watch now (13 mins.)

Artificial Life (Oct. 2005)

Are scientists on the verge of making living things from little more than dust? Watch now (15 mins.)

Astrospies (Feb. 2008)

An elite corps of secret U.S. astronauts is trained to gather intelligence on the Soviets during the Cold War. Watch now (49 mins.)

Auto-Tune (June 2009)

Can't carry a tune? Andy Hildebrand's pitch-correction software can help you sing like a star. Watch now (7 mins.)

Car of the Future (Apr. 2008)

Join the 'Car Talk' guys as they hit the road in search of a new breed of clean, fuel-efficient vehicles. Watch now (50 mins.)

CERN (July 2007)

Beneath the Alps, the mother of all particle accelerators nears completion. Watch now (12 mins.)

Fuel Cells (July 2005)

Hydrogen fuel cell cars promise pollution-free driving, but will we see them anytime soon? Watch now (14 mins.)

Hunting the Edge of Space: Part 1 (Apr. 2010)

How telescopes have expanded our view of the universe Watch now (50 mins.)

Hunting the Edge of Space: Part 2 (Apr. 2010)

How telescopes have expanded our view of the universe Watch now (50 mins.)

Lab Meat (Jan. 2006)

Scientists can grow edible meat in culture from a few animal cells. Bon appétit? Watch now (2 mins.)

Maya (Jan. 2007)

NASA archeologists use satellites to pinpoint ancient ruins buried deep in the jungle. Watch now (13 mins.)

Profile: Cynthia Breazeal (Nov. 2006)

A daring engineer designs robots to communicate and interact the way people do. Watch now (13 mins.)

Profile: Karl Iagnemma (Oct. 2006)

An innovative MIT roboticist is also an acclaimed fiction writer. Watch now (10 mins.)

Profile: Hany Farid (June 2008)

This self-proclaimed "accidental scientist" is a digital detective inventing new ways to tell if photos have been faked. Watch now (13 mins.)

Profile: Luis von Ahn (June 2009)

A computer scientist finds novel ways to stop spammers and harness the brainpower of millions of people. Watch now (11 mins.)

Profile: Naomi Halas (Apr. 2005)

Naomi Halas is a pioneering nanotechnologist bent on seeing practical applications for her work—and soon. Watch now (8 mins.)

Profile: Yoky Matsuoka (July 2008)

A former tennis prodigy aims to create advanced prosthetic limbs controlled by human thought. Watch now (12 mins.)

Profile: James McLurkin (Jan. 2005)

James McLurkin of MIT is one of the world's leading designers of robot "swarms"—groups of robots that work together for a greater purpose. Watch now (10 mins.)

Saving Hubble (July 2008)

Two teams of spacewalkers take on the risky mission of reviving the ailing Space Telescope. Watch now (13 mins.)

The Search for ET (July 2008)

Astronomers have their radio telescopes tuned to receive signals from alien worlds. But is anybody out there? Watch now (11 mins.)

Smart Bridges (July 2008)

Can we engineer bridges that tell us what's wrong with them before it's too late? Watch now (10 mins.)

Space Elevator (Jan. 2007)

Can we build a 22,000-mile-high cable to transport cargo and people into space? Watch now (13 mins.)

Sputnik Declassified (Nov. 2007)

Top-secret documents rewrite the history of the famous satellite and the early space race. Watch now (49 mins.)

The Spy Factory (Feb. 2009)

Examine the high-tech eavesdropping carried out by the National Security Agency and the pitfalls of surveillance in an age of terrorism. Watch now (50 mins.)

Wisdom of the Crowds (June 2008)

Ask enough people to estimate something, and the average of their guesses will get you surprisingly close to the right answer. Watch now (4 mins.)