♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A NEW STUDY FINDS THAT ARIZONA HAS HAD MORE TURNOVER OF ELECTION WORKERS THAN ANY OTHER WESTERN STATE.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, AHEAD OF VALENTINE'S DAY, WE'LL LOOK AT HOW BEST TO IDENTIFY ROMANCE SCAMS WHICH ARE ON THE RISE.

>>> AND THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS OF "NOVA" TALK ABOUT UPCOMING EPISODES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE JOURNALISM.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

A NEW STUDY FINDS THAT ARIZONA'S TURNOVER RATE FOR ELECTION WORKERS AND TOP ELECTION OFFICIALS IS HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER WESTERN STATE.

THE REPORT FINDS THAT THREATS, HARASSMENT AND PRESSURE TO BREAK ELECTION LAWS DROVE THE TURNOVER, WHICH WAS REPORTED IN ALL OF ARIZONA'S 15 COUNTIES.

JOINING US IS JEROD MACDONALD-EVOY FROM THE "ARIZONA MIRROR."

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

GREAT JOB ON THE STORY.

THIS IS FROM 2020 ON, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON, FIRST OF ALL.

YOU ARE CORRECT, IT'S FROM 2020 ON.

THE REPORT LOOKED AT 2020, SO THIS LAST YEAR 2025.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE REPORT BY ISSUE ONE, WHO ARE THEY?

>> ISSUE ONE IS A NONPARTISAN, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT LOOKS AT THE ISSUE OF VOTING, AND THEY FOCUS ON THE ADVOCACY SPACE OF HOW CAN WE REFORM VOTING, ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IN ORDER TO BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE SPACE OR JUST BRING MORE REFORMS INTO ELECTIONS.

TED: SO THE REPORT SAYS ARIZONA, MORE TURNOVER THAN ANY WESTERN STATE, AND THERE WAS TURNOVER IN EVERY SINGLE COUNTY AND SIGNIFICANT TURNOVER, HUH?

>> CORRECT.

THEY EXAMINED 11 STATES IN THE WEST, AND OF THE 11 STATES, ARIZONA HAD MORE THAN THE AVERAGE, WHICH WAS 50%, AND MORE THAN 50% OF THE COUNTIES AND 100% OF THE COUNTIES, EVERY SINGLE COUNTY HAD ONE OR MORE TOP ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR WHO EITHER RESIGNED, WAS FIRED, OR REPLACED WITHIN THAT FIVE-YEAR TIME FRAME.

TED: WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT ELECTION WORKERS, THESE ARE TOP OFFICIALS.

>> CORRECT, THE COUNTY RECORDER POSITION OR THE COUNTY ELECTOR POSITION.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE BIG LIFT ON ELECTION DAYS AND PRECEDING TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK IS, FIGURING THAT STUFF OUT.

TED: SO THE REASON THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS TURNOVER HERE, WHAT'S THE REPORT FINDING?

>> THE REPORT FOUND THAT THE MAIN BIG REASON IN THIS FIVE-YEAR PERIOD WAS -- HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THE SPREAD OF ELECTION CONSPIRACIES.

WE HAD A LOT OF HIGH TEMPERATURE CREATED IN OUR POLITICS SINCE 2020, AFTER THE LOSS OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IN THAT ELECTION.

WE HAD A LOT OF NARRATIVES AROUND FRAUD BEING SPREAD AND A LOT OF THREATS TO ELECTION OFFICIALS.

IN THE WAKE OF THAT, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CREATED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CREATED A TASK FORCE TO LOOK INTO THREATS AGAINST ELECTION OFFICIALS.

A LOT OF THOSE THREATS ENDED UP BEING INVESTIGATED IN THIS STATE IN PARTICULAR.

THERE WERE SEVERAL KEY ELECTION OFFICIALS THAT WERE -- THAT HAD CREDIBLE THREATS THAT LED TO INDICTMENTS AGAINST PEOPLE IN OTHER STATES WHO MADE DEATH THREATS AGAINST KATIE HOBBS WHEN SHE WAS SECRETARY OF STATE OR OTHER ELECTION WORKERS IN THE STATE.

TED: WE'VE GOT THREATS, INTIMIDATION AND PRESSURE, FROM THE REPORT HERE, PRESSURE TO BREAK ELECTION LAWS.

EXPLAIN.

>> ANOTHER KEY PART OF THE REPORT.

ONE OF THE COUNTIES THEY FOCUSED ON WAS COCHISE COUNTY, AT THE FOREFRONT OF A LOT OF THESE CONSPIRATORIAL BELIEFS.

COCHISE COUNTY HAS SEEN SIX DIFFERENT PEOPLE FULFILL THE ROLE OF COUNTY RECORDER BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN PRESSURE FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM THE RECORDER TO DO THINGS THAT THE RECORDER IS COMFORTABLE WITH OR ARE ILLEGAL, SINCE COUNTY RECORDER LISA MARRA RESIGNED, IT'S BEEN AN OPEN DOOR EVER SINCE.

IT WAS AN ENVIRONMENT NOT CONDUCIVE TO DOING THE JOB, BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING COERCED INTO ADOPTING POLICIES OR ADOPTING IDEAS LIKE HAND COUNTING THE BALLOTS IN A WAY THAT WOULDN'T FIT WITHIN THE STATE STATUTE.

TED: SO THESE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING.

THERE'S TURNOVER, BUT THERE -- OR ARE THERE VACANCIES?

>> IN SOME AREAS, THERE ARE VACANCIES, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S MORE OF AN ISSUE OF TURNOVER.

ONE OF THE BIG VACANCIES IS NAVAJO COUNTY, THAT IS DUE TO THE RECORDER HAVING THE -- RESIGNING OVER AN ISSUE REGARDING A DRIVING CHARGE.

TED: NOT AN ELECTION ISSUE A FACTOR THERE.

BUT WITH THE TURNOVER THERE, THE NEW PEOPLE COMING IN, IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A HECK OF A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.

YOU GOT A BRAIN DRAIN WITH THE PEOPLE LEAVING, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

THIS IS AN ISSUE LOOKED NAT 2023 AS WELL, WHEN THEY FOUND I BELIEVE 90% OF THE STATE WAS GOING TO HAVE NEW ELECTION OFFICIALS NOT JUST IN THE TOP ROLES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FULFILLING AND WORKING ON ELECTIONS, AND IT WAS A CUMULATIVE 176 HOURS OF BRAIN DRAIN WE WERE SEEING LEAVING THE STATE, AND THAT PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON NOT JUST THE TOP ELECTION OFFICIALS DOWN THE LINE POLL WORKERS AND EVERYONE ELSE.

TED: YOU MENTIONED COCHISE COUNTY, RURAL AREAS, ARE THEY SEEING MORE IN THE WAY OF TURNOVER AND LESS OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE GETTING BACK IN THERE?

>> IT'S NOT AS EASY TO GET EYES ON THAT.

WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE REPORTING ON SOME OF THOSE AREAS, AND WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION IN THOSE AREAS AS WE DO IN PLACES WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF EYEBALLS, MARICOPA COUNTY, PIMA COUNTY, THAT HAVE A LOT MORE ATTENTION PAID TO THEM.

FROM STORIES OUT OF COCHISE COUNTY, THERE IS A LOT OF ISSUE WITH RETAINING TALENT, AND YAVAPAI COUNTY, A SMALLER COUNTY THAN MARICOPA, EXPERIENCED ISSUES AS WELL.

TED: I FOUND IT FASCINATING, THERE WAS SO MUCH PRESSURE FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THESE FOLKS TO DO THINGS THAT IT'S NOT LAWFUL.

YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO, AND THEY'RE GETTING PRESSURE FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS?

>> THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN SEEING SINCE 2020.

I THINK ARIZONA HAS BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF THAT, AND WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF THAT GOING FORWARD INTO THE MIDTERMS AND PROBABLY INTO THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL CYCLE.

TED: I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE MIDTERMS.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE OUT THERE?

ARE THE COUNTIES READY TO GO IN THE COUNTIES, THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE HERE, ARE THEY READY?

>> I THINK FROM DISCUSSING THIS WITH SOURCES AND WITH FORMER ELECTION OFFICIALS, THE PEOPLE THAT ADMINISTER THE ELECTIONS, THE PEOPLE WHO TRULY WORK ON THESE THINGS, THEY'RE DOING THE WORK AND READY TO ADMINISTER THE ELECTIONS, BE THAT UNDER IMMENSE STRESS AND PRESSURE, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, I THINK THAT THEY WILL FULFILL AND DO THESE DUTIES, BUT I THINK THAT THE PRESSURE FROM THE OUTSIDE IS WHAT'S GOING TO END UP CAUSING ISSUES FROM WHETHER THAT BE AN INVESTIGATION THAT COMES FROM A FEDERAL ASPECT OR POLITICAL PRESSURE THAT COMES IN FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT CAUSES SOME OTHER TRIGGER THAT WE MAY NOT KNOW OF.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MORE OF INTEREST GOING INTO THE MIDTERMS.

TED: YEAH, AND THEY'RE COMING AND COMING FAST AND FURIOUS.

JEROD MACDONALD-EVOY, "ARIZONA MIRROR," GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: VALENTINE'S DAY IS THIS WEEKEND, AND OFFICIALS WARN THAT ROMANCE SCAMS ARE ON THE RISE WITH SCAMMERS LOOKING TO MANIPULATE ONLINE DATERS INTO SENDING MONEY OR PERSONAL INFORMATION.

WE WELCOME JOE DUCEY WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

TED: THIS IS HIGH SEASON FOR ROMANCE SCAMS.

>> THERE'S AN UPTICK.

WE LOOKED IN ONE OF OUR SERVICE CITIES, SAN DIEGO, WE FOUND FROM FEBRUARY TO APRIL, TWO MONTHS DURING VALENTINE'S DAY, $185,000 TAKEN, JUST FROM THE COMPLAINTS WE RECEIVED AT THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.

IT KIND OF IS A BIG DEAL DURING VALENTINE'S DAY AND HAPPENS ALL YEAR.

IT TAKES MORE MONEY PER PERSON THAN ANY OTHER SCAM WE FOLLOW.

TED: WOW, OKAY.

SOUNDS LIKE TARGETS INCLUDE RECENTLY WIDOWED AND DIVORCED SENIORS.

IT IS HEART BREAKING TO HEAR.

>> IT IS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS TO READ THESE COMPLAINTS.

IT'S TOUGH TO SEE THE AMOUNTS OF MONEY AND HOW EMOTIONAL IT IS AND HOW INVOLVED THE PEOPLE GET WITH THE SCAMMERS AND HOW THEY THINK SOMETHING IS HAPPENING HERE.

YEAH, THEY'RE APPROACHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

COULD BE APPROACHED BY A WRONG TEXT THAT COMES IN AND ANSWER IT.

THEY COULD BE ON A DATING APP, AND THESE PEOPLE ARE APPROACHED OUT OF THE BLUE, AND THEN CONVERSATIONS QUICKLY GO TO ROMANCE AND TO OTHER THINGS.

TED: GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE HERE.

SAY IT'S A TEXT AND SOMEONE RECEIVES A TEXT AND THEY JUST SAY, HEY, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THIS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CONVERSATION STARTS.

HOW DOES IT GO?

>> READ YOU A LITTLE PART FROM A PERSON WHO WROTE.

I RECEIVED A TEXT FROM A PERSON WHO ACCIDENTALLY TEXTED ME.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.

SHE STARTED TALKING AND I STUPIDLY CONTINUED.

SHE ASKED ME TO MOVE THE CONVERSATION TO WHATSAPP, A LESS SECURE PLATFORM FOR TEXTING.

SHE BECAME A FRIEND, SHARED HER LIFE, PORTRAYED A LAVISH LIFESTYLE AND SAID I COULD ACHIEVE ALL THAT.

I DEPOSITED $1,000 IN BITCOIN.

HE LOST $100,000.

TED: HOLY SMOKES.

THAT KIND OF THING HAPPENS.

LEADS YOU OFF THE PLATFORM, IT'S TOO FAST AND THEY START TALKING ABOUT MONEY, YOURS AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT.

TED: SEEING ALL SORTS OF RED FLAGS.

BITCOIN, THE SPEED, THE RELATIONSHIP ASPECT, JUST THE CONCEPT OF MONEY.

YOU GO ON A DATE OR TWO, MONEY IS NOT -- UNLESS WHO IS PAYING FOR THE MEAL, OTHER THAN THAT, SO MANY RED FLAGS.

>> THERE ARE SO MANY.

TEXTING IS A PROBLEM.

IN MOST OF THE CASES THE PEOPLE ARE OUT OF THE COUNTRY, SO YOU NEVER SEE THEM.

THEY DON'T VIDEO CHAT.

ALL THIS IS DONE BY TEXT, SO PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP BASED ON TEXT.

THE OTHER THING THAT'S INTERESTING, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A WHILE.

THE OLD SCHOOL WAY IS STILL THERE.

SOMEBODY LIVES OUT OF THE COUNTRY, DEPLOYED IN SYRIA AND WANT TO GET BACK AND I NEED MONEY TO DO THIS AND THAT, THEY GET PAID.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS I WANT TO SHARE MY INVESTMENT I MADE.

I'M RICH BECAUSE OF IT.

CRYPTO.

BITCOIN.

THEY CONTROL EVERYTHING.

THEY PUT IT IN, THEY CAN SHOW YOU, YOU MADE A LITTLE MONEY.

TED: WHO ARE THE SCAMMERS?

DO WE KNOW AT ALL?

>> MOST CASES THEY'RE NOT IN THIS COUNTRY, THEY'RE GONE, SOMEWHERE ELSE.

YOU THINK YOU'RE TALKING TO A WOMAN.

IT'S A GUY IN A BOILER ROOM IN SOME OTHER PLACE.

THEY CAN SHOW WHO THE PEOPLE ARE, A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULDN'T FALL FOR THIS.

TED: THAT'S A BIGGIE.

YOU ASK FOR A PICTURE, ASK FOR A VIDEO OR MORE THAN ONE OF THESE THINGS, A LITTLE SHY ABOUT THAT, AREN'T THEY?

>> THEY ARE.

THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO DO THAT, ALL DONE BY TEXT, WHICH IS THE INTERESTING THING TO ME.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS, YOU WERE RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE TARGETED WHO MIGHT BE SEEN AS MAYBE THEY LOST A PARTNER, THEY'RE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SAID THAT.

THEY'RE LONELY, MAY NOT HAVE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE HOUSE THEY CAN TALK TO.

I ALWAYS SAY, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WRITE US WHO ARE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO SAY I CAN'T GET MY MOM OR DAD TO STOP THIS.

THEY REALLY BELIEVE THIS IS THE CASE BECAUSE THEY BECOME SO INTIMATE WITH THIS.

IF YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH THAT AND YOU THINK IT'S REAL, STEP BACK A SECOND.

IF YOU HAVE HEARD ANY OF THIS STUFF, TALK TO A FAMILY MEMBER OR A FRIEND AND RUN IT BY THEM.

TED: WHEN YOU TALK TO THE FAMILY MEMBER AND THE FRIEND, WHAT ARE THE TIPS?

WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM?

WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING?

>> I WOULD SAY CLOSE THE BANK ACCOUNT.

DON'T HAVE ACCESS.

I THINK THE TIPS ARE, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A SCAM IF IT'S CONTACTED OUT OF THE BLUE.

IF THEY'RE OUT OF COUNTRY, CAN'T MEET, VIDEO CHAT, TOO FAST AND QUIT TALKING ABOUT MONEY.

TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED AND MAYBE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME REALIZATION, YEAH, I NEVER WAS ABLE TO SEE THIS PERSON.

THEY DID TALK ABOUT MONEY QUICK.

TED: THEY NEVER WANTED TO MEET.

>> THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW UP.

HE SAID HE LOVED ME PRETTY QUICKLY, YET I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

TED: A BIGGIE IS IF YOUR BANK CONTACTS YOU AND SAYS THERE IS SOMETHING FUNNY WITH X, Y, AND Z, GOT TO WATCH OUT FOR IT.

>> YOU'RE RIGHT.

I ENCOURAGE THE BANKS TO GET MORE INVOLVED.

A LOT OF THIS IS DONE THROUGH CASH APPS AND WIRING MONEY.

ANY TIME WE GOT THEM INVOLVED, THEY SAY THE PERSON AGREED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, THE CUSTOMER AGREED FOR IT TO HAPPEN.

THEY AGREED BECAUSE THEY WERE SCAMMED.

THAT'S THE HARD PART, GETTING THEIR MONEY BACK.

ON AVERAGE IT'S 30,000, $40,000.

IT'S HUGE.

TED: WOW.

LAST QUESTION, AND DOVE TAILS ON WHAT YOU WERE SAYING AND DEEPER THAN ROMANCE SCAMS IN PARTICULAR.

IS THIS AN INDICTMENT ON SOCIETY.

ARE WE TO BLAME BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY LONELY PEOPLE OUT THERE.

>>.

>> YOU HAVE THE GOOD QUESTIONS.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

I'VE SEEN SO MANY SCAMS THEY SAY TO EVERYBODY, ANY OFFER, ANYTHING THAT COMES UP, I SAY BELIEVE IT'S A SCAM, AND THEN TRY TO PROVE IT'S NOT.

I HATE TO SAY THAT.

YOU WANT TO TRUST PEOPLE, HANDSHAKE, I SAY BELIEVE IT'S A SCAM, AND YOU SHOW ME IT'S NOT, OR I'M GOING TO FIND OUT IT'S NOT.

I WORK BACK THE OTHER WAY.

TED: MONEY IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION AT ANY POINT, REALLY GOT TO WATCH OUT.

>> ANY TIME.

ANY TIME THEY WANT TO YOU SEND MONEY, IT'S RIDICULOUS.

TED: JOE DUCEY, GREAT JOB, BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, GREAT TO SEE YOU.

>> THANKS A LOT, TED.

.

TED: THE LONG RUNNING PBS SCIENCE SHOW "NOVA" PRODUCED AWARD-WINNING SCIENCE DOCUMENTARIES SINCE 1974.

THIS SEASON'S EPISODES INCLUDE SUCH TANTALIZING TITLES AS "RETURN TO THE MOON" AND "RAIN BOMBS."

JOINING US IS "NOVA" CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JULIA CORT, AND CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CHRIS SCHMIDT.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> GREAT TO BE HERE.

TED: YOU'RE OUT OF BOSTON.

GOT TO BE A GOOD THING, THIS WEATHER ALONE.

>> THE TEMPERATURE IS NICE.

TED: JULIA, FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH "NOVA," HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SHOW?

>> IT'S ALL ABOUT SCIENCE STORYTELLING, AND WE DO "NOVA" BECAUSE SCIENCE IS SUCH A CRUCIAL PART OF OUR LIVES, OF SOCIETY, CULTURE, WE RELY ON IT SO MUCH, AND "NOVA" IS ALL ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW SIGNS WORKS, HOW IT'S DONE, WHO IS DOING IT AND WHY, AND REALLY TAKING THE AUDIENCE ON THESE AMAZING SCIENTIFIC DETECTIVE STORIES TO FIGURE OUT HOW DOES THE UNIVERSE WORK?

WHAT IS GOING ON?

WHERE DO WE COME FROM?

ALL OF THE THINGS PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT.

TED: CHRIS, IS IT DIFFICULT AT TIMES TO MAKE SCIENCE, COMPLEX SCIENCE, ENGAGEING?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

AS JULIA SAID, THE SHOWS WE MAKE THAT ARE THE MOST POPULAR ARE LIKE DETECTIVE STORIES, AND I'M A PERSON WHO REALLY BELIEVES THAT TV IS AN ENTERTAINMENT MEDIUM.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T TURN ON THE TV AND EAT VEGETABLES.

OUR AUDIENCE IS ENTERTAINED BY THE STORIES OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT AND HUMAN INGENUITY.

WHEN YOU ARE FOLLOWING A STORY WHEN YOU ARE PRESENTED WITH SOMETHING THAT IMMEDIATELY TRIGGERS CURIOSITY AND THE FILM PROMISES TO TAKE YOU DOWN A PATHWAY AND A JOURNEY THAT SHOW YOU WHAT IS BEHIND THAT CURIOSITY AND HOW WE LEARNED IT AND HOW WE DERIVED IT, THOSE STORIES TELL THEMSELVES.

TED: AND YOU GOT TO HAVE A CLIFF-HANGER EVERY NOW AND THEN.

>> WE DON'T HAVE COMMERCIAL BREAKS.

>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE DRAMA.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE DRAMA AND TWISTS AND TURNS.

CHALLENGES.

>> OBSTACLES.

TED: OKAY, SO HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT WHICH STORY IS GOOD, AND WHICH STORY IS ENGAGING AND NEEDS TO BE TOLD AND ANOTHER WHICH IS EH?

>> WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT, WE'RE LOOKING FOR DRAMA.

THE STORIES, ONE THAT PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT.

WE HAVE TO START A SHOW, YOU KNOW, WITH A QUESTION OR A MYSTERY.

THOSE ARE THE BEST KINDS OF "NOVA"S AND THERE'S A LOT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND.

THERE'S COMPLICATED SCIENCE THAT CAN BE TOO COMPLICATED TO TACKLE BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK WE CAN ENGAGE ENOUGH PEOPLE.

>> WE HAVE A RULE, IF YOU HAVE TO SPEND THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF THE FILM TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHY THEY SHOULD BE CURIOUS, YOU KIND OF LOST THEM.

YOU WANT TO START OFF WITH SOMETHING THAT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

WHAT'S THE GREAT BIG HOLE IN SIBERIA, WHAT IS CAUSING THAT?

>> WE WANT TO GET TO THE MOON, HOW DO WE DO THAT.

WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PRODUCE ONE OF THESE DOCUMENTARIES.

>> MOST TAKE NINE MONTHS TO A YEAR FROM THE TIME THEY'RE GREEN LIT.

THE PRODUCER WILL WORK ON RESEARCH.

REACHING OUT TO THE SKIEPT, FOLLOWING THE STORY, FIGURING OUT WHAT THE STORY IS AND HOW TO TELL IT FOR TWO, THREE MONTHS, THEN SHOOT FOR TWO MONTHS AND EDIT FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.

>> A LOT OF WRITING AND EDITING THAT GO INTO THE SHOWS, BUT WE'VE DONE SOME IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, TOO.

WE DID A FILM QUICKLY ABOUT COVID WHEN IT FIRST BROKE OUT THAT WAS EXTREMELY POPULAR, WHEN NOBODY KNEW WHAT IT WAS AND EVERYBODY WAS CURIOUS.

MOST FILMS ARE NINE MONTHS, SOMETIMES TAKE YEARS, REALLY.

TED: TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE EPISODES HERE.

"RETURN TO THE MOON."

I WAS GOING TO ASK, IF IT TAKES NINE MONTHS TO A YEAR, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE SCIENCE CHANGES.

"RETURN TO THE MOON" SOUNDS FLUID, HUH?

>> WE STARTED THAT ONE 50 YEARS AGO.

[LAUGHTER] >> THAT'S A FILM, IN THAT CASE, WE MADE MOST OF THE FILM AND RESERVED A CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR FOOTAGE THAT WE'LL GATHER DURING THE ARTEMIS II MISSION, AND WE'LL PUT IT TOGETHER QUICKLY AND TRY TO GET IT ON THE AIR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE SPLASHDOWN.

IF THEY SPLASHDOWN ON A TUESDAY, WE WANT TO GET THE SHOW OUT ON WEDNESDAY, FOR EXAMPLE.

TED: YEAH, THAT MISSION IS GOING THROUGH SOME THINGS.

>> YES.

IT WAS THEIR FIRST LAUNCH WINDOW WAS LAST WEEK, AND THAT GOT DELAYED AND SO THE NEXT LAUNCH WINDOW IS BEGINNING OF MARCH.

SO WE'RE TALKING TO EVERYBODY TO SAY ONCE IT LAUNCHES, WE HAVE TEN DAYS AND TRY TO GET IT ON THE NEXT WEDNESDAY AFTER IT SPLASHES DOWN.

TED: GOT TO BE NIMBLE AND FLEXIBLE.

"RAIN BOMBS" IS ANOTHER ONE.

>> THIS IS A FASCINATING FILM.

SOME WAS SHOT IN ARIZONA.

THERE'S A STORM CHASER HERE WHO DID INCREDIBLE PHOTOGRAPHY OF THIS.

BASICALLY A RAIN BOMB IS AN ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENON EXACERBATED BY WARMING.

CLIMATE CHANGE.

ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING AS WARM AIR HITS MOISTURE, THE WARMER THE AIR, THE MORE MOISTURE IT ABSORBS, SO YOU GET THE COLUMNS OF WATER INTO THE GREAT BIG CLOUDS THAT HIT COLD AIR, SUDDENLY COOL OFF AND YOU CAN HAVE THE PHENOMENON WHERE ALL OF THE WATER COMES STRAIGHT DOWN IN ONE BURST WHICH BLASTS OUTWARD, AND THESE THINGS HAVE KILLED PEOPLE, DESTROYED HOUSES.

>> YOU REMEMBER THE BEZIAN YACHT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN WITH THE BILLIONAIRE AND HIS FAMILY.

TED: MY GOODNESS.

>> THAT WAS A RAIN BOMB.

TED: WE HAVE THEM HERE, THEY ARE CALLED MICROBURSTS.

>> THEY ARE LIKE MICROBURSTS, YOU HAVE THE PATTERNS OF MICROBURSTS THAT TURN INTO A DERECHA THAT KEEPS HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

TED: ONE I'M CONFUSED ABOUT.

ATHENS -- >> IT'S ARCHAEOLOGY, AND SOME OF OUR MOST POPULAR "NOVA"S ARE ARCHAEOLOGY SHOWS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW PEOPLE LIVED IN THE PAST, WHAT THEY BUILT, WHAT SOCIETIES ARE LIKE, ALL FROM THE STUFF IN THE DIRT, AND THERE'S REMARKABLE FINDS COMING OUT OF ATHENS INCLUDING MASS GRAVES THEY THINK ARE FROM CIVIL UNREST.

IT'S ACTUALLY AN AMAZING STORY THEY DIDN'T KNOW VERY WELL ABOUT HOW DEMOCRACY CAME TO BE, AND THE EXPERIMENTAL PART IS, THEY HAD FOUND THESE STRANGE FRAGMENTS OF MARBLE WITH THE WEIRD TICKS AND CULLS IN THEM, AND TURNS OUT THEY'RE FROM LOTTERY MACHINES TO DRAW LOTS.

A LOT OF THE DEMOCRACY AND THE LEADERSHIP, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ELECTIONS.

THEY WOULD DO RANDOM SELECTIONS OF CITIZENS, AND THAT'S HOW ALMOST EVERYTHING WAS GOVERNED THAT WAY, AND THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WAY TO KEEP IT FAIR AND MAKE SURE YOU COULD AVOID CORRUPTION BECAUSE IF YOU ELECT PEOPLE, THEY CAN INFLUENCE THE VOTE.

TED: SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT "NOVA."

YOU ARE HERE TO ACCEPT THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR ADVANCED SCIENCE JOURNALISM AWARD.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU IN THE STUDIO TO TALK ABOUT, A BAD SHIRLEY JACKSON NOVEL OR SOMETHING.

>> CRAZY.

>> THERE IS NO GERRYMANDERING.

>> THEY WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT FAIRNESS AND NO CHEATING.

TED: WE'LL WATCH FOR THAT ONE.

JULIA CORT, CHRIS SCHMIDT, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE AWARD AND SUCCESS AND CONTINUED SUCCESS TO BOTH OF YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TED: THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.