NOVA Online | Escape!

Welcome to the companion Web site to "Escape!," a four-part NOVA special that chronicles what engineers have learned from past disasters to make accidents increasingly survivable. The programs—"Fire," "Car Crash," "Plane Crash," and "Abandon Ship"—were initially broadcast on PBS on February 16 and 17, 1999. (Check your local listings)

Here's what you'll find online:

Escape Through Time
Explore the myriad safety features that have progressively appeared in cars, planes, lifeboats, and firefighting equipment over the decades.
Skydive from the Stratosphere (Hot Science)
Ride your balloon to an altitude of 100,000 feet. Then jump, try to figure out when to open your parachute, and see what happens. (Shockwave and non-Shockwave versions available.)
Human Response
What can happen to your mind and body during and immediately after an accident? How should you cope with panic, shock, hypothermia, smoke inhalation?
Survivor Stories
What is it like to escape from a burning building? Survive a plane crash? Jump a stricken ship and float overnight in rough seas?
Pioneers of Survival
Meet the committed, often intrepid individuals who stand at the forefront of accident investigation and safety research.
Survival Strategies
Accidents happen when you least expect them. Be prepared with safety tips gathered from leading safety organizations.

NOVA Online is produced for PBS by the WGBH Science Unit
Major funding for NOVA is provided by the Park Foundation, The Northwestern Mutual Life Foundation, and Iomega Corporation.