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NOVA airs Wednesday nights at 9PM on most PBS stations. See the national schedule or check local listings.

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US, US Territories, Canada

US & Territories

International Space Station floating above the Earth

Imagine a place where more than 280 people have defied Earth's gravity, risking their lives to do science 250 miles above us. Here, on the International Space Station, unexpected challenges are a daily threat, from an astronaut's helmet filling with water on a spacewalk, to the entire station spinning out of control. Witness the ingenuity, courage, and international cooperation required to overcome these life-threatening emergencies. And discover how this unique orbiting laboratory continues to push the boundaries of science, uniting humanity in a shared pursuit of knowledge beyond our planet, even as its own incredible journey approaches its fiery conclusion. (Episode two of a two-part series premieres November 12 at 9 pm on PBS.)

See how ingenuity and teamwork keep the crew alive and doing science 250 miles above Earth.

Operation Space Station: Science and Survival

Witness an unprecedented feat of engineering: the construction of the International Space Station, a habitable space lab hurtling around Earth at 17,000 mph. Every step of this ambitious project unfolds against the backdrop of a merciless vacuum, dangerous radiation, and extreme temperatures. Experience high-stakes drama as astronauts confront life-threatening malfunctions, including a toxic ammonia leak during a critical spacewalk. And see how each time, a combination of quick thinking and nerves of steel help the crew survive and thrive in a hostile environment – a testament to international collaboration and the relentless pursuit of scientific discovery. (Episode one of a two-part series, premiering November 5, 2025 at 9 pm on PBS)

Astronauts and Mission Control relive terrifying moments during construction of the ISS.

Operation Space Station: High-Risk Build

General - US & Territories

Massive flood going through road and cars

The deadly flash floods in Texas over the 2025 Fourth of July weekend were just the latest reminder of an alarming new reality: Once-rare "superfloods" are striking with unprecedented ferocity, devastating communities around the globe. Join investigators as they piece together a moment-by-moment account of the Asheville, North Carolina disaster in 2024, when Hurricane Helene triggered flash floods and mudslides in a city 2,000 feet above sea level and more than 250 miles inland. Discover how hidden atmospheric phenomena, combined with a warming planet, are creating a new era of risk. Can science offer a lifeline to communities facing an increasingly dangerous future? (Premiering October 29, 2025)

Find out why deadly flash floods are on the rise and how we can protect ourselves from them.

Superfloods

In 1775, a ragtag army of farmers and tradesmen went to war against the most powerful army in the world, ultimately winning American independence. What military technologies did the American colonies use in their fight for freedom, and how did they help propel them to one of history’s most unlikely victories? Archaeologists and historians uncover the real stories of innovation, skill, and strategy that determined the outcome of important battles. From the Brown Bess musket to the world’s first military submarine, get a closeup look at the powerful and sometimes ingenious weapons that helped the colonies win the war. (Premiered April 9 at 9 pm on PBS)

Explore key military technologies in the American colonies’ fight for freedom.

Revolutionary War Weapons

6 footprints embedded in beige, crusty desert surface

Thousands of ancient footprints stretch for miles across New Mexico’s White Sands National Park, capturing moments when Ice Age humans encountered now-extinct beasts, including mammoths and enormous ground sloths. These footprints tell an intimate story about what life was like during the Ice Age and reveal surprising new evidence about when humans arrived in North America. (Premiered May 25, 2022)

Ancient footprints provide new evidence of humans and extinct giant beasts of the Ice Age.

Ice Age Footprints

For decades, scientists have tried to unlock the secrets of ancient DNA. But life’s genetic blueprint is incredibly fragile, and researchers have struggled to find DNA in fossils that could survive millions of years. Then, one maverick scientist had the controversial idea to look for DNA not in fossils or frozen ancient tissue – but in dirt. Join the hunt as scientists decipher the oldest DNA ever found, and reveal for the first time the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in a warm, lush Arctic. (Premiered February 21, 2024 at 9 pm on PBS)

Follow the quest to recover DNA millions of years old for the very first time.

Hunt for the Oldest DNA

In this two-hour special, renowned paleontologist Kirk Johnson takes us on an epic adventure through time at the polar extremes of our planet. Following a trail of strange fossils found in all the wrong places—beech trees in Antarctica, hippo-like mammals in the Arctic—Johnson uncovers the bizarre history of the poles, from miles-high ice sheets to warm polar forests teeming with life. What caused such dramatic changes at the ends of the Earth? And what can the past reveal about our planet’s climate today—and in the future? (Premiered February 5, 2020)

Paleontologist Kirk Johnson explores the dynamic history—and future—of ice at the poles.

Polar Extremes

Asteroids in the sky traveling crashing towards Earth

Imagine a time when Earth was a molten, volcanic wasteland, heavily bombarded by colossal asteroids. We’ve long feared these cosmic impacts as destroyers of life, but what if they were the key to our very existence? Explore a revolutionary theory suggesting that these violent collisions provided the essential ingredients – water, minerals, and energy – needed for life to ignite on our planet. Discover how scientists are unearthing evidence from lunar rocks and ancient impact craters, revealing that the very objects known for extinguishing life might have actually sparked it. (Premiering January 21, 2026 at 9 pm on PBS)

What if violent asteroid impacts actually jump-started life on Earth? Explore a dramatic theory.

Asteroids: Spark of Life?

Uncover the lost secrets of a once-mighty empire. The city of Angkor, the seat of the great Khmer Empire in Southeast Asia for 500 years, was once the biggest city in the world. For centuries, this incredible civilization flourished, building the largest religious monument on Earth, Angkor Wat, and mastering urban engineering in a challenging landscape. But then it was mysteriously abandoned, swallowed by the jungle. Now, cutting-edge technology and new discoveries are finally revealing how this astounding empire rose to global prominence – and what likely led to its devastating collapse. Follow a scientific detective story that is challenging everything we thought we knew about this ancient metropolis. (Premiering January 28, 2026 at 9 pm on PBS)

New evidence sheds light on the remarkable life – and mysterious collapse – of the ancient jungle city.

Schedule

Upcoming Episodes

Revolutionary War Weapons

Ice Age Footprints

Hunt for the Oldest DNA

Polar Extremes

Asteroids: Spark of Life?

Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire

Recent Episodes

Operation Space Station: Science and Survival

Operation Space Station: High-Risk Build

Superfloods

Upcoming Episodes

Revolutionary War Weapons

Ice Age Footprints

Hunt for the Oldest DNA

Polar Extremes

Asteroids: Spark of Life?

Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire

Recent Episodes

Operation Space Station: Science and Survival

Operation Space Station: High-Risk Build

Superfloods

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