Nova

Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system. But what else makes Venus's next door neighbor unique?

What makes Venus's next door neighbor unique?

Five Facts About the Planet Closest to Our Sun

What else makes the second planet in our solar system interesting?

Our next door neighbor is most like Earth in terms of size and mass.

Five Facts About Hot, Volcanic Venus

The rocky planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars—were born of similar material around the same time. Yet only one of them supports life. Were Earth's neighbors always so extreme? And is there somewhere else in the solar system life might flourish?

The rocky planets have similar origins, but only 1 supports life. Was it always this way?

The Planets: Inner Worlds Preview

Planets: Inner Worlds Preview

Among the stars in the night sky wander the eight-plus worlds of our own solar system—each home to truly awe-inspiring sights. Volcanoes three times higher than Everest, geysers erupting with icy plumes, cyclones larger than Earth lasting hundreds of years.

The life of our solar system told in five dramatic stories spanning billions of years.

The Planets Series Trailer

Planets Series Trailer

The Planets Series Teaser

Planets Series Teaser

The Planets: Inner Worlds

Planets: Inner Worlds

Koch Foundation

Draper

The four planets closest to the sun, called the rocky planets, were born from the same material in the same era. But they couldn’t be more different: Tiny Mercury is the runt of the litter, almost like a moon. Venus is devilishly hot, and Mars is a frozen desert world. Only on Earth do we find the unique conditions for life as we know it. But why only here? Were Earth&#x27;s neighbors always so extreme? And is there somewhere else in the solar system life might flourish? (Premiering July 24 at 9 pm on PBS)

The rocky planets have similar origins, but only one supports life. Was it always this way?

The rocky planets have similar origins, but only one supports life. Was it always this way?

Space & Flight

Mars was once a blue water-world studded with active volcanoes. But when its magnetic field and protective atmosphere faded, it became the frozen desert planet we know today. With so many necessary elements in place, did life ever form on Mars?

Before it was a dry planet, Mars was a wet world that may have had life's ingredients.

The Planets: Mars Preview

Planets: Mars Preview

The Planets: Mars

Planets: Mars

The Red Planet was once a vibrant blue water-world, home to raging rivers, active volcanoes, and even an ocean. But as the young planet’s core cooled, its magnetic field and protective atmosphere faded, eventually exposing it to the wrath of the sun. With its volcanoes extinguished and its water lost to space, Mars became the frozen desert planet we know today. But if it once had many of the ingredients necessary to form life, how far along might that process have gotten? (Premiering July 24 at 10 pm on PBS)

Before it was the dry Red Planet, Mars was a wet world that may have had the ingredients for life.

Before it was the dry Red Planet, Mars was a wet world that may have had the ingredients for life.

Jupiter’s massive gravitational force made it a wrecking ball when it barreled through the early solar system. But it also shaped life on Earth, delivering comets laden with water—and perhaps even the fateful asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Jupiter's massive gravitational force has made it a wrecking ball and a protector of Earth

The Planets: Jupiter Preview

Planets: Jupiter Preview

The Planets: Jupiter

Planets: Jupiter

Jupiter is not just the oldest planet orbiting the sun—it’s also the largest. So when the young gas giant went on a rampage through the inner solar system, it shaped the fate of everything in its path. Speeding towards the Sun, Jupiter’s massive gravitational force hurled debris into interstellar space, stunting the growth of would-be planets. Earth might have been doomed had Saturn not pulled Jupiter back. Today, Jupiter resides in the outer solar system, where its gravity bends the paths of asteroids and stokes volcanic activity on its moon Io. But it could one day wreak havoc again. (Premiering July 31 at 9 pm on PBS)

Jupiter's massive gravitational force has made it both a wrecking ball and a protector of Earth.

Jupiter&#x27;s massive gravitational force has made it both a wrecking ball and a protector of Earth.

NASA’s Cassini explores Saturn for 13 years, looping through its icy rings and flying by its moons. The probe captures stunning ring-moon interactions, but when it finds the ingredients for life on the moon Enceladus, a bittersweet decision is made.

NASA's Cassini reveals the mysteries of Saturn's rings—and new hope for life on a moon.

The Planets: Saturn Preview

Planets: Saturn Preview

The Planets: Saturn

Planets: Saturn

Over the past 40 years, a handful of space probes has given us glimpses of Saturn. But NASA’s Cassini, which explored the gas giant’s realm for 13 years, delivered the most breathtaking new insights. NOVA takes you inside Cassini’s epic journey as it makes stunning discoveries: Saturn’s rings are younger than the dinosaurs and may be remnants of an ice moon. And geysers erupting ice and gas on the moon Enceladus show that it could have all the ingredients for life. But to protect it, the Cassini team makes a bittersweet decision. (Premiering August 7 at 9 pm on PBS)

NASA's Cassini reveals the mysteries of Saturn's rings—and new hope for life on one of its moons.

NASA&#x27;s Cassini reveals the mysteries of Saturn&#x27;s rings—and new hope for life on one of its moons.

In the far reaches of the solar system, Uranus and Neptune dazzle with unexpected rings, supersonic winds, and dozens of moons. And NASA’s New Horizons gets a stunning up-close view of Pluto before venturing deep into the Kuiper Belt.

Beyond icy worlds of Uranus and Neptune, Pluto dazzles with its mysterious ocean.

The Planets: Ice Worlds Preview

Planets: Ice Worlds Preview

The Planets: Ice Worlds

Planets: Ice Worlds

Over a billion miles from the sun, beyond the rocky inner planets and the gas giants, lie the ice words—Uranus and Neptune. NOVA takes you inside the missions that rewrote the story of the outer solar system: NASA’s Voyager 1 &amp; 2 capture Neptune’s supersonic winds, and rings around a tipped-over Uranus. And when New Horizons flies by Pluto in 2015, it reveals jagged ice mountains and an underground ocean. (Premiering August 14 at 9 pm on PBS)

Beyond the bizarre, icy worlds of Uranus and Neptune, Pluto dazzles with its mysterious ocean.

Beyond the bizarre, icy worlds of Uranus and Neptune, Pluto dazzles with its mysterious ocean.

The Planets Teaser Hero

Among the stars in the night sky wander the eight-plus worlds of our own solar system—each home to truly awe-inspiring sights. Volcanoes three times higher than Everest, geysers erupting with icy plumes, cyclones larger than Earth lasting hundreds of years. Each of our celestial neighbors has a distinct personality and a unique story. In this five-part series, NOVA will explore the awesome beauty of “The Planets,” including Saturn’s 175,000-mile-wide rings, Mars’ ancient waterfalls four times the size of any found on Earth, and Neptune’s winds—12 times stronger than any hurricane felt on our planet. Using unique special effects and extraordinary footage captured by orbiters, landers and rovers, we’ll treat viewers to an up-close look at these faraway worlds. We’ll stand on the dark side of Pluto, lit only by the reflected light of its moons, watch the sun set over an ancient Martian waterfall, and witness a storm twice the size of Earth from high above Saturn. And, we’ll reveal how each of them has affected our own planet: Earth. (A five-part series premiering July 24, 2019 at 9 pm on PBS)

The life of our solar system told in five dramatic stories spanning billions of years.

The Planets

asteroid

Scientists have discovered a permanent visitor from interstellar space cruising through our solar system.

Rebel Asteroid Found Flying Backwards Near Jupiter

Supercharged Supercapacitors Hero

<div class="rich-text">Supercapacitors run on static electricity and they can recharge and deliver power faster than conventional batteries. Their main drawback is how much energy they can store. But a new technique for making supercapacitors may eliminate that disadvantage&nbsp;and propel them to the forefront of the renewable energy world.
</div>

<div class="rich-text">A new way of making supercapacitors may help them store more energy than normal batteries.</div>

Supercharged Supercapacitors

NOVA-Wonders[1].jpg

In this collection, you&#x27;ll find original short-form videos from NOVA Wonders, a 6-part series exploring the biggest questions on the frontiers of science.