Name: The Truth About Fat
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Nova

Scientists are coming to understand fat as a dynamic organ—one whose size may have more to do with biological processes than personal choices. Explore the mysteries of fat and its role in hormone production, hunger, and even pregnancy.

Could it be that body fat has more to do with biological processes than personal choices?

The Truth About Fat Prologue

Truth About Fat Prologue

A young man with lipodystrophy receives treatment after researchers find a hormone in mice that helps regulate appetite in humans.

The discovery of leptin transformed our view of fat.

How the Hormone Leptin Helps Regulate Appetite

The Truth About Fat Preview

Truth About Fat Preview

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The Truth About Fat

Truth About Fat

Experts weigh in on the relationship between food and exercise—turns out it's much more complex than it seems.
Remembering sumo champion Byambajav Ulambayar, who died in February 2020.

It has to do with where the fat is distributed in their bodies.

How Do Sumo Wrestlers Avoid Obesity-Related Diseases?

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Do we control our fat, or does it control us? For generations, overweight individuals have been stigmatized and cast as lazy. But scientists are coming to understand fat as a fascinating and dynamic organ—one whose size has more to do with biological processes than personal choices. Through real-life stories of hunter-gatherers, sumo wrestlers, and supermodels, NOVA explores the complex functions of fat and the role it plays in controlling hunger, hormones, and even reproduction.

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Could it be that body fat has more to do with biological processes than personal choices?

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NOVA investigates the story of cannabis from the criminalization that has disproportionately harmed communities of color to the latest medical understanding of the plant. What risks does cannabis pose to the developing brain? How much do we know about its potential medical benefits? As cannabis becomes socially accepted, scientists are exploring its long-term health consequences. (Premiered September 29, 2021)Check out a previously recorded panel discussion and audience Q&amp;A featuring experts and producers from "The Cannabis Question" <a href="https://youtu.be/nSTT5RZ_hxA">here</a>.

As state-legalized cannabis spreads, NOVA explores its little-known risks and benefits.

The Cannabis Question

A 2006 composite image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Telescope shows the chaos of baby stars in the Orion nebula some 1,500 light-years away. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/STScI

With the upcoming launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble era is gradually drawing to a close. Here are some highlights from the countless wonders Hubble has shown us during its 31 years in space.

10 spectacular Hubble Space Telescope images

A statue of Zheng He at the Sam Poo Kong Temple in Java, Indonesia. Image Credit: Budianto Santosa, Shutterstock

In the 1400s, Zheng He sailed thousands of miles around Asia and Africa in ships the size of soccer fields, spreading Chinese innovations like compasses and gunpowder in the process.

The Truth About Fat

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The Truth About Fat

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How Do Sumo Wrestlers Avoid Obesity-Related Diseases?

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Ultra-processed foods make us eat more, and it’s not about their nutritional makeup

How the Hormone Leptin Helps Regulate Appetite

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Explore More

How 'brown fat' helps you cope with cold weather

The Truth About Fat

Junk Food Can Alter Your Immune System

How Do Sumo Wrestlers Avoid Obesity-Related Diseases?

People Who Follow Low-Fat Diets Have Higher Mortality Rates, Study Says

Ultra-processed foods make us eat more, and it’s not about their nutritional makeup

How the Hormone Leptin Helps Regulate Appetite