2019 was a year filled with astonishing discoveries on Earth and beyond. We inched closer to immortality, recovered and restored our heritage, and science fiction became science fact when we saw the unseeable for the very first time.
Some 30 million Americans have sent their DNA to be analyzed by companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA. But what happens once the sample is in the hands of testing companies, and how accurate are their results? NOVA explores the power of genetic data to reveal family connections, ancestry, and health risks—and even solve criminal cold cases.
Just about every solid, liquid, or gas in the world as we know it begins with reactions between individual atoms and molecules. Host David Pogue dives into the transformative world of chemical reactions, from the complex formula that produces cement to the single reaction that’s allowed farmers to feed a global population by the billions.
2/3 • Beyond the Elements • 2020 • Science
Can the study of Humpback Whale communication help researchers understand communications from an alien intelligence?
3/8 • Stories of Impact • 2019 • Science
Every 17 minutes in America, someone is killed with a gun. Politicians can't seem to stop the violence. But epidemiologists, psychologists and big data crunchers are discovering that gun crime spreads like a virus -and science may be able to stop its spread.
S8E04 • Through the Wormhole • 2017 • Science
Young black teens in South Africa's townships are learning to be radio reporters by trying to understand the concept of "Ubuntu" and what it means to their community.
4/8 • Stories of Impact • 2019 • Science
How does altruism begin. Is it biological? Is it taught? Researchers are trying to understand the DNA of altruism by studying toddlers.
5/8 • Stories of Impact • 2019 • Science