Where do nature’s building blocks, called the elements, come from? They’re the hidden ingredients of everything in our world, from the carbon in our bodies to the metals in our smartphones. To unlock their secrets, David Pogue, the lively host of NOVA’s popular “Making Stuff” series and technology correspondent of The New York Times, spins viewers through the world of weird, extreme chemistry: the strongest acids, the deadliest poisons, the universe’s most abundant elements, and the rarest of the rare-substances cooked up in atom smashers that flicker into existence for only fractions of a second. Why are some elements-like platinum or gold-inert, while others-like phosphorus or potassium-are violently explosive? Why are some vital to every breath we take while others are lethal toxins that kill off their discoverers, as with Marie Curie? As he digs for answers, Pogue reveals the story of the elements to be a rich stew simmering with passion, madness, and obsessive scientific rivalry. Punctuated by surprising and often alarming experiments, this program takes NOVA on a roller-coaster ride through nature’s hidden lab and the compelling stories of discovery that revealed its secrets.
Languages: English
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Sister Wendy in Conversation with Bill Moyers Book
A 96-page companion book to the video Sister Wendy in Conversation with Bill Moyers, contains the complete transcript of the three-hour conversation between Sister Wendy and Bill Moyers–including additional dialogue not in the video.
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NOVA scienceNOW: What are Animals Thinking?
Have you ever wondered what’s going on inside your pet’s mind? In What Are Animals Thinking? find out how a beehive resembles a human brain and whether your dog is really feeling guilty when it gives you that famous “guilty look.”
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The Churchills
An astounding portrait of one of history’s most important families. They overcame doubters with powerful persuasion. They overthrew enemies with ruthless determination. They overjoyed the public with courageous leadership. The Churchills–regally descended from the first Duke of Marlborough–blended aristocratic privilege with ceaseless ambition to ultimately bring glory to their nation and their name. Special DVD features include: a link to the American Experience Web site; closed captions; and video descriptions. (2.5 hrs on 1 disc)
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NOVA scienceNOW: What will the future be like?
Mobile phones that read your mind? Video games that can cure cancer? Wearable robots that give you the strength of Ironman? David Pogue predicts which technologies will transform our daily lives. These advancements are already taking shape in laboratories around the world – and gadgets that once were purely science fiction are on the verge of becoming as common as the iPhones and Androids Pogue reviews every day.
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NOVA: Ultimate Mars Challenge
Mars Curiosity. It could be NASA’s last chance to set wheels down on Mars until the end of the decade: This August, a rover named Curiosity will touch down inside Mars’ Gale Crater, carrying 10 new instruments that will advance the quest for signs that Mars might have once been suitable for life. But Curiosity’s mission is risky. After parachuting through the Martian atmosphere at twice the speed of sound, Curiosity will be gently lowered to the planet’s surface by a “sky crane.” This first-of-its-kind system has been tested on Earth, but will it work on Mars? With inside access to the massive team of scientists and engineers responsible for Curiosity’s on-the-ground experiments, NOVA will be there for the exhilarating moments after Curiosity’s landing-and for the spectacular discoveries to come. But no rover does it alone: Curiosity will be joining a team that includes the Mars Odyssey, Express, and Reconnaissance orbiters, along with the tireless Opportunity rover. As we reveal the dynamic new picture of Mars that these explorers are painting, we will discover the deep raised by forty years of roving Mars: How do we define life? How does life begin and what does it need to survive? Are we alone in the universe?
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NOVA: Ultimate Mars Challenge Blu-ray
Mars Curiosity. It could be NASA’s last chance to set wheels down on Mars until the end of the decade: This August, a rover named Curiosity will touch down inside Mars’ Gale Crater, carrying 10 new instruments that will advance the quest for signs that Mars might have once been suitable for life. But Curiosity’s mission is risky. After parachuting through the Martian atmosphere at twice the speed of sound, Curiosity will be gently lowered to the planet’s surface by a “sky crane.” This first-of-its-kind system has been tested on Earth, but will it work on Mars? With inside access to the massive team of scientists and engineers responsible for Curiosity’s on-the-ground experiments, NOVA will be there for the exhilarating moments after Curiosity’s landing-and for the spectacular discoveries to come. But no rover does it alone: Curiosity will be joining a team that includes the Mars Odyssey, Express, and Reconnaissance orbiters, along with the tireless Opportunity rover. As we reveal the dynamic new picture of Mars that these explorers are painting, we will discover the deep raised by forty years of roving Mars: How do we define life? How does life begin and what does it need to survive? Are we alone in the universe?
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NOVA scienceNOW: How smart can we get?
How Smart Can We Get? How do you get a genius brain? Is it all in the genes? Or is it hard work? Episodes include: Einstein’s Brain; Mystery of the Savant Brain; What is Intelligence?; and Profile: Sian Beilock.
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NOVA: Hurricane Sandy: Inside the Megastorm
Was Hurricane Sandy a freak combination of weather systems? Or are hurricanes increasing in intensity due to a warming climate? How did this perfect storm make search and rescue so dangerous? “Inside the Megastorm” takes viewers moment by moment through Hurricane Sandy, its impacts and the future of storm protection. Through first person accounts from those who survived, and from experts and scientists, “Inside the Megastorm” gives scientific context to a new breed of storms.
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NOVA: Doomsday Volcanoes
n April 2010, the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano turned much of the northern hemisphere into an ash-strewn no-fly zone, stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers. But Eyjafjallajökull was just the start. Now, an Icelandic volcano ten times bigger, Katla, has begun to swell and grumble. Two more giants, Hekla and Laki, could erupt without warning. Iceland is a ticking time bomb: When it blows, the consequences will be global. As CGI takes us inside these geological monsters, meet atmospheric scientists who are working to understand just how devastating an eruption could be – not just for air travel but for the global food supply and for Earth’s climate. Could we be plunged into years of cold and famine? What can we do to prepare for the disaster to come?