Decoding Da Vinci

November 13, 2019

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NOVA - S46 - E21

How Leonardo da Vinci used science to create his legendary artwork. Included: why Mona Lisa's smile is so captivating—and what it took to create it.

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NOVA: Season 46 - 23 Episode s

46x1 - Pluto and Beyond
January 2, 2019
Since it explored Pluto in 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft has been zooming toward NASA’s most distant target yet. Join the mission team as the probe attempts to fly by Ultima Thule, an object 4 billion miles from Earth.
46x2 - Einstein's Quantum Riddle
January 9, 2019
Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance,” but today quantum entanglement is poised to revolutionize technology from computers to cryptography. Physicists have gradually become convinced that the phenomenon—two subatomic particles that mirror changes in each other instantaneously over any distance—is real.
46x3 - Kïlauea: Hawai'i on Fire
January 23, 2019
Journey to Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, which sent rivers of lava through communities and into the sea when it erupted in 2018. A group of scientists and locals investigate the spike in volcano activity that turned paradise into an inferno.
46x4 - Decoding the Great Pyramid
February 6, 2019
New archeological evidence sheds light on the stunning engineering of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
46x5 - Rise of the Rockets
February 13, 2019
With new technologies, NASA and private companies are promising a new renaissance in space travel.
46x6 - The Next Pompeii
February 20, 2019
In the shadow of Vesuvius and Pompeii, a lesser-known volcano puts the city of Naples at risk.
46x7 - Saving the Dead Sea
April 24, 2019
Scientists, engineers and political leaders devise a plan to save the Dead Sea, whose levels have declined by more than 65 feet since 1976.
46x8 - Inside the Megafire
May 8, 2019
Scientists try to determine the cause for the increasing megafire threat by exploring the physics of fire, how firestorms move and travel and by analyzing aerial drone and satellite data to catch fires before they start.
46x9 - First Horse Warriors
May 15, 2019
Canadian anthropologist Niobe Thompson travels to sites in Kazakhstan, genetics labs in Denmark and anthropology museums in Russia to unlock mysteries surrounding the first riders of wild horses.
46x10 - Lost Viking Army
May 22, 2019
Forensic archaeologist Cat Jarman and her team investigate the Great Heathen army, a legendary Viking fighting force that invaded England in the 9th century.
46x11 - Back to the Moon
July 10, 2019
On the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing, NOVA looks ahead to the hoped-for dawn of a new age in lunar exploration. This time, governments and private industry are working together to reach our nearest celestial neighbour. But why go back? The Moon can serve as a platform for basic astronomical research; as an abundant source of rare metals and hydrogen fuel; and ultimately as a stepping stone for human missions to Mars and beyond. Join the next generation of engineers that aim to take us to the Moon, and discover how our legacy of lunar exploration won't be confined to the history books for long.
46x12 - The Planets: Inner Worlds
July 24, 2019
The rocky planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars all have similar origins, but only one supports life.
46x13 - The Planets: Mars
July 24, 2019
The dry, red planet Mars was once a blue water world studded with active volcanoes and may have even had the ingredients to support life.
46x14 - The Planets: Jupiter
July 31, 2019
Jupiter's gravitational force made it a wrecking ball as it barreled through the early solar system, but it also helped shape life on Earth as it brought comets laden with water and possibly the asteroid that put an end to the dinosaurs.
46x15 - The Planets: Saturn
August 7, 2019
Nasa's Cassini reveals the mysteries of Saturn's rings and new hope for life on one of its moons.
46x16 - The Planets: Ice Worlds
August 14, 2019
Uranus and Neptune's unexpected rings, supersonic winds and dozens of moons; an up-close view of Pluto before exploring the Kuiper belt.
46x17 - Why Bridges Collapse
October 16, 2019
Join experts as they compare what happened in several deadly bridge collapses across America.
46x18 - Look Who's Driving
October 23, 2019
Self-driving cars may one day be big business, but will they ever be safer than human drivers?
46x19 - Rise of the Mammals
October 30, 2019
Sixty-six million years ago, an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs in a fiery global catastrophe. An amazing trove of fossils reveals how mammals took over, ultimately evolving into the huge array of species—including humans—that rule the Earth today.
46x20 - Dead Sea Scroll Detectives
November 6, 2019
Since the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947, these fragile parchment relics have intrigued scholars, religious leaders, and profiteers alike. The 2,000-year-old scrolls include the oldest-known versions of the Hebrew Bible and hold vital clues about the birth of Christianity. While certain scrolls have survived intact, others have been ravaged by time—burnt, decayed, or torn to pieces—and remain an enigma. Now, scientists are using new technologies to read the unreadable, solve mysteries that have endured for millennia, and even discover million-dollar fakes.
46x21 - Decoding Da Vinci
November 13, 2019
How Leonardo da Vinci used science to create his legendary artwork. Included: why Mona Lisa's smile is so captivating—and what it took to create it.
46x22 - The Violence Paradox
November 20, 2019
Is violence actually declining? If so, why? And can we build a more peaceful future?
46x23 - Animal Espionage
November 27, 2019
Camera technology is revolutionizing the study of animals—without them even noticing.

46x1 - Pluto and Beyond

46x2 - Einstein's Quantum Riddle

46x3 - Kïlauea: Hawai'i on Fire

46x4 - Decoding the Great Pyramid

46x5 - Rise of the Rockets

46x6 - The Next Pompeii

46x7 - Saving the Dead Sea

46x8 - Inside the Megafire

46x9 - First Horse Warriors

46x10 - Lost Viking Army

46x11 - Back to the Moon

46x12 - The Planets: Inner Worlds

46x13 - The Planets: Mars

46x14 - The Planets: Jupiter

46x15 - The Planets: Saturn

46x16 - The Planets: Ice Worlds

46x17 - Why Bridges Collapse

46x18 - Look Who's Driving

46x19 - Rise of the Mammals

46x20 - Dead Sea Scroll Detectives

46x21 - Decoding Da Vinci

46x22 - The Violence Paradox

46x23 - Animal Espionage

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