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Nova follows the hosts of NPR's Car Talk, brothers Ray and Tom Magliozzi, as they explore new breeds of vehicles that might change the way we think about automobiles. While major auto manufacturers still push horsepower over fuel economy, hydrogen, ethanol, and plug-in electrical vehicles are among the innovative technologies that aim to curb oil dependence and slow carbon emissions. Putting gasoline consumption and federal standards in a historical context, Nova reminds us how we got here, and offers some viable alternatives that may help get us out.
Posted 5:04, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Gallaway
and edited by Brijit.
The largest battleship ever to be built, the surprisingly agile and innovative Yamato, quickly became more of a symbol of national pride for Japan as the focus of naval warfare turned to the skies. After the battle of Midway, it became clear that aircraft carriers, not battleships, were the real source of naval might, and it was aircraft launched from American carriers that sank the Yamato in a matter of minutes, taking nearly all of its 3,000 sailors with it. Nova comprehensively follows the history of the doomed ship to its nearly suicidal ending, and the end of the Japanese navy in World War II.
Posted 11:12, 30 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Gallaway
and edited by Brijit.
Titan, one of Saturn's dozen or so moons, has an atmosphere that could possibly sustain life of some sort. This report follows the satellite Cassini (named after the Greek scientist who discovered gaps in Saturn's rings) from its development more than 20 years ago, across its marvelously engineered seven-year trek to reach Saturn, and through its perilous path into the planet's obstacle-laced orbit. The satellite has since dropped its payload of the Huygens probe on Titan, but still sends back invaluable information about Saturn's rings and other moons.
Posted 1:52, 4 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Canaan Fong
and edited by Brijit.
in Nova
by
Lance Lewman, 18 March 2008
Since solar power was first introduced in the United States in the late 1950s, popular adoption rates of the technology remain dreadfully low; less than one percent of all energy comes from renewable sources. Proponents of the technology point to Germany, where estimates show that, largely due to government incentives, a third of all power will be produced by photovoltaic means by the year 2020. This episode presents this viable alternative to the burning of fossil fuels, and the resulting drop in carbon emissions, while remaining objective and concise.
Posted 9:25, 28 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Gallaway
and edited by Brijit.
in Nova
by
Mark Davis, 19 February 2008
The microraptor is a four-winged dinosaur discovered in 2002 that could be the potential link between dinosaurs and birds. Found in China, paleontologists have been pondering how its multiple wings produce flight -- or if these wings were merely decorative. Joining the analysis, Nova produces a "flight-ready wind tunnel" to test various theories. There are two camps of thought about dinosaur flight: one holds that running creatures eventually developed wings, while the other postulates that smaller, gliding reptiles became fliers. With experts debating either side, Nova's speculative investigation ads to the debate, though it doesn't resolve the issue.
Posted 3:13, 20 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Ceda Xiong
and edited by Brijit.
in Nova
by
Gail Willumsen, 5 February 2008
A pharaoh's skeleton has been discovered in an unlikely spot: the collection of the Niagara Falls Museum. Spurred by North America's 19th-century Egyptophilia, a collector purchased the royal mummy from a cache of corpses in the Valley of the Kings and transported it to Canada. Decades passed until historian Gayle Gibson noticed the unusual hand-crossing on the body that indicated a royal burial. Finally, after years of back-and-forth speculation, sophisticated testing finally identified the body as that of Rameses I. Expert interviews and a detailed history makes for a intriguing documentary that ties the past to the present.
Posted 9:41, 6 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Ceda Xiong
and edited by Brijit.
in Nova
by
Gary Glassman, 29 January 2008
A project by the Greek government to restore the Parthenon included not only mimicking missing stones, but recreating ancient tools and techniques. Joints in the Parthenon are less than a hair-width apart, reflecting the incredible precision of the Greek craftsmanship. The structure's visual harmony was previous attributed to the golden mean, but recent historians attribute it to the 4:9 ratio that is found in the span of the columns to roof. Briefly describing the indignities that the Parthenon has suffered through the centuries, this documentary is mostly focused on the rediscovery of ancient techniques, full of information on the subject of preservation.
Posted 9:18, 30 January 2008
This abstract was written by
Ceda Xiong
and edited by Brijit.
For centuries the physics of cold interested only a few scientists, but by the early 19th century commercial possibilities began to capture the public imagination. Nova traces the highlights of cold-related scientific discoveries, documenting how refrigeration and air conditioning allowed Americans to move to the South and Southwest. Refrigeration in particular allowed people to spread out as railroads adopted the technology to transport food. This episode's individual segments are well done, but it's missing a strong narrative to connect the dots of all the events.
Posted 10:26, 9 January 2008
This abstract was written by
Kerry Dexter
and edited by Brijit.
in Nova
by
Michael Barnes, 18 December 2007
In the 1950s American and Russian fighter pilots brought the Cold War to the skies, engaging in high-pitched air battles over a region that became known as MiG Alley. This episode delves into the strategic and technological aspects of the air war, which pitted the American Sabre fighter jet against the Soviet MiG-15. It also explores the human side of the war through fascinating interviews with the pilots who waged it. It also features an in-depth examination of the heartbreaking fate of American pilots who were shot down over Korea, many of whom remained missing in action for decades.
Posted 5:05, 20 December 2007
This abstract was written by
David Anderson
and edited by Brijit.
Nova presents an incredible documentary about the Mofu people of northern Cameroon, who use red driver ants as weapons against the rampaging termites that threaten the tribe's food resources following an extreme drought. After prayers and offerings fail to entice the killer ants, called jaglavak, a village elder sends children to locate the insects. When the jaglavak finally do arrive, viewers are treated to stunning video of an underground war between the tiny combatants. The terrifying invasion scene rivals that of a human raid captured on film.
Posted 12:51, 21 November 2007
This abstract was written by
Lisa Mooney
and edited by Brijit.