PODCAST · science
NOVA | PBS
by WGBH Science Unit
NOVA brings you short audio stories from the world of science -- anything from hurricanes to mummies to neutrinos. For more science programming online and on air, visit NOVA's Web site at pbs.org/nova, or watch NOVA broadcasts Wednesday nights on PBS.
Episodes
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(Refeed) New Species in the Old World
The last place you'd expect to find a new treasure is where everyone has been looking for centuries. Yet in Europe, home to history's greatest taxonomists, professional scientists and amateurs are scouring the countryside for new species—and finding them at an astonishing rate. Funding for NOVA…
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(Refeed) Gamers and Genomics
People around the world spend an estimated 3 billion hours playing computer games every week. That might seem like a colossal waste of time, but scientists are starting to harness some of that effort to solve vexing problems in biology. Take, for example, a game developed by a pair of scientists…
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(Refeed) A Gene for Fish Order
British scientists have developed a genetic test for a disorder that causes people to emit an unusual body odor: The gene causes sufferers to smell like rotten fish. For those who have been ostracized—shunned by friends and unable to hold jobs because they are perceived as unhygienic—the test...
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(Refeed) Deadly Crocodiles Down Under
The residents of Australia's Northern Territory share their land with one of the deadliest predators on the planet—the saltwater crocodile. Getting humans and these fearsome reptiles to coexist isn't easy. But a government program called "Be Crocwise" is doing its best to keep the peace. For more...
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(Refeed) Boosting Kids' Brain Power
An Oxford University researcher will soon test whether applying an electric current to part of the brain can help children learn math—an effect previously demonstrated in adults. Parents are already lining up for access to the device. But is the technique safe? And is this an ethical way to…
more -
(Refeed) Deadly Crocodiles Down Under
The residents of Australia's Northern Territory share their land with one of the deadliest predators on the planet—the saltwater crocodile. Getting humans and these fearsome reptiles to coexist isn't easy. But a government program called "Be Crocwise" is doing its best to keep the peace. For more...
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Gamers and Genomics
People around the world spend an estimated 3 billion hours playing computer games every week. That might seem like a colossal waste of time, but scientists are starting to harness some of that effort to solve vexing problems in biology. Take, for example, a game developed by a pair of scientists…
more -
(Refeed) Surveillance City
In this interview with The World's Marco Werman, NOVA Producer Miles O'Brien describes how surveillance footage played a key role in cracking the case of the Boston Marathon bombings. But as O'Brien discovered in the course of reporting the NOVA special "Manhunt—Boston Bombers," other cities,...
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(Refeed) Collecting Rain in Mexico City
Mexico City faces a severe water crisis as 21 million residents slowly drain its aquifer. An environmental group is suggesting a plan to install rainwater harvesting systems on individual homes, but city officials are not convinced it will work. For more global science stories, visit:...
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Engineering Extra Senses
Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste. We interact with the world and navigate through it thanks to our senses. But what if we could add to that repertoire? A British scientist and a small group of enthusiasts are exploring ways to do just that. For more global science stories, visit:...
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(Refeed) The Clever Dog Lab
What makes a dog bold or shy, eager or sullen? The Veterinary University of Vienna's Clever Dog Lab aims to find out with the help of some 600 Austrian dogs that owners volunteer for experiments. The results could improve the training and selection of dogs that serve society, from helping the...
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(Refeed) Sandy's Warning
Hurricane Sandy has renewed the debate over climate change in the United States, and two high-profile reports released since the storm have made it clear that without big changes we're headed for an extremely serious climate disruption. Reporter Sam Eaton takes a look at what would have to happen...
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Cornering the Higgs
On July 4, 2012, scientists at CERN used the word "discovery" to describe the results of experiments designed to prove the existence of the Higgs boson, a particle that gives mass to the universe. Host Marco Werman of PRI's The World gets a down-to-earth layman's analogy for what it means to say...
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(Refeed) Elements in the Ocean
There's a lot more to the oceans than salt and water. Many other ingredients make up the rich broth that sustains marine life and helps regulate the Earth's climate. But where do those ingredients come from? To answer that question, French geochemist Catherine Jeandel has collected seawater from...
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Climate Change and Sandy
Could climate change be contributing to extreme weather events like Hurricane Sandy? Jennifer Francis, a climatologist at Rutgers University in New Jersey, believes that may be the case. In fact, her research shows that Arctic warming may have contributed to many of the extreme weather events of...
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Zeroing in on Surveillance Video
After a crime or terrorist attack, authorities looking for the perpetrators may need to review many hours of surveillance video—in just minutes. But how can they speed up the video without speeding up the action? That's where "video synopsis" can help. For more global science stories, visit:...
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New Ways to Use Drones
Thousands of drones could be in commercial use in the U.S. within a few years. These unmanned aerial vehicles may assist everyone from farmers and firefighters to doctors and utility workers. But the government has not yet decided how to regulate this coming fleet of civilian drones. For more...
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Deadly Crocodiles Down Under
The residents of Australia's Northern Territory share their land with one of the deadliest predators on the planet—the saltwater crocodile. Getting humans and these fearsome reptiles to coexist isn't easy. But a government program called "Be Crocwise" is doing its best to keep the peace. For more...
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Dual Epidemics Threaten Koalas
Australia's koala population has been hit hard by two rapidly spreading diseases: chlamydia (a sexually transmitted infection) and a retrovirus similar to HIV. Scientists are working to develop vaccines, while lay citizens help care for sick koalas. Biologists say the epidemics, combined with…
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Australia's "Magnetic" Termites
In Australia's Northern Territory, termites build mounds that are tall, thin, and aligned like compass needles. How and why the insects do this is not entirely clear. One entomologist offers some theories. For more global science stories, visit: http://www.world-science.org/ NOVA is produced by...
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Experts Debate Dinosaur Stampede
Millions of years ago in what is today Australia's Outback, a herd of dinosaurs left behind footprints in what has been interpreted as a stampede to escape a predator. A young researcher now suggests a very different interpretation. For more global science stories, visit:...
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Mexico Considers Gum Tax
Discarded chewing gum is a common eyesore, and removing it from city streets and sidewalks can be costly. A Mexican congressman wants to solve the problem by borrowing a concept widely used in environmental regulation: making the polluters pay. For more global science stories, visit:...
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Digging Up Panama's Past
The Panama Canal is being expanded to accommodate larger ships carrying bigger loads. The construction has exposed a trove of fossils, revealing a wide array of creatures that lived at the southern end of North America 20 million years ago. For more global science stories, visit:...
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New Species in the Old World
The last place you'd expect to find a new treasure is where everyone has been looking for centuries. Yet in Europe, home to history's greatest taxonomists, professional scientists and amateurs are scouring the countryside for new species—and finding them at an astonishing rate. For more global...
-
Collecting Rain in Mexico City
Mexico City faces a severe water crisis as 21 million residents slowly drain its aquifer. An environmental group is suggesting a plan to install rainwater harvesting systems on individual homes, but city officials are not convinced it will work. For more global science stories, visit:...
-
The Clever Dog Lab
What makes a dog bold or shy, eager or sullen? The Veterinary University of Vienna's Clever Dog Lab aims to find out with the help of some 600 Austrian dogs that owners volunteer for experiments. The results could improve the training and selection of dogs that serve society, from helping the...
-
Engineering Extra Senses
Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste. We interact with the world and navigate through it thanks to our senses. But what if we could add to that repertoire? A British scientist and a small group of enthusiasts are exploring ways to do just that. For more global science stories, visit:...
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Packaging You Can Eat
Have you ever eaten a cocktail? Held a mouthful of juice in your hand? A team of chefs, chemists, and designers has come up with a way for you to do just that. They've created a biodegradable shell that can enclose ice cream, mousses, cheeses, and liquids. For more global science stories, visit:...
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Boosting Kids' Brain Power
An Oxford University researcher will soon test whether applying an electric current to part of the brain can help children learn math—an effect previously demonstrated in adults. Parents are already lining up for access to the device. But is the technique safe? And is this an ethical way to…
more -
(Repeat) Capturing Darwin's Dilemma
In 1862, Charles Darwin faced his greatest dilemma-whether or not to go public with his incendiary theory of evolution. It was a turning point for him, and for science as a whole. Today, scriptwriter John Goldsmith, former head of the British Writer's Guild, has crafted the story into a two-hour...
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Magnetic Fish Hooks Save Sharks
It sounds like a plot device from a comic book: a simple substance that can make the powerful weak. But it's not kryptonite. An enterprising chemist says he's found a substance—several, in fact—that work against some of the most fearsome predators in the ocean. And he wants to use his discovery…
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Elements in the Ocean
There's a lot more to the oceans than salt and water. Many other ingredients make up the rich broth that sustains marine life and helps regulate the Earth's climate. But where do those ingredients come from? To answer that question, French geochemist Catherine Jeandel has collected seawater from...
-
A Gene for Fish Order
British scientists have developed a genetic test for a disorder that causes people to emit an unusual body odor: The gene causes sufferers to smell like rotten fish. For those who have been ostracized—shunned by friends and unable to hold jobs because they are perceived as unhygienic—the test...
-
Sandy's Warning
Hurricane Sandy has renewed the debate over climate change in the United States, and two high-profile reports released since the storm have made it clear that without big changes we're headed for an extremely serious climate disruption. Reporter Sam Eaton takes a look at what would have to happen...
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Costa Rica's Hunting Ban
Costa Rica, a tropical country known for its national parks and ecotourism, has proposed a further step to protect its environment: a ban on all hunting. But even in this environmentally conscious nation, the legislation faces obstacles. This podcast was produced by Sam Eaton for NOVA and PRI's...
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Climate Change and Sandy
Could climate change be contributing to extreme weather events like Hurricane Sandy? Jennifer Francis, a climatologist at Rutgers University in New Jersey, believes that may be the case. In fact, her research shows that Arctic warming may have contributed to many of the extreme weather events of...
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(Repeat) NOVA Minute: How to Speak Walrus
Marine biologist Colleen Reichmuth says that few mammals can match the vocal talents of the walrus. Produced by David Levin. Original interview by Doug Hamilton. Learn more at pbs.org/nova NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical...
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(Repeat) NOVA Minute: Whiz Kid
In this episode, biochemist Erika Ebbel describes how a mentor helped her transform into a scientist when she was 11 years old. Produced by David Levin and Rob Chapman. Original interview by Josh Seftel and Tom Miller. Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers" provided by...
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Finding a Fake Van Gogh
NOVA scienceNOW's Dean Irwin discusses what he learned about this new computer technology while producing his story on digital art authentication. Podcast produced by David Levin. Music by Jeff Allen. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA scienceNOW is provided by the National...
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Archeology in the Deep
Brenden Foley hunts ancient shipwrecks for a living. But he's not after sunken treasure--he's after information. Foley is a marine archeologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He's taking a new approach to the field. Instead of just focusing on a handful of shipwrecks, he wants to…
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Speaking Ancient Maya
Anthropologist Barbara Macleod says that studying the ancient Maya language offers a unique window into the past. Podcast produced by David Levin. Interview by Rima Chaddha. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the...
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Life in the Blast Zone
Ecologist Charlie Crisafulli describes how the ecosystem around Mt. St. Helens is rebuilding itself 30 years after the catastrophic eruption. Thirty years ago, a violent eruption ripped through the side of Mt. St. Helens in western Oregon. The blast killed 57 people and countless animals, and...
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Surprises in Your Genes
In order to develop from an embryo, animals as different as fruit flies and humans call on a nearly identical set of genes. But how does this one common genetic toolkit create so many different species? It turns out that it's not the genes you have--it's how you use them. Podcast produced by…
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In Defense of Pluto
After Pluto was discovered in 1930, it enjoyed the title of planet for more than 75 years. But in 2006, that all changed. At a meeting in Prague, the International Astronomical Union adopted a new definition for planethood, leaving the solar system with only eight planets. But not everyone agrees...
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Darwin's Debut
Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species," changed science forever. His radical notions still draw some controversy, but how were they received a century and a half ago? In this podcast, hear from biologist Ken Miller, historian Jim Moore, and the late paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould on the impact of...
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Sexual Cannibalism
In this podcast, biologist Maydianne Andrade explains that sexual cannibalism-a gruesome mating behavior shown of Redback Spiders-is a prime example of how evolution works. Podcast produced by David Levin. Interview by Josh Seftel. Funding for NOVA scienceNOW is provided by the National Science...
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Touching the Past
For Chief Anne "Little Fawn" Richardson, Pocahontas is more than a legendary historical figure. Richardson can trace her own ancestry back to the 17th century, when her tribe, the Rappahannocks, were part of a vast domain ruled by Pocahontas's father. In this podcast, Richardson reflects on the...
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Learning From Bonobos
Primate researcher Vanessa Woods says that when it comes to emotional intelligence, bonobos put the human world to shame. In this podcast, Woods talks to NOVA's Susan Lewis about the behavior of this remarkable species and what it can teach us about our own evolution. Podcast produced by David...
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Galileo and the Telescope
Galileo has been called the "father of modern science". His observations of the night sky in the early 1600s confirmed a new model of the universe, where the Earth orbited the sun—not the other way around. But before he was studying the universe, Galileo was working on practical problems. And his...
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The Big Deal with CERN: Stephon Alexander
Cosmologist Stephon Alexander says he'd be surprised if we didn't find the Higgs particle. Podcast produced by David Levin and Rima Chaddha, with audio editing by David Levin. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
NOVA brings you short audio stories from the world of science -- anything from hurricanes to mummies to neutrinos. For more science programming online and on air, visit NOVA's Web site at pbs.org/nova, or watch NOVA broadcasts Wednesday nights on PBS.
HOSTED BY
WGBH Science Unit
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does NOVA | PBS have?
NOVA | PBS currently has 207 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is NOVA | PBS about?
NOVA brings you short audio stories from the world of science -- anything from hurricanes to mummies to neutrinos. For more science programming online and on air, visit NOVA's Web site at pbs.org/nova, or watch NOVA broadcasts Wednesday nights on PBS.
How often does NOVA | PBS release new episodes?
NOVA | PBS publishes regularly with 207 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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You can listen to NOVA | PBS on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts NOVA | PBS?
NOVA | PBS is created and hosted by WGBH Science Unit.
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