Episode guide
NOVA: Season 53
18 episodes · first aired Jan 21, 2026
TMDB has no overview for this season.
- 1 Asteroids: Spark of Life? Jan 21, 2026 · 54m What if asteroids, long feared as destroyers of life, were key to our existence? Explore a revolutionary theory that these violent collisions provided the essential ingredients – water…
- 2 Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire Jan 28, 2026 · 54m Deep in the Cambodian jungle lie the ruins of Angkor, a marvel of urban engineering and seat of the once-mighty Khmer Empire. New discoveries are revealing how this ancient metropolis was…
- 3 Can Dogs Talk? Feb 4, 2026 · 54m Can dogs understand what we say—and talk back? Witness amazing moments from a major experiment, as thousands of dogs use speech buttons. Pet owners are convinced, but are our furry friends…
- 4 Mammal Origins Feb 11, 2026 · 54m The surprising story of mammal evolution begins long before the age of dinosaurs. Witness how some of our prehistoric mammal relatives survived global catastrophes, defying extinction and…
- 5 Stone Age Temple Mystery Feb 25, 2026 · 54m Surprising evidence at the world's oldest temple overturns our understanding of human history. The latest excavations at the 12,000 year-old Göbekli Tepe in Turkey are making…
- 6 Return to the Moon Apr 15, 2026 · 54m A half-century after Apollo, the Artemis missions aim to bring astronauts back to the Moon and establish a lunar space station. Follow the Artemis II engineers and crew on the perilous…
- 7 Rain Bombs Apr 22, 2026 · 54m An invisible force is causing chaos around the globe. Follow scientists racing to understand the catastrophic "rain bombs" that are sinking ships and downing planes. Can they learn to…
- 8 Athens: Birth of Democracy Apr 29, 2026 · 54m Follow archaeological investigations into the dramatic origins of democracy in Greece 2,500 years ago. Mass graves and ancient ruins where tyrants were murdered shine new light on the…
- 9 The Battle to Breathe Sep 16, 2026 · 54m Once a death sentence, cystic fibrosis now faces an apparent miracle cure. Follow the decades-long scientific quest, fueled by desperate parents, that led to this breakthrough with…
- 10 Knowledge Keepers Sep 23, 2026 · 54m For millennia, Indigenous peoples in North America have practiced a unique form of science. From navigating the featureless Arctic to building energy-efficient homes in the desert, see how…
- 11 Stone Age Masterpiece Sep 30, 2026 · 54m Hidden in the gorges of Southern France lies one of the most stunning decorated caves ever discovered: Chauvet, 'the Sistine Chapel of Paleolithic art.' For thousands of years, this…
- 12 Space Wars Oct 7, 2026 · 54m An arms race is escalating above us, as military powers vie for control of space. Discover how satellites we rely on are vulnerable to attack, how debris is filling increasingly crowded…
- 13 Evolution: Brain Power Oct 14, 2026 · 54m Brains might be the most complex structures on our planet – so how did evolution build them? To find out, rewind the clock three billion years to trace the evolutionary story of the…
- 14 Evolution: Need to Feed Oct 21, 2026 · 54m The relentless pursuit of energy, the very act of eating, has profoundly shaped life on Earth. Follow the evolution of the bat to discover the untold story behind every bite we take – one…
- 15 Evolution: Body Builders Oct 28, 2026 · 54m Earth teems with life in every imaginable form – creatures that walk, swim, slither, and fly. Some grow to astonishing size, like the elephant, while others boast extravagant adaptations…
- 16 Evolution: The Mating Game Nov 4, 2026 · 54m Sex changed everything – evolutionarily speaking, that is. By shuffling the genetic deck it unleashed variation, fueling diversity and throwing evolution into overdrive. But how did this…
- 17 Evolution: On the Run Nov 11, 2026 · 57m Run. Leap. Swim. Pounce. Slither. Fly. Life moves in countless ways – but it wasn’t always this way. When animals first emerged, they clung to the seafloor, until a single twitch sparked a…
- 18 Universe in Motion Dec 16, 2026 · 57m High on a mountaintop in northern Chile, a remarkable new eye on the sky is poised to transform our understanding of the universe. The groundbreaking Vera Rubin Observatory, featuring…