List of Nova episodes

Nova is an American science documentary television series produced by WGBH Boston for PBS. Many of the programs in this list were not originally produced for PBS, but were acquired from other sources such as the BBC. ^{[1] [ relevant? ]} All acquired programs are edited for Nova, if only to provide American English narration and additional voice of interpreters (translating from another language). ^{[1] [ neutrality is disputed ][ better source needed ]} Most of the episodes aired in a 60-minute time slot. ^[2]

In 2005, Nova began airing some episodes titled NOVA scienceNOW , which followed a newsmagazine style format. For two seasons, NOVA scienceNOW episodes aired in the same time slot as Nova. In 2008, NOVA scienceNOW was officially declared its own series and given its own time slot. ^[3] Therefore, NOVA scienceNOW episodes are not included in this list.

Series overview

Season	Episodes		Originally released
			First released	Last released
1	13		March 3, 1974 (1974-03-03)	May 26, 1974 (1974-05-26)
2	17		November 3, 1974 (1974-11-03)	April 6, 1975 (1975-04-06)
3	20		January 4, 1976 (1976-01-04)	June 27, 1976 (1976-06-27)
4	19		January 5, 1977 (1977-01-05)	June 29, 1977 (1977-06-29)
5	21		January 4, 1978 (1978-01-04)	June 28, 1978 (1978-06-28)
6	10		January 4, 1979 (1979-01-04)	March 29, 1979 (1979-03-29)
7	17		October 2, 1979 (1979-10-02)	March 25, 1980 (1980-03-25)
8	22		September 30, 1980 (1980-09-30)	August 25, 1981 (1981-08-25)
9	20		September 27, 1981 (1981-09-27)	March 28, 1982 (1982-03-28)
10	16		October 12, 1982 (1982-10-12)	March 29, 1983 (1983-03-29)
11	21		October 11, 1983 (1983-10-11)	April 3, 1984 (1984-04-03)
12	22		October 2, 1984 (1984-10-02)	March 19, 1985 (1985-03-19)
13	21		October 8, 1985 (1985-10-08)	April 22, 1986 (1986-04-22)
14	21		October 14, 1986 (1986-10-14)	April 7, 1987 (1987-04-07)
15	21		October 6, 1987 (1987-10-06)	April 5, 1988 (1988-04-05)
16	21		September 6, 1988 (1988-09-06)	March 28, 1989 (1989-03-28)
17	19		October 3, 1989 (1989-10-03)	April 10, 1990 (1990-04-10)
18	21		October 2, 1990 (1990-10-02)	March 26, 1991 (1991-03-26)
19	18		October 1, 1991 (1991-10-01)	March 24, 1992 (1992-03-24)
20	20		August 25, 1992 (1992-08-25)	March 30, 1993 (1993-03-30)
21	21		October 5, 1993 (1993-10-05)	April 19, 1994 (1994-04-19)
22	23		October 11, 1994 (1994-10-11)	May 23, 1995 (1995-05-23)
23	19		October 10, 1995 (1995-10-10)	April 16, 1996 (1996-04-16)
24	20		October 1, 1996 (1996-10-01)	April 15, 1997 (1997-04-15)
25	19		October 7, 1997 (1997-10-07)	May 12, 1998 (1998-05-12)
26	20		October 6, 1998 (1998-10-06)	July 13, 1999 (1999-07-13)
27	22		October 5, 1999 (1999-10-05)	May 9, 2000 (2000-05-09)
28	17		October 24, 2000 (2000-10-24)	April 24, 2001 (2001-04-24)
29	17		October 2, 2001 (2001-10-02)	May 7, 2002 (2002-05-07)
30	16		September 3, 2002 (2002-09-03)	April 15, 2003 (2003-04-15)
31	17		September 30, 2003 (2003-09-30)	May 4, 2004 (2004-05-04)
32	15		September 28, 2004 (2004-09-28)	March 29, 2005 (2005-03-29)
33	16		September 20, 2005 (2005-09-20)	April 18, 2006 (2006-04-18)
34	15		September 5, 2006 (2006-09-05)	June 26, 2007 (2007-06-26)
35	17		October 9, 2007 (2007-10-09)	May 20, 2008 (2008-05-20)
36	17		October 7, 2008 (2008-10-07)	June 30, 2009 (2009-06-30)
37	18		October 6, 2009 (2009-10-06)	May 4, 2010 (2010-05-04)
38	17		October 19, 2010 (2010-10-19)	April 20, 2011 (2011-04-20)
39	19		September 7, 2011 (2011-09-07)	April 25, 2012 (2012-04-25)
40	20		October 10, 2012 (2012-10-10)	May 29, 2013 (2013-05-29)
41	22		September 11, 2013 (2013-09-11)	May 28, 2014 (2014-05-28)
42	22		September 10, 2014 (2014-09-10)	July 29, 2015 (2015-07-29)
43	22		September 16, 2015 (2015-09-16)	May 11, 2016 (2016-05-11)
44	18		September 7, 2016 (2016-09-07)	May 31, 2017 (2017-05-31)
45	24		August 21, 2017 (2017-08-21)	June 27, 2018 (2018-06-27)
46	33		September 26, 2018 (2018-09-26)	November 27, 2019 (2019-11-27)
47	16		February 5, 2020 (2020-02-05)	November 25, 2020 (2020-11-25)
48	21		January 13, 2021 (2021-01-13)	November 24, 2021 (2021-11-24)
49	22		January 5, 2022 (2022-01-05)	December 14, 2022 (2022-12-14)
50	18		February 1, 2023 (2023-02-01)	November 22, 2023 (2023-11-22)
51	21		January 31, 2024 (2024-01-31)	December 18, 2024 (2024-12-18)
52	20		January 22, 2025 (2025-01-22)	November 12, 2025 (2025-11-12)
53	TBA		January 21, 2026 (2026-01-21)	TBA

Episodes

Seasons 1–20

1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20

Main article: List of Nova episodes (seasons 1–20)

Season 1: 1974

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original release date	Prod. code
1	1	"The Making of a Natural History Film"	March 3, 1974 (1974-03-03)	0101
2	2	"Where Did the Colorado Go?"	March 10, 1974 (1974-03-10)	0102
3	3	"Whales, Dolphins, and Men"	March 17, 1974 (1974-03-17)	0103
4	4	"The Search for Life"	March 24, 1974 (1974-03-24)	0104
5	5	"Last of the Cuiva"	March 31, 1974 (1974-03-31)	0105
6	6	"Strange Sleep"	April 7, 1974 (1974-04-07)	0106
7	7	"The Crab Nebula"	April 14, 1974 (1974-04-14)	0107
8	8	"Bird Brain: The Mystery of Bird Navigation"	April 21, 1974 (1974-04-21)	0108
9	9	"Are You Doing This for Me, Doctor?"	April 28, 1974 (1974-04-28)	0109
10	10	"The First Signs of Washoe"	May 5, 1974 (1974-05-05)	0110
11	11	"The Case of the Midwife Toad"	May 12, 1974 (1974-05-12)	0111
12	12	"Fusion: The Energy Promise"	May 19, 1974 (1974-05-19)	0112
13	13	"The Mystery of the Anasazi"	May 26, 1974 (1974-05-26)	0113

Season 2: 1974–75

Wilford, John Noble (April 6, 1997). "Illuminating the Many Worlds of Science". The New York Times . Retrieved March 1, 2009.

"Shows A-Z – nova on pbs". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 1, 2019.

"PBS Kicks Off Summer of Science with Season Launch of NOVA scienceNOW as Weekly Series Airing on Own Night and Time" (PDF) (Press release). Retrieved April 4, 2009.^{[ dead link ]}

"Plague on our Children (A) - [7th season premiere]". NOVA. PBS. Retrieved November 26, 2025.

Walter Goodman (March 20, 1990). "Review/Television; A Technological Leader And Its Seeds of Decline". The New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2009.

Walter Goodman (January 12, 1993). "Review/Television; Nosing Around in Iraq's Vast Arsenal". The New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2009.

"NOVA Online | Secrets of Lost Empires". PBS. Retrieved November 22, 2019.

Ned Martel (February 25, 2003). "Television Review; Terror's Dual Threats Of Bombs and Biology". The New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2009.

"Life and Death in the War Zone". PBS . May 4, 2004.

"World in the Balance". NOVA. PBS. Retrieved November 24, 2025.

"Making Stuff". PBS .

"Nova|Japan's Killer Quake". Alabama Public Television. Retrieved March 22, 2011.

"Nova|Power Surge". Alabama Public Television. Retrieved March 22, 2011.

PBS, WGBH, Nova, "Bombing Hitler's Dams" . Retrieved: 12 January 2012

"Secrets of the Viking Sword". PBS . October 10, 2012.

"Forensics on Trial". PBS .

"Mystery of Easter Island". PBS . November 7, 2012.

"Ultimate Mars Challenge". PBS .

"Inside the Megastorm". PBS . November 18, 2012.

"Doomsday Volcanoes". PBS . January 2, 2013.

"Decoding Neanderthals". PBS . January 9, 2013.

"Rise of the Drones". PBS .

"Who Killed Lindbergh's Baby?". PBS .

"Building Pharaoh's Chariot". PBS . February 6, 2013.

"Earth From Space". PBS . February 13, 2013.

"Mind of a Rampage Killer". PBS . February 20, 2013.

"Meteor Strike". PBS . March 27, 2013.

"Ancient Computer". PBS .

"Australia's First 4 Billion Years: Awakening". PBS . April 10, 2013.

"Australia's First 4 Billion Years: Life Explodes". PBS . April 17, 2013.

"Australia's First 4 Billion Years: Monsters". PBS . April 24, 2013.

"Australia's First 4 Billion Years: Strange Creatures". PBS . May 2013.

"Manhunt—Boston Bombers". PBS . May 29, 2013.

"Oklahoma's Deadliest Tornadoes". PBS . May 29, 2013.

"Ground Zero Supertower". PBS .

"Megastorm Aftermath". PBS .

"Making Stuff Faster". PBS . October 16, 2013.

"Making Stuff Wilder". PBS .

"Making Stuff Colder". PBS .

"Making Stuff Safer". PBS . October 16, 2013.

"Cold Case JFK". PBS .

"At the Edge of Space". PBS .

"Asteroid: Doomsday or Payday?". PBS . November 20, 2013.

"Alien Planets Revealed". PBS . January 8, 2014.

"Zeppelin Terror Attack". PBS . January 15, 2014.

"Killer Typhoon". PBS . January 22, 2014.

"Ghosts of Murdered Kings". PBS . January 29, 2014.

"Roman Catacomb Mystery". PBS .

"Great Cathedral Mystery". PBS . February 12, 2014.

"Wild Predator Invasion". PBS .

"Inside Animal Minds: Bird Genius". PBS .

"Inside Animal Minds: Dogs & Super Senses". PBS .

"Inside Animal Minds: Who's the Smartest?". PBS .

"Why Sharks Attack". PBS . May 7, 2014.

"Escape From Nazi Alcatraz". PBS .

"D-Day's Sunken Secrets". PBS .

"Vaccines—Calling the Shots". NOVA. PBS. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Why Planes Vanish". NOVA. WGBH/PBS. Retrieved October 10, 2014.

"Surviving Ebola". NOVA. WGBH/PBS. Retrieved October 10, 2014.

"Ben Franklin's Balloons | NOVA | PBS". PBS. October 22, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2015.

"First Air War | NOVA | PBS". PBS. October 29, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2015.

"Bigger Than T. rex". NOVA. PBS. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Emperor's Ghost Army". NOVA. PBS. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Episode of Nova | TV Schedules – AZPM". AZPM.org. PBS. Retrieved April 9, 2015.

"Killer Landslides | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 15, 2015.

"First Man on the Moon | NOVA | PBS". PBS. December 3, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2015.

"Big Bang Machine | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 15, 2015.

"Sunken Ship Rescue | NOVA | PBS". PBS. January 15, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

"Sinkholes—Buried Alive | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

"Colosseum: Roman Death Trap". NOVA. PBS. February 11, 2015. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Petra: Lost City of Stone". NOVA. PBS. February 18, 2015. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Hagia Sophia: Istanbul's Ancient Mystery". NOVA. PBS. February 25, 2015. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"The Great Math Mystery | NOVA | PBS". PBS. April 15, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

"Invisible Universe Revealed | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

"Nazi Attack on America | NOVA | PBS". PBS. May 6, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

"Lethal Seas | NOVA | PBS". PBS. May 13, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

"Chasing Pluto | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

"Nuclear Meltdown Disaster | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

"Secrets of Noah's Ark". PBS . October 7, 2015.

"Can Alzheimer's be Stopped?". PBS . April 13, 2016.

"Operation Lighthouse Rescue". PBS . May 4, 2016.

"15 Years of Terror". PBS . September 7, 2016.

"School of the Future". PBS . September 14, 2016.

"Great Human Odyssey". pbs.org. October 5, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.

"Treasures of the Earth: Gems". pbs.org. November 12, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2018.

"Treasures of the Earth:Metals". pbs.org. November 9, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2018.

"Black Hole Apocalypse | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Black Hole Apocalypse | NOVA | PBS". PBS. January 10, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"The Impossible Flight". PBS . January 31, 2018.

"NOVA Wonders: What Are Animals Saying?". PBS . April 25, 2018.

"NOVA Wonders: What's Living in You?". PBS . May 2, 2018.

"NOVA Wonders: Are We Alone?". PBS . May 9, 2018.

"NOVA Wonders: Can We Build a Brain?". PBS . May 16, 2018.

"NOVA Wonders: NOVA Wonders: Can We Make Life?". PBS . May 23, 2018.

"NOVA Wonders: What's The Universe Made Of?". PBS . May 30, 2018.

"Flying Supersonic | NOVA | PBS". PBS. October 24, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2019.

"Last B-24 | NOVA | PBS". PBS. November 7, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2019.

"Thai Cave Rescue | NOVA | PBS". PBS. November 14, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2019.

"World's Fastest Animal | NOVA | PBS". PBS. November 21, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2019.

"Apollo's Daring Mission | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Apollo's Daring Mission Sneak Peek | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Apollo's Daring Mission | NOVA | PBS". PBS. December 26, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2019.

"Pluto and Beyond | NOVA | PBS". PBS. January 2, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2019.

"Pluto and Beyond | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Einstein's Quantum Riddle | NOVA | PBS". PBS. January 9, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2019.

"Einstein's Quantum Riddle | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Kīlauea: Hawaiʻi on Fire | NOVA | PBS". PBS. January 23, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.

"Kīlauea: Hawaiʻi on Fire | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Decoding the Great Pyramid | NOVA | PBS". PBS. February 6, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.

"Decoding the Great Pyramid | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Rise of the Rockets | NOVA | PBS". PBS. February 13, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.

"Rise of the Rockets | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved March 28, 2019.

"The Next Pompeii | NOVA | PBS". PBS. February 20, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.

"The Next Pompeii | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Saving the Dead Sea | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved March 28, 2019.

"Saving the Dead Sea | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Inside the Meagfire | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved April 15, 2019.

"Inside the Meagfire | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"First Horse Warriors | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved April 15, 2019.

"First Horse Warriors | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Lost Viking Army | NOVA | PBS". PBS. May 22, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2019.

"Lost Viking Army | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Back to the Moon | NOVA | PBS". PBS. July 10, 2019. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Back to the Moon | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 11, 2019.

"The Planets: Inner Worlds | NOVA | PBS". PBS. July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.

"The Planets: Inner Worlds | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"The Planets: Mars | NOVA | PBS". PBS. July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.

"The Planets: Mars | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"The Planets: Jupiter | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 30, 2019.

"The Planets: Jupiter | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"The Planets: Saturn | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 30, 2019.

"The Planets: Saturn | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"The Planets: Ice Worlds | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved July 30, 2019.

"The Planets: Ice Worlds | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Why Bridges Collapse | NOVA | PBS". PBS. October 16, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.

"Why Bridges Collapse | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Look Who's Driving | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved October 18, 2019.

"Look Who's Driving | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Rise of the Mammals | NOVA | PBS". PBS. October 30, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019.

"Rise of the Mammals | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Dead Sea Scroll Detectives | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved October 30, 2019.

"Dead Sea Scroll Detectives | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Decoding da Vinci | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved October 30, 2019.

"Decoding da Vinci | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"The Violence Paradox | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved November 16, 2019.

"The Violence Paradox | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Animal Espionage | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved November 16, 2019.

"Animal Espionage | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Polar Extremes | NOVA | PBS". PBS. February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Polar Extremes | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"Polar Extremes Preview | NOVA | PBS". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

"The Truth About Fat". NOVA. PBS. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"A to Z: The First Alphabet". NOVA. PBS. September 23, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"A to Z: How Writing Changed the World". NOVA. PBS. September 30, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Nature's Fear Factor". NOVA. PBS. October 14, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Beyond the Elements: Reactions". NOVA. PBS. February 3, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Beyond the Elements: Indestructible". NOVA. PBS. February 10, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Beyond the Elements: Life". NOVA. PBS. February 17, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Ancient Earth: Birth of the Sky". PBS . October 4, 2023.

"Ancient Earth: Frozen". PBS . October 11, 2023.

"Ancient Earth: Life Rising". PBS . October 18, 2023.

"Ancient Earth: Inferno". PBS . October 25, 2023.

"Ancient Earth: Humans". PBS . November 2023.

"Sea Change: Bounty in the Gulf of Maine". PBS: NOVA. PBS. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Sea Change: The Gulf of Maine". NOVA. PBS. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Sea Change: Peril in the Gulf of Maine". PBS: Nova. PBS. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

"Sea Change: Survival in the Gulf of Maine". PBS: NOVA. PBS. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

Sources

• "Nova – Past Television Programs". PBS. Retrieved on 20 December 2009
• "PBS.ORG Press Room Archived January 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine ". Retrieved on 22 February 2013
• "OpenVault from WGBH, Boston listings for Nova Episodes Archived March 22, 2022, at the Wayback Machine "

External links

• Official website
• NOVA shows at PBS.org
• Nova at IMDb
• Materials relating to its production in WGBH OpenVault

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original release date	Prod. code

v t e Nova
Seasons	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53
Episodes	"Arctic Passage" "The Bible's Buried Secrets" "Bombing Hitler's Dams" "Dawn of Humanity" "Decoding COVID-19" "The Elegant Universe" "The Family That Walks on All Fours" "Flying Casanovas" "Hurricane!" "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial" "Making North America" "Musical Minds" "Mystery of the Senses" "Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives" "Search for the Super Battery" "Secrets of Lost Empires" "Secrets of the Psychics" Sea Change: The Gulf of Maine
Related	Awards

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