NOVA poster

TV series

NOVA

1974TV-PG53 seasons7.0 / 10

PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA demystifies science and technology, and highlights the people involved in scientific pursuits.

Streaming, rental and purchase options

Where to watch in United States

Checked Jul 22, 2026

NOVA is available to stream on DirecTV On Demand, Prime Video, YouTube TV, and Hoopla in United States. You can also rent or buy it from Google Play, Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.

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Synopsis

PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA demystifies science and technology, and highlights the people involved in scientific pursuits.

Season 23 episodes

Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.

← Season 22

Episode 1

Anastasia Dead or Alive?

55m

Investigate the massacre of Tsar Nicholas and his family, and evaluate whether modern science has resolved the mystery surrounding Princess Anastasia.

Episode credits

Guest stars Stacy Keach

Where to watch NOVA

Episode 2

Venus Unveiled

55m

Venus reveals its true face, recorded in detail for the first time by the radar spacecraft Magellan. Our next-door planetary neighbor turns out to be one of the most bizarre places in the solar system.

Where to watch NOVA

Episode 3

Hawaii Born of Fire

55m

From their blistering beginnings as molten rock, the Hawiian islands have grown into a verdant paradise of unique lifeforms.

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Episode 4

The Doomsday Asteroid

55m

Is there an asteroid or comet out there with our name on it? NOVA scans the skies and the geological record on Earth, for evidence that giant rocks from outer space have struck before and will eventually plow into our planet again.

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Episode 6

Hunt for the Serial Arsonist

55m

In the spring of 1991, a rash of suspicious store fires in Los Angeles set fire investigators on the trail of a serial arsonist. Using ingenious techniques to "read" burn patterns and reconstruct the chain of events at each fire, the team uncovered a crucial clue—a fingerprint on a crude incendiary device. Eight months later, the team closed in on their chief suspect and revealed the shocking truth behind his identity. A classic scientific detective story with a final twist that will keep viewers guessing until the end.

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Episode 7

Treasures of the Great Barrier Reef

55m

Recording sights that will astonish even experienced divers, NOVA documents an extraordinary day in the life of the largest coral reef in the world, capturing for the first time the annual spawning of coral and other unusual creatures of the reef.

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Episode 9

Can Buildings Make You Sick?

55m

A search for the causes of Sick Building Syndrome. Experts look at various problem buildings, inspecting their air conditioning, lights and carpets for clues to the mysterious maladies afflicting the workers inside.

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Episode 12

B-29 Frozen in Time

55m

Travel on a perilous mission to repair and refly a rare B-29 bomber stranded on a Greenland icecap for almost 50 years.Gleaming like a jewel this well preserved bomber from World War II rests on the Arctic tundra where it was abandoned when it crash landed in 1947. This plane has long been a legend and now facing incredible hardship a team of adventurers struggle to bring the frozen warbird back to life.NOVA follows bold pilot Darryl Greenamyer and his team on two expeditions to revive Kee Bird and make it fly again in one of the most isolated and harshest environments on Earth. Despite severe weather illness and difficulties with the shuttle plane in 1994 Greenamyer returns in May 1995 with a larger crew a more reliable shuttle plane and a new plan to bring Kee Bird back to life and back home.

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Episode 15

Kidnapped by U.F.O.'s?

55m

Carl Sagan and other scientists investigate claims that people have been visited or abducted by aliens.

Episode credits

Guest stars Carl Sagan, John E. Mack

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Episode 16

Flood!

55m

The Great Flood of 1993 leaves a wake of destruction across the Midwest. Can rivers ever be contained?

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Episode 18

Warriors of the Amazon

55m

Explore the unique culture of the Yanomami, an isolated tribe living deep in the Amazonian rainforest.

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Episode 19

Bombing of America

55mfinale

Bombing is on the rise across the United States. But science is fighting back. Hidden within the chaos of a crime scene lie clues that can solve the case. Can science help stop the "Bombing of America"?

Where to watch NOVA

Episode information updated Jul 25, 2026

More about NOVA

Cast

Corey JohnsonNarrator
Jay O. SandersSelf - Narrator (voice)
Demetri GoritsasNarrator
Richard SmithHost
Lance LewmanNarrator (voice)
Ted MarcouxNarrator
Peter ThomasNarrator
Brian GreeneHost

Production details

Status
Returning Series
Series type
Documentary
Episodes
1,025
Original language
English

Networks & production

  • PBSUnited States
  • GBHUnited States

Themes

candiddramaticfactualinspirationalinstructivenature