Laurie Cahalane

On the fiftieth anniversary of Apollo 11's historic moon landing, NOVA looks ahead to the hoped-for dawn of a new age in space travel.

Some five centuries ago, a major revolution overturned traditional ship designs. In just a few years, ships were transformed from small coastal-bound transports into massive ocean-going vessels capable of long-distance exploration. These designs were crucial to launching Europe's age of imperial expansion and colonial exploitation, toppling the indigenous civilizations of the New World and spreading pandemics.

Scott Burnett is 'Scatman' - an Australian ecologist who believes that fully understanding any animal requires understanding its poop. By identifying and analyzing an animal's scat for DNA and hormones, he discovers essential details of its behavior, how it fits in the ecosystem, and even how to protect it, all without needing to trap or disturb it.

A huge social experiment is underway. Fifty-five million Americans say they currently use cannabis, and that number is expected to grow as voters push for legalization in more and more states.

Butterflies are perhaps the world's most beloved insects. But beneath their colorful charm, there's a wealth of hidden scientific secrets that show butterflies to be smarter and more resilient than we ever imagined.

NOVA explores the fascinating history of Cuban biomedical research and follows the journey of two cancer patients, one from the island and one from the U.S, receiving new vaccines. As they prove effective in some patients, Cuban scientists are teaming up with a leading U.S. cancer institute to develop an even more effective treatment by combining the best of both countries' research and medical technologies. But can they overcome the embargo?

When the Notre Dame cathedral caught fire in April 2019, Paris came very close to losing over 800 years of history, Now engineers are in a different race against time: to rebuild the roof and secure the medieval structure.

DNA testing companies are trending nationally, with over 30 million Americans hoping to receive clues to family origins and forecasts of their future health -- not knowing the results can be misleading, or not considering that family secrets can tear apart relationships. The biggest risk, however, may be what these companies do with our information once they have it, so this program objectively explores the promise and peril of consumer DNA testing....