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NOVA Now

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From the PBS science series NOVA, a biweekly podcast digging into the science behind the headlines. Alok Patel takes you behind the scenes with the people—scientists, engineers, technologists, mathematicians and more—working to understand our world. Now it's more critical than ever to distinguish fact from fiction and find science-based answers to the most pressing questions of our time.

Subscribe, and learn more by visiting pbs.org/novanowpodcast.

From the PBS science series NOVA, a biweekly podcast digging into the science behind the headlines. Alok Patel takes you behind the scenes with the people—scientists, engineers, technologists, mathematicians and more—working to understand our world. Now it's more critical than ever to distinguish fact from fiction and find science-based answers to the most pressing questions of our time.

Subscribe, and learn more by visiting pbs.org/novanowpodcast.

13hr 22min
Thumbnail for "The hitchhiker’s guide to exoplanets and alien life".
There are an estimated 10 septillion—or a trillion trillion—potential planets in the observable universe. So far, we know of only one that hosts life. What will it take to answer the age-old question “Are we alone?”
November 18, 202130min 44sec
Thumbnail for "Bonus: From our friends at MASTERPIECE Studio".
For 50 years, MASTERPIECE has been the home of the best British drama on American TV. Find out how it all started.
December 9, 202156min 16sec
Thumbnail for "The Big Bang: started from inflation, now we’re here".
Scientists are using satellites, static, and the laws of physics to piece together the origin story of the universe—and give us a sneak peek of where we’re headed next.
December 2, 202133min 1sec
Thumbnail for "Black holes: to the event horizon and beyond".
Black holes have been a sci-fi mainstay since the 1970s. But tall tales of space travel, wormholes, and alternate universes get a lot wrong. What’s scientific fact and what’s purely fiction?
November 25, 202131min 3sec
Thumbnail for "How to make a Milky Way: the ultimate galactic recipe".
Satellites, space observatories, and supercomputers have shown astronomers the ingredients needed to form a galaxy. Spoiler: dark matter is a must.
November 11, 202125min 38sec
Thumbnail for "Fusion: Can we recreate the renewable power of stars down on Earth?".
The Sun has always served as humanity’s guiding light and main source of energy. Now, its fusion process could serve as a model for sustainable energy here at home.
November 4, 202127min 2sec
Thumbnail for "This is NOVA Now Universe Revealed".
This is NOVA Now Universe Revealed
October 29, 20212min 30sec
Thumbnail for "Would you eat insects to help the planet?".
Consuming insects is good for your body and the environment, scientists say.
October 28, 202129min 38sec
Thumbnail for "Cryptocurrency: the future of money in a digital world?".
Curiosity toward cryptocurrency is growing on an international scale. Here’s what that could mean for the future of investing and spending.
October 14, 202131min 33sec
Thumbnail for "Cannabis: Discovering its effects on the body and brain".
Does cannabis’s ubiquity and legalization at the state level mean it’s safe for consumer use?
September 30, 202131min 58sec
Thumbnail for "The case of hurricanes and climate change ".
Are hurricanes getting stronger? More destructive? And is any of this connected to climate change?
September 16, 202119min 52sec
Thumbnail for "Back to school during a pandemic: experts weigh in".
With students returning to school during the ongoing pandemic, how can we keep them learning, thriving, and ultimately safe?
September 2, 202135min
Thumbnail for "Electric vehicles: infrastructural needs and environmental effects".
Can electric vehicles lessen our carbon emissions and take us to a greener future?
August 19, 202121min 50sec
Thumbnail for "Covid Vaccines & Variants: What will it take to get out of this pandemic?".
We’ve had safe and effective vaccines for eight months now and yet the pandemic rages on. Here’s the latest on what you should know about variants, boosters, global equity, and how we might contain COVID-19.
August 5, 202128min 17sec
Thumbnail for "The science of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena".
What are they, exactly? The answer is out there; just turn to science.
July 22, 202128min 5sec
Thumbnail for "Using technology to cope with drought".
As the Western U.S. faces increasingly drier conditions, discover the technologies being developed to prepare for and cope with drought—especially for vulnerable communities.
July 8, 202127min 58sec
Thumbnail for "The science of exercise—and getting back in the game".
What happens to the bodies and minds of athletes, both elite and amateur, when training is put on hold? And how do we all safely ease back into exercise?
June 24, 202129min 59sec
Thumbnail for "NOVA Now Returns!".
The science behind the news
June 17, 20212min 26sec
Thumbnail for "Bonus! From our friends at AirSpace: Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs".
As important as cleanliness is here on Earth, it’s really, really important when you’re headed for outer space.
January 21, 202127min 16sec
Thumbnail for "The science of positive motivation for the New Year".
To properly ring in 2021, we’ll need to understand the neuroscience of getting things done. Meanwhile, Alok took his guests’ favorite motivation songs and turned them into a Spotify playlist.
December 31, 202025min 30sec
Thumbnail for "How the future of satellites might affect life on Earth".
Satellites from NASA and private companies are making headlines. What’s their history and how might their future affect space and life here on Earth?
December 17, 202027min 8sec
Thumbnail for "Covid vaccines are coming: What’s inside, and how and when you’ll get one".
Here’s the reality of producing and distributing coronavirus vaccines.
December 3, 202027min 16sec
Thumbnail for "The future of food".
Food! The unifying and edible commodity that connects us all across cultures and generations.
November 19, 202030min 40sec
Thumbnail for "The statistical science behind polling ".
A statistician and a pollster explain the history of political polling, what went wrong in 2016, and how science concepts determine a poll’s accuracy.
November 2, 202021min 4sec
Thumbnail for "The science of fear".
Does our fascination with horror actually help us cope with real life?
October 22, 202031min 26sec
Thumbnail for "Science in the courtroom".
Discovering the central role of science in the federal court system.
October 8, 202029min 14sec
Thumbnail for "Rising health risks from West Coast wildfires".
What's wildfire smoke made of and how does it affect our air quality, our bodies, and our overall health?
September 24, 202031min 26sec
Thumbnail for "COVID meets CRISPR".
Can gene-editing technology help create a better coronavirus test?
September 10, 202027min 38sec
Thumbnail for "The hidden science of mail-in voting".
Are you ready to mail your ballot?
August 27, 202028min 25sec
Thumbnail for "Welcome to NOVA Now".
The science behind the news.
August 13, 20202min 8sec

The hitchhiker’s guide to exoplanets and alien life

Thumbnail for "The hitchhiker’s guide to exoplanets and alien life".
November 18, 202130min 44sec

If television shows and movies are any indication, we humans spend a lot of our time subconsciously preparing for UFOs carrying maleficent aliens to descend on Earth. But should we rush to create an intergalactic battle plan? In actuality, finding otherworldly life won’t be so easy (or, hopefully, so dangerous). Already, astronomers and other scientists are using a multitude of techniques to search for planets outside our solar system and any signs of life they carry. With 4,500 exoplanets identified out of what could be hundreds of billions in our galaxy alone, one thing is becoming clear: If we find extraterrestrial life, it likely won’t be anything like Hollywood has imagined. Hearing from two exoplanet experts about the diversity of planets and life in the Milky Way, Dr. Alok Patel learns that Earth is incredibly unique—and surprisingly mundane.