In 1845, two Royal Navy ships and 129 men led by Sir John Franklin set sail from London on an elaborately prepared expedition to conquer the elusive Arctic route, and were never heard .. show full overview
In 1845, two Royal Navy ships and 129 men led by Sir John Franklin set sail from London on an elaborately prepared expedition to conquer the elusive Arctic route, and were never heard from again. Poignant clues suggest the expedition became icebound, short of food, and that the stronger members resorted to murder and cannibalism. Or did their own provisions poison them? Now, 150 years later, a team of historians and forensic scientists journey to a bleak wilderness on a quest or the truth behind the Franklin mystery.
Following Sir Franklin, over a half-century would pass before an innovative explorer finally conquered the Northwest Passage. Unsupported by naval might or government funding, a 29-year .. show full overview
Following Sir Franklin, over a half-century would pass before an innovative explorer finally conquered the Northwest Passage. Unsupported by naval might or government funding, a 29-year old Norwegian, Roald Amundsen, set out with improbably slim resources: just six men and a tiny shallow vessel, the Gjøa, which he figured could slip through channels that endangered larger ships. Caught by the winter ice. Amundsen did what the earlier Franklin´s crew had been unable or unwilling to do; he turned to the native Inuit to learn their ancient skills of Arctic survival. The secrets they taught him – seal hunting, building igloos, and handling dog teams – not only ensured the success of his voyage, but paved the way for his conquest of the South Pole in 192. NOVA retraces Amundsen´s triumphant, epic voyage, taking viewers to the Canadian Arctic where his name is still legendary among the native people.
Everyone has heard of global warming, but a lesser-known man-made phenomenon has been nearly as powerful at affecting Earth's climate. A look at global dimming, created by soot and .. show full overview
Everyone has heard of global warming, but a lesser-known man-made phenomenon has been nearly as powerful at affecting Earth's climate. A look at global dimming, created by soot and pollution reflecting the sun's rays and surprisingly helping to offset global warming's catastrophic advance.
On March 27, 1977, on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, two fully loaded 747 jumbo jets collided on a fogbound runway, killing 583 people in what is still the deadliest crash .. show full overview
On March 27, 1977, on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, two fully loaded 747 jumbo jets collided on a fogbound runway, killing 583 people in what is still the deadliest crash in aviation history. NOVA looks back at the crucial final hours before the disaster. Despite new technology to improve runway safety, near-misses on the ground are still the leading cause of deadly aviation accidents.
Join NOVA on a mind-bending hunt for a monster lurking at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers are closing in on one of the most destructive objects in the universe ñ a .. show full overview
Join NOVA on a mind-bending hunt for a monster lurking at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers are closing in on one of the most destructive objects in the universe ñ a supermassive black hole ñ and itís hiding right in the center of our own galaxy. Eventually, it will blast jets of radiation millions of miles its space, incinerating everything in its neighborhood, including planet Earth. For a long time, black holes were dismissed as pure science fiction. Even Albert Einstein could not bring himself to accept them, despite pioneering the theory of relativity that predicted their existence. But recently, scientists have found convincing evidence that black holes are not only real but are crucial to the life and death of galaxies everywhere in the cosmos.From the explosive birth of a black hole to its cannibalistic death throes, NOVA investigates one of the universeís darkest secrets. With striking special effects, Monster of the Milky Way takes viewers on a scientifically accurate voyage into the belly of a supermassive black hole. When will it erupt and destroy the Milky Way?
