NOVA scienceNOW S03E08 · Mass Extinction, 1918 Flu, Papyrus

Overview

Mass Extinction - What caused the mother of all extinctions 250 million years ago? 1918 Flu - A virus that killed up to 50 million people is brought back to life to decipher its deadliness. Profile: Cynthia Breazeal - A daring engineer designs robots to communicate and interact the way people do. Papyrus - Scraps of writings from a garbage dump in ancient Egypt reveal what life was like 2,000 years ago.

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Episodes

1. 1 1. Dark Matter, Mice, Crowd Wisdom2008-06-25Dark Matter - Turns out most of the universe is held together by a mysterious, invisible substance. Of Mice and Memory - Mice placed in enriched environments can recover lost memo
2. 2 2. Personal Genome; Digital Art Authentication; Carbon Sequestration; Pardis Sabeti Profile2008-07-02Personal DNA Testing - Genetic testing to assess risk factors for a handful of serious illnesses is now commercially available. But is it a good idea? Art Authentication - See
3. 3 3. Saving Hubble, First Primates, Iraqibacter2008-07-09Saving Hubble - Two teams of spacewalkers take on the risky mission of reviving the ailing Space Telescope. First Primates - Our most distant primate ancestors, which lived about
4. 4 4. Bird Brains, Space Storms, Smart Bridges2008-07-16Bird Brains - Clues to the origins of human language are turning up in the brains of birds. Space Storms - Behind the dazzling display of the aurora borealis are space storms that
5. 5 5. Leeches; SETI; Stem Cells; Edith Widder2008-07-23Leeches - A century after falling out of favor, medicinal leeches are back in hospitals, sucking away on patients' wounds. SETI - Astronomers have their radio telescopes tuned to
6. 6 6. Phoenix; Mammoth Mystery; Judah Folkman Tribute2008-07-30Phoenix Mars Lander - NASA's latest robot has already found frozen water and is looking for more signs that the Red Planet could support life. Brain Trauma - Even so-called "mild"
7. 7 7. Aging, Space Elevator, Maya from Space2008-08-06Aging - Will research into "longevity genes" help us live longer and healthier lives? Space Elevator - Can we build a 22,000-mile-high cable to transport cargo and people into spa
8. 8 8. Mass Extinction, 1918 Flu, Papyrus2008-08-13Mass Extinction - What caused the mother of all extinctions 250 million years ago? 1918 Flu - A virus that killed up to 50 million people is brought back to life to decipher its d
9. 9 9. Asteroid, Island of Stability, Karl Iagnemma2008-08-20Asteroid - Will a doomsday rock the size of the Rose Bowl hit Earth in 2036? Island of Stability - Follow the decades-long quest to create the elusive element 114. Obesity - Exam
10. 10 10. T-Rex Blood, Epigenetics, Kryptos2008-08-20T-Rex Blood? - Preserved soft tissue, including possible blood vessels and red blood cells, are turning up in dinosaur fossils. Epigenetics - Our lifestyles can change the way our