NOVA: Season 46

Season 46 overview

The season opens with a spacecraft's attempted flyby of a distant object and an examination of quantum entanglement. It then moves from volcanic threats in Hawaii and near Naples to pyramid engineering, spaceflight prospects, environmental planning, and megafire research.

Key story beats

  1. New Horizons Approaches Ultima Thule — The New Horizons mission team attempts a flyby of Ultima Thule, a distant object four billion miles from Earth.
  2. Quantum Entanglement Examined — Physicists examine quantum entanglement, a phenomenon once described by Einstein as spooky action at a distance, and its potential technological applications.
  3. Kilauea Erupts — After Kilauea's 2018 eruption sent lava through communities and into the sea, scientists and local residents investigate the spike in volcanic activity.
  4. Pyramid Engineering Revisited — New archaeological evidence sheds light on the engineering of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
  5. A New Rocket Renaissance — NASA and private companies promote new technologies as the basis for a renewed era of space travel.
  6. Volcanic Risk Near Naples — The episode investigates a lesser-known volcano that threatens Naples, near Vesuvius and Pompeii.
  7. Planning to Save the Dead Sea — Scientists, engineers, and political leaders devise a plan to address the Dead Sea's declining water levels.
  8. Investigating Megafires — Scientists study fire physics and firestorm movement, using aerial drone and satellite data to investigate how fires might be detected before they start.
  9. Tracing the First Horse Warriors — Anthropologist Niobe Thompson travels among archaeological sites, genetics labs, and museums to investigate the first riders of wild horses.
  10. Investigating the Viking Army — Forensic archaeologist Cat Jarman and her team investigate the Great Heathen Army, which invaded England in the ninth century.
  11. A Return to Lunar Exploration — On the fiftieth anniversary of Apollo 11, the episode looks toward renewed lunar exploration involving governments and private industry. It outlines possible uses of the Moon, including astronomical research, resources, and a stepping stone to Mars.
  12. The Inner Rocky Worlds — The episode compares the rocky inner planets, which have similar origins, and considers why only Earth supports life.
  13. Mars as a Former Water World — The dry red planet is examined as a former world of water and active volcanoes that may have had ingredients capable of supporting life.
  14. Jupiter Shapes the Solar System — Jupiter's gravity is presented as a force that reshaped the early solar system and brought comets carrying water, as well as possibly the asteroid linked to the dinosaurs' extinction.
  15. Cassini Reveals Saturn — Cassini observations reveal mysteries of Saturn's rings and raise new hope for life on one of its moons.

Seasons

Interactive Features

Episode Guide

Content sources

Plot analysis generated from content on Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related entry on Wikidata (Q3071768), public domain (CC0).