NOVA Now

Nina Porzucki

Now is the time to go beyond the headlines and understand the science behind the most pressing questions of our time. From the PBS science series NOVA, a biweekly podcast separating fact from fiction—it’s NOVA Now.

  • 1 minute 41 seconds
    Space-Time Expansion, Explained | Adam Riess

    If the universe is expanding, why aren’t galaxies stretching apart? Cosmologist Adam Riess breaks down the physics behind cosmic expansion, the forces that resist it, and why dark energy dominates the vast spaces between.

    For more, check out the extended interview with Adam Riess.

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

    4 March 2026, 11:00 am
  • 25 minutes
    Black Hole Apocalypse

    What if black holes are hiding the answers cosmologists have been chasing for a century? Born from the explosive deaths of massive stars, black holes are so dense even light cannot escape – making them challenging to observe. But after decades of chasing the unseeable and building ever more sophisticated observation tools, researchers are now discovering that they hold profound clues about the nature of spacetime, the formation of galaxies, and the energy that powers our universe.

    To watch the full film, visit https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/black-hole-apocalypse/ 

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    3 March 2026, 11:00 am
  • 1 minute 8 seconds
    Your Brain’s Peak Performance Mode | Heather Berlin

    Why does thinking too hard ruin your rhythm? Neuroscientist Heather Berlin unpacks the science of flow states, explaining why mastery means trusting your brain’s hidden systems to do what they do best.

    For more, check out the extended interview with Heather Berlin.

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    25 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 2 minutes 14 seconds
    Black Hole Geometry Will Warp Your Brain | Janna Levin

    Black holes can be bigger on the inside than they are on the outside. Astrophysicist Janna Levin explains how this is possible, and what that means about how black holes work. 

    For more, check out the extended interview with Janna Levin.

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    18 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 18 minutes 48 seconds
    Your Brain: Perception and Control

    Are we really in control of our own minds? Research suggests our sense of control may be far more fragile – and far stranger – than we imagine. From moments when the body seems to act without us, to the eerie ways our brains can warp what we think we’ve heard, scientists are uncovering a picture of the mind that’s anything but straightforward. And beneath it all lies a surprising discovery: the brain is less an observer of reality than a prediction engine, forever guessing what comes next.


    To watch the full film, visit https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/series/your-brain/ 


    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    17 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 2 minutes 33 seconds
    What Exactly Is a Law of Nature? | Robert Hazen & Michael Wong

    What’s the difference between a fact, a law, and a theory? Mineralogist Robert Hazen and astrobiologist Michael Wong unpack the hierarchy of scientific ideas and reveal how laws of nature elegantly unify the universe.

    For more, check out the extended interview with Robert Hazen and Michael Wong.

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    11 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 1 minute 8 seconds
    How Many Microbes Live on Earth? | Peter Girguis

    Sorry, Beyoncé, it turns out microbes rule the world. Microbiologist Peter Girguis explains how to conceptualize just how many microbes are on Earth… and how understanding this helps us look for life on other worlds. 

    For more, check out the extended interview with Peter Girguis.

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    4 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 19 minutes 48 seconds
    Hunt for the Oldest DNA

    Scientists have discovered the oldest DNA ever found: tiny fragments hidden in the dirt. The idea that soil could hold genetic traces from creatures that vanished millions of years ago seemed impossible – until one researcher had the wild idea to go and look. But how did he find DNA that most scientists thought could never survive? What forgotten worlds can this buried DNA reconstruct? And what might these revelations tell us about our own future on a rapidly changing planet?

    To watch the full film, visit here.

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    3 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 1 minute
    Why Tropical Trees Don’t Have Rings | Kirk Johnson

    Growth rings on trees can measure time, allowing scientists to date things from the deep past. But, paleobotantist Dr. Kirk Johnson explains why, in the tropics, some trees have no rings.

    For more, check out the extended interview with Kirk Johnson.

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    28 January 2026, 11:00 am
  • 5 minutes 48 seconds
    How Weight Loss Drugs Were Inspired by Gila Monsters | Sean B. Carroll

    Nature has been solving problems for billions of years. Evolutionary biologist Sean B. Carroll reveals why scientists still turn to evolution’s inventions for life-saving breakthroughs, from GLP-1 drugs to statins.

    For more, check out the extended interview with Sean B. Carroll.

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    21 January 2026, 11:00 am
  • 1 minute 30 seconds
    Introducing NOVA Remix

    Science's most astonishing breakthroughs, from whale evolution and thawing permafrost to black holes and quantum entanglement, to the hidden chambers of the Great Pyramid. NOVA Remix transforms decades of award-winning storytelling into immersive audio adventures. Discoveries that don't just change science, they change how you see the world. Whether you're a diehard nerd or just curious by nature, subscribe and hear it like never before.

    Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

    20 January 2026, 11:00 am
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