Monday, January 18

11:00am Nova “Deadliest Tornados”

In April 2011, the worst tornado outbreak in decades left a trail of destruction across the U.S., killing more than 340 people. Why was there such an extreme outbreak? How do such outbreaks form? With modern warning systems why did so many die? Is our weather getting more extreme -- and if so how bad will it get? This episode of NOVA looks at the science behind the April outbreak, meeting those affected and the scientists trying to predict tornadoes and understand whether this outbreak relates to global climate change.

Watch the show here: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/deadliest-tornadoes/ (Passport Required)

Tuesday, January 19

11:00am Nova “Meteor Strike” (Click here for Supplemental Materials)

A blinding streak of light screaming across the Russian sky, followed by a shuddering blast strong enough to damage buildings and send more than 1000 people to the hospital. On the morning of February 15th, a 7000 ton asteroid crashed into the Earth's atmosphere, exploded and fell to earth across a wide swath near the Ural mountains. According to NASA, the Siberian Meteor, which exploded with the power of 30 Hiroshima bombs, was the largest object to burst in the atmosphere since a 1908 event near Siberia's Tunguska river. That time there were few eyewitnesses and no record of the event except for thousands of acres of flattened trees. This time however the event was captured by countless digital dashboard cameras, which have lately become a common fixture in Russian autos and trucks. Within days, armed with this unprecedented crowd-sourced material, NOVA crews hit the ground in Russia along with impact scientists as they hunt for debris from the explosion and clues to the meteor's origin and makeup. To understand how lucky we were this time, we explore even greater explosions in the past, from Tunguska to the asteroid that extinguished the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. "Russian Meteor Strike" puts it all together and asks: Is our solar system a deadly celestial shooting gallery - with Earth in the cross-hairs? What are the chances that another, even more massive asteroid is heading straight for us? Are we just years, months or days away from a total global reboot of civilization, or worse?

Program not available online. Watch a preview here: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/meteor-strike/

Wednesday, January 20

11:00am Nova “The Next Pompeii” (Click here for Supplemental Materials)

Discover Campi Flegrei, a lesser-known volcano in the shadow of Vesuvius. If it erupts, millions of lives could be at risk. Meet the scientists exploring its geography and developing a warning system to prevent Naples from becoming the next Pompeii.

Watch the show here: https://www.pbs.org/video/the-next-pompeii-qwfg7o/ (Passport Required)

Thursday, January 21

11:00am Nova “Inside the Megafire”

From the front line of the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California history, NOVA tells the stories of residents who had to flee for their lives during the 2018 fire season. Scientists racing to understand what's behind the rise of record-breaking megafires across the American West take to the forest, and even a fire lab, in search of answers. They investigate how forestry practices, climate change, and the physics of fire itself play a role in the dramatic increase in wildfires in recent decades.

Watch the show here:

https://www.pbs.org/video/inside-the-megafire-uzvhug/ (Passport required)

Friday, January 22

11:00am Nova “Why Bridges Collapse” (Click here for Supplemental Materials)

In 2018, Italy's Morandi Bridge collapsed, killing 43 people. NOVA investigates what went wrong and explores other bridge collapses across the United States. How can new engineering techniques make bridges safer and prevent such tragedies?

Watch the show here:

https://www.pbs.org/video/why-bridges-collapse-ym374u/ (Passport required)