I love Nova

[supercorgi]

Currently watching a show on the Earth's magnetic field - very interesting. I think Nova is probably one of the few shows that demonstrates and explains real science and also reinforces the benefits that we get from exploring pure science just for knowledge's sake.

[Rob Lister]

I agree. Nova is great. Nova is one of only two pbs sponsored programs I like. The other is Frontline.

[Buckaroo]

Currently watching a show on the Earth's magnetic field - very interesting. I think Nova is probably one of the few shows that demonstrates and explains real science and also reinforces the benefits that we get from exploring pure science just for knowledge's sake.

May I take this opportunity, then, to shamelessly plug the upcoming episode (Monster of the Milky Way, Oct 31, 8:00 PM EST) which I supplied a big chunk of animation for? I'm proud to be associated with what I consider to be the gold standard in science programming.

Everybody watch! It'll be a great episode!

[kellyb]

Nova rocks!
Frontline, too.

[AmateurScientist]

Nova rocks!
Frontline, too.

Yes, I could survive on a television diet of them for the rest of my life.

AS

[AmateurScientist]

May I take this opportunity, then, to shamelessly plug the upcoming episode (Monster of the Milky Way, Oct 31, 8:00 PM EST) which I supplied a big chunk of animation for? I'm proud to be associated with what I consider to be the gold standard in science programming.

Everybody watch! It'll be a great episode!

Yes, you may. Good job, man.

AS

[delphi_ote]

Nova rocks!
Frontline, too.
No doubt. I'll jump on this bandwagon.

[KilgoreTrout]

My geology professor plays episodes of Nova on certain lab days, since the class can't have extensive field trips, and lacks the means to do many experiments (example: examining Earth's magnetic field). These also seem to be the most productive lab days. :D

[kellyb]

Whatever happened to "Scientific American Frontiers"?
Did that one get cancelled? Or is it just on infrequently now?

[AmateurScientist]

Whatever happened to "Scientific American Frontiers"?
Did that one get cancelled? Or is it just on infrequently now?

Good question. I don't know. I loved Alan Alda in that. His personality meshed very well with the scientists he interviewed, and he was always genuinely fascinated by the subject matter. He made it fun for the viewers too, and always kept the show's pace moving at a comfortable speed.

AS

[Buckaroo]

Whatever happened to "Scientific American Frontiers"?
Did that one get cancelled? Or is it just on infrequently now?

It's still around, but you're right, it's hard to find. By the time my (tenuous) association with it ended, budget and shedule constraints had forced the producers to recycle a considerable amount of material, and that may have affected its attractiveness to the PBS affiliates. In the DC area now, it's only on WETA's digital broadcast. In its own neck of the woods (Massachusetts), WGBH has relegated it to gawdawful times (1:00 am!)

It's too bad, because it's a great show. Along with Cosmos (which I see has its own thread) it was the inspiration for my current career.

[kellyb]

Very cool career, Buckaroo.

Good to know SAF is still around. Luckily I have DVR, so I can record all that stuff and watch it whenever.

"Understanding" on the Science Channel is good, too, although a bit dry at times compared to the PBS ones. But still quite good. I never quite groked the relationship between the photon and time until I saw Understanding's program "Time".

[Gord_in_Toronto]

Currently watching a show on the Earth's magnetic field - very interesting. I think Nova is probably one of the few shows that demonstrates and explains real science and also reinforces the benefits that we get from exploring pure science just for knowledge's sake.

I actually had a problem with this particular episode. The first half-hour gives scarey data about the decline of the Earth's magnetic field and how Mars is a vast wasteland for not having one. Were all going to fry!!

And then the second half says that it has happened many times before and life on Earth has survived.

Knowing about the historical magnetic reversals made the first half very difficult to watch.

[AmateurScientist]

Knowing about the historical magnetic reversals made the first half very difficult to watch.

It's also a terrible blow against Creationism, but I'm sure they have some apologetics explanation for the reversals.

The more I learn about cataclysmic events in our earth's history, and the ones that are certain to occur some time in the future of our planet, the sillier our widely held beliefs about mankind's eventual colonization of planets or moons within or without our solar system seem. They sound like pipe dreams.

My predicition is that either mankind will make the earth inhospitable for human life long before meaningful colonization can occur, or that some natually occurring catastrophe will happen that will extinguish humans, or at least severely curtail our numbers. We're just temporary tenants here. We're not the final end products of evolution with a special place in the unniverse.

AS

[Doubt]

No doubt. I'll jump on this bandwagon.

Yes doubt! But only because I am also jumping on the bandwagon.

[delphi_ote]

My predicition is that either mankind will make the earth inhospitable for human life long before meaningful colonization can occur, or that some natually occurring catastrophe will happen that will extinguish humans, or at least severely curtail our numbers. We're just temporary tenants here. We're not the final end products of evolution with a special place in the unniverse.
Well said and interesting thoughts. Too bad we won't be around to find out if you're right.

[CriticalThanking]

Discover did a recent article (http://www.discover.com/issues/jun-06/cover/?page=2) on the problems of space travel and cosmic rays. Without the shielding we get from the atmosphere and magnetic field, any extended space travel is very dangerous and the prospects for manned interstellar travel, even using the concept of multi-generational ships is unlikely without some major breakthrough.

CT

[Que]

Nova has always been great. I love to catch it whenever possible.

Q

[Serenity]

Is there any room left on this bandwagon?

*scrunches in*

SuperCorgi – I love Nova too. It is one of the better quality science shows on TV. My favorite as mentioned earlier is Scientific American Frontiers with Alan Alda. His enthusiasm is so infectious. Sometimes I get more joy watching his exuberance than the actual content of the show. His book, Never have your dog stuffed: And Other Things I’ve Learned (http://www.amazon.com/Never-Have-Your-Dog-Stuffed/dp/1400064090) looks interesting, too.


Some videos relating to the Op
Enjoy!

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The more I learn about cataclysmic events in our earth's history, and the ones that are certain to occur some time in the future of our planet, the sillier our widely held beliefs about mankind's eventual colonization of planets or moons within or without our solar system seem. They sound like pipe dreams.

My predicition is that either mankind will make the earth inhospitable for human life long before meaningful colonization can occur, or that some natually occurring catastrophe will happen that will extinguish humans, or at least severely curtail our numbers. We're just temporary tenants here. We're not the final end products of evolution with a special place in the unniverse.
Have you visited the Lifeboat Foundation (http://lifeboat.com/ex/main)? They are working on this problem. I hope you’re wrong and that we successfuly takeover the evolutionary reigns; transforming the fabric of space into some really cool designs. :)

[delphi_ote]

My favorite as mentioned earlier is Scientific American Frontiers with [COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Alan Alda. His enthusiasm is so infectious. Sometimes I get more joy watching his exuberance than the actual content of the show.
I love that show so much it hurts. Alda was so genuine, engaged, and curious about everything, I always came away from his show feeling like I'd really learned something new.

Welcome aboard the bandwagon, Serenity!

[supercorgi]

SuperCorgi – I love Nova too. It is one of the better quality science shows on TV. My favorite as mentioned earlier is Scientific American Frontiers with Alan Alda. His enthusiasm is so infectious. Sometimes I get more joy watching his exuberance than the actual content of the show. His book, Never have your dog stuffed: And Other Things I’ve Learned (http://www.amazon.com/Never-Have-Your-Dog-Stuffed/dp/1400064090) looks interesting, too.

I love it when people get genuinely excited about science and discovery. I haven't caught SAF too often, but always enjoyed Alda's straight forward and delighted presentation when I have.

[Ohmer]

I am generally a huge fan of NOVA. However, I was disappointed with this episode:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sun/

I learned a lot, but it seamed alarmist to me. They spent too much time talking about worst case scenarios. If you are going to have a graphic that shows the high end of the margin of error you should also have one for the low end. My woo alarms were going off and that usually doesn’t happen with them. They seemed to be making the problem sound worse than it really is.

I have a very high expectation that they usually meet. Was anyone else disappointed with this one?

[bob_kark]

I love Nova too!

Naked Science on the National Geographic channel is pretty good too though the "We're all going to die!!millions of years from now..." is getting pretty old.

[clarsct]

I was wondering how that show ended. I fell asleep. I watched it at 6AM and had been awake for 16+hours on 4 hours of sleep.

I was very upset with myself when I awoke. I really wanted to see it!!

Oh, and let me on that wagon!!!