NOVA Science Video Podcast | PBS

The Personal Genome Project, spearheaded by George Church, the Director of Harvard's Center for Computational Genetics, aims to recruit 100,000 people to offer up their DNA and personal life histories, all in an effort to further knowledge of human genetics and why we get-or don't get-diseases. Watch past episodes of the program, try out interactives, and more on our Web site: http://www.pbs.org/nova/sciencenow Video podcast produced by Julia Cort. Edited and narrated by Melissa Salpietra. Original footage and interviews for NOVA scienceNOW produced by Julia Cort. Stock footage provided by istockphoto.com. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA scienceNOW is provided by the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and PBS viewers. National corporate funding for NOVA is provided by The Boeing Company. Major funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0407101. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

The Vikings didn't invent crucible steel, so where did it come from? Many experts believe that the Volga trade route supplied Vikings with prized crucible steel from the Middle East, where people were more practiced in the art of forging it. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers. © WGBH Educational Foundation

Hurricane Sandy was born just like any other tropical storm: the warm water acts as a "heat engine" and produces strong winds. But an unfortunate turn catapulted Sandy into the Northeast—making it unusually devastating for those living on or near the coast. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers. © WGBH Educational Foundation

Protective armor was a necessity in Egyptian chariot warfare. Military historian Mike Loades explains what made it so strong. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.

An innovative computer-based handwriting analysis technique helps NOVA dig deeper into the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's baby. But while the results might sway investigators in a certain direction, they certainly aren't definitive. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers. © WGBH Educational Foundation

A University of Pennsylvania lab is developing tiny drones that sense their environment. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.

Until recently, scientists have encountered scant evidence of Neanderthal ritual or religious practice. A new discovery, though, suggests that Neanderthals—much like today's bear hunters—ceremoniously cut off panther paws and kept them as trophies. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.

Thrihnukagigur crater is the only place on Earth where the anatomy of a volcano can be studied from the inside. When geologists journeyed into its heart, they discovered that a network of fissures links together distant volcanoes. Additional funding for this program is provided by Millicent Bell, through the Millicent and Eugene Bell Foundation. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.

In big blockbuster films, all volcanoes look the same: they are huge pointed peaks that violently erupt, destroying everything in their path. While some volcanoes do look like their Hollywood stand-ins, many others do not. In fact, they vary in size, lifespan, and even in the way they erupt. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and PBS viewers.

Bruce Jackson is Professor and Head of the Biotechnology Programs at Massachusetts Bay Community College. His work focuses on how DNA - in conjunction with other tools - can help solve mysteries of ancestry, forensics and evolution. Bruce is also an expert scuba diver and the founder of the Diving Buddies program, where he shares his love of diving with young children. Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers" provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Lockheed Martin Corporation, and PBS viewers. © 2012 WGBH Educational Foundation

Ian Lipkin is a self-described "microbe hunter." A professor at Columbia University, he does research on a wide array of infectious diseases. When Ian's not in the lab, he helps Hollywood put science up on the silver screen. Among his many other contributions to the film "Contagion," Ian taught Gwyneth Paltrow how to have a seizure. Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers" provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Lockheed Martin Corporation, and PBS viewers. © 2012 WGBH Educational Foundation

We ask Tom Yang 10 Questions, and he tells us about a surprise Elvis sighting. Tom Yang is a food technologist for the US Army's Food Processing, Engineering and Technology Team. In his off-hours, Tom makes like his idols, Elvis Presley and Mick Jagger, and sings his heart out karaoke-style. Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers" provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Lockheed Martin Corporation, and PBS viewers. © 2012 WGBH Educational Foundation

For Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) engineers, Curiosity's landing represented the culmination of many years of hard work and personal aspiration. In this video, they trace their love of space back to their childhood and express their gratitude for being given the opportunity to put a rover on Mars. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Lockheed Martin Corporation, and PBS viewers. © WGBH Educational Foundation

Scientists have never set foot on an alien world, but that hasn't kept them from looking for life beyond our solar system. In this short video, astrophysicist Lisa Kaltenegger explains how we determine whether a far-off planet could harbor life. Video podcast produced and edited by Melissa Salpietra. Original footage produced by Julia Cort. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Lockheed Martin Corporation, and PBS viewers. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0407101. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. © WGBH Educational Foundation

Honeybees communicate using the "Waggle Dance," a form of bee body language. A worker bee will shake her body after finding a food source or potential nest site. The direction and length of each shimmy indicates to her hivemates the distance and direction of the valuable resource. Watch as David Pogue learn to speak bee and gets his waggle on. Funding for NOVA scienceNOW is provided by the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and PBS viewers. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Lockheed Martin Corporation, and PBS viewers. Written and Produced by Anna Lee Strachan Edited by Daniel Gaucher Original Footage ©WGBH Educational Foundation 2012 © 2012 WGBH Educational Foundation