NOVA Science Video Podcast | PBS

They shuffle around, find the ball, plan their next move, and, of course, kick—all on their own. Designed by Manuela Veloso, a computer scientist at Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute and her team, these soccer-playing robots stand at the forefront of machines that can learn about the world and act appropriately. They can sense their surroundings and respond to changing conditions, like the arrival of another player in the vicinity. The long-term goal of Veloso's and other AI labs? To win the World Cup against humans by 2050. But they've got a few bugs to work out of their 'bots—like keeping them upright. For more, watch "The Smartest Machine on Earth" on pbs.org/nova. Original footage produced for NOVA by Michael Bicks. Video (all) © WGBH Educational Foundation

Meet neuroscientist Steffie Tomson, who studies the fascinating phenomenon of synesthesia and happens also to be a synesthete herself. She is one of the scientists whom we are profiling on "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers," a web-exclusive series from NOVA. Every two weeks, you'll have a chance to meet a new scientist or engineer. Watch their videos. Ask them questions. Find out how their surprising secret lives fuel their science, and vice versa. "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is produced for NOVA by Seftel Productions. Visit pbs.org/nova/secretlife Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Tapping into social cues to trick their audience, magicians rely on a phenomenon called joint attention. Most audience members will pay attention to what a magician is looking at—so a magician can direct their attention away by looking in the opposite direction. People on the autistic spectrum can have trouble picking up on the cues of joint attention and may not be fooled by a magician's sleight of hand. Researchers are now looking to magic as a useful technique to teach children with autism how to read social cues. For more, watch "How Does the Brain Work?" on pbs.org/nova. Original footage produced for NOVA by Terri Randall. Video (all) © WGBH Educational Foundation

Meet Judy Lee, a product designer and engineer who also hosts the tv show "Design Squad Nation." She is one of the scientists whom we are profiling on "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers," a web-exclusive series from NOVA. Every two weeks, you'll have a chance to meet a new scientist or engineer. Watch their videos. Ask them questions. Find out how their surprising secret lives fuel their science, and vice versa. "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is produced for NOVA by Seftel Productions. Visit pbs.org/nova/secretlife Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Cosmic rays are inescapable in space. They can rip right through an astronaut, damaging DNA and possibly causing cancer and memory loss over the long-term. But recent research shows that antioxidants, found in certain berries and fruit, may decrease the effects of this type of radiation. For more, watch "Can We Make It To Mars?" on pbs.org/nova. Original footage produced for NOVA by Sarah Holt. Video (all) © WGBH Educational Foundation

In his pursuit of strong materials, David Pogue, New York Times technology reporter and host of NOVA's "Making Stuff," wants to know how firefighters dress to boldly enter blazing buildings. In this video, Pogue visits with chemist Rich Young of DuPont to see how a material called Nomex withstands heat and flame. For more, watch "Making Stuff Stronger" airing January 19 on PBS. Or go to pbs.org/nova. Original footage produced for NOVA by Chris Schmidt, Powderhouse Productions. Video (all) © WGBH Educational Foundation

Meet Michio Kaku—a renowned physicist as well as an impressive figure skater. He is one of the scientists that we are profiling on "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers," a web-exclusive series from NOVA. Every two weeks, you'll have a chance to meet a new scientist or engineer. Watch their videos. Ask them questions. Find out how their surprising secret lives fuel their science, and vice versa. "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is produced for NOVA by Seftel Productions. Visit pbs.org/nova/secretlife Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Meet Caryn Babaian—a biology teacher for whom art is as essential as science. She is one of the scientists that we are profiling on "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers," a web-exclusive series from NOVA. Every two weeks, you'll have a chance to meet a new scientist or engineer. Watch their videos. Ask them questions. Find out how their surprising secret lives fuel their science, and vice versa. "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is produced for NOVA by Seftel Productions. Visit pbs.org/nova/secretlife Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists" provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Meet Allan Adams—theoretical physicist by profession and glider pilot on the side. He is one of the scientists that we are profiling on "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers," a web-exclusive series from NOVA. Every two weeks, you'll have a chance to meet a new scientist or engineer. Watch their videos. Ask them questions. Find out how their surprising secret lives fuel their science, and vice versa. "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is produced for NOVA by Seftel Productions. Visit pbs.org/nova/secretlife Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists" provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Meet Len Zon—cancer researcher by profession and shofar player on the side. He is one of the scientists that we are profiling on "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers," a web-exclusive series from NOVA. Every two weeks, you'll have a chance to meet a new scientist or engineer. Watch their videos. Ask them questions. Find out how their surprising secret lives fuel their science, and vice versa. "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is produced for NOVA by Seftel Productions. Visit pbs.org/nova/secretlife Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists" provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Meet Stephon Alexander—theoretical physicist by profession and saxophonist on the side. He is one of the scientists that we are profiling on "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers," a web-exclusive series from NOVA. Every two weeks, you'll have a chance to meet a new scientist or engineer. Watch their videos. Ask them questions. Find out how their surprising secret lives fuel their science, and vice versa. "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is produced for NOVA by Seftel Productions. Visit pbs.org/nova/secretlife Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists" provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Everybody's worst nightmare: You're riding in an elevator, and suddenly it goes into free fall. Could you save yourself by jumping up at the last second, just before the plummeting car hits bottom? Joe Seamans, producer of NOVA's "Trapped in an Elevator," tests it out. For more, watch "Trapped in an Elevator" airing November 2nd on PBS. Or go to pbs.org/nova. Video podcast produced for NOVA by Joe Seamans

For many Orthodox Jews, conventional elevators and observing the Sabbath don't mix. So how can they get to the top floors of tall buildings after sunset on Friday while still being true to their faith? Hotel managers in Miami Beach, together with rabbis, have come up with a clever solution: It is called the Shabbat elevator, and it allows Orthodox Jewish guests to ride an elevator to their hotel floor while still properly observing the Sabbath, even though it often means a longer ride. For more, watch "Trapped in an Elevator" airing November 2nd at 8pm on PBS. Or go to pbs.org/nova. Video podcast produced for NOVA by Joe Seamans

Meet Rachel Collins—microbiologist by profession and wrestler on the side. She is one of the scientists that we are profiling on "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers," a web-exclusive series from NOVA. Every two weeks, you'll have a chance to meet a new scientist or engineer. Watch their videos. Ask them questions. Find out how their surprising secret lives fuel their science, and vice versa. "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers" is produced for NOVA by Seftel Productions. Visit pbs.org/nova/secretlife Exclusive funding for "The Secret Life of Scientists" provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Gothic architecture didn't appear all at once. In this video clip, see evidence of its gradual evolution. For more, watch "Building the Great Cathedrals" airing October 19th at 8pm on PBS. Or go to pbs.org/nova. Video podcast produced for NOVA by Providence Pictures.