NOVA

Season 18

19 episodes 53 seasons

Release Date

Premiered

NOVA Season 18 released on January 8, 1991.

Your Progress

Track your watching progress by signing in

Sign In to Track Progress

Episodes

Watched?

S18E01 Aired January 08, 1991

Return to Mt. St. Helens

Return to Mt. St. Helens from the show NOVA details how Mt. St. Helens has recovered ten years after its volcanic eruption. Local residents are interviewed about the subject and share their thoughts and firsthand experience of the disaster. Experts are also brought in to explain how long the recovery process will take

S18E02 Aired January 15, 1991

ConFusion in a Jar

ConFusion in a Jar from the PBS science series NOVA instigates the amazing power and heated controversy over cold fusion in this 1991 episode. Cold fusion has the potential to supply unlimited energy to a world hungry for power, but many in the scientific community contradict this experimental theory and its dangers

S18E03 Aired February 05, 1991

The Hunt for China’s Dinosaurs

Nova's The Hunt for China's Dinosaurs follows a team of Canadian paleontologists excavating dinosaur bones in the Gobi Desert. Inspired by the discoveries of Roy Chapman Andrews in the 1920s, the crew set out to find fossils in the Gobi, which had been closed to scientists since then. Having nearly come home empty-handed three years earlier, the scientists find a veritable treasure trove this time.

S18E04 Aired February 12, 1991

The Case of the Flying Dinosaur

Explore the link between dinosaurs and birds, and tune in to the fierce debate, about whether dinosaurs are truly extinct, that continues to captivate no matter how you choose to draw the family tree.

S18E05 Aired February 19, 1991

T. rex Exposed

T.rex Exposed from the show Nova is a 54 minute TV science documentary from PBS with Don Lessem as host and narrator. The episode's storyline tells of a detailed and interesting look at the most famous dinosaur T.rex and will let the audience witness the discovery of the science and lore of dinosaurs in general. It unavails a suspenseful dig in Montana where a crew is carefully uncovering one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex specimens ever found: a remarkably preserved skeleton 40 feet long. T.rex Exposed is a creation of Michael Ambrosino with Paula Apsell as executive producer.

S18E06 Aired February 26, 1991

Russian Right Stuff: The Invisible Spaceman

The three-part "Russian Right Stuff" begins by profiling Sergei Korolev, who pioneered the Soviet space program. Included: the historic Sputnik launches; the April 1961 orbital flight of Yuri Gagarin.

S18E07 Aired February 27, 1991

Russian Right Stuff: The Dark Side of the Moon

Part 2 of "Russian Right Stuff" explores the costly and secretive Soviet lunar program. Included: bureaucratic infighting following chief designer Sergei Korolev's death; unmanned probes that photographed the moon's surface.

S18E08 Aired February 28, 1991

Russian Right Stuff: The Mission

In the conclusion of "Russian Right Stuff," cosmonauts rendezvous with the Mir space station in 1989. Included: the training of cosmonauts; their comments on the Soviet moon program.

S18E09 Aired March 05, 1991

Swimming With Whales

Vancouver Island is one of the premier whale watching sites in the world. NOVA goes on location to try to catch glimpses of grays, humpbacks and many other species of whales. Gregory Peck narrates the story of these huge mammals and the way they continue to thrive in this environment.

S18E10 Aired March 26, 1991

The Chip vs. the Chess Master

Modern technology is advancing at an astounding rate. With computer technology comes a wide range of applications. A program has been developed that will allow a computer to play chess with a human. But, when the match begins, will the human or the computer prove victorious. Can a computer outsmart people?

S18E11 Aired October 01, 1991

Sex, Lies and Toupee Tape

Baldness may seem like a trivial matter, but for thousands of men and women, it is a serious issue with deep-reaching societal implications. Alan Rachin hosts an episode that examines the causes of human baldness, as well as potential cures, prevalent social stigmas and the various methods humans have invented to hide baldness

S18E12 Aired October 09, 1991

So You Want to Be a Doctor?

A follow-up to the program "Can We Make a Better Doctor?" this two-hour special chronicles the lives of seven aspiring doctors during their four years of medical school. The show includes their first exams, anatomy class, first patient death, first baby delivered and more. Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

S18E13 Aired October 15, 1991

Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls have been fascinating researchers for years, while at the same time remaining steeped in mystery and scandal. It has taken decades for researchers to compile the scrolls. While time intensive, these documents give scholars better insight into the origins of the Hebrew Bible and reveal new observations about world history.

S18E14 Aired October 22, 1991

Suicide Mission to Chernobyl

The sarcophagus is the giant structure that contains the nuclear reactor that melted down at Chernobyl in 1986. Now, scientists and researchers are attempting to open the sarcophagus to see just how bad the damage really is. This is considered a suicide mission because the reactor is still unstable and could explode at any time.

S18E15 Aired November 05, 1991

Taller Than Everest?

Taller Than Everest? is the fifth episode of the 19 season from the informative PBS science show NOVA. The episode originally aired on November 5, 1991. Narrated by Stacy Keach this episode examines whether Pakistan's K2 is taller than Everest. Additionally this episode features footage from both peaks and quotes from both scientists and climbers alike.

S18E16 Aired November 12, 1991

Fastest Planes in the Sky

Fastest Planes in the Sky from the show NOVA explains how fast aviation technology is advancing. The fastest planes of today will look slow in comparison to models that are on the horizon. Advances in technology have made these planes more efficient as well, which is important due to rising jet fuel costs.

S18E17 Aired December 03, 1991

Avoiding the Surgeon's Knife

George Strait hosts this investigation of a ground-breaking 1991 study that aimed to change the face of surgery and medical treatment in general. When four patients seek safe, effective treatment for their heart disease, they are willing to accept unusual techniques that bypass traditional surgery or drugs, possibly leading to better results.

S18E18 Aired December 10, 1991

Skyscraper!

NOVA films engineers and construction workers who are building the Worldwide Plaza in New York City. Starting from a large hole in the ground, cameras capture the building's work-in-progress, which lead to the creation of a 47-story office building and 770-foot skyscraper. The episode ends with a quick look at other well-known skyscrapers and how engineers created them.

S18E19 Aired December 17, 1991

The Art of Faking It

Richard Dreyfuss narrates NOVA's exploration of the collision between science, fine art and criminal activities. For as long as there have been masterpieces, there have been people who make copies of the masterpieces. Museums have to take these forgeries very seriously, which is why many have scientists on hand to carefully verify the authenticity of each new acquisition.