| Nova | |
|---|---|
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| Created by | Michael Ambrosino |
| Developed by | Michael Ambrosino |
| Theme music composer |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 53 |
| No. of episodes | 1008 (February 11, 2026)(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Paula Apsell (senior) Julia Cort Chris Schmidt |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company | WGBH-TV |
| Original release | |
| Network | PBS |
| Release | March 3, 1974 (1974-03-03) – present |
| Related | |
Nova (stylized asNOVΛ) is an Americanpopular science television program produced byWGBH inBoston,Massachusetts, since 1974. It is broadcast onPBS in the United States, and in more than 100 other countries.[1] The program has won many major television awards.[2]
Nova often includes interviews with scientists doing research in the subject areas covered and occasionally includes footage of a particular discovery. Some episodes have focused on the history of science. Examples of topics covered include the following:Colditz Castle,theDrake equation,elementary particles,the1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens,Fermat's Last Theorem,theAIDS epidemic,global warming,moissanite,Project Jennifer,storm chasing,Unterseeboot 869,Vinland,Tarim mummies, and theCOVID-19 pandemic.
TheNova programs have been praised for their pacing, writing, and editing. Websites that accompany the segments have also won awards.[3]
Nova was first aired on March 3, 1974. The show was created by Michael Ambrosino, inspired by theBBC 2 television seriesHorizon, which Ambrosino had seen while working in the UK.[4] In the early years, manyNova episodes were either co-productions with the BBCHorizon team, or other documentaries originating outside of the United States, with the narration re-voiced inAmerican English. Of the first 50 programs, only 19 were originalWGBH productions, and the firstNova episode, "The Making of a Natural History Film", was originally an episode ofHorizon that premiered in 1972.[4] The practice continues to this day. All the producers and associate producers for the originalNova teams came from either England (with experience on theHorizon series), Los Angeles or New York.[5] Ambrosino was succeeded as executive producer by John Angier, John Mansfield, andPaula S. Apsell, acting as senior executive producer.[4]
Rob Owen ofPittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, "Fascinating and gripping."[6] Alex Strachan ofCalgary Herald wrote, "TV for people who don't normally watch TV."[7] Lynn Elber of theAssociated Press wrote of the episode "The Fabric of the Cosmos", "Mind-blowing TV."[8]The Futon Critic wrote of the episode "Looking for Life on Mars", "Astounding [and] exhilarating."[9]
Nova has been recognized with multiplePeabody Awards andEmmy Awards. The program won a Peabody in 1974, citing it as "an imaginative series of science adventures," with a "versatility rarely found in television." Subsequent Peabodys went to specific episodes:[2][10]
TheNational Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (responsible for documentary Emmys) recognized the program with awards in 1978, 1981, 1983, and 1989. Julia Cort won an Emmy in 2001 for writing "Life's Greatest Miracle." Emmys were also awarded for the following episodes:[2]
In 1998, the National Science Board of theNational Science Foundation awardedNova its first-ever Public Service Award.[2]
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