Episode notes
Big earthquakes can change the Earth’s rotation. And Harvard geophysicist John Shaw says these giant events can teach us a lot. He traces our understanding from ancient myths to modern studies and unpacks what;s really going on beneath the surface. John reveals why a magnitude 7 earthquake releases 30 times the energy of a WWII-era atomic bomb, how the largest quakes make the Earth ring like a bell for days, and why the deadliest earthquake in history wasn't even the biggest one. Learn more about NOVA and visit our YouTube channel. -------------------------- Guest Bio: John Shaw is the Harry…
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NOVA Presents
GBH · Tech & Science · English
Ever wonder what's really going on in the world of science? We've got you covered. Join us for conversations with the researchers making tomorrow's breakthroughs, deep dives into the universe's biggest mysteries, and clear explanations of the discoveries that matter most. We're talking climate break
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S6 · E36 · 8 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 30 min
Full Interview: The Fusion Future
There is a near-limitless energy source to power our world, and it may be almost here. Dennis Whyte shares with Hakeem that we're closer than ever to bottling the power of the sun. He would know. He’s now the CEO of the United Kingdom’s Atomic Energy Authority and a nuclear scientist at MIT. What happens when we finally unlock nuclear fusion, the same energy source that powers the sun? What even is fusion? How does it work, and why are scientists now so close to building commercially viable fusion systems that could put power on the grid? From fusion fundamentals, to the future of energy, to…
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S6 · E35 · 6 Oct 2026 · 28 min
Fusion and the Future of Space
Dennis Whyte has designed a fusion reactor for Mars, and it turns out the red planet has plenty of fusion fuel. The MIT nuclear scientist joins Hakeem to explore fusion's wildest applications: spacecraft propulsion, space stations, and even a shield that stops radiation. While they’re at it, Dennis and Hakeem discuss the roadblocks and risks still left to solve in nuclear fusion. Learn more about NOVA and visit our YouTube channel. -------------------------- Guest Bio: Dennis Whyte is the Hitachi America Professor of Engineering at MIT and former director of the Plasma Science and Fusion…
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S6 · E34 · 1 Oct 2026 · 31 min
How to Build a Star
Dennis Whyte helped spark a multi-billion-dollar industry from a spool of tape. The nuclear scientist and entrepreneur explains the nitty gritty of nuclear fusion through the multitude of businesses that are chasing nuclear fusion. Dennis walks Hakeem through the origin story of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, the company he co-founded from a class assignment, and reveals how a new superconducting material discovered in the 1980s finally made compact fusion possible. Learn more about NOVA and visit our YouTube channel. -------------------------- Guest Bio: Dennis Whyte is the Hitachi America…
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S6 · E33 · 29 Sep 2026 · 36 min
Fusion Energy is Coming
Dennis Whyte studies the physics that powers every star in the universe, and he says it can power your house, too. Now the CEO of the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority and nuclear scientist at MIT, Dennis joins Hakeem to break down what fusion actually is, why it packs 10 million times the energy density of gasoline, and who is making the biggest investment in this massive energy field. Dennis unpacks the surprisingly direct link between a society's energy use and its economic prosperity, and reveals why fusion might change everything. Learn more about NOVA and visit our YouTube channel.…
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S6 · E32 · 24 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 20 min
Full Interview: Cracking Animal Language
Federico Rossano convinces Hakeem that animals have a lot more to say than we've given them credit for. The cognitive scientist shares the origin story behind his record-breaking study of talking dogs, the evidence that some pets may understand more than a human toddler, and what primates reveal about the roots of communication itself. Learn more about NOVA and visit our YouTube channel. Federico Rossano is an Associate Professor of Cognitive Science at UC San Diego and director of the Comparative Cognition Lab, where he studies communication and social cognition across humans, primates,…
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