NOVA · S52 · E14
Human: Neanderthal Encounters
For 400,000 years, Neanderthals thrived across frigid, Ice Age Europe. What happened when Homo sapiens arrived, and how did these encounters change our species – including our DNA – in ways still with us today?
About this episode
For 400,000 years, Neanderthals thrived across frigid, Ice Age Europe. What happened when Homo sapiens arrived, and how did these encounters change our species – including our DNA – in ways still with us today?
Season 52
1What Are UFOs?
54 minJan 22, 2025
Can science reveal the secrets of mysterious objects seen in our skies?
2Extreme Airport Engineering
54 minJan 29, 2025
Follow the race to build a world-class airport on the site of one of America’s busiest flying hubs.
3Dino Birds
54 minFeb 5, 2025
Fossils reveal how birds survived the killer asteroid and became today’s only living dinosaurs.
4Egypt's Tombs of Amun
54 minFeb 12, 2025
A long-lost ancient cemetery opens the door to a unique period in Egyptian history.
5Pompeii's Secret Underworld
54 minFeb 19, 2025
Archaeologists uncover new truths about Pompeii, a wealthy Roman playground with dark secrets.
6Baltimore Bridge Collapse
54 minFeb 26, 2025
Follow the investigation into the deadly container ship collision that closed the Port of Baltimore.
7Revolutionary War Weapons
54 minApr 9, 2025
Explore key military technologies in the American colonies’ fight for freedom.
8Secrets of the Forest
54 minApr 16, 2025
Follow scientists in a quest to understand how complex forest ecosystems can help cool our planet.
9Critical Condition: Health In Black America
97 minApr 30, 2025
Black Americans are nearly twice as likely to suffer from chronic diseases than Whites. Why? From false beliefs that permeate modern medicine to life experiences that can damage human cells, uncover the underlying causes of racial health disparities.
10Ultimate Crash Test: Countdown
53 minMay 7, 2025
What really happens in a multi-vehicle pileup? A first-of-its-kind experiment aims to stage a high speed crash to gain new insights on car safety. But how can they create and study a complex collision without putting any lives in danger?
11Ultimate Crash Test: Impact
53 minMay 14, 2025
Car safety experts just pulled off a first-of-its-kind remote controlled multi-vehicle pile up. Now investigators are put to the test as they analyze the data and look for insights into driver behavior and vehicle design.
12Human: Origins
54 minSep 17, 2025
Where did humans come from, and what makes us unique? Discover the remarkable origins of Homo sapiens, and the crucial moments of innovation, communication, and ritual that set us on our path.
13Human: Journeys
53 minSep 24, 2025
Follow Homo Sapiens as they venture across the world, farther than any other human species. See how they invented new tools to thrive in challenging environments - and meet the mysterious hobbit-like humans they may have encountered along the way.
14Human: Neanderthal Encounters
53 minOct 1, 2025Now viewing
For 400,000 years, Neanderthals thrived across frigid, Ice Age Europe. What happened when Homo sapiens arrived, and how did these encounters change our species – including our DNA – in ways still with us today?
15Human: Into the Americas
53 minOct 8, 2025
Follow ancient humans' perilous journey into the Americas, where a frigid Ice Age landscape, mammoths, and other fearsome beasts tested their resilience.
16Human: Building Empires
54 minOct 15, 2025
Discover how Homo sapiens transformed from nomads to empire builders. Witness the innovations – from animal domestication to writing – that revolutionized ancient life and shaped our modern world.
17Ancient Desert Death Trap
53 minOct 22, 2025
Archaeologists investigate dozens of strange Stone Age megastructures in the Arabian desert. They're so big that their true form is visible only from the air, yet these giant structures were built by a mysterious people 9000 years ago.
18Superfloods
53 minOct 29, 2025
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene dumped 14 inches of rain on North Carolina, triggering flash floods and killing more than 100 people. Why are these floods on the rise around the world-even in places thousands of feet above sea level?
19Operation Space Station: High-Risk Build
54 minNov 5, 2025
From ammonia leaks to Space Shuttle disasters to a spacewalk gone terribly wrong, astronauts and Mission Control insiders relive the most terrifying moments during construction of the International Space Station.
20Operation Space Station: Science and Survival
54 minNov 12, 2025
Witness life-or-death decisions 250 miles above Earth, as astronauts and Mission Control work together to survive moments of high danger on board humanity's remarkable orbiting laboratory, the International Space Station.
Guest stars
