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Human: Building Empires Preview

Season 52 Episode 16 | 30s

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.

National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Carlisle Companies and Viking Cruises. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.
Extras
From fruit flies to snake venom, evolutionary biologist Sean Carroll explains what drives evolution.
Can we really bring extinct species back? Evolutionary biologist Beth Shapiro says yes.
See how ingenuity and teamwork keep the crew alive and doing science 250 miles above Earth.
Astronauts and Mission Control relive terrifying moments during construction of the ISS.
Dive into how Earth’s weirdest microbes could help us spot extraterrestrial life.
Find out why deadly flash floods are on the rise and how we can protect ourselves from them.
Explore mysterious 9,000-year-old Stone Age megastructures found in the Arabian Desert.
What is speech, really? Neuroscientist Erich Jarvis explores the science behind how we speak.
Follow ancient humans’ journey into an icy and perilous new land.
Your brain does all kinds of strange things. Neuroscientist Heather Berlin explains how it works.