Wed. Nov. 18 at 9pm on WKAR-HD 23.1 & STREAMING | Examine Hagia Sophia's seismic secrets, which have insured its survival through a dozen earthquakes.
Istanbul's magnificent Hagia Sophia has survived on one of the world's most active seismic faults since Hagia Sophia was built in 537 AD. As Istanbul braces for the next big quake, NOVA follows the discoveries of a team of architects and engineers as the team examines the building's unique structure and other ingenious design strategies that have insured the dome's survival.
The engineers build a massive eight-ton model of the building's core structure, place it on a motorized shake table and hit it with a series of simulated quakes.
Watch the special at video.wkar.org during or after the premiere date.