SEASON 15
1501. Surgical Slimmers
In spite of the risks, people are lining up to solve their weight problems in the operating room. And if the latest device -- an implantable stomach "pacer" -- works out, millions more will be taking the surgical way out.
1502. Cars That Think
The fully automatic car may be down the road a ways, but cars that do your thinking for you are just around the corner -- they watch out for hazards, they listen to you, they read your lips, they even know when you're distracted.
1503. Going Deep
A look back at the decades of effort that culminated in the deep sub Alvin reaching the ocean floor, and a look forward to what's next now that Alvin's retiring.
1504. Chimp Minds
A visit with an engaging if unruly bunch of cousins that we formally broke up with about 6 or 7 million years ago - with whom we share almost all of our genes but not a lot of our lifestyle. Why the difference? Maybe it's in how we learn.
1505. Hot Planet - Cold Comfort
So you think global warming won't affect you? Wait until the great Atlantic Conveyor shuts down. And find out what's already happening in Alaska.
1506. Hydrogen Hopes
We've all heard of hydrogen as the fuel of the future, but what will it take to get there from here? How can we create hydrogen from renewable sources like the sun - and how do we store it safely once we've got it?
1507. Hidden Motives
If you think you know why you do things, you're probably wrong. Exploring how our unconscious determines our behavior - including why we buy things that are "cool."
1508. The Secret Canyon
The best kept secret of American archeology is now revealed--an entire canyon of perfectly preserved 1,000-year-old remains. Who were these people and where did they come from?
1509. Cybersenses
Replacement synthetic senses for people are now a reality. Children as young as 12 months are already getting artificial hearing while the first trials of electronic retinas for the blind are just beginning.
1510. Robot Pals
To be really useful, robots need to behave as cooperative partners rather than mindless machines. We'll meet three robots--including a future member of an astronaut team--that are trying to better understand us.
SEASON 14
1401. Losing It
Scientists try to figure out the body's complex weight-regulation system, while Alan and 10 volunteers try to shed unwanted pounds.
1402. Don’t Forget
Scientists attempt to unravel the mysteries of memory -- how we make them, where they come from and why some slip away.
1403. Future Car
Alan visits the research labs and testing tracks of the Big 3 automobile makers to find technologies that will fuel the cars of the future.
1404. Hot Times in Alaska
Melting glaciers, dying forests, and disappearing lakes; Scientists explain why warmer temperatures are cause for alarm.
1405. The Dark Side of the Universe
New discoveries about Dark Matter and Dark Energy have astronomers wondering if ours is but an infinity of universes.
1406. Coming Into America
Who were the first Americans? New discoveries and techniques for dating have archeologist rethinking what they know-- and rewriting history.
SEASON 13
1301. Unearthing Secret America
Archaeologists shed new light on life in colonial America.
1302. Make Up Your Mind
Scientists look to the brain's frontal lobe as the seat of personality.
1303. The Intimate Machine
Scientists blend technology with sociology to make our machines more fun to use.
1304. Forever Wild
Scientists scramble to understand the intricate natural systems on which all life depends—before it's too late.
1305. Mysteries of the Deep
Scientists unlock secrets from the last frontier on Earth - the ocean depths.
1306. Deep Crisis
Investigating the past, present and uncertain future of the ocean's long-distance travelers -- salmon and tuna.
1307. The Wonder Pill
Scientists attempt to untangle and harness the mysterious power of the placebo affect.
1308. Calls of the Wild
Researchers listen in on animal communication as birds, bees, bugs, bats and elephants flirt, eavesdrop and even give directions.
1309. You Can Make It On Your Own
From scientists to musicians, people are using technology in creative new ways: converting the digital to the tangible.
1310. Worried Sick
The "fight or flight" response to stress once helped us evade predators, but its long term effects can get us into an different kind of trouble - ill health.
