Scientific American Frontiers
Affairs of the Heart (#1104)
The heart is the first body part to go to work, and its failure is often the event that causes death. AFFAIRS OF THE HEART examines advances in fixing broken hearts -- and at ways to prevent them from breaking. This episode tellsthe dramatic story of a Texas toddler who underwent immediate surgery after birth due to his defective heart. This program also updages two previously broadcast segments. Alda follows a heart bypass operation performed without opening the patient's chest. Alda visits a company poised to complete the first successful implant of a totally self-contained artificial heart, designed to entirely and permanently replace the patient's own.
Education Record Rights: Recording/duplication allowed in perpetuity.
Program Description: Alan Alda hosts this magazine-style series of science specials, composed of segments organized around a specific theme. The agenda this season includes a look into the future, a trip to South Africa and an examination of the difference in the brains of men and women.
All Upcoming Episodes
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Chimps R Us (#1108)
This episode tells stories about the social life of chimps, their thinking abilities, and their very human sense of self-awareness. Also, host Alan Alda meets Jane Goodall, who pioneered studies of chimps.
- Sat, November 21, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
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Fat and Happy? (#1110)
This episode discusses America's latest epidemic-obesity. While 20 percent of adults are clinically obese, now 25 percent of children are too, and the proportion is steadily increasing. What shape will Americans be in within a decade or so?
- Thu, November 26, 7:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, November 26, 1:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, November 26, 6:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, November 26, 11:00 PM on IPTV World
- Sat, November 28, 5:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, November 28, 11:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, November 28, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
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Flying Free (#1109)
Paul MacCready became famous when, at the age of 50, he built the first human-powered airplane. In the 25 years since, he has gone on to build even more amazing machines. Alan Alda helps to test the latest creations of engineers at Aerovironment, the company MacCready founded.
- Thu, November 26, 9:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, November 26, 3:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, November 26, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, November 26, 8:00 PM on IPTV World
- Fri, November 27, 1:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, November 28, 4:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, November 28, 10:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, November 28, 4:00 PM on IPTV World
- Sat, November 28, 10:00 PM on IPTV World
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Pet Tech (#1201)
Host Alan Alda meets an African Gray parrot with the cognitive abilities of a four-year-old child, and tries out high-tech games for bored parrots and lonely dogs.
- Thu, December 3, 7:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 3, 1:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 3, 6:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 3, 11:00 PM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 5, 5:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 5, 11:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 5, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
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The Gene Hunters (#1202)
Host Alan Alda meets some of the brightest gene-hunting scientists today and examines a controversial gene therapy project that's attempting to grow new blood vessels in diseased hearts.
- Thu, December 3, 9:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 3, 3:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 3, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 3, 8:00 PM on IPTV World
- Fri, December 4, 1:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 5, 4:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 5, 10:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 5, 4:00 PM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 5, 10:07 PM on IPTV World
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Dead Men's Tales (#1203)
Meet scientists reconstructing mysterious past events from the evidence of excavated remains.
- Thu, December 10, 7:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 10, 1:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 10, 6:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 10, 11:00 PM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 12, 5:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 12, 11:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 12, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
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Alien Invasion (#1204)
Explore the impact that invasive species and viruses have on environmental and human health around the world. Alan Alda looks at some of the most egregious aliens and what's being done to control them.
- Thu, December 10, 9:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 10, 3:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 10, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 10, 8:00 PM on IPTV World
- Fri, December 11, 1:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 12, 4:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 12, 10:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 12, 4:00 PM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 12, 10:00 PM on IPTV World
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Growing Up Different (#1205)
Alan Alda meets several kids who are growing up different and the doctors and researchers who are trying to mitigate the difficulties they face.
- Thu, December 17, 7:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 17, 1:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 17, 6:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 17, 11:00 PM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 19, 5:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 19, 11:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 19, 5:08 PM on IPTV World
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On The Ball (#1206)
Explore the way science and technology are improving the world of sports for athletes, officials and even spectators.
- Thu, December 17, 9:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 17, 3:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 17, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
- Fri, December 18, 1:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 19, 4:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 19, 10:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 19, 10:00 PM on IPTV World
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Beneath The Sea (#1207)
Until recently, the depths of the world's oceans were virtually unknown and unreachable by humans. Now, thanks to new technologies and research techniques, the undersea world is starting to yield its secrets.
- Thu, December 24, 7:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 24, 1:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 24, 6:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 24, 11:00 PM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 26, 5:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 26, 11:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 26, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
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Games Machines Play (#1208)
This program follows four engineering contests: the MIT design contest; the aerial robot contest; a human-powered submarine race; and the series of contests that pits teams of robot soccer players against one another to win RoboCup 2001.
- Thu, December 24, 9:00 AM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 24, 3:00 PM on IPTV World
- Thu, December 24, 5:00 PM on IPTV World
- Fri, December 25, 1:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 26, 4:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 26, 10:00 AM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 26, 4:00 PM on IPTV World
- Sat, December 26, 10:00 PM on IPTV World
Past Episodes
These episodes of Scientific American Frontiers aired in the last few months on Iowa Public Television.
