--
Eva of Naharon from FIRST PEOPLES.
Courtesy of Joe Alblas / Wall to Wall Media.
PBS SUMMER BRINGS A SLATE OF NEW SCIENCE PROGRAMMING
Highlights Include Tracking Early Human Migration,
Following Marine Life in California's Monterey Bay in BIG BLUE LIVE
and an Examination of the History and Science of the Atomic Bomb
ARLINGTON, VA; May 21, 2015 -- PBS is giving summer television a boost with a robust slate of new primetime science programming. PBS' summer of science kicks off with FIRST PEOPLES on Wednesday, June 24 chronicling how Homo sapiens became the dominant human species and concludes with BIG BLUE LIVE, an unprecedented nature series documenting the late-summer confluence, as it's happening, of whales, sharks, sea lions, otters and other sea life in Monterey Bay, California, starting Monday, August 31.
Many programs appear as part of PBS' Think Wednesday lineup of nature and science programming, but BIG BLUE LIVE and other specials will debut at other times across the primetime schedule (check local listings). The five-part human diaspora journey FIRST PEOPLES (watch a clip here) travels around the world to tell the continuously unfolding story of our early human ancestors. On July 22, the three-part series LIFE ON THE REEF (watch a clip here) examines the breathtaking beauty of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, one of the richest and most complex natural ecosystems on earth. OPERATION WILD (watch a clip here), beginning July 1, follows veterinarians who travel the globe performing groundbreaking operations to save wild animals' lives. On July 15, NOVA Chasing Pluto (watch a clip here) reveals the first detailed images from the spacecraft New Horizon's historic flyby of Pluto. NOVA Nuclear Meltdown Disaster, airing July 29, sheds light on the brave workers who stayed behind in Fukushima when an earthquake and tsunami crippled a mighty power plant in one of history's worst nuclear accidents.
Premiering Tuesday, July 28, the thought-provoking specials THE BOMB and URANIUM: TWISTING THE DRAGON'S TAIL provide fascinating insights into the first detonation of the atomic bomb on its 70th anniversary and the lasting impact of the nuclear age. THE BOMB tells the story of the most powerful and destructive device ever invented, with newly restored footage, some of which was only recently declassified, of nuclear weaponry. URANIUM: TWISTING THE DRAGON'S TAIL is a two-part series, hosted by Dr. Derek Muller (physicist and creator of the popular YouTube channel Veritasium ), that touches on the cultural, scientific and natural histories of uranium and its many uses from weaponry to medicine.
BIG BLUE LIVE is a live television co-production with the BBC. Scientists, filmmakers and photographers, animal behaviorists, and other experts will come together for two amazing live weeks in late August and early September to document the extraordinary rejuvenation of the once endangered, now thriving ecosystem of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in California. The program will be anchored by four on-air correspondents from a reporting hub at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and from aboard several of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries research vessels.
From the Great Barrier Reef to the edge of the solar system, no location is off-limits on PBS this summer. Our lineup is entertaining, refreshing and relevant; it pushes the boundaries of the high-quality science programming we bring to audiences year-round, said Beth Hoppe, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming. Our fascinating bookend programs, FIRST PEOPLES and BIG BLUE LIVE, though very different in scope and production style, exemplify the type of smart and compelling programming that viewers can find only on PBS.
In addition, the award-winning PBS Digital Studios network on YouTube will continue to showcase the weird and wonderful world of science with series including It's Okay to be Smart, Gross Science, BrainCraft, Space Time, and Crash Course Astronomy.
Below is a chronological look at PBS' summer primetime programming:
FIRST PEOPLES
See how the mixing of ancient human genes helped us survive and thrive around the globe. Developments in genetics, archaeology and anthropology cast new light on 200,000 years of history, detailing how Homo sapiens came to be the dominant human species. -- Wednesdays, June 24-July 1, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET and July 8, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
OPERATION WILD
Veterinary teams around the world undertake groundbreaking operations to save animals' lives in some of the most remote places on earth. OPERATION WILD tells the remarkable stories of animals in need and the caregivers who push the bounds of veterinary medicine to help them. -- Wednesdays, July 1-15, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET
NOVA Chasing Pluto
NOVA captures New Horizon's historic flyby of Pluto, the culmination of the spacecraft's nine-year, three-billion-mile journey to reveal the first-ever detailed images of this strange, icy world at the very edge of our solar system. -- Wednesday, July 15, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
NOVA Nuclear Meltdown Disaster
Four years after one of history's worst nuclear accidents, NOVA reveals the minute-by-minute story of the Fukushima nuclear crisis and its ongoing aftermath, told by the brave workers who stayed behind when an earthquake and tsunami crippled the plant. -- Wednesday, July 29, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
HUMANITY FROM SPACE
From the perspective of space, a new science special traces mankind's journey from hunter-gatherer to dominant global species. With mind-bending data and CGI, the program shows how we have transformed our planet and produced a world of extraordinary complexity. -- Tuesday, July 21, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
-- 
