PBS Launches ink Wednesday, Offering Weekly ree-Hour Primetime Line-up of Nature, Science and Technology Programs

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PBS Launches Think Wednesday, Offering Weekly Three-Hour Primetime Line-up of Nature, Science and Technology Programs

Weekly Primetime Programming Block Highlighted by NATURE, NOVA and New Special Series

PASADENA, CA; January 20, 2014 At the semi-annual Television Critics Association conference today, PBS announced the launch of its new Think Wednesday primetime line-up: television's best nature, science and technology programming, including new episodes of acclaimed series NATURE and NOVA in the 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. hours respectively, and new specials debuting at 10 p.m. The Think Wednesday lineup premieres Wednesday, April 9, with new episodes of NOVA and NATURE and the premiere of YOUR INNER FISH at 10 p.m.

PBS has always offered a wide range of programming that speaks to individuals with a variety of interests. This spring, PBS has a Wednesday night lineup that will keep viewers coming back week after week to find smart, fascinating content they love, said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager of General Audience Programming. PBS Wednesday is the destination for the best science and nature programs, offering new perspectives on life in the universe feeding viewers' curiosity and sure to be leaving them wanting more.

Think Wednesday launches at 8 p.m. on April 9 with PBS' long-running series NATURE, the highest-rated nature series on television, presenting the best in original, natural history filmmaking. New episodes highlight animal prosthetics, Japanese snow monkeys and wild mule deer. At 9 p.m., NOVA, the highest-rated science series on television and the most-watched documentary series on public television, premieres the three-part Inside Animal Minds, which explores breakthroughs in the revolutionary science of animal cognition, focusing on three iconic creatures birds, dogs and dolphins. At 10 p.m., the new three-part series YOUR INNER FISH premieres, completing a strong line-up of captivating programming. Produced by Tangled Bank Studios in collaboration with the award-winning production company Windfall Films, YOUR INNER FISH delves deeply into the past and reveals a startling truth: Hidden within the human body is a story of life on Earth. Based on the best-selling book by paleobiologist Neil Shubin, this scientific adventure story whisks viewers from Ethiopia to the Arctic Circle on a hunt for the many ways our animal ancestors have shaped our anatomical destiny.

The full Think Wednesday launch schedule follows.

NATURE Wednesdays, April 9-23, 2014, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

My Bionic Pet Wednesday, April 9, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

Left without fins, flippers, beaks or tails from disease, accidents or human cruelty, some animals face seemingly insurmountable obstacles to survive. Prosthetic parts made possible by the latest engineering and technology can provide what disabled animals need, and scientists are finding that innovations created in the process can benefit humans as well.

Touching the Wild Wednesday, April 16, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

Joe Hutto ( My Life as a Turkey ) dedicated seven years of his life to infiltrating a wild mule deer community. Incredibly, these keenly intelligent animals, that would normally run from a human, come to regard this stranger as one of their own. The joy Hutto feels for his new family is heartwarming, even when experiencing their world as prey.

Snow Monkeys (w.t.) Wednesday, April 23, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

The Japanese macaque, or snow monkey, is the northernmost monkey species in the world, able to survive winter temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit. It's also among the most intelligent: recent studies found that macaques can develop different accents, like humans. And it's the only animal other than humans and raccoons known to wash its food before eating it.

NOVA Inside Animal Minds Wednesdays, April 9-23, 2014, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

All humans have gazed into another creature's eyes and wondered: What is it thinking? What does it know? Now, the revolutionary science of animal cognition reveals hard evidence about how animals understand the world around them uncovering their remarkable problem-solving abilities and exploring the complexity of their communications and their emotions.

Bird Genius Wednesday, April 9, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

When it comes to intelligence, we humans are clearly the most gifted animals around. But what make us so special? Our ability to make and use tools? To solve complex problems? Or plan for the future? Today, researchers are discovering other creatures that have mastered these skills. NOVA tests the limits of some of the planet's brainiest birds, searching for the secrets of a problem-solving mind.

Dogs & Super Senses Wednesday, April 16, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

What is it like to be a dog, a shark or a bird? This question is getting serious attention from scientists who study animal senses. How does a swallow's tiny, one-gram brain take in the flood of visual information that enables the bird to whiz within inches of buildings while flying at 40 miles an hour? Is it possible for a dog to smell time? How has the evolution of the dog from its wolf ancestors reshaped its brain? NOVA goes into the minds of animals to see the world in an entirely new way.

Who's the Smartest? Wednesday, April 23, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

What makes an animal smart? What forces of evolution drive brains to become more complex? Many scientists believe the secret lies in our relationships. Throughout the animal kingdom, some of the cleverest creatures including humans -- seem to be those who live in complex social groups, like dolphins, elephants, and apes. Could the skills required to keep track of friend and foe make animals smarter? To find out, NOVA goes inside the social lives of some of the smartest animals on th

LINK:	http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2014/think-wednesday-launch/...
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