NOVA scienceNOW is a fast-paced science series that provides viewers with the inside track on the powerful intersection between the universe of scientific innovation and the everyday world, revealing the spirit of intellectual adventure that drives breakthrough research and the science behind the headlines. This NOVA scienceNOW program covers:

Artificial Life: Are scientists on the verge of making living things from little more than dust? Lightning: Experts still aren't sure what triggers it, but they suspect cosmic rays from outer space. Profile–Erich Jarvis: The work of neuroscientist Erich Jarvis demonstrates the power of open-mindedness in the lab. Fish Surgery: Veterinary medicine has caught up with Americans' love for their number one choice of pet: the fish. Don't Ask the Expert: Neil deGrasse Tyson has a bone to pick with Hollywood aliens. Hurricane Katrina Update: Our January 2005 segment on New Orleans' risk from hurricanes proved sadly prescient, as this update reveals.