Skip to Main Content

Why Trees Are Living Climate Records

Trees are living records of Earth’s climatic past. Play NOVA’s Polar Lab to learn how trees grow by simulating how they respond to different environments.
Go to episode
chevrons
Clip Season 47 Episode 1 Length 01:29 Premiere: 02/03/20

Recent Episodes

Sponsored by:

Clips & Previews

Specials

Season 47 Episodes

Cat Tales
S47 E3 Length 53:21 Premiere Date 02/19/20

Polar Extremes
S47 E1 Length 1:52:46 Premiere Date 02/05/20

Polar Extremes Preview
Preview Length 03:19 Premiere Date 02/05/20

What if Carbon Left Your Tailpipe as Solid Chunks?
Clip Length 02:12 Premiere Date 02/05/20

Plant Fossils Hint at Arctic's Swampy Past
Clip Length 03:02 Premiere Date 02/05/20

What did the East Coast Look Like 3 Million Years Ago?
Clip Length 03:21 Premiere Date 02/05/20

How Carbon Dioxide Warms Planet Earth
Clip Length 02:32 Premiere Date 02/05/20

A Bird's-Eye View of Carbon Emissions
Clip Length 01:56 Premiere Date 02/05/20

This Alaska Community is Losing Sea Ice to Climate Change
Clip Length 04:47 Premiere Date 02/05/20

Fifty Million Years Ago, the Arctic Was a Warm Swamp
Clip Length 02:07 Premiere Date 02/05/20

What’s Causing Greenland’s Biggest Glacier to Melt?
Clip Length 02:04 Premiere Date 02/05/20

How Earth’s Climate Changed Over the Past 500 Million Years
Clip Length 03:25 Premiere Date 02/05/20

This Canadian Cave Has Been Frozen Since the Last Ice Age
Clip Length 03:11 Premiere Date 02/05/20

How Climate Has Shifted Over Millions of Years
Clip Length 02:44 Premiere Date 02/05/20

Why Trees Are Living Climate Records
Clip Length 01:29 Premiere Date 02/03/20

See All Episodes

caret down

TV Schedules

Jump to Recent Airdates

Upcoming

The Planets: Mars - S46 E13

Premiered On: 07/24/2019

Mars was once a blue water-world studded with active volcanoes. But when its magnetic field and protective atmosphere faded, it became the frozen desert planet we know today. With so many necessary elements in place, did life ever form on Mars?

  • Thursday March 12, 2026 4:30 pm ET on KET
  • Thursday March 12, 2026 3:30 pm CT on KET

Pompeii's Secret Underworld - S52 E5

Archaeologists uncover new truths about Pompeii, a wealthy Roman playground with dark secrets.

  • Wednesday March 18, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
  • Wednesday March 18, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET
  • Thursday March 19, 2026 5:00 pm ET on KET
  • Thursday March 19, 2026 4:00 pm CT on KET
  • Friday March 20, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
  • Friday March 20, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
  • Sunday March 22, 2026 7:00 pm ET on KET2
  • Sunday March 22, 2026 6:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:00 am ET on KET2
  • Monday March 23, 2026 11:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Tuesday March 24, 2026 5:00 am ET on KET2
  • Tuesday March 24, 2026 4:00 am CT on KET2

Baltimore Bridge Collapse - S52 E6

Explores the March 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, a busy four-lane bridge that served as a crucial link in the global shipping chain on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard.

  • Wednesday March 25, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
  • Wednesday March 25, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET
  • Thursday March 26, 2026 5:00 pm ET on KET
  • Thursday March 26, 2026 4:00 pm CT on KET
  • Friday March 27, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
  • Friday March 27, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
  • Sunday March 29, 2026 7:00 pm ET on KET2
  • Sunday March 29, 2026 6:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Tuesday March 31, 2026 12:00 am ET on KET2
  • Monday March 30, 2026 11:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Tuesday March 31, 2026 5:00 am ET on KET2
  • Tuesday March 31, 2026 4:00 am CT on KET2

Your Brain: Perception Deception - S50 E9

Join neuroscientist Heather Berlin on a quest to understand how your brain shapes your reality, and why you can't always trust what you perceive. Learn the surprising tricks and shortcuts the brain takes to help us survive.

  • Wednesday April 1, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
  • Wednesday April 1, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET
  • Thursday April 2, 2026 5:00 pm ET on KET
  • Thursday April 2, 2026 4:00 pm CT on KET
  • Friday April 3, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
  • Friday April 3, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
  • Sunday April 5, 2026 7:00 pm ET on KET2
  • Sunday April 5, 2026 6:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Tuesday April 7, 2026 1:00 am ET on KET2
  • Tuesday April 7, 2026 12:00 am CT on KET2
Jump to Upcoming Airdates

Recent

Stone Age Temple Mystery - S53 E6

  • Tuesday March 3, 2026 5:00 am ET on KET2
  • Tuesday March 3, 2026 4:00 am CT on KET2
  • Tuesday March 3, 2026 12:00 am ET on KET2
  • Monday March 2, 2026 11:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Sunday March 1, 2026 7:00 pm ET on KET2
  • Sunday March 1, 2026 6:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Friday February 27, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
  • Friday February 27, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
  • Thursday February 26, 2026 5:00 pm ET on KET
  • Thursday February 26, 2026 4:00 pm CT on KET
  • Wednesday February 25, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
  • Wednesday February 25, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET

Building the Eiffel Tower - S51 E3

  • Tuesday February 24, 2026 5:00 am ET on KET2
  • Tuesday February 24, 2026 4:00 am CT on KET2
  • Tuesday February 24, 2026 12:00 am ET on KET2
  • Monday February 23, 2026 11:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Sunday February 22, 2026 7:00 pm ET on KET2
  • Sunday February 22, 2026 6:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Friday February 20, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
  • Friday February 20, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
  • Thursday February 19, 2026 5:00 pm ET on KET
  • Thursday February 19, 2026 4:00 pm CT on KET
  • Wednesday February 18, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
  • Wednesday February 18, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET

Mammal Origins - S53 E4

  • Tuesday February 17, 2026 5:00 am ET on KET2
  • Tuesday February 17, 2026 4:00 am CT on KET2
  • Tuesday February 17, 2026 12:00 am ET on KET2
  • Monday February 16, 2026 11:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Sunday February 15, 2026 7:00 pm ET on KET2
  • Sunday February 15, 2026 6:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Friday February 13, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
  • Friday February 13, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
  • Thursday February 12, 2026 5:00 pm ET on KET
  • Thursday February 12, 2026 4:00 pm CT on KET
  • Wednesday February 11, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
  • Wednesday February 11, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET

Can Dogs Talk? - S53 E3

  • Tuesday February 10, 2026 5:00 am ET on KET2
  • Tuesday February 10, 2026 4:00 am CT on KET2
  • Tuesday February 10, 2026 12:00 am ET on KET2
  • Monday February 9, 2026 11:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Sunday February 8, 2026 7:00 pm ET on KET2
  • Sunday February 8, 2026 6:00 pm CT on KET2
  • Friday February 6, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
  • Friday February 6, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
  • Thursday February 5, 2026 5:00 pm ET on KET
  • Thursday February 5, 2026 4:00 pm CT on KET
  • Wednesday February 4, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
  • Wednesday February 4, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET

Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire - S53 E2

  • Tuesday February 3, 2026 5:00 am ET on KET2
  • Tuesday February 3, 2026 4:00 am CT on KET2
Top

Explore KET