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Nova

Gleaming symbols of prestige, skyscrapers are an ingenious way to save space in dense urban areas. But even as we devise ways to defend them against fires, wind, and earthquakes, can we also make them more livable, interactive, and eco-friendly?

Can skyscrapers be made safer, more efficient, and livable in our rapidly growing cities?

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High-Risk High-Rise

Even if a building appears to be undamaged after an earthquake, it could have used up some of its initial earthquake resisting capability.

Factors such as inadequate construction materials can make tall buildings vulnerable.

When Earthquake Damage is Invisible

When San Francisco's Millennium Tower unexpectedly sunk 16 inches, residents worried the building would topple over. Here's how a structural engineer and his team figured out the cause and suggested a potential fix.

How can skyscrapers be built safely without a foundation on bedrock?

Stopping the Millennium Tower from Sinking Further

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Skyscrapers are gleaming symbols of prestige, and an ingenious way to save space in dense urban areas. But as buildings rise ever higher, what are the risks of these architectural behemoths? Do we truly know how they will hold up in earthquakes, fires, and other potential disasters? What have--or haven’t—we learned from past tragedies?

Can skyscrapers be made safer, more efficient, and livable in our rapidly growing cities?

Tech & Engineering

NOVA investigates the story of cannabis from the criminalization that has disproportionately harmed communities of color to the latest medical understanding of the plant. What risks does cannabis pose to the developing brain? How much do we know about its potential medical benefits? As cannabis becomes socially accepted, scientists are exploring its long-term health consequences. (Premiered September 29, 2021)Check out a previously recorded panel discussion and audience Q&amp;A featuring experts and producers from "The Cannabis Question" <a href="https://youtu.be/nSTT5RZ_hxA">here</a>.

As state-legalized cannabis spreads, NOVA explores its little-known risks and benefits.

The Cannabis Question

A 2006 composite image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Telescope shows the chaos of baby stars in the Orion nebula some 1,500 light-years away. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/STScI

With the upcoming launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble era is gradually drawing to a close. Here are some highlights from the countless wonders Hubble has shown us during its 31 years in space.

10 spectacular Hubble Space Telescope images

A statue of Zheng He at the Sam Poo Kong Temple in Java, Indonesia. Image Credit: Budianto Santosa, Shutterstock

In the 1400s, Zheng He sailed thousands of miles around Asia and Africa in ships the size of soccer fields, spreading Chinese innovations like compasses and gunpowder in the process.

High-Risk High-Rise

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Explore More

Saving Notre Dame

Why Bridges Collapse

High-Risk High-Rise

Ultimate Cruise Ship

Operation Bridge Rescue

Stopping the Millennium Tower from Sinking Further

When Earthquake Damage is Invisible

Operation Lighthouse Rescue