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Europe, 1400: A continent torn apart by war and plague is dominated by the authority of the Catholic Church. In the towns and cities live merchants and entrepreneurs who sense that their world is changing. With increasing trade and wealth an appetite for enlightenment develops. No longer neglected in the shadows of the Church, classical philosophy, poetry, art and sculpture begin to reach a new audience. This is especially true in cosmopolitan cities like Florence, home of Cosimo de'Medici.

In the early 16th century, Japan is a warlike society ruled by samurai and their daimyo warlords. When Portuguese merchants arrive in 1543, they are the first Europeans to set foot in Japan. Missionaries quickly set out to convert the nation to Christianity. In the same year, a samurai boy named Tokugawa Ieyasu is born to a low-ranking daimyo family. To prove his family's loyalty to their ruling warlord, Ieyasu is given as a hostage, and he remains so for most of his childhood. When he is finally freed, Ieyasu reclaims his family's domain and allies himself with the most powerful rulers in Japan: Oda Nobunaga, and his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Awarding him a small fishing village named Edo, later to be known as Tokyo, Hideyoshi provides Ieyasu with a vast area to rule. But the two are uneasy allies. At his deathbed, Hideyoshi places Ieyasu in command until his true heir and son Hideyori is able to rule. When daimyo rebels challenge his control, Tokugawa Ieyasu's armies defeat them at the Battle of Sekigahara. The victory brings to Ieyasu the title of Shogun. Hideyori is now Ieyasu's only obstacle to total control of Japan. In 1614, Ieyasu renounces his allegiance to Hideyori and attacks Osaka Castle, slaughtering more than 100,000. It is the beginning of a dynasty that would endure for more than 250 years.

NOVA examines the high-stakes battle waged between Boeing and Lockheed Martin to build the most capable and versatile fighter ever created the Joint Strike Fighter. You're on the front line as NOVA records classified meetings and climbs into cockpits to fly these revolutionary planes. Watch as the two aerospace giants fight for a contract that will make aviation history and help protect America and that could provide the winner total domination of the U.S. defense fighter industry.

Wired Science travels to Japan and meets up with a GeekDad who builds fighting robots for competitions; Adam sits down with Anne Wojcicki and Linda Avey, the co-founders of 23andMe, to chat about giving people insight into their genetic information; we meet medical professionals who are working to eliminate symptoms of various diseases by supplying electricity to the brain; chemistry teacher Chris Schrempp makes hot ice; we venture out to the first International Rocketbelt Convention in Niagara Falls; and Ziya Tong travels to Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park to discover how lasers aid in the preservation of ancient sites.

Florence, August 1466: Lorenzo de'Medici, the 17-year-old heir to the dynasty, foils a murderous plot against his father and saves his family from a coup d'etat. The Medici still dominate Florence, but now take extra precautions, picking a useful bride for Lorenzo. Clarice Orsini, a baron's daughter and cardinal's niece, brings connections, class, and military muscle to the Medici dynasty

By 1690, Japan is a nation completely isolated from the outside world, except for a small community of Dutch traders. Among them is German Doctor Englebert Kaempfer, whose writings provide valuable insights on daily life in Japan. Culture and commerce flourish. But ruling daimyo warlords and their samurai armies continue to grow restless. The Shogun Tsunayoshi is a product of both classes. Under his rule, art and education excel, and "Laws of Compassion" are introduced. Samurai, geisha, courtesans, merchants, writers and actors are attracted to Edo, and the classes begin to mix. Japanese interest in Western science increases, making the policy of isolation more difficult. In 1853, Mathew C. Perry sails American ships into Edo Bay, and demands a formal opening of the nation. Realizing that resistance is futile, the Japanese negotiate treaties with the U.S. and other nations in the West. Ten years later, the samurai class is disbanded and the Tokugawa Shogunate ends. After 265 years of isolation, the modern era of Japan has begun.

A Woods Hole Institute expedition sails to the Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean to deploy autonomous undersea vehicles in hopes of discovering new life forms; chemistry teacher Chris Schrempp turns cotton balls into smokeless gunpowder; Chris Hardwick and Kamala Lopez tour the WIRED Living Home; Ziya Tong explores the area in West Virginia known as 'the quiet zone' and learns why this is the perfect site for radio astronomers searching for life on other planets; Adam Rogers goes behind the scenes to show us how Hollywood is cracking the code to create "perfect water:" on screen; and Rainn Wilson joins Chris Hardwick to explore what's inside a popular product that relieves symptoms of the common cold.

In the premiere episode of PBS' newest weekly series, Josh Davis of Wired magazine investigates an internet botnet attack of Estonia's banks and newspapers; WIRED SCIENCE reports on cardiac surgery performed by a "robo-doc"; Adam Rogers explores the disappearance of home chemistry sets; and Ziya Tong delves into technology that is helping children with Asperger's Syndrome by translating facial expressions into emotions.

Florence, 1537: Alessandro de'Medici the Duke of Florence, lies murdered in his bed.His cousin is plucked from obscurity to lead Florence. He is just 17. His rivals think he's a puppet, but despite his youth, Cosimo de'Medici, the new Duke of Florence, is ambitious.

Adam Rogers rummages through a "space junkyard" to see how spaceships are being reverse-engineered from 40-year-old technology; Ziya Tong interviews computer scientist Louis von Ahn about using human perception to digitize books; Wisconsin neuroscientists show off an invention that's helping blind patients see with their tongues;Chris Hardwick interviews maverick genomics pioneer Craig Venter; Ziya Tong travels to Napa Valley to find out what science has to do with creating the perfect bottle of wine.

WIRED SCIENCE watches as sensors are placed on a bridge to prevent its collapsing; Ziya Tong examines restless leg syndrome; Rocky Roccanova, CEO of TouchTable, Inc., demonstrates TouchTable's interactive interface; Jeff Hawkins chats with Adam Rogers about his quest to build the first genuinely intelligent machine; and WIRED SCIENCE'S very own Geek Dad, Dylan Tweeny, sets out to build a UFO hovercraft with his six year old daughter.

Ziya Tong follows retired oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer as he discovers a giant garbage patch in the middle of the North Pacific Gyre. WIRED SCIENCE takes a look at new ways that water, wind and technology are being used to fight today's fires and investigates the impact of global warming on plant growth, and Adam Rogers tests out a new technology that claims to be able to "read your mind" and tell if you are lying.

CONTINENTAL CURRENCY- A family in Nebraska finds a puzzling $6 bill dated 1776, and wants to learn the story behind it. How could federal money have been printed five months before the Declaration of Independence? Why does it say it is backed by "Spanish milled dollars"? SHORT-SNORTER- A man in New York City has a British ten-shilling note dated July 25, 1942 that is an autograph hunter's dream: a single slip of paper, called a "short-snorter," signed by most every luminary on the allied side of World War II, from Patton, to Churchill to Roosevelt. He wants to learn the story behind this oddity. LIBERTY BELL PIN- A woman in North Carolina owns an unassuming pin that has been passed down for generations. According to her family's lore, this pin is made of metal drawn from the Liberty Bell. What history does this pin hold inside?

Florence, 1501: 26-year-old Michelangelo carves a giant masterpiece which will come to symbolize his struggle against a family he once adored. Raised from a young age alongside the Medici heirs he watched as they were cast into exile with a price on their heads. Now they are searching for a path back to power.

Milton Garces takes viewers through his studies on infrasonic waves; Ziya Tong visits a group of professionals redesigning wheelchairs; WIRED SCIENCE checks in with mechanical engineers to make sure every baseball that makes it to a major league game has the correct degree of hardness and bounce; and Adam Rogers travels to Oakland, California, where he tests out the "shot spotter" as he rides along with Oakland police.

In Reconstruction-era America, what brought 20 white men in Civil War uniform and two black men together to take a picture in a time when racial mixing was taboo? A Civil War enthusiast wants to know what history lies in his vintage photograph. A Washington, D.C. photo archivist discovers a big piece of history. A list of signatures, including Thomas Jefferson's, pledging $200 to open a pair of elementary schools hints at a larger underlining story. Icon Jack Dempsey became the world's first boxing superstar in 1919, and he did it with the clang of a bell. A Nevada man wants to know if the bell he toasts to at his favorite bar was the one used at ringside during Dempsey's legendary match.

While cleaning the basement of a newly purchased home, a man from San Francisco discovered a pile of colorful posters announcing the "Great Mexican War." Are these posters from news reels of the Mexican Revolution and did the cinematographer witness to this epic war? When African American memorabilia collector, Mayme Agnew Clayton, died, a leather autograph book was found that belonged to Nora Holt. This luminary of the Harlem Renaissance had signatures of Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. What does this book imply? Washington's cherry tree, Betsy Ross' flag, Revere's ride now Muhlenberg's Robe may be added to the list of debatable Revolutionary War legends. The detectives find out if Lutheran Reverend Peter Muhlenberg really tore off his robe and gathered 300 men to join the American Revolution.

WIRED SCIENCE shows us how desert communities are facing the "peak water" crisis. Ziya Tong debates the difference between analog or digital audiophiles with the help of some "golden ears," and also hacks a disposable camera to show how anyone can do high speed photography. Adam Rogers looks at the X-Prize competition and we visit a Bio Bank where samples of organs and body parts are stored. Plus, Chris Hardwick with another "What's Inside."

WIRED SCIENCE investigates the components of Perflourocarbons and the latest attempts to create blood; Physicist Austin Richards, aka Dr. Mega Volt, directly interacts with 120 volts of pure electricity; Ziya Tong takes us through this year's NextFest; explore how paleontologists are using CT scans to look into fossils for clues to the past; and follow the Oakland Police Department as they demonstrate how a new technology called Shot Spotter works to help with criminal investigations.

Correspondent Tamara Krinsky visits with Dr. Anthony Atala and learns about building organs in his lab; WIRED SCIENCE heads to two underground labs in search of neutrinos; Adam Rogers combs Kansas wheat fields for rocks from outer space; and WIRED SCIENCE investigates bringing cloned animal meat and milk to the public.

So you think global warming won't affect you? Wait until the great Atlantic Conveyor shuts down. And find out what's already happening in Alaska.

3-D CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS- A woman in Oregon has a projection screen that President Kennedy may have used to view 3D technology that resolved the Cuban Missile Crisis. Did the U.S. Air Force turn to an amateur 3D enthusiasts club to help identify Russian missiles? AMOS N' ANDY RECORD- At a flea market, a Florida man bought an aluminum record with the hand-written words "Amos and Andy". Is this a rare recording of the most successful radio show in the early 1900's, or just another old record? WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE PAINTING- Could you believe a watercolor painting bought at a garage sale had a role in granting women suffrage? A Texas woman finds out is this painting is the original program for the "Woman Suffrage Procession, Washington D.C., 1913."

This program investigates the smart machines and robots that may one day run society and do work for humans. To explore this strange new era, the program integrates live action with extensive animation and visual effects.

This program looks at miniscule machines that may become part of human bodies: robots coursing through the blood stream to battle cancer cells one on one; virtual vision systems projected directly into the cerebral cortex; or computers designed to interface with nervous systems.

Two-thirds of all spacecraft previously launched to Mars never reached their destination. Now, in a pioneering and risky mission, twin rovers named Spirit and Opportunity hurtle toward Mars at 12,000 miles per hour, with Spirit scheduled to touch down first. In the final "six minutes of terror" a parachute will open, giant protective airbags will inflate around the lander, and retrorockets will fire for a few seconds before Spirit is cut loose, bouncing its way to what everyone hopes will be a safe landing. To survive, Spirit will have to function perfectly. It will also have to be lucky, since there's no way of knowing when a sharp rock or a gust of wind will ruin your day on Mars. Only then will Spirit be able to roll off the lander and begin its mission as a robot geologist, searching for clues that can tell us whether this harsh and barren planet was ever a place that could have supported life.

A visit with an engaging if unruly bunch of cousins that we formally broke up with about 6 or 7 million years ago - with whom we share almost all of our genes but not a lot of our lifestyle. Why the difference? Maybe it's in how we learn.

A look back at the decades of effort that culminated in the deep sub Alvin reaching the ocean floor, and a look forward to what's next now that Alvin's retiring.

In spite of the risks, people are lining up to solve their weight problems in the operating room. And if the latest device -- an implantable stomach "pacer" -- works out, millions more will be taking the surgical way out. We follow two patients as they go through the life-transforming experience of gastric bypass surgery, causing dramatic weight loss. Both patients achieve major life goals, from the simple act of shopping in a regular - not plus-size - clothing store, to the substantial reduction of health risks like heart attack and diabetes. Alan Alda observes Amy's surgery at a Boston hospital, and visits Rodney as he recovers the day after his operation. Gastric bypass, in which a small, one-ounce, stomach "pouch" is created to replace the natural stomach, is the most common stomach surgery in the US, with 100,000 procedures performed a year - ten times the rate ten years ago. Nationally, 75% of those patients will achieve substantial permanent weight loss, although some will be able to "behaviorally" reverse their surgery. The "lap-band" procedure is an alternative weight-loss procedure to gastric bypass, involving the surgical placement of a restrictive plastic collar around the top of the stomach. "The bottom line is none of these surgeries are a cure for obesity in a vacuum. They all have to be part of a program that provides the behavior and the counseling." says Shikora. The obesity surgical group at the Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston is now beginning large scale clinical trials of the latest surgical approach to weight loss. A "pacer" - similar to a heart pacemaker - is implanted just under the skin of the abdomen and connected to electrodes attached to the stomach. Regular, imperceptible electric pulses create a feeling of fullness. With the pacer in place, patients are able to control their constant "grazing" eating behavior.

The fully automatic car may be down the road a ways, but cars that do your thinking for you are just around the corner -- they watch out for hazards, they listen to you, they read your lips, they even know when you're distracted. Alan travels to Germany to find out what happened to the research program originally intended to develop cars that would drive themselves. He finds the goal changed; DaimlerChrysler engineers now working on technology that will help the human driver by alerting him or her to potentially dangerous situations. Equipped with stereo cameras, the research cars are now able to recognize hazards that the driver may have overlooked - like bouncing balls or wayward pedestrians. In a strikingly realistic driving simulator called VIRTTEX at Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, Alan finds out for himself the distraction caused by using a cell phone in a car traveling at high speed on a highway. The VIRTTEX simulator is also being used to study how tiredness affects a driver, and is helping to develop ways to alert the driver to his or her potentially deadly inattention. At IBM's Industry Solutions Lab in Hawthorne, New York, Alan goes for a drive with a virtual smart passenger named Sally. Sally listens in to the driver all the time, picks up on what he or she is saying, and responds appropriately. Sally also knows the driver's likes and dislikes, so if Alan says he's hungry she directs him to the nearest Italian restaurant, not a German one! Sally also checks to see if the driver is showing signs of sleepiness, and offers to play a game - such as "Name the Tune" - to keep him entertained and alert.

This episode takes the notion of the three R's (reduce, reuse, recycle) to grand proportions by looking at Boston's "Big Dig" and the massive amount of waste that accompanies the $15 billion project. Paul Pedini, a civil engineer on the project, had the idea to build his own home from the Big Dig waste. The success of this project has sparked plans to create an office complex in Massachusetts from the same recycled material. These innovative projects serve as prototypes to demonstrate to city officials that there is value in recycling on such a grand level.

In this episode, Mayor Richard Daley take viewers on a tour through Chicago and showcases his mission to make it "the greenest city in America," even turning City Hall into a green-roofed structure.

The first episode begins in New York, a city that is leading the charge to green its industrial skyline with several groundbreaking projects. New York combats the urban myth of the bustling city as a "concrete jungle." This episode explores some of Manhattan's most prominent and technologically advanced structures like One Bryant Park and The Solaire, as well as the innovative minds behind them, and illustrates how the ubiquitous skyscraper can surprisingly be a model of environmental responsibility.

This episode follows architect and activist Sergio Palleroni as he continues his mission to provide architectural and design solutions to global, social and humanitarian crisis regions. Palleroni already has four global initiatives underway aimed at providing architecture students with hands-on field experience building housing for the poor. In East Austin, Texas, and Yagui, Mexico, he and his student team are helping rural communities build thousands of homes while teaching them to build their own housing and reduce the cost of building by being resourceful.