NOVA

Making North America: Origins

Season 42 Episode 20 | 53m 31s

The epic 3 billion-year story of how our continent came to be. From the palm trees that once flourished in Alaska to titanic eruptions that nearly tore the Midwest in two, discover how forces of almost unimaginable power gave birth to North America.

Aired: 11/04/15

Rating: TV-G

Video has closed captioning.

Buy Now:

Watch Preview

Problems Playing Video?

Closed Captioning

Episode Links

Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS viewers. Additional funding is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and George D. Smith.

More Episodes

Video thumbnail: NOVA Inside Einstein's MindPassport

NOVA

Inside Einstein's Mind

Retrace the thought experiments that inspired his theory on the nature of reality.

S42 Ep23 | 53m 7s

Inside Einstein's Mind

S42 Ep23 | 53m 7s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Making North America: Human

NOVA

Making North America: Human

How has the land shaped our lives, from the arrival of the first Americans to today?

S42 Ep22 | 53m 2s

Making North America: Human

S42 Ep22 | 53m 2s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Making North America: Life

NOVA

Making North America: Life

How did massive volcanic eruptions, inland seas, and land bridges pave the way for life?

S42 Ep21 | 53m 32s

Making North America: Life

S42 Ep21 | 53m 32s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Making North America: Origins

Now Showing

NOVA

Making North America: Origins

Experience the colossal geologic forces that shaped our continent over 3 billion years.

S42 Ep20 | 53m 31s

Making North America: Origins

S42 Ep20 | 53m 31s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Arctic Ghost ShipPassport

NOVA

Arctic Ghost Ship

An astonishing find could solve the mystery of Sir John Franklin’s lost expedition.

S42 Ep16 | 53m 10s

Arctic Ghost Ship

S42 Ep16 | 53m 10s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Dawn of HumanityPassport

NOVA

Dawn of Humanity

Deep in a South African cave, an astounding discovery reveals clues to what made us human.

S42 Ep15 | 1h 53m 7s

Dawn of Humanity

S42 Ep15 | 1h 53m 7s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Secrets of Noah's Ark

NOVA

Secrets of Noah's Ark

A team attempts to build the flood boat using inscriptions from an ancient clay tablet.

S42 Ep12 | 53m 9s

Secrets of Noah's Ark

S42 Ep12 | 53m 9s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Lethal SeasPassport

NOVA

Lethal Seas

A unique coral garden in Papua New Guinea shows what the future may hold.

S42 Ep11 | 52m 53s

Lethal Seas

S42 Ep11 | 52m 53s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Nazi Attack on AmericaPassport

NOVA

Nazi Attack on America

A sunken German U-boat off the coast of New Orleans tells the story of Operation Drumbeat.

S42 Ep10 | 53m 10s

Nazi Attack on America

S42 Ep10 | 53m 10s

Video thumbnail: NOVA The Great Math Mystery

NOVA

The Great Math Mystery

Is math invented by humans, or is it the language of the universe?

S42 Ep7 | 53m 10s

The Great Math Mystery

S42 Ep7 | 53m 10s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Sunken Ship RescuePassport

NOVA

Sunken Ship Rescue

A team of 500 engineers and divers struggle to raise the Costa Concordia cruise ship.

S42 Ep2 | 53m 10s

Sunken Ship Rescue

S42 Ep2 | 53m 10s

See All Episodes

Extras From This Episode

Video thumbnail: NOVA Secrets of the Ghost Forest

NOVA

Secrets of the Ghost Forest

Meet the earthquake that drowned the Pacific Northwest.

Clip: S42 Ep20 | 3m 7s

Secrets of the Ghost Forest

Clip: S42 Ep20 | 3m 7s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Making North America: Origins Preview

NOVA

Making North America: Origins Preview

Experience the colossal geologic forces that shaped our continent over 3 billion years.

Preview: S42 Ep20 | 30s

Making North America: Origins Preview

Preview: S42 Ep20 | 30s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Time Travel in the Grand Canyon

NOVA

Time Travel in the Grand Canyon

What does this geological wonder reveal about North America’s deep history?

Clip: S42 Ep20 | 4m 33s

Time Travel in the Grand Canyon

Clip: S42 Ep20 | 4m 33s

Video thumbnail: NOVA Making North America Sneak Peek

NOVA

Making North America Sneak Peek

Host Kirk Johnson explores how the continent was shaped—and how it shaped us.

Preview: S42 Ep20 | 4m 3s

Making North America Sneak Peek

Preview: S42 Ep20 | 4m 3s

See All Extras
What The Physics?!

YouTube Channel

What The Physics?!

Subscribe

You Might Also Like

Nature
Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World
Follow the Water
Ozone Hole: How We Saved the Planet
Eons
Hot Mess