Episode
NOVA: Life on a Silken Thread
Overview
Sinister, sometimes even deadly, spiders have little popular appeal; yet their silken webs are among nature's loveliest creations. NOVA takes a close-look in slow motion, as spiders reveal a delicate grace and beauty, and an amazing array of lifestyles.
Details
- Series
- NOVA
- Season
- Season 6
- Episode
- Episode 12
- Air date
- 1979-10-09
- Runtime
- 55 min
Episode context
Life on a Silken Thread is Episode 12 in Season 6 of NOVA. It aired on 1979-10-09. The runtime is 55 min.
Previous / Next
Episode 11: A Plague on our Children
Is the chemical industry a boom to modern civilization, or a major threat to our health and that of future generations? NOVA examines how toxic heribicides, Pesticides, and other chemicals may cause cancer, Miscarriages and Birth defects in humans.
Episode 13: Sweet Solutions
NOVA views the history of sugar—from its scientific, religious and political history to its medical controversy.
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Some powerful and complex painkilling drugs have just been discovered—in a place where you would least expect to find them. Endorphins and their component enkephalins are manufactured in the brain, and perform the same painkilling function as analgesics like morphine. NOVA explores some physiological mysteries, such as why acupuncture works, and how placebos can relieve symptoms, and shows how endorphins could revolutionize the treatment of pain, depression, and even schizophrenia.
Episode 14: Race for the Gold
At the 1976 Olympics, East German athletes walked off with 40 of the coveted gold medals, though their country is only the size of New Jersey. NOVA investigates whether a drug is responsible for their incredible success—or is American athletic training and commitment falling behind that of the Communist world?
Episode 9: Einstein
One hundred years after his birth, Albert Einstein remains an enigma to most Americans. NOVA presents an insightful portrait of the man and his mind through rarely viewed film footage.
Episode 15: All Part of the Game
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Episode 8: The Beersheva Experiment
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Episode 7: The End Of The Rainbow
Is nuclear fusion the solution to the energy crisis? NOVA examines the promise—and problems—of fusion as a future energy source.
Episode 17: The Bridge that Spanned the World
The Iron Bridge across the River Severn in Telford, England is two centuries old this year. It remains a monument to the Shropshire iron masters who built it, and a symbol of the Industrial Revolution that was born in the area where the bridge stands. NOVA traces the development of ironmaking and its far-reaching effects on society and the world economy.
Episode 6: The Invisible Flame
Some day hydrogen may replace the gasoline that we are now using up so rapidly. NOVA looks at the potential of hydrogen as a zero-pollution fuel.
Episode 18: Termites to Telescopes
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