New Nova Series “Human,” A BBC Studios Science Unit Production with Nova and GBH for PBS and the BBC, Investigates the Origin of Our Species

The award-winning PBS science series, NOVA, a production of GBH, today announced HUMAN, a five-part series documenting the long and complex story of the human species, will premiere Wednesdays, September 17-October 15 @ 9PM ET/8c on PBS (check local listings @ PBS.oprg) and will also be available for streaming at pbs.org/nova, NOVA on YouTube, and the PBS App.

Around 300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens emerged in Africa – one of at least seven human species alive at the time. Now, we are the only remaining human species, and our impact on the planet is undeniable. HUMAN, the latest co-production from the BBC Studios Science Unit and NOVA, examines how this happened and how we came to be.

This stunningly cinematic five-part series, hosted by paleoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi, takes us back in time to meet the inventors of the modern world. For most of our species’ history, there was no written record, but now with remarkable new fossil evidence, the latest discoveries in DNA sequencing, and other cutting-edge scientific tools, we can piece together clues to better understand our past. Viewers will discover how closely related we are to the other, now-vanished human species, and see how the traces they left behind reveal just how “human” our prehistoric ancestors really were.

“For centuries, we have been the most influential animal on Earth, so it would be easy to assume that we were always destined for greatness, but in reality, we started as just one of many human species and, arguably, the underdog of the group,” said Al-Shamahi. “Our understanding of this remarkable journey is still filled with mystery, but in the last few years, the discovery of new human species and a revolution in DNA technology has drastically changed our understanding of our own history, making this the perfect time to tell the story of our origins.”

Al-Shamahi brings viewers into the minds of the human species that came before us. Along the way, HUMAN follows the earliest humans’ paths out of Africa, leading them to new landscapes that no other humans had ever traversed. Audiences will meet the other human species that they would have encountered and explore how those interactions helped make many of us who we are today. The series also examines how Homo sapiens began to build cities and civilizations, accelerating our species’ advancement by recording and sharing the sum of human knowledge through a transformational technology: writing.

“Our goal with HUMAN is to reconnect us with our origins as a species and show the long, complex and serendipitous journey our ancestors took to get where we are today. And it’s a story we can tell today thanks to the scientific research that is revealing their story – in other words, our story!” said Co-Executive Producer Chris Schmidt. “We’re thrilled to be working with Ella to bring our shared history to life, and are grateful to be able to share it with audiences on PBS.”

The series’s five one-hour episodes are as follows (check local listings):

NOVA “Human: Origins” Premieres September 17, 2025 @ 9PM ET/8C on PBS

Trace the remarkable origin story of Homo sapiens and the crucial moments that shaped our species.

NOVA “Human: Journeys” Premieres September 24, 2025 @ 9PM ET/8C on PBS

Follow Homo sapiens as they venture out of Africa and spread farther than any other human species.

NOVA “Human: Neanderthal Encounters” Premieres October 1, 2025 @ 9PM ET/8C on PBS

Discover how Homo sapiens outlasted Neanderthals – and how Neanderthals helped make us who we are today.

NOVA “Human: Into the Americas” Premieres October 8, 2025 @ 9PM ET/8C on PBS

Homo sapiens encounter new challenges as they venture into an unknown world.

NOVA “Human: Building Empires” Premieres October 15, 2025 @ 9PM ET/8C on PBS

Discover how two revolutionary ancient inventions changed the course of humanity forever.

NOVA “HUMAN,” a five-part series, premieres Wednesdays, September 17 through October 15, 2025 @ 9PM ET/8c on PBS (check local listings @ PBS.oprg). All episodes will be available for streaming at pbs.org/nova, NOVA on YouTube, the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel, and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, and VIZIO. PBS station members can view many series, documentaries, and specials via PBS Passport. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

NOVA “HUMAN” is a BBC Studios Science Unit Production with NOVA and GBH for PBS and the BBC. The partnership provides a pipeline of the high-quality, entertaining factual programs that PBS and BBC audiences have come to expect. Series Director is Naomi Austin. Series Producers are Matt Barrett and Milla Harrison. Executive Producers for BBC are Andrew Cohen and Paul Overton. Presented by Ella Al-Shamahi. HUMAN was commissioned for BBC Two by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Coveney, Head of Commissioning, Science. Executives in Charge for PBS are Geoff Daniels and Diana El-Osta. Executive Producers for NOVA are Julia Cort and Chris Schmidt. Senior Producer for NOVA is Caitlin Saks. NOVA is a production of GBH. BBC Studios is handling global sales for BBC Studios Science Unit.

Funding for NOVA and HUMAN is provided by Carlisle Companies, Viking Cruises, the NOVA Science Trust with support from Roger Sant, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.

About NOVA

NOVA is the most popular primetime science series on American television, demystifying the scientific and technological concepts that shape and define our lives, our planet, and our universe. The PBS series is also one of the most widely distributed science programs around the world, and is a multimedia, multiplatform brand reaching more than 55 million Americans every year on TV and online. NOVA’s important and inspiring stories of human ingenuity, exploration, and the quest for knowledge are regularly recognized with the industry’s most prestigious awards. In addition, science educators across the country rely on NOVA for resources used in the classroom as well as in museums, libraries, and after-school programs. NOVA is a production of GBH; more information can be found at pbs.org/nova, or by following NOVA on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram.