NOVA – HUMAN airs Tuesdays at 9PM beginning Nov. 4

Around 300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens first appeared in Africa, one of at least seven distinct human species sharing the planet. Today, we are the sole surviving human lineage. The five-part NOVA series HUMAN, hosted by paleoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi, investigates the profound questions of our unique origins and global dominance.

This visually stunning series leverages a new wave of scientific discovery. Through remarkable fossil finds, advanced DNA sequencing, and other cutting-edge tools, HUMAN reconstructs the lives and epic migrations of ancient humans. The narrative traces our ancestors’ journey out of Africa, explores our crucial encounters with Neanderthals—whose genetic legacy persists within us—and follows the perilous push into the Americas.

Ultimately, the series reveals how these interactions with other human species and challenging environments fundamentally shaped who we are. HUMAN goes beyond deep history to examine how revolutionary inventions, like agriculture and empire-building, set humanity on an irreversible course, culminating in our species’ undeniable impact on the modern world.