Graham Townsley

In "Last Human Standing," the final program of the three-part series "Becoming Human," NOVA examines the fate of the Neanderthals, our European cousins who died out as modern humans spread from Africa into Europe during the Ice Age. Did modern humans interbreed with Neanderthals or exterminate them? The program explores crucial evidence from the recent decoding of the Neanderthal genome.

Part 1, "First Steps," examines the factors that caused us to split from the other great apes. The program explores the fossil of "Selam," also known as "Lucy's Child." Paleoanthropologist Zeray Alemseged spent five years carefully excavating the sandstone-embedded fossil. NOVA's cameras are there to capture the unveiling of the face, spine, and shoulder blades of this 3.3 million-year-old fossil child. And NOVA takes viewers "inside the skull" to...

Discover the extraordinary remains of a 13,000 year-old teenager in an underwater cave in Mexico.

Recent stunning discoveries are exploding the myth of the Amazon as a primeval wilderness, revealing traces of ancient civilizations that flourished there for centuries. Dense settlements indicate populations in the millions, supported by sophisticated agricultural systems, while huge geometric earthworks and roadways bear witness to complex religious ideas and social networks.

History reports that the mighty Inca were swiftly wiped out by a small band of Conquistadors, but new evidence is being unearthed that may help rewrite history. Uncovered remains of those who died in battle along with recently discovered documents suggest that even after forming military alliances with thousands of Indian mercenaries, it took the Spanish many years to defeat the Inca Empire.

"Where did we come from? What makes us human? NOVA's... investigation explores how new discoveries are transforming views of our earliest ancestors. Featuring interviews with world-renowned scientists, footage shot "in the trenches" as fossils were unearthed, and... computer-generated animation, [these programs] bring early hominids to life, examining how we became the creative and adaptable modern humans of today.... In the first episode... encounter......

"Follows the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical group that plays instruments made entirely out of garbage. When their story goes viral, the orchestra is catapulted into the global spotlight. Under the guidance of idealistic music director Favio Chavez, the orchestra must navigate a strange new world of arenas and sold-out concerts. However, when a national disaster strikes their community, Favio must find a way to keep the orchestra...