Nova: Making Stuff

The following is a letter I wrote to David Pogue who stars in this show (somewhat edited to publish here as a review). I think it sums up why I gave this program a 5 star review.Mr. Pogue was kind enough to reply and indicated that he's open to producing more shows if NOVA asks him. Write to NOVA and let them know!----Dear. Mr. Pogue,My kids and I thoroughly enjoyed your NOVA productions, "Hunting the Elements" and the "Making Stuff" series. Please consider talking to NOVA about producing more science programs like this.I am a science enthusiast who grew up on PBS shows like NOVA and National Geographic and Carl Sagan's Cosmos. Kids (and adults) today are so science illiterate due in part to the fact that science shows today are so boring. Even the new Cosmos show with Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Sorry, but it's a yawner!Most of today's science education programs are not fun or interesting to the general population. And they're not inspiring. We've lost something in the last 30 years. Science popularizers like Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye are struggling to bring it back, but they haven't found the right formula (no pun intended). I'm happy for what they're doing, but neither has the humble charm of Carl Sagan. But you do!But there's more to a program like this than just the personality of the narrator. Kids these days have a Youtube attention span. (And for that reason, I think even the original Cosmos series, as interesting as it was to me, would fail for today's generation). It's tough to engage with today's kids (or even adults!) in a 1 or 2-hour special. Yes, there are some good science programs on Youtube, like Veritasium or It's OK to be Smart, but such programs can't go into the depth that a NOVA special can, and neither can they get access to the resources and facilities that NOVA can. It's expensive to make a program like this. The producers of this program have have put in just the right mix of in-depth instruction, animation, talking heads, and humor that has captivated my kids like no other recent science or technology programming has. For the first time ever, my son has actually retained a large portion of what he's learned from the Elements program and asks for more.I know you are not a scientist and you are mostly a tech writer, but you really come into your own when talking about science.I watched Hunting the Elements and we're partway through the Making Stuff shows with my children (9 and 11), and for the first time --ever -- they are genuinely interested in science programming that is beyond the length of a Youtube short feature.I don't care if my kids grow up to be scientists. I do care that they have an appreciation for the methodology of science and the wonder of learning about nature, because that spark of wonder so important even if they're only peripherally involved with chemistry or physics or space or whatever, in their lifetimes. I bought both Hunting the Elements and the Making Stuff series on blu-ray after we first saw it on the PBS app in our TV.You and NOVA have a winning formula! Please talk to NOVA about starring in more science shows.

From the same brains that brought you the other NOVA programs, 'Making Stuff' is another classroom-worthy series dedicated to materials science and engineering. It combines real-world demonstrations and computer graphics to engage the audience and to deliver their message so that it sticks. David Pogue frames current engineering challenges with the cutting edge of materials science, focusing on a single aspect of the discipline per show. This brief but engrossing series follows the same formula laid out by other NOVA shows running back to 1974: clear writing, consistent pacing and crisp editing. PBS delivers again with high-quality media that is ready for a quiet evening on the couch or a classroom premier to encourage creativity and science literacy.

"VOVA : making stuff "are great introductions to science. Our whole family love watching it. There are so many amazing technology development that we took for granted before.However, I found it was not easy to watch the video from the online library. Image screen would be lost if I tried to enlarge the screen to full page. I had to restart the video again and again from the beginning. This is the only drawback I have encountered. Otherwise I love the Nova videos.

I have enjoyed Amazon prime for a couple of years now, but have only recently taken advantage of the unlimited video streaming.It is great to have at my fingertips all the free and reduce priced video's to watch from Amazon on my laptop, desktop, and/or my Kindle at any time. I also like the fact that I can leave a streaming video and pickup watching it again later.NOVA: Making Stuff, "Stronger" is just one of many shows that I have watched.

We saw all of these on TV and when we disconnected our DirectTV service, they disabled our DVR so we could no longer watch them.Our whole family loves them, to include an 8- and a 10-year old.If they had had programs like these when I was in school I would have loved science more!Extremely well done, great graphics, well narrated.

I found David Pogue's presentations in these DVDs "making Stuff" for the Quantum Computer to be excellent. His interwoven humor, his presentation pacing style, and his chosen subjects clearly explained important new technologies that are dramatically, and drastically changing the world that we live in.

I saw this on the TV while away from home and bought it for my children to watch. It is well delivered and humorous as well as giving lots of interesting facts. My children aged 11 and 12 were mesmerised as were me and my husband!

A thought provoking and very entertaining look at what is going on in the world to make our world a better place to live, David Pogue is very funny and the facts are mind blowing!

Four excellent and informative episodes on stronger, cleaner, smaller and smarter materials, Unfortunately, the DVDs are available only in Region 1 (NTSC) format so you'll need a multi-region DVD player to view them.

I bought this DVD for my 10 year old future engineer and he loved it! The whole family has enjoyed watching the 4 episodes on these disks. The host is entertaining and there are great graphics to explain some complicated concepts.

Very good documentary