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NOVA show's poster
Science and Nature
TV-PG
2022
NOVA

Mystery of Easter Island

NOVA brings you stories from the frontlines of science and engineering, answering the big questions of today and tomorrow, from how our ancestors lived, to whether parallel universes exist, to how technology will transform our lives. Visit the official website to watch full-length documentaries, or explore our world through short-form video, on our digital publication NOVA Next.

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Mystery of Easter Island

Season 39 Episode 14 | 53m 10s | CC

A remote, bleak speck of rock in the middle of the Pacific, Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, has mystified the world ever since the first Europeans arrived in 1722. How and why did the ancient islanders build and move nearly 900 giant statues or moai, weighing up to 86 tons? And how did they transform a presumed paradise into a treeless wasteland, bringing ruin upon their island and themselves?

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Funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS viewers. Original funding provided by Pacific Islanders in Communications, Lockheed Martin, the David H. Koch Fund for Science, HHMI, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS Stations.

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