15 Best Science and Technology TV Shows

TV is packed full of science and technology content. Unlike the not-too-distant past, STEM programs on TV are no longer relegated to NOVA and Bill Nye the Science Guy. More than one network is devoted to 24 hours of science each day, and STEM shows also proliferate on non-science devoted networks.

In curating this collection, we focused on the technology and engineering aspects of science programs. We steered clear of the natural-world shows of animals and minerals. We also stuck with shows that are currently in production, even though some of them go on hiatus for months or years while developing new episodes.

Stay tuned to this website, because we will return next month with the 15 Best Fiction-Based Science and Technology Shows on TV.

Extreme Engineering

Extreme Engineering features a major construction and engineering project in each episode. Some projects are completed ones, like the new Hong Kong airport. Other are those under construction like the Gotthard Base Tunnel under the Alps. Still other episodes showcase futuristic projects that may never be built, like the Transatlantic Tunnel. Most episodes examine possible disaster scenarios that could threaten the projects. (Image source: Discovery Channel)

How It’s Made

Have you ever wondered how the products you use every day are made? How It's Made leads you through the process of how everyday products—such as apple juice, skateboards, engines, contact lenses, and many more objects—are manufactured. This is a very addictive show. (Image source: Discovery Channel Canada)

Build It Bigger

If you have a thirst for knowledge on how some of man's greatest feats were constructed, stick with Danny Forster as he travels the world. He checks out amazing construction efforts like roller coasters, aircraft carriers, skyscrapers, and more. (Image source: The Science Channel)

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

This is a follow-up to the 1980 television series, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which was presented by Carl Sagan on PBS. The new show was developed to bring back the foundation of science to network television at the height of other scientific-based television series and films. The show is presented by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who was inspired by Sagan as a young high school student. (Image source: Fox Television)

Mighty Ships

This is a documentary television series produced by Exploration Production in Canada. It is aired on Discovery Channel Canada and also broadcast around the world. Each episode of the series follows a particular sea-going vessel and provides insight into the ship and its crew. (Image source: Discovery Channel Canada)

NOVA

Here’s one of the granddaddies of science shows. This long-running, award-winning documentary series focuses on science and the speculation, history, and researchers associated with it and its many applications. Inspired by the BBC documentary program Horizons, the U.S. series frequently features interviews with scientists directly involved in the topic at hand. Sometimes, it even boasts footage of a particular discovery. (Image source: PBS)

NOVA ScienceNOW

Reporter David Pogue hosts a witty, partly animated newsmagazine version of the long-running PBS series Nova. Each episode features stories on the most intriguing discoveries and breakthroughs in a host of scientific fields, plus a profile piece spotlighting a compelling scientific personality. (Image source: PBS)

How the Universe Works

How the Universe Works is the ultimate cosmos operator's manual—a revealing look at the inner workings of outer space. Computer imagery allows viewers to explore black holes, supernovas, neutron stars, dark energy, and all of the other forces that produce what exists and what people see. (Image source: Discovery Channel)

Big Ideas for a Small Planet

Big Ideas for a Small Planet is an American documentary series on the Sundance Channel, which focuses on environmental innovations like alternative fuel and green building techniques. The series premiered on the iTunes Store prior to its release on the Sundance Channel in 2007. The television series is part of The Green, a block of programming on the Sundance Channel focusing on the environment. (Image source: Sundance Channel)

Some Assembly Required

Did you ever wonder how a television is put together or what goes into the making of mundane items around the house? Some Assembly Required dives in to take a look at how things are made, from high tech to toothpaste. (Image source: YTV)

The Nature of Things

The Nature of Things (also known as The Nature of Things with David Suzuki) is a Canadian television documentary series.The program's overall scope includes documentaries on any aspect of science. The program was one of the first mainstream programs to present scientific evidence on a number of environmental issues, including nuclear power and genetic engineering. (Image source: CBC Television)

The Universe

The beginning of history starts here. There are 50 billion galaxies in the universe. 95% are still uncharted. This series examines the mysteries of everything from black holes to how our sun functions. It investigates the uncharted frontiers of space and explores the possible existence of life-supporting worlds beyond our own. (Image source: The History Channel)

Naked Science

Naked Science strips away the layers of a scientific investigation into some of the big mysteries of our time. Through expert analysis, it reveals realistic scenarios that either confirm or deny long-held assumptions and misconceptions. (Image source: National Geographic Channel)

Engineering an Empire

In an era long passed, mighty empires were forged from nothing and rose to the heights of power. Peter Weller, an actor and a professor at Syracuse University, travels the world to show the engineering feats that gave rise to some of the greatest civilizations. From Rome to the Pharaohs' Egypt, from Greece to Carthage, from the Aztecs to the Maya, this program uses computer graphics to explore the architectural, political, and cultural glory of the world's greatest empires. (Image Source: The History Channel)

How Do They Do It?

There is technology in almost every aspect of our lives. How Do They Do It? exposes this technology and gives you an in-depth look at how things work. From airport baggage handling to space shuttle lift off, How Do They Do It? shows how it all happens. (Image source: Discovery Channel)