Public Broadcasting for Northwest Indiana & Chicagoland since 1987
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Hearing something new on 89.1 FM? That's because we are simulcasting WBAA now. Learn more here

Is Electricity Instant? A Shocking Experiment from 1746

Season 53 | 5m 56s

How fast does electricity move – and why? In 1746, a French physicist electrocuted a large group of monks to learn about electricity, and he concluded that it moves with “infinite speed.” That wasn’t quite right, but it would take decades to figure out the real answer and its reason.

National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Carlisle Companies. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust and PBS viewers.
Follow the Artemis mission to bring humanity back to the Moon for the first time since Apollo.
Can science reveal the secrets of mysterious objects seen in our skies?
From electric flight to artificial noses, engineers are finding new ways to preserve our planet.
Explore big discoveries that have revolutionized our understanding of the universe.
Explore the spectacular cosmic phenomenon of a total solar eclipse.
How did life bounce back after a cataclysmic extinction wiped out some 90% of all species?
Investigate one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in recorded history.
Follow scientists determined to save the critically endangered right whale.
Here’s how the U.S. could reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Dive into the subconscious to see what’s really driving the decisions you make.