Nova: ‘Bird Brain’ and ‘Rise of the Rockets’

“Nova” explores new discoveries and how we have come this far. Except where otherwise noted, all times below are Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Arizona PBS.

Enjoy a double helping of “Nova” starting Dec. 9 at 8 p.m.

Bird Brain (8 p.m.) – Birds have an undeserved reputation for low brainpower. In fact, they produce one of the most glorious phenomena in nature: birdsong. How do their brains do it? And what does this skill tell us about the evolution of another remarkable phenomenon, human language?

Rise of the Rockets (9 p.m.) –New technologies are making rockets cheaper and more powerful than ever before. As companies like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic make space more accessible, and NASA returns to crewed spaceflight, a new era of space exploration may be on the horizon.