HUMAN: THE WORLD WITHIN (Series Finale this week)

By Jennifer Robinson / Web Producer

Published May 4, 2021 at 12:21 PM PDT

Dr. Adaora Okoli sees a patient at the hospital. New Orleans, La.

Encore Thursdays, Feb. 27, March 6, March 13, March 20 and March 27 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / Stream the series now with KPBS Passport!

Take a deep dive into the incredible universe that’s inside the body to discover the biology that all humans share: heart, brain, eyes, blood and tears. HUMAN: THE WORLD WITHIN uncovers the science behind how our bodies work and how what’s inside powers every moment of our lives. Jad Abumrad, host of the popular podcast RadioLab, narrates the journey through this foreign universe and reveals what makes us tick.

The microbiome is the cutting edge of gut science. It's an ecosystem that's made up of trillions of bacteria that instead of making us sick, actually have a big hand in keeping us healthy. When this population of microbes is thriving and in check, it does wonders for the body.

In the new science series, the personal profiles of a diverse group of people from around the world become entry points into the inner workings of six bodily systems: nervous, circulatory, digestive, immune, sensory and reproductive. Experts at the vanguard of science and medicine show how the fantastic feats humans are capable of trace back to the body’s incredible resilience.

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Jason Little lost his hand in a car accident, which he thought meant the end of being able to sense touch in that part of his body forever. Years later, he's now the first user of a new wireless interface that connects to his prosthetic arm and allows him to actually feel things in his phantom limb. His brain is able to interpret new signals in a way they once did.

EPISODE GUIDE:

“React” Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV - Through the lens of a boxer, a first responder, a cell tower climber and a man with a bionic limb, go deep into the universe of the most powerful machine on earth: the human brain and the vast nervous system it controls.

“Pulse” Thursday, March 6 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Dive into the world of an ice climber, a bus driver, a woman in labor and a senior dance club to show how the human heart and the circulatory system power our physical and emotional lives and create the pulsing rhythm of our world.

Dive into the world of an ice climber, a bus driver, a woman in labor and a senior dance club to show how the human heart and the circulatory system power our physical and emotional lives and create the pulsing rhythm of our world.

“Birth” Stream now with KPBS Passport - Go on a journey with parents who are preparing for babies to see how our bodies create and sustain new life. Through their stories, we learn about what is fundamentally shared and absolutely unique about the experience of birth.

Go on a journey with parents who are preparing for babies to see how our bodies create and sustain new life. Through their stories, we learn about what is fundamentally shared and absolutely unique about the experience of birth.

“Fuel” Thursday, March 13 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Through the worlds of a religious faster, an ultra-marathon runner, a farmer and a young girl beating allergies, go deep into the world of the human gut, which processes the fuel our bodies need to keep going.

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Through the worlds of a religious faster, an ultra-marathon runner, a farmer and a young girl beating allergies, go deep into the world of the human gut, which processes the fuel our bodies need to keep going.

“Defend” Thursday, March 20 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Look at a nature survivalist, rancher twins, a doctor who survived Ebola and the recipient of a cutting-edge cancer therapy to uncover the wildly advanced biology that keeps us alive against all odds.

Look at a nature survivalist, rancher twins, a doctor who survived Ebola and the recipient of a cutting-edge cancer therapy to uncover the wildly advanced biology that keeps us alive against all odds.

“Sense” Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Explore the incredible universe inside each and every one of us. An examination of diverse personal stories from around the world reveals how our lives, passions and goals are powered by the amazing systems that define our biology as a species.

Dive into the stories of a pairs figure skating team, a perfumer, a cave explorer and a musician to decipher how different ways of sensing the world all create their own vivid and unique picture.

Watch On Your Schedule: HUMAN: THE WORLD WITHIN is available to stream with KPBS Passport, a benefit for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.

Credits: Produced by Stephen David Entertainment, Banijay Group Company, for PBS. Stephen David, Jonathan Soule, Tim W. Kelly and Charles Marquardt are executive producers. Alexander Shaheen and Dan Bromfield are series producers. The program is narrated and hosted by Jad Abumrad. Executive in charge for PBS is Bill Gardner.

HUMAN: THE WORLD WITHIN (Series Finale this week)

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