© 2026 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Access to this video is a benefit to members

Killer Hurricanes

Season 44 Episode 17 | 53m 11s

Devastating hurricanes struck the U.S. mainland and Caribbean islands in 2017. But they weren’t the first. The Great Hurricane of 1780 took nine days to blast its way across the Caribbean, killing at least 20,000—the highest known death toll of any single weather event in history. What made this superstorm so deadly?

Aired: 10/10/17 | Expires: 09/20/23
National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Viking Cruises. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.
Extras
One woman exposes abuse within Amish communities and helps survivors find the strength to speak out.
The new season kicks off in 1971 as several of the ladies embrace Women’s Lib.
Parenthood is the ultimate journey, full of danger.
Discover the ingenuity, vision, and masterful talent of some of our most extraordinary artisans.
Discover the ingenuity, vision, and masterful talent of some of our most extraordinary artisans.
See how jungle animal parents raise children by mastering their environment.
Barbara Jordan’s voice shook the nation. Discover her story in The Inquisitor.
AARP’s Movies for Grownups hosted by Alan Cumming.
Sun Ra wanted to change humanity with his concept of the “alter destiny.”
Sun Ra was one of the first Black artists to have his own record label.
Latest Episodes
All
  • All
  • NOVA Season 53
  • NOVA Season 52
  • NOVA Season 51
  • NOVA Season 50
  • NOVA Season 49
  • NOVA Season 48
  • NOVA Season 47
  • NOVA Season 46
  • NOVA Season 45
  • NOVA Season 44
  • NOVA Season 43
  • NOVA Season 42
  • NOVA Season 41
  • NOVA Season 40
  • NOVA Season 39
  • NOVA Season 38
  • NOVA Season 37
  • NOVA Season 36
  • NOVA Season 35
  • NOVA Season 34
  • NOVA Season 33
  • NOVA Season 32
  • NOVA Season 31
  • NOVA Season 30
  • NOVA Season 28
  • NOVA Season 27
  • NOVA Season 23
A deadly—and growing—global weather phenomenon mystifies scientists.
Explore mammals’ surprising origins, long before the age of dinosaurs.
Do speech buttons really allow dogs to talk to us? Scientists investigate.
New evidence sheds light on the remarkable life—and mysterious collapse—of the ancient jungle city.
What if violent asteroid impacts actually jump-started life on Earth? Explore a dramatic theory.
See how ingenuity and teamwork keep the crew alive and doing science 250 miles above Earth.
Astronauts and Mission Control relive terrifying moments during construction of the ISS.
Find out why deadly flash floods are on the rise and how we can protect ourselves from them.
Explore mysterious 9,000-year-old Stone Age megastructures found in the Arabian Desert.
Discover how two revolutionary ancient inventions changed the course of humanity forever.