Nova ScienceNow What's the Next Big Thing? (Season 5, Episode 6)
TV Episode | Documentary

Primary photo for What's the Next Big Thing?

Nova ScienceNow

What's the Next Big Thing? (Season 5, Episode 6)

TV Episode | Documentary

Nova ScienceNow consider what will be the next big thing. It looks at robots, earthquakes, self-driving cars, the smart grid, and profiles genetic engineer Jay Keasling.

Directors

Robe Imbriano (segments: Profile: Jay Keasling) | Terri Randall (segments: Robo Cars, Smart Grid, Social Robots) | Kirk Wolfinger (segments: Earthquake Detection)

Writers

Matthew Collins (segments: Earthquake Detection) | Robe Imbriano (segments: Profile: Jay Keasling) | Alex Liu (contributing writer) | Terri Randall (segments: Robo Cars) (segments: Smart Grid) (segments: Social Robots)

Producers

Heeth Grantham (segments: Earthquake Detection) | Robe Imbriano (segments: Profile: Jay Keasling) | Terri Randall (segments: Robo Cars) (segments: Smart Grid) (segments: Social Robots)

Composer

Rob Morsberger

Editors

David Chmura | Dan Crow (segments: Earthquake Detection) | Jedd Ehrmann (segments: Robo Cars, Smart Grid, Social Robots) | Lauren Feinberg & 2 more

See all filmmakers & crew (97)

Edit Released

Updated Feb 23, 2011

Release date

Feb 23, 2011 (United States)

Awards

Series awards

3 wins & 4 nominations

Contacts

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Cast	+ Add Cast
23 cast members

Name	Known for
Dieuseul Anglade Self - Haiti Bureau of Mines and Energy Self - Haiti Bureau of Mines and Energy See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Christopher Borroni-Bird Self - General Motors Self - General Motors See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Rodney Brooks Self - MIT Self - MIT See fewer	Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (1997)
Eric Calais Self - Purdue University Self - Purdue University See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Chad Cohen Self - Correspondent Self - Correspondent See fewer	Incredible Human Machine (2007)
Daniel Darancou Self - General Motors Self - General Motors See fewer	Sirens of Chrome
David Hanson Self - Hanson Robotics Self - Hanson Robotics See fewer	3030
Bill Hicks Self - Hanson Robotics Self - Hanson Robotics See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Thomas H. Jordan Self - Southern California Earthquake Center Self - Southern California Earthquake Center See fewer	The Next California Earthquake
Tom Jordan Self - University of Southern California Self - University of Southern California See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Jay Keasling Self - Joint BioEnergy Institute (as Dr. Jay Keasling) Self - Joint BioEnergy Institute (as Dr. Jay Keasling) See fewer	Nova (1974)
Max Keasling Self - Jay's Father Self - Jay's Father See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Charlie Kemp Self - Georgia Tech Self - Georgia Tech See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Eric Lightner Self - U.S. Department of Energy Self - U.S. Department of Energy See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Ernest Majer Self - Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Self - Lawrence Berkeley National Lab See fewer	FrackNation (2013)
Wendy Rogers Self - Georgia Tech Self - Georgia Tech See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Blake Simmons Self - Joint BioEnergy Institute Self - Joint BioEnergy Institute See fewer	Beyond the Brink (2018)
Andrea Thomaz Self - Georgia Tech Self - Georgia Tech See fewer	Nova ScienceNow (2005)
Ziya Tong Self - Correspondent Self - Correspondent See fewer	Daily Planet (1996)
Sherry Turkle Self - MIT Self - MIT See fewer	The Singularity Is Near (2010)
Neil deGrasse Tyson Self - Host Self - Host See fewer	Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Vijay Vaitheeswaran Self - The Economist Self - The Economist See fewer	The 11th Hour (I) (2007)
Kirk Wolfinger Self - Correspondent Self - Correspondent See fewer	Nova (1974)