Upcoming science, nature and technology programs on KNME Public Television. All programs are the regular channel 5 (HD 220) unless otherwise stated.

NOVA: Hubble's Amazing Rescue

Ch. 9.1 — 7 p.m. today

Ch. 5.1 — 11 a.m. Sunday

In May 2009, NASA sent a shuttle crew on a risky mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope for the last time. Hubble has enthralled scientists and the public by capturing deep views of the cosmos and a wealth of data from distant galaxies. It has helped lead the search for alien planets and is a crucial tool in one of cosmology's most crucial quests, investigating and mapping the mysterious dark matter that dominates the universe. Now the astronaut servicing team must carry out the first ever in-space repairs of Hubble's defective instruments, a task that requires ingenious engineering fixes and the most intensive spacewalk program of any NASA mission. From training to launch, NOVA presents the inside story of the mission and the extraordinary challenges faced by the rescue crew.

Nature: Raptor Force

Ch. 9.1 — 8 p.m. today

Ch. 5.1 — 10 a.m. Sunday

Armed with powerful beaks and razor-sharp talons, raptors are nature's elite killing force — predators whose graceful beauty belies their stunning speed, acrobatics and precision. Using original footage from cameras mounted on their backs, the program shows why falcons, owls, eagles and hawks are masters of the sky, and why aeronautics engineers use their unique abilities and body designs as the basis of new aircraft technology. (Play KNME's Nature Bingo Contest in October & November — Call 277-2121 for details, or go to: www.knme.org)

Wild!: Forest Tigers, Pt. 2

9 a.m. Sunday

This film returns to Bandhavgarh National Park in India to continue the story of a family of wild tigers. Sita, the dominant tigress, has spent two years bringing up her three cubs and teaching them the ways of the jungle. Now it's time for the family to go their separate ways. But survival is not easy and competition is tough for territory and for food. Sita's grown up daughter, Bachi still lives in an adjoining territory with her own three playful cubs, and these boys are turning into "star" hunters. However, their grandfather returns and he makes it very clear who is still boss.

Eden at the End of the World

6 p.m. Sunday

It is the last great wilderness of its kind, a rare and precious haven for some of Earth's most indestructible creatures. Covering more than 500,000 square miles of Chile and Argentina, this wild place is known as Patagonia. At its crown tip is a grand island, Tierra del Fuego, a land as harsh as it is beautiful. This film tracks several species that call this extreme environment home. But the guanaco, condor and Magellanic penguin who share this spectacular place with orcas, parrots and elephant seals are facing increasing pressure from humans. The program details how new conservation models may save them and preserve the wildness at the bottom of the world.

Nature: Rhinocerous

Ch. 5.1 — 7 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. Oct. 25

Ch. 9.1 — 8 p.m. today

Millions of rhinos once roamed the Earth. There were hundreds of species of all shapes and sizes. But today, the rhinoceros is one of the planet's rarest animals, with three of its species on the brink of extinction. The program follows a team of experts who are working to protect rhinos from poachers — relocating them to better habitats and breeding them in captivity.

NOVA: Lizard Kings

Ch. 5.1 — 8 p.m. Tuesday and 9 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Oct. 25

Ch. 9.1 — 8 p.m. Wednesday and 7 p.m. Oct. 24

Though they may look like dragons and inspire stories of man-eating, fire-spitting monsters with long claws, razor-sharp teeth and muscular, whip-like tails, these creatures are actually monitor lizards, the largest lizards to walk the planet. With their acute intelligence — including the ability to plan ahead — these lizards are a very different kind of reptile, blurring the line between reptiles and mammals. And even though these bizarre reptiles haven't changed all that much since the dinosaurs, they are a very successful species, versatile at adapting to all kinds of settings. Lizard Kings looks at what makes these tongued reptiles so similar to mammals and what has allowed them to become such unique survivors. But while the creatures can find their way around many different habitats, finding them is no easy task. Natural loners, and always on guard, they sense anything or anyone from hundreds of feet away. NOVA follows expert lizard hunter Dr. Eric Pianka as he tracks the elusive creatures through Australia's heartland with cutting-edge "lizard cam."

Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?

Ch. 5.1 — 10 p.m. Tuesday

Ch. 9.1 — 9 p.m. Oct. 25

African American infant mortality rates remain twice as high as white Americans regardless of education level. Investigators are circling in on how the chronic stress of racism throughout a life can become a risk factor embedded in the body. Recent Mexican immigrants, on the other hand, though poorer, tend to be healthier than the average American. But the longer they're here, the worse their relative health becomes. Is there something about life in America that is harming their health? Conversely, what is protective about new immigrant communities that we can learn from?

Lords of the Gourd: The Pursuit of Excellence

9 p.m. Wednesday

The extreme gardeners who compete at the annual Cooperstown Weigh Off have one obsessive goal — to raise the biggest giant pumpkin in the world. These gurus of the gourd nurture their fruits through harsh weather, floods, animal attacks and even sabotage to produce glorious pumpkins of gigantic proportion. This program follows Joe Pukos and his fellow competitors through the final harrowing days of harvest and the journey across New York State with the bulging behemoths strapped into the backs of their pickups. Joe is a real contender —at least until last minute rumors circulate that another grower may be set to smash the world record.

Wild!: The Leopard that Changed its Spots

7 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. Oct. 25

The remarkable story of a female leopard, her cubs and her relationship with the conservationist who looked after her in his tiger sanctuary in northern Nepal.

Independent Lens: Butte, America

10 p.m. Oct. 24

Told through the experiences of five-generation families whose lives intersected key historical events, this documentary explores the largely untold story of industrialized hard rock mining in Butte, Mont. — from the discovery of the world's largest copper deposit in 1882 through the closing of the mines in the early 1980s. Focusing on the benefits and costs of large-scale resource extraction, the film looks at environmental consequences and raises questions about the global trend of urban-industrialization.

Inside: Operation Wildfire

3 p.m. Oct. 25

How do you control a force of nature as destructive and unpredictable as a wildfire? This program travels onto the front lines of a battle as old as history, following a courageous team of firefighters as they work tirelessly to contain a fast-moving fire that threatens one of California's largest state parks and the communities that surround it. More than 1,900 fire personnel are in a battle against time, racing to contain the flames before the rising winds push them across their fire lines.