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

NOVA: Lizard Kings

Ch. 9.1 — 7 p.m. today

Ch. 5.1 — 11 a.m. Sunday

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.

Nature: Rhinocerous

Ch. 9.1 — 8 p.m. today

Ch. 5.1 — 10 a.m. Sunday

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.

Independent Lens: Butte, America

10 p.m. Saturday

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.

Independent Lens: The Creek Runs Red

11 p.m. Saturday

This program explores the human response to an environmental disaster and the complex connection between people and place in the mining town that the EPA calls the most toxic place in America — Picher, Okla. Terrence Howard hosts.

Wild!: The Leopard That Changed its Spots

9 a.m. Sunday

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.

Inside: Operation Wildfire

3 p.m. Sunday

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.

Nature: Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions

Ch. 5.1 — 7 p.m. Sunday, 8 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. Nov. 1

Ch. 9.1 — 8 p.m. Saturday

The returning saga of Cloud, the wild, white stallion finds us back in the Arrowhead Mountains of Montana. Cloud is now a confident band stallion in his prime. As he rules the mountains, gathering mares and expanding his reign, the story turns to his two sons. Bolder is his by birth— beautiful and golden, the success of his father and grandfather flowing in his veins. Flint, sired by another stallion, is the colt Cloud raised. Now, Bolder has gathered some mares of his own while Flint has joined a group of bachelor stallions, young guns roaming the mountains. Who will rise to challenge the mighty Cloud? Will nature or nurture produce the next great stallion of the Arrowheads?

NOVA: Family That Walks On All Fours

Ch. 5.1 — 8 p.m. Tuesday, 9 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Nov. 1

Ch. 9.1 — 8 p.m. Wednesday and 7 p.m. Oct. 31

An intense scientific debate has ignited around a quiet but extraordinary family living in rural Turkey — a family with five adults who walk on all fours. Since bipedality has long been considered one of the defining characteristics of modern humans, such a discovery raises fascinating questions about genetics, society and the evolutionary history of our species. Is this the anthropological find of the millennium or simply a unique medical case? In this moving documentary, NOVA sets out to unravel the controversy and meet the individuals who have captured the imagination of scientists around the world.

The Botany of Desire

7-9 p.m. Wednesday

This program brings Michael Pollan's best-selling book of the same name to television, showing — from the plant's point of view — how human desires are an essential, intricate part of natural history. The program explores the natural history of four plants — the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato — and the corresponding human desires — sweetness, beauty, intoxication and controlling nature — that link their destinies to our own.

To Market to Market to Buy A Fat Pig

9 p.m. Wednesday

This program is a celebration of market houses, market places and farmers' markets across the United States, including the Santa Fe Grower's Market. Rick Sebak checks out crab cakes in Baltimore's Lexington Market, shops with a chef in Pittsburgh's East Liberty Farmers' Market and attends a tomato tasting in Asheville, N.C. From what may be the oldest market in America in Lancaster, Penn., to the amazing abundance on display every Wednesday morning on the streets of Santa Monica, Calif., this program looks at the joys of talking to people who grow our food and the fresh opportunities that are found in markets everywhere.

Wild!: Wildlife Filmmakers, The Most Dangerous Game

7 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. Nov. 1

An exhilarating look at camera teams from all over the world risking life and limb to capture some of the most riveting wildlife scenes ever seen.