PBS is taking us back — WAY back — in time

This winter, PBS will be taking us back in time.
That’s way back. It will go to the start of life on Earth … and to the first mammals … and to one of the earliest civilizations,.
That’s on “Nova” at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, starting Jan. 21. (Shown here is Angkor, featured on Jan. 28.)
The shopw won’t be spending all its time as a way-back machine. The best hour of the season — or of just about any season — is a gem about dogs that learn words and express them by stepping on the right buttons.
Still, much of the year involves looking back. That includes:
— Jan. 21: “Asteroids: Spark of Life?” In labs, scientists try to determine if asteroids delivered some of the elements needed to create life.
— Jan. 28: “Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire.” For six centuries, Angkor was a capital city in what is now Cambodia. It sprawled for almost 400 square miles annd may have had close to a million people. Then it was vacated in the 15th century, receding into the jungle. Its remains draw almost two million people a year, including archaeologists.
— Feb. 4: “Can Dogs Talk?” They certainly seem to, anyway. This follows pets who can request things by stepping on a button that says the word. It airs right after the8 p.m. start of a “Nature” series on animal parenthood; combined, the shows form a must-see block for some viewers.
— Feb. 11: “Mammal Origins.” We’d like to think we’re descended from the bravest and boldest. This hour, however, speculates that mammals evolved from creatures that had a special skill — burrowing and hiding away, while the big guys rampaged.
— Feb. 18: “Rain Bombs.” Backed by imposing footage, this looks at the increasing tendency for devastating rainstorms.
— Feb. 25: “Stone Age Temple Mystery.” In what is now Turkey, there are remains that archaeologists are still pondering. They suggest an organized gathering of hunter-gatherers, more than 11,000 years ago — at a time when previous studies felt that there were nomads, not civilizations.