It's no secret that air travel requires a lot of technical know-how. What exactly is wake turbulence and how does it affect commercial air traffic?

The culprit is a lesser-known kind of turbulence that’s been increasing since 1979. So how does it work, and what’s causing the rise? NOVA is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, ...

Turbulence, an irregular movement of air, is caused by various factors including rapid changes in wind, storm systems, mountainous terrain (orographic lifting), and the wake left by other aircraft.

Increasingly volatileweather, driven largely by climate change, is leading to a rise in turbulence incidents around the world. Airlines and aircraft makers are rising to the challenge, implementing ...