[Mike] What's new on season six of "What If..."?

In an episode about making something good from something bad, we'll show you how a spirit of entrepreneurship saved Sidney after 2,000 people lost their jobs when Cabela's headquarters left the small town.

The thought behind it was to grow our own, grow our own business owners, encourage our kids to get into entrepreneurship, support one another.

[Mike] We'll tell the story of young entrepreneurs who created a horse hotel in the aftermath of a tornado.

I was able to combine my three passions, you know, and make a business.

And ultimately, everything happens for a reason.

And it really actually allowed us to open the doors to people and horses.

[Mike] And we'll give you a behind-the-scenes look at the unique single shot technique we used to tell the horse hotel story.

This is insane.

This is the craziest thing I think we've tried for "What If..." but that's why I like "What If..." 'cause we take these chances, you know?

We're always pushing ourselves and we're trying new things.

[Mike] In an episode about innovation in the sky, we'll show you some of the innovation on display at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum while introducing stories about a "Wiz" whose drone show company creates entertainment in the sky.

Every one's a high-profile show and you want it to go perfect.

Tonight went perfect.

Couldn't have asked for a better night.

[Mike] Junior high and high school students working with UNL and NASA to create a small satellite.

You look at all of this and like, this is science, this is development, engineering, and we've gone through it and we're finally here.

Now we're going to space.

[Mike] And a Lincoln company's new smaller surgical robot tested on the Space Station with a person operating it on Earth.

Little robots are very cool.

And if we can control it from here on Earth, I think that's a pretty major accomplishment.

[Mike] We spend time at the Kiewit Luminarium for another new episode that's all about having fun and learning, with stories about a 4-H program giving junior high students a widget, then a day to create a product and pitch the idea.

What's the big picture thing you hope to accomplish by doing this?

So I think it's really important that kids just learn that they can be entrepreneurs at any age.

[Mike] An entrepreneur who turned an interest in beekeeping into a honey mustard business.

You seem to be enjoying this a lot.

Oh, I do.

It is fun.

It is fun and I'm never without something new to think about.

[Mike] And a candy scientist whose business helps other candymakers with their product.

If you would've told 10-year-old Tessa that she could be a scientist making gummies for a living and get paid for it, would've never believed it.

But it's a dream job.

[Mike] A special rewind episode of "What If..." revisits and celebrates the stories, music and education elements that have been a part of the award-winning series since it first aired in 2019.

We'll update what innovators and creators from three past stories are doing now.

The education aspects of the project are featured, including an exercise with Nebraska Wesleyan and Fremont area students brainstorming ideas for using a robot.

I would make a robot that if you don't get up within five minutes of your alarm going off, it pushes you off the bed onto the floor so you make sure you're not late.

[Mike] And we'll end the show with an interview and performance featuring young composer Winston Schneider.

(lively piano music) And because it's "What If..." there'll be plenty of hands-on antics in all the episodes.

The whiskers come out, all right.

Maybe I'll draw a cat.

We are getting off task.

As the project manager, I say we need to refocus.

Don't step on a drone.

Pickles.

It's a lot of pickle.

-We got the taste right.

-Sweet pickles.

(all chuckling) [Mike] "What If..." is all about Nebraska, innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship.

Watch four new episodes on air beginning March 26th on Nebraska Public Media, online at nebraskapublicmedia.org/WhatIf -and on YouTube.

-(lively music)