Showing posts with label Earth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Earth. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Swallowed by a Sinkhole (2014)
Professor Iain Stewart travels to Florida to try and understand what killed Jeff Bush in 2013 when a sinkhole opened up beneath his bedroom, and why the geology of this state makes it the sinkhole capital of the world.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
* Planet Earth (2006)
As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you'll ever experience from the comforts of home. The premiere episode, "From Pole to Pole," serves as a primer for things to come, placing the entire series in proper context and giving a general overview of what to expect from each individual episode. Without being overtly political, the series maintains a consistent and subtle emphasis on the urgent need for ongoing conservation, best illustrated by the plight of polar bears whose very behavior is changing (to accommodate life-threatening changes in their fast-melting habitat) in the wake of global warming--a phenomenon that this series appropriately presents as scientific fact. With this harsh reality as subtext, the series proceeds to accentuate the positive, delivering a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders, from the spectacular mating displays of New Guinea's various birds of paradise to a rare encounter with Siberia's nearly-extinct Amur Leopards, of which only 30 remain in the wild.
That's just a hint of the marvels on display. Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"--not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlights, masterfully filmed from every conceivable angle, with frequent use of super-slow-motion and amazing motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, and narrated by Sir Attenborough with his trademark combination of observational wit and informative authority. The result is a hugely entertaining series that doesn't flinch from the predatory realities of nature (death is a constant presence, without being off-putting).
At a time when the multiple threats of global warming should be obvious to all, let's give Sir David the last word, from the closing of Planet Earth's final episode: "We can now destroy or we can cherish--the choice is ours." -- Jeff Shannon
Episode 1: From Pole To Pole
The lives of animals and plants are dominated by the sun and fresh water which trigger seasonal journeys. The latest technology and aerial photography enable the Planet Earth team to track some of the greatest mass migrations.In the Arctic spring, a mother polar bear and cubs emerge from their winter den. They have just two weeks to cross the frozen sea before it melts and they become stranded. Share the most intimate and complete picture of polar bear life ever filmed. Further south, time-lapse cameras capture the annual transformation created by the Okavango floods.
Episode 2: Mountains
Tour the mightiest mountain ranges, starting with the birth of a mountain at one of the lowest places on Earth and ending at the summit of Everest.One of Earth's rarest phenomena is a lava lake that has been erupting for over 100 years.The same forces built the Simian Mountains where troops of gelada baboons live, nearly a thousand strong. In the Rockies, grizzlies build winter dens inside avalanche-prone slopes. The programme also brings us astounding images of a snow leopard hunting on the Pakistan peaks, a world first.
Episode 3: Freshwater
Fresh water defines the distribution of life on land. Follow the descent of rivers from their mountain sources to the sea. Watch spectacular waterfalls, fly inside the Grand Canyon and explore the wildlife in the world's deepest lake.Planet Earth captures unique and dramatic moments of animal behaviour: a showdown between smooth-coated otters and mugger crocodiles; deep-diving long tailed macaques; massive flocks of snow geese on the wing and a piranha frenzy in the perilous waters of the world's largest wetland.
Episode 4: Caves
The Cave of Swallows in Mexico is a 400m vertical shaft, deep enough to engulf the Empire State Building. The Lechuguilla cave system in the USA is 193km long with astonishing crystal formations.Caves are remarkable habitats with equally bizarre wildlife. Cave angel fish cling to the walls behind waterfalls with microscopic hooks on their fins. Cave swiftlets navigate by echo-location and build nests out of saliva. The Texas cave salamander has neither eyes nor pigment. Planet Earth gets unique access to a hidden world of stalactites, stalagmites, snotites and troglodytes.
Episode 5: Deserts
Around 30% of the land's surface is desert, the most varied of our ecosystems despite the lack of rain. Saharan sandstorms reach nearly a mile high and desert rivers run for a single day.In the Gobi Desert, rare Bactrian camels get moisture from the snow. In the Atacama, guanacos survive by licking dew off cactus spines. The brief blooming of Death Valley triggers a plague of locusts 65km wide and 160km long. A unique aerial voyage over the Namibian desert reveals elephants on a long trek for food and desert lions searching for wandering oryx.
Episode 6: Ice Worlds
The Arctic and Antarctic experience the most extreme seasons on Earth. Time-lapse cameras watch a colony of emperor penguins, transforming them into a single organism. The film reveals new science about the dynamics of emperor penguin behaviour.In the north, unique aerial images show a polar bear swimming more than 100km. Diving for up to two minutes at a time. The exhausted polar bear later attacks a herd of walrus in a true clash of the Titans.
Episode 7: Great Plains
After filming for three years, Planet Earth finally captures the shy Mongolian gazelle. Only a handful of people have witnessed its annual migration. Don't miss the bizarre-looking Tibetan fox, captured on film for the first time.Over six weeks the team follow a pride of 30 lions as they attempt to hunt elephants. Using the latest night vision equipment, the crew film the chaotic battles that ensue at close quarters.
Episode 8: Jungles
Jungles cover roughly three per cent of our planet yet contain 50 per cent of the world's species. High-definition cameras enable unprecedented views of animals living on the dark jungle floor.In the Ngogo forest the largest chimpanzee group in the world defends its territory from neighbouring groups. Other jungle specialists include parasitic fungi which infiltrate an insect host, feed on it, and then burst out of its body.
Episode 9: Shallow Seas
A humpback whale mother and calf embark on an epic journey from tropical coral paradises to storm ravaged polar seas.Newly discovered coral reefs in Indonesia reveal head-butting pygmy seahorses, flashing 'electric' clams and bands of sea kraits, 30-strong, which hunt in packs. Elsewhere plagues of sea urchins fell forests of giant kelp. Huge bull fur seals attack king penguins, who despite their weight disadvantage, put up a spirited defence.
Episode 10: Seasonal Forests
The Taiga forest, on the edge of the Arctic, is a silent world of stunted conifers. The trees may be small but filming from the air reveals its true scale. A third of all trees on Earth grow here and during the short summer they produce enough oxygen to change the atmosphere.In California General Sherman, a giant sequoia, is the largest living thing on the planet, ten times the size of a blue whale. The oldest organisms alive are bristlecone pines. At more than 4,000 years old they pre-date the pyramids. But the baobab forests of Madagascar are perhaps the strangest of all.
Episode 11: Ocean Deep
The final instalment concentrates on the most unexplored area of the planet: the deep ocean. It begins with a whale shark used as a shield by a shoal of bait fish to protect themselves from yellowfin tuna. Also shown is an oceanic whitetip shark trailing rainbow runners. Meanwhile, a 500-strong school of dolphins head for the Azores, where they work together to feast on scad mackerel along with a shearwater flock. Down in the ocean's furthest reaches, some creatures defy classification. On the sea floor, scavengers such as the spider crab bide their time, awaiting carrion from above. The volcanic mountain chain at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean also sustains life through the bacteria that surround its sulphide vents. There are thought to be around 30,000 undersea volcanoes, some of them taller than Mount Everest. Their sheer cliffs provide anchorage for several corals and sponges. Nearer the surface, the currents that surround these seamounts force nutrients up from below and thus marine life around them is abundant. Ascension Island is a nesting ground for frigatebirds and green turtles. Off the Mexican coast, a large group of sailfish feed on another shoal of bait fish, changing colour to signal their intentions to each other, allowing them to coordinate their attack. The last sequence depicts the largest animal on Earth: the blue whale, of which 300,000 once roamed the world's oceans. Now fewer than 3% remain. Planet Earth Diaries shows the search in the Bahamas for oceanic whitetip sharks.
That's just a hint of the marvels on display. Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"--not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlights, masterfully filmed from every conceivable angle, with frequent use of super-slow-motion and amazing motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, and narrated by Sir Attenborough with his trademark combination of observational wit and informative authority. The result is a hugely entertaining series that doesn't flinch from the predatory realities of nature (death is a constant presence, without being off-putting).
At a time when the multiple threats of global warming should be obvious to all, let's give Sir David the last word, from the closing of Planet Earth's final episode: "We can now destroy or we can cherish--the choice is ours." -- Jeff Shannon
Episode 1: From Pole To Pole
The lives of animals and plants are dominated by the sun and fresh water which trigger seasonal journeys. The latest technology and aerial photography enable the Planet Earth team to track some of the greatest mass migrations.In the Arctic spring, a mother polar bear and cubs emerge from their winter den. They have just two weeks to cross the frozen sea before it melts and they become stranded. Share the most intimate and complete picture of polar bear life ever filmed. Further south, time-lapse cameras capture the annual transformation created by the Okavango floods.
Episode 2: Mountains
Tour the mightiest mountain ranges, starting with the birth of a mountain at one of the lowest places on Earth and ending at the summit of Everest.One of Earth's rarest phenomena is a lava lake that has been erupting for over 100 years.The same forces built the Simian Mountains where troops of gelada baboons live, nearly a thousand strong. In the Rockies, grizzlies build winter dens inside avalanche-prone slopes. The programme also brings us astounding images of a snow leopard hunting on the Pakistan peaks, a world first.
Episode 3: Freshwater
Fresh water defines the distribution of life on land. Follow the descent of rivers from their mountain sources to the sea. Watch spectacular waterfalls, fly inside the Grand Canyon and explore the wildlife in the world's deepest lake.Planet Earth captures unique and dramatic moments of animal behaviour: a showdown between smooth-coated otters and mugger crocodiles; deep-diving long tailed macaques; massive flocks of snow geese on the wing and a piranha frenzy in the perilous waters of the world's largest wetland.
Episode 4: Caves
The Cave of Swallows in Mexico is a 400m vertical shaft, deep enough to engulf the Empire State Building. The Lechuguilla cave system in the USA is 193km long with astonishing crystal formations.Caves are remarkable habitats with equally bizarre wildlife. Cave angel fish cling to the walls behind waterfalls with microscopic hooks on their fins. Cave swiftlets navigate by echo-location and build nests out of saliva. The Texas cave salamander has neither eyes nor pigment. Planet Earth gets unique access to a hidden world of stalactites, stalagmites, snotites and troglodytes.
Episode 5: Deserts
Around 30% of the land's surface is desert, the most varied of our ecosystems despite the lack of rain. Saharan sandstorms reach nearly a mile high and desert rivers run for a single day.In the Gobi Desert, rare Bactrian camels get moisture from the snow. In the Atacama, guanacos survive by licking dew off cactus spines. The brief blooming of Death Valley triggers a plague of locusts 65km wide and 160km long. A unique aerial voyage over the Namibian desert reveals elephants on a long trek for food and desert lions searching for wandering oryx.
Episode 6: Ice Worlds
The Arctic and Antarctic experience the most extreme seasons on Earth. Time-lapse cameras watch a colony of emperor penguins, transforming them into a single organism. The film reveals new science about the dynamics of emperor penguin behaviour.In the north, unique aerial images show a polar bear swimming more than 100km. Diving for up to two minutes at a time. The exhausted polar bear later attacks a herd of walrus in a true clash of the Titans.
Episode 7: Great Plains
After filming for three years, Planet Earth finally captures the shy Mongolian gazelle. Only a handful of people have witnessed its annual migration. Don't miss the bizarre-looking Tibetan fox, captured on film for the first time.Over six weeks the team follow a pride of 30 lions as they attempt to hunt elephants. Using the latest night vision equipment, the crew film the chaotic battles that ensue at close quarters.
Episode 8: Jungles
Jungles cover roughly three per cent of our planet yet contain 50 per cent of the world's species. High-definition cameras enable unprecedented views of animals living on the dark jungle floor.In the Ngogo forest the largest chimpanzee group in the world defends its territory from neighbouring groups. Other jungle specialists include parasitic fungi which infiltrate an insect host, feed on it, and then burst out of its body.
Episode 9: Shallow Seas
A humpback whale mother and calf embark on an epic journey from tropical coral paradises to storm ravaged polar seas.Newly discovered coral reefs in Indonesia reveal head-butting pygmy seahorses, flashing 'electric' clams and bands of sea kraits, 30-strong, which hunt in packs. Elsewhere plagues of sea urchins fell forests of giant kelp. Huge bull fur seals attack king penguins, who despite their weight disadvantage, put up a spirited defence.
Episode 10: Seasonal Forests
The Taiga forest, on the edge of the Arctic, is a silent world of stunted conifers. The trees may be small but filming from the air reveals its true scale. A third of all trees on Earth grow here and during the short summer they produce enough oxygen to change the atmosphere.In California General Sherman, a giant sequoia, is the largest living thing on the planet, ten times the size of a blue whale. The oldest organisms alive are bristlecone pines. At more than 4,000 years old they pre-date the pyramids. But the baobab forests of Madagascar are perhaps the strangest of all.
Episode 11: Ocean Deep
The final instalment concentrates on the most unexplored area of the planet: the deep ocean. It begins with a whale shark used as a shield by a shoal of bait fish to protect themselves from yellowfin tuna. Also shown is an oceanic whitetip shark trailing rainbow runners. Meanwhile, a 500-strong school of dolphins head for the Azores, where they work together to feast on scad mackerel along with a shearwater flock. Down in the ocean's furthest reaches, some creatures defy classification. On the sea floor, scavengers such as the spider crab bide their time, awaiting carrion from above. The volcanic mountain chain at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean also sustains life through the bacteria that surround its sulphide vents. There are thought to be around 30,000 undersea volcanoes, some of them taller than Mount Everest. Their sheer cliffs provide anchorage for several corals and sponges. Nearer the surface, the currents that surround these seamounts force nutrients up from below and thus marine life around them is abundant. Ascension Island is a nesting ground for frigatebirds and green turtles. Off the Mexican coast, a large group of sailfish feed on another shoal of bait fish, changing colour to signal their intentions to each other, allowing them to coordinate their attack. The last sequence depicts the largest animal on Earth: the blue whale, of which 300,000 once roamed the world's oceans. Now fewer than 3% remain. Planet Earth Diaries shows the search in the Bahamas for oceanic whitetip sharks.
* I Have Seen the Earth Change Season (2008)
Travelling to 10 corners of the world this series aims at showing locally through the people who experience it the concrete impact of climate change. Beyond the figures and graphics who are the people affected today in their daily activities by these change? How do they cope, what choices are they facing and what solutions have they found to maintain a sustainable activity on the land of their ancestors?
Episode 1: Bolivia
Gerarda Moralē± is an Aymara Indian like half the population of Bolivia, and the president of a self-help charity network in the la Paz region. Glaciers are the main source of water for the region but they are now melting at an alarming rate. The whole balance of the region is under threat. The rural exodus must be halted and alternative water sources found as fast as possible
Episode 2: Australia
For 38 years, Clem and Cheryle Hodges have lived as farmers in New South Wales. These past five years, they have suffered from an exceptionally long and severe drought. Global warming? The Hodges are sceptical. But will they try to survive and wait for better days? Or will they, like other farmers, have to adapt their ways?
Episode 3: Canada
A courageous and spirited Inuit woman, Ulaayu Pilurtuut lives in the heart of the Canadian Great North, where she teaches Inuktut, the language of her people. The melting of the ice shelf, caused by global warming, threatens the existence of hunting, the traditional activity of communities in the region. Ulaayu wants to help the local youth invent a new future without losing touch with their roots and their identity.
Episode 4: Egypt
Manar Ezat is the first female professor specialised in fish farming in Egypt. Endlessly she visits and advises the fish farmers along the Nile delta - including those who let their traditional farming activity to develop and live from this new agro-industry. As the sea expands over the delta, silt disappears and salinity in water and soil increases. About a third of the country's population is to be eventually affected, thought farmers and fisherman are the first and main victims.
Episode 5: Spain
At the heart of the Valencia Huerta, Antonio Niguez watches worriedly the orange trees of his parcel wither away. This semi-arid region, true garden in the southeast of Spain, suffers from a chronic lack of water, worsened by global warming. Despite an irrigation system that has been regulated for centuries by the "Water Tribunal" of Valencia, the threat of desertification looms. What must be done?
Episode 6: United States
Colleen Gregory (truck farmer, beekeeper and sheep breeder) lives in the San Juan Islands, off Seattle. Fed up with the city and its ongoing activity, she moved in this paradisiacal spot - a sight for sore eyes! - 20 years ago to find Nature. A childhood dream come true! But, today the dream is fading away...
Episode 7: Japan
Katsuo Sasaki grows rice in Miyagi Province where the crop has a strong reputation. And yet he is becoming impoverished since never before seen insects have started to attack his crops. Katsuo wonders what Nature can endure... And for how much longer...
Episode 8: Mali
In the North of Mali, Khissa lives along the banks of Lake Faguibine. A location erstwhile "blessed by Gods"...An area of exchange for nomad breeders, Sonrai farmers and Bozo fishermen. But during the Sahel drought, the lake suddenly dried out. Like many other Tuareg, Khissa lost everything, namely his independence and his pride.
Episode 9: Netherlands
Global warming causes the icecap to melt which induces a rise in sea level. A nightmare for the Dutch since 60% of their territory lies below that very sea level. This concerns Oebele Wiedjik who lives in a polder. This is a major concern for all farmers living in the Noordward polder who know they are living on borrowed time and are facing difficult choices.
Episode 10: Vietnam
Lien Tran Thi Kim is an agronomist-forester in the centre of Vietnam. Concerned about the increase in natural disasters, she has taken on a re-forestation mission in an effort to reduce their destructive effects.
Episode 1: Bolivia
Gerarda Moralē± is an Aymara Indian like half the population of Bolivia, and the president of a self-help charity network in the la Paz region. Glaciers are the main source of water for the region but they are now melting at an alarming rate. The whole balance of the region is under threat. The rural exodus must be halted and alternative water sources found as fast as possible
Episode 2: Australia
For 38 years, Clem and Cheryle Hodges have lived as farmers in New South Wales. These past five years, they have suffered from an exceptionally long and severe drought. Global warming? The Hodges are sceptical. But will they try to survive and wait for better days? Or will they, like other farmers, have to adapt their ways?
Episode 3: Canada
A courageous and spirited Inuit woman, Ulaayu Pilurtuut lives in the heart of the Canadian Great North, where she teaches Inuktut, the language of her people. The melting of the ice shelf, caused by global warming, threatens the existence of hunting, the traditional activity of communities in the region. Ulaayu wants to help the local youth invent a new future without losing touch with their roots and their identity.
Episode 4: Egypt
Manar Ezat is the first female professor specialised in fish farming in Egypt. Endlessly she visits and advises the fish farmers along the Nile delta - including those who let their traditional farming activity to develop and live from this new agro-industry. As the sea expands over the delta, silt disappears and salinity in water and soil increases. About a third of the country's population is to be eventually affected, thought farmers and fisherman are the first and main victims.
Episode 5: Spain
At the heart of the Valencia Huerta, Antonio Niguez watches worriedly the orange trees of his parcel wither away. This semi-arid region, true garden in the southeast of Spain, suffers from a chronic lack of water, worsened by global warming. Despite an irrigation system that has been regulated for centuries by the "Water Tribunal" of Valencia, the threat of desertification looms. What must be done?
Episode 6: United States
Colleen Gregory (truck farmer, beekeeper and sheep breeder) lives in the San Juan Islands, off Seattle. Fed up with the city and its ongoing activity, she moved in this paradisiacal spot - a sight for sore eyes! - 20 years ago to find Nature. A childhood dream come true! But, today the dream is fading away...
Episode 7: Japan
Katsuo Sasaki grows rice in Miyagi Province where the crop has a strong reputation. And yet he is becoming impoverished since never before seen insects have started to attack his crops. Katsuo wonders what Nature can endure... And for how much longer...
Episode 8: Mali
In the North of Mali, Khissa lives along the banks of Lake Faguibine. A location erstwhile "blessed by Gods"...An area of exchange for nomad breeders, Sonrai farmers and Bozo fishermen. But during the Sahel drought, the lake suddenly dried out. Like many other Tuareg, Khissa lost everything, namely his independence and his pride.
Episode 9: Netherlands
Global warming causes the icecap to melt which induces a rise in sea level. A nightmare for the Dutch since 60% of their territory lies below that very sea level. This concerns Oebele Wiedjik who lives in a polder. This is a major concern for all farmers living in the Noordward polder who know they are living on borrowed time and are facing difficult choices.
Episode 10: Vietnam
Lien Tran Thi Kim is an agronomist-forester in the centre of Vietnam. Concerned about the increase in natural disasters, she has taken on a re-forestation mission in an effort to reduce their destructive effects.
* The Great Summits (2010)
The Great Summits introduces ten of the world' s most famed mountains such as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn in the European Alps and Mt. McKinley in Alaska. Guided by expert climbers, viewers can experience what it feels like to climb these mountains. Feel the same fear and excitement through the lens of a Steadicam.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
* Doomsday In Tunguska (2009)
On June 30, 1908, one of the biggest explosions in history rocked a forested region in Siberia. The theories of what happened are as widespread as the damage the fireball caused. Some speculate asteroids, space aliens and black holes were the culprit. Others focus on the earth, pinning the blame on everything from subterranean volcanoes to acclaimed physicist Nikola Tesla. Join the ongoing investigation over what caused one of the biggest explosions in history.
* Disaster Planet (2013)
Nature’s fury can be described in many ways – tsunamis, Earthquakes, tornados, and volcanic eruptions.
Disaster Planet looks at how and why these natural disasters occur, and asks if there is a way to prevent them from happening.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
* A Grain of Sand (2009)
This is Brendon Grimshaw's love story with Moyenne Island. We decided to distribute it openly so that his story may be known to as many people as possible and so that we may thank him in our thoughts and in our hearts while he is still alive. Brendon has provided us with an example of why not all hope is loss in what at times seems an overwhelmingly mad world.
Friday, May 2, 2014
* The World's Greatest Balloon Adventures (2012)
This five-part series explores the world's most fascinating landscapes with hot-air balloons. Emotional human encounters, exotic cultural experiences and thrilling adventures in the wild are the ingredients for a dynamic, exciting and entertaining series about the extraordinary life of ballooning enthusiasts and their quest for the “Great Picture”.
Part 1: Sri Lanka
Our balloon trip to Sri Lanka is a journey through an exceptionally beautiful country in the Indian Ocean. Rich cultures, ancient temples, exotic landscapes, old steam locomotives and tea plantations are part of the adventure. Landing however is difficult in a country, which seems to consist only of jungle, lakes and rice-paddies.
Part 2: Mongolia
In Mongolia we follow international crews from France, Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland through the Mongolian steppe, the temple complex of Karakorum and the Gobi Desert. Boundless vastness, pathless solitude and infinite freedom shape the life of the steppe people. The ground logistics alone are pure adventure and off-road vehicles are a must outside the Mongolian Capital Ulan Bator.
Part 3: The Alps
The giant mountain scenery and the majestic panorama of the Alps is an outstanding and challenging experience for every hot-air balloonist. This episode also focuses on the theoretical aspects of ballooning: how high, how far and how precise can a balloon fly? What do you need to know about weather, wind and geography? A spectacular highlight is the Night Glow in Chateau d'Oex, when the fiery balloons illuminate the darkness of the valley.
Part 4: Kenya
The Kenyan Rift-Valley with its enormous herds of animals is one of the most breathtaking savannas of the world. Kenya is also the home of Alan Root, one of the world's most renowned wildlife filmmakers. Over forty years ago he was taught how to fly a balloon by our pilot Phil Dunnington. Now they meet again and fly through the skies above the Maasai Mara as they used to in the old days.
Part 5: Venezuela
Venezuela with its spectacular landscapes is the grand finale of our journey. The spectacular Table Mountains (Tepuis) in the south of the country build the backdrop for the adventurous flights in La Gran Sabana. In this episode the renowned Director Werner Herzog joins us in search of inspiration for new unusual visuals. For a long time he has been an admirer of the austere beauty of the Tepuis - now he not only ventures to experience the eerie ambience on their top, but also takes the risk of ballooning in the vicinity of the “Lost World” mountains.</div></div></div></div>
Part 1: Sri Lanka
Our balloon trip to Sri Lanka is a journey through an exceptionally beautiful country in the Indian Ocean. Rich cultures, ancient temples, exotic landscapes, old steam locomotives and tea plantations are part of the adventure. Landing however is difficult in a country, which seems to consist only of jungle, lakes and rice-paddies.
Part 2: Mongolia
In Mongolia we follow international crews from France, Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland through the Mongolian steppe, the temple complex of Karakorum and the Gobi Desert. Boundless vastness, pathless solitude and infinite freedom shape the life of the steppe people. The ground logistics alone are pure adventure and off-road vehicles are a must outside the Mongolian Capital Ulan Bator.
Part 3: The Alps
The giant mountain scenery and the majestic panorama of the Alps is an outstanding and challenging experience for every hot-air balloonist. This episode also focuses on the theoretical aspects of ballooning: how high, how far and how precise can a balloon fly? What do you need to know about weather, wind and geography? A spectacular highlight is the Night Glow in Chateau d'Oex, when the fiery balloons illuminate the darkness of the valley.
Part 4: Kenya
The Kenyan Rift-Valley with its enormous herds of animals is one of the most breathtaking savannas of the world. Kenya is also the home of Alan Root, one of the world's most renowned wildlife filmmakers. Over forty years ago he was taught how to fly a balloon by our pilot Phil Dunnington. Now they meet again and fly through the skies above the Maasai Mara as they used to in the old days.
Part 5: Venezuela
Venezuela with its spectacular landscapes is the grand finale of our journey. The spectacular Table Mountains (Tepuis) in the south of the country build the backdrop for the adventurous flights in La Gran Sabana. In this episode the renowned Director Werner Herzog joins us in search of inspiration for new unusual visuals. For a long time he has been an admirer of the austere beauty of the Tepuis - now he not only ventures to experience the eerie ambience on their top, but also takes the risk of ballooning in the vicinity of the “Lost World” mountains.</div></div></div></div>
* The Riddle of Pompeii (2001)
In AD 79 the legendary volcano Vesuvius erupted in one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions of all time, destroying the town of Pompeii. For 400 years archaeologists have studied the ancient bodies found buried beneath layers of ash and rock. The explanation for the victims' deaths has always been that they were killed by flying rocks and boiling lava. This is the interpretation still given to tourists who visit the site at Pompeii today. Yet an intriguing mystery lies at the centre of this explanation.
The people of Pompeii had ample warning that the volcano was about to erupt, and yet they apparently stayed awaiting death in their hundreds. Why? The skeletons of those who stayed behind were miraculously preserved in the dust and very few show any sign of damage, violence or attempts to flee. How, then, did they die? This film reveals the terrible truth of what happened to the people of Pompeii on that fated day.
The people of Pompeii had ample warning that the volcano was about to erupt, and yet they apparently stayed awaiting death in their hundreds. Why? The skeletons of those who stayed behind were miraculously preserved in the dust and very few show any sign of damage, violence or attempts to flee. How, then, did they die? This film reveals the terrible truth of what happened to the people of Pompeii on that fated day.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
* The Core (2011)
For centuries we have dreamt of reaching the centre of the Earth. Now scientists are uncovering a bizarre and alien world that lies 4,000 miles beneath our feet, unlike anything we know on the surface. It is a planet buried within the planet we know, where storms rage within a sea of white-hot metal and a giant forest of crystals make up a metal core the size of the Moon. Horizon follows scientists who are conducting experiments to recreate this core within their own laboratories, with surprising results.
* River Deep, Mountain High: James Nesbitt in New Zealand (2013)
James Nesbitt explores New Zealand, his adopted home for the last two years, in this brand-new factual documentary about the dramatic landscapes of "Middle Earth".
* Nature's Weirdest Events (2011 - 2013)
Chris Packham presents this documentary investigating unusual natural events, with the help of eyewitness accounts, scientists and footage of the occurrences.
Part 1
In the first programme of this two-part series, Chris Packham takes us around the world to the scene of some of the weirdest natural events on the planet. With the help of footage taken by eyewitnesses and news crews, he unravels the facts and the science behind each phenomenon. There is the mysterious case of the car cocooned by caterpillars in Holland, and the baffling case of the exploding toads in Germany. In Switzerland a lakeside town is entombed in ice and a once in a lifetime storm turns Sydney, Australia crimson overnight. There are some disturbing plagues of mice and locusts and a swarm of ladybirds. And finally there are extraordinary strandings of starfish, crabs and whales. Chris tells the real story of the events behind the headlines and helps to explain what on earth happened.
Part 2
The second in this two-part series about the weirdest natural events on the planet features the incredible sea foam which turns part of the Australian coast into what looks like the world's biggest bubble bath. Plus there is a look at the mysterious death of thousands of sea birds on America's west coast, and the otherworldly phenomenon known as milky seas. Other strange events include thousands of birds falling from the sky in America, causing panic and predictions of the apocalypse among the residents, and the fish that fell from the sky in south London. And finally there is the story of the truly terrifying holes which open up in the earth's crust and swallow not only buildings, but in the case of a nature reserve in Florida, an entire lake
Part 1
Chris visits the town that was brought to a standstill by a swarm of flying insects, as well as meeting the polar bears whose bizarre friendships shocked a community and the sleepless residents kept awake by a lovers deafening serenade.
Chris Packham returns to investigate another collection of unusual natural events, with the help of eyewitness accounts, input from scientists and illustrative footage
Part 1
In this edition, peculiar behaviours include dogs that commute on the Moscow metro and deadly sharks at a golf course in Australia. Plus, a town that was inundated by vast amounts of tumbleweed and a wolverine frog thought to be capable of shooting bones through its skin.
Part 2
Chris Packham investigates more unusual natural events, with reports on fish `walking' out of the water in Florida and bees in France that are making multicoloured honey. He also looks into a phenomenon in which trees ooze a blood-red liquid, and explores instances of people all over the world claiming to have heard alien-like sounds from the sky.
Part 3
Chris Packham concludes his study of peculiar natural events, hearing stories of bears turning to a life of crime and fish that have contrived a way to attack birds on land. He also looks into reports of a possum faking its own death, a two-headed snake, fainting goats and crows displaying an unexpected intelligence.
Season 1
Part 1
In the first programme of this two-part series, Chris Packham takes us around the world to the scene of some of the weirdest natural events on the planet. With the help of footage taken by eyewitnesses and news crews, he unravels the facts and the science behind each phenomenon. There is the mysterious case of the car cocooned by caterpillars in Holland, and the baffling case of the exploding toads in Germany. In Switzerland a lakeside town is entombed in ice and a once in a lifetime storm turns Sydney, Australia crimson overnight. There are some disturbing plagues of mice and locusts and a swarm of ladybirds. And finally there are extraordinary strandings of starfish, crabs and whales. Chris tells the real story of the events behind the headlines and helps to explain what on earth happened.
Part 2
The second in this two-part series about the weirdest natural events on the planet features the incredible sea foam which turns part of the Australian coast into what looks like the world's biggest bubble bath. Plus there is a look at the mysterious death of thousands of sea birds on America's west coast, and the otherworldly phenomenon known as milky seas. Other strange events include thousands of birds falling from the sky in America, causing panic and predictions of the apocalypse among the residents, and the fish that fell from the sky in south London. And finally there is the story of the truly terrifying holes which open up in the earth's crust and swallow not only buildings, but in the case of a nature reserve in Florida, an entire lake
Season 2
Part 1
Chris visits the town that was brought to a standstill by a swarm of flying insects, as well as meeting the polar bears whose bizarre friendships shocked a community and the sleepless residents kept awake by a lovers deafening serenade.
Season 3
Chris Packham returns to investigate another collection of unusual natural events, with the help of eyewitness accounts, input from scientists and illustrative footage
Part 1
In this edition, peculiar behaviours include dogs that commute on the Moscow metro and deadly sharks at a golf course in Australia. Plus, a town that was inundated by vast amounts of tumbleweed and a wolverine frog thought to be capable of shooting bones through its skin.
Part 2
Chris Packham investigates more unusual natural events, with reports on fish `walking' out of the water in Florida and bees in France that are making multicoloured honey. He also looks into a phenomenon in which trees ooze a blood-red liquid, and explores instances of people all over the world claiming to have heard alien-like sounds from the sky.
Part 3
Chris Packham concludes his study of peculiar natural events, hearing stories of bears turning to a life of crime and fish that have contrived a way to attack birds on land. He also looks into reports of a possum faking its own death, a two-headed snake, fainting goats and crows displaying an unexpected intelligence.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
* How Nature Works (2012)
Life defines our planet, but until recently its ability to flourish has remained a mystery. In How Nature Works we learn how new scientific discoveries can now reveal the improbable connections, bizarre behavioural strategies and intricate mechanisms that make life on Earth possible.
In How Nature Works we discover why the Brazil nut tree depends on a sharp-toothed rodent for its existence. Find out why elephants are crucial to keeping the East African grasslands in shape. And why an intricate relationship between hawksbill turtles and sponges is vital to the health of the coral reef.
Episodes in the series How Nature Works:
Episode 1: Jungle
Episode 2: Grassland
Episode 3: Seasonal Forest
Episode 4: Waterworlds
In How Nature Works we discover why the Brazil nut tree depends on a sharp-toothed rodent for its existence. Find out why elephants are crucial to keeping the East African grasslands in shape. And why an intricate relationship between hawksbill turtles and sponges is vital to the health of the coral reef.
Episodes in the series How Nature Works:
Episode 1: Jungle
Episode 2: Grassland
Episode 3: Seasonal Forest
Episode 4: Waterworlds
* Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild (2013)
Follow nature photographer Michael Forsberg as he examines the remaining "wildness" in the Great Plains of North America. Featuring stunning imagery, the program is based on Forsberg's book of the same name. Less than 200 years ago, the Great Plains was one of the greatest grassland ecosystems on Earth, stretching nearly a million square miles down the heart of the continent. The prairie was a place of constant motion, shaped by an unforgiving cycle of the seasons. Huge numbers of bison, elk, pronghorn, deer, prairie dogs, prairie wolves and even grizzlies were common. There were massive migrations of birds and fish. But as America grew, and the land was settled and tamed, the wildness began disappearing.
* Galapagos - The Islands That Changed the World (2006)
The Galapagos archipelago is made up of thirteen main islands and more than sixty other islets, rocks and reefs, scattered over four hundred kilometres of open ocean. Sitting at a confluence of four major ocean currents, the islands are actually the summits of vast undersea volcanoes, and are steadily on the march.How has such an odd assortment of life managed to find a footing in this unruly world? Micro-climates and altitude have combined to form discrete environmental zones: perfect habitats for the islands' diverse fauna - marine iguanas, petrels, blue-footed boobies and giant tortoises being but a famous few.Galapagos is a rare insight into an incredible landscape, a natural laboratory and an exquisite evolutionary habitat that Darwin described as a 'world within itself'. Both fragile and furious, the Galapagos is unlike any other place on earth.
Episode 1: Born of Fire
The series begins with the birth of the islands and an exploration of what makes them unique. They were born out of volcanoes and are plumbed directly into the heart of the planet 1,000 km off South America they are at the centre of many different ocean currents which bring an extraordinary mix of life to their shores and they are constantly changing.
This is one of the most volcanically active regions on earth with well over 60 eruptions in the last 200 years. The team captured the latest eruption of Sierra Negra when a huge column of smoke was cast in the sky and over a million cubic metres of lava were shed per hour on the first day.
As for the wildlife, the mixture of cold and warm waters support a wide range of marine creatures, including vast shoals of hammer-head sharks and the distinctive Galapagos garden eels. For land animals, getting to Galapgos is a lot tougher. Those that have made it had to cross the open ocean on rafts of vegetation, swept out from the mainland on flash floods.
Episode 2 The Islands That Changed The World
When Charles Darwin visited the Galapgos Islands on 15 September 1835, his experiences and studies of the unique environment would change the understanding of life on Earth. With dramatic reconstruction and stunning wildlife images, Galpagos explores the hidden side of the islands, revealing why, more than any other place, they are a showcase for evolution.
Through their movement on continental plates, they have spread into a group of islands each with its own character, ocean currents and climate. Life on the islands has been forced to adapt to change or die.
Tortoise shells have changed shape to fit the island they inhabit; flowers have become yellow to attract the only bee that made it here; finches have turned into warblers; and cormorants have lost the power of flight ??“ trading it for streamlining and a magical life searching for fish in the sparkling Galapgos waters.
But not all life here is confined to the Galapgos. Frigate birds come from miles around, sperm whales visit the waters to breed and human visitors also come to see the environment that changed the course of history.
Episode 3 Forces of Nature
The geological forces at work in Galapgos are complex and unpredictable; so too are the many ocean currents that unite here.
Among the 13 islands and over a hundred rocky outcrops and islets, nowhere is more unforgiving and more unpredictable than the island of Fernandina, crowned by the most active of all volcanoes. Yet female land iguanas are forced to climb over 1,000 metres to its summit to find the only warm, soft sandy patches in which to lay their eggs.
The ever-changing islands, with eruptions occurring every few years, make it hard to find a foothold. But mangroves are inventive pioneers, their salt-tolerant seeds settling on unforgiving lava terrain to create dense labyrinths of vegeta¬tion which are crucial nurseries for fish, offering precious shade from the equatorial sun. Even on the most exposed shorelines, fur seals find daytime shelter in lava grottos, formed by volcanic lava flows.
The remotest island, Roca Redonda, is little more than 300 metres tall but it still forms an important platform for nesting seabirds. Like all the other islands, under-sea exploration reveals that it??™s just the summit of an enormous undersea volcano.
Episode 1: Born of Fire
The series begins with the birth of the islands and an exploration of what makes them unique. They were born out of volcanoes and are plumbed directly into the heart of the planet 1,000 km off South America they are at the centre of many different ocean currents which bring an extraordinary mix of life to their shores and they are constantly changing.
This is one of the most volcanically active regions on earth with well over 60 eruptions in the last 200 years. The team captured the latest eruption of Sierra Negra when a huge column of smoke was cast in the sky and over a million cubic metres of lava were shed per hour on the first day.
As for the wildlife, the mixture of cold and warm waters support a wide range of marine creatures, including vast shoals of hammer-head sharks and the distinctive Galapagos garden eels. For land animals, getting to Galapgos is a lot tougher. Those that have made it had to cross the open ocean on rafts of vegetation, swept out from the mainland on flash floods.
Episode 2 The Islands That Changed The World
When Charles Darwin visited the Galapgos Islands on 15 September 1835, his experiences and studies of the unique environment would change the understanding of life on Earth. With dramatic reconstruction and stunning wildlife images, Galpagos explores the hidden side of the islands, revealing why, more than any other place, they are a showcase for evolution.
Through their movement on continental plates, they have spread into a group of islands each with its own character, ocean currents and climate. Life on the islands has been forced to adapt to change or die.
Tortoise shells have changed shape to fit the island they inhabit; flowers have become yellow to attract the only bee that made it here; finches have turned into warblers; and cormorants have lost the power of flight ??“ trading it for streamlining and a magical life searching for fish in the sparkling Galapgos waters.
But not all life here is confined to the Galapgos. Frigate birds come from miles around, sperm whales visit the waters to breed and human visitors also come to see the environment that changed the course of history.
Episode 3 Forces of Nature
The geological forces at work in Galapgos are complex and unpredictable; so too are the many ocean currents that unite here.
Among the 13 islands and over a hundred rocky outcrops and islets, nowhere is more unforgiving and more unpredictable than the island of Fernandina, crowned by the most active of all volcanoes. Yet female land iguanas are forced to climb over 1,000 metres to its summit to find the only warm, soft sandy patches in which to lay their eggs.
The ever-changing islands, with eruptions occurring every few years, make it hard to find a foothold. But mangroves are inventive pioneers, their salt-tolerant seeds settling on unforgiving lava terrain to create dense labyrinths of vegeta¬tion which are crucial nurseries for fish, offering precious shade from the equatorial sun. Even on the most exposed shorelines, fur seals find daytime shelter in lava grottos, formed by volcanic lava flows.
The remotest island, Roca Redonda, is little more than 300 metres tall but it still forms an important platform for nesting seabirds. Like all the other islands, under-sea exploration reveals that it??™s just the summit of an enormous undersea volcano.
* Frozen Planet (2011)
Episode 1: To the Ends of the Earth
Our journey begins with David at the North Pole, as the sun returns after six months of darkness. We follow a pair of courting polar bears, which reveal a surprisingly tender side. Next stop is the giant Greenland ice cap, where waterfalls plunge into the heart of the ice and a colossal iceberg carves into the sea. Humpback whales join the largest gathering of seabirds on earth to feast in rich Alaskan waters. Further south, the tree line marks the start of the Taiga forest, containing one third of all trees on earth. Here, 25 of the world's largest wolves take on formidable bison prey. At the other end of our planet, the Antarctic begins in the Southern Ocean where surfing penguins struggle to escape a hungry sea-lion and teams of orcas create giant waves to wash seals from ice floes -a filming first. Diving below the ice, we discover prehistoric giants, including terrifying sea spiders and woodlice the size of dinner plates. Above ground, crystal caverns ring the summit of Erebus, the most southerly volcano on earth. From here we retrace the routes of early explorers across the formidable Antarctic ice-cap - the largest expanse of ice on our planet. Finally, we rejoin David at the South Pole, exactly one hundred years after Amundsen then Scott were the first humans to stand there.
Episode 2: Spring
Spring arrives in the polar regions, and the sun appears after an absence of five months; warmth and life return to these magical ice worlds - the greatest seasonal transformation on our planet is underway. Male Adelie penguins arrive in Antarctica to build their nests - it takes a good property to attract the best mates and the males will stop at nothing to better their rivals! But these early birds face the fiercest storms on the planet. In the Arctic, a polar bear mother is hunting with her cubs. Inland, the frozen rivers start to break up and billions of tons of ice are swept downstream in the greatest of polar spectacles. This melt-water fertilizes the Arctic Ocean, feeding vast shoals of Arctic cod and narwhal. The influx of freshwater accelerates the breakup of the sea-ice - an area of ice the size of Australia will soon vanish from the Arctic. On land, a woolly bear caterpillar emerges from the snow having spent the winter frozen solid. Caterpillars normally become moths within months of hatching, but life is so harsh here that the woolly bear takes 14 years to reach adulthood. Once mature it has only days to find a mate before it dies! Alongside the caterpillars white Arctic wolves race to raise their adorable cubs before the cold returns.
Episode 3 Summer
It is high summer in the Polar Regions, and the sun never sets. Vast hordes of summer visitors cram a lifetime of drama into one long, magical day; they must feed, fight and rear their young in this brief window of plenty. Summer is a tough time for the polar bear family, as their ice world melts away and the cubs take their first swimming lesson. Some bears save energy by dozing on icy sun beds, while others go egg-collecting in an Arctic tern colony, braving bombardment by sharp beaks. There are even bigger battles on the tundra; a herd of musk oxen gallop to the rescue as a calf is caught in a life and death struggle with a pair of Arctic wolves. But summer also brings surprises, as a huge colony of 400,000 king penguins cope with an unlikely problem - heat. The adults go surfing, while the woolly-coated chicks take a cooling mud bath. Nearby, a bull fur seal is prepared to fight to the death with a rival. Fur flies as the little pups struggle desperately to keep out of the way of the duelling giants. Further south, a minke whale is hunted amongst the ice floes by a family of killer whales. The dramatic chase lasts over 2 hours and has never been filmed before. The killers harry the minke whale, taking it in turns to wear it down. Eventually it succumbs to the relentless battering. Finally, comical adelie penguins waddle back to their half a million strong colony like clockwork toys. The fluffy chicks need constant feeding and protection as piratical skuas patrol the skies. When an unguarded chick is snatched, a dramatic "dogfight" ensues.
Episode 4: Autumn
For the animals in the polar regions, autumn means dramatic battles and epic journeys. Time is running out - the Arctic Ocean is freezing over and the sea ice is advancing at 2.5 miles per day around Antarctica. Polar bears gather in large numbers on the Arctic coast as they wait for the return of the ice. Soon, tempers fray and violent sparring contests break out. Meanwhile 2,000 beluga whales head for one special estuary, a gigantic 'whale spa' where they will thrash their snow-white bodies against the gravel and exfoliate. Inland, the tundra undergoes a dramatic transformation from green to fiery red. Here, musk ox males slam head-first into each other with the force of a 30mph car crash as they struggle to defend their harems. Frisky young caribou males play a game of 'grandma's footsteps' as they try to steal the boss's female. Down in Antarctica, Adelie penguin chicks huddle together in creches. When a parent returns from fishing, it leads its twins on a comical steeplechase - sadly there's only enough for one, so the winner gets the meal. Two months later and the chicks are fully feathered apart from downy Mohican hairdos - they're ready to take their first swim - reluctantly though, as it seems penguins are not born with a love of water! And with good reason - a leopard seal explodes from the sea and pulls one from an ice floe, a hunting manoeuvre that has never been filmed before. As winter approaches and everyone has left, the giant emperor penguin arrives and makes an epic trek inland to breed. The mothers soon return to the sea leaving the fathers to hold the eggs and endure the coldest winter on earth.
Episode 5: Winter
There is no greater test for life than winter, as temperatures plummet to 70 below and winds reach 200kph. Darkness and ice extend across the polar regions and only a few remarkable survivors gamble on remaining. We join a female polar bear trekking into the Arctic mountains to give birth as the first blizzards arrive. Out on the frozen ocean, the entire world's population of spectacled eider ducks brave the winter in a giant ice hole kept open by ferocious currents. Arctic forests transform into a wonderland of frost and snow - the scene of a desperate and bloody battle between wolf and bison, but also where a remarkable alliance between raven and wolverine is made. Beneath the snow lies a magical world of winter survivors. Here tiny voles dodge the clutches of the great grey owl, but cannot escape the ultimate under-show predator - the least weasel. Midwinter and a male polar bear wanders alone across the dark, empty icescape. Below the snow, polar bear cubs begin life in an icy den while fantastical auroras light the night skies above. In Antarctica, we join male emperor penguins in their darkest hour, battling to protect precious eggs from fierce polar storms. Weddell seals escape to a hidden world of jewel-coloured corals and alien-looking creatures but frozen devastation follows as sinister ice stalactites reach down with deadly effect.
Episode 6: The Last Frontier
The documentary series reveals the extraordinary riches and wonders of the Polar Regions that have kept people visiting them for thousands of years. Today, their survival relies on a combination of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science. Most Arctic people live in Siberia, either in cities like Norilsk - the coldest city on earth - or out on the tundra, where tribes like the Dogan survive by herding reindeer, using them to drag their homes behind them. On the coast, traditional people still hunt walrus from open boats - it is dangerous work, but one big walrus will feed a family for weeks. Settlers are drawn to the Arctic by its abundant minerals; the Danish Armed Forces maintain their claim to Greenland's mineral wealth with an epic dog sled patrol, covering 2,000 miles through the winter. Above, the spectacular northern lights can disrupt power supplies so scientists monitor it constantly, firing rockets into it to release a cloud of glowing smoke 100 kilometres high. In contrast, Antarctica is so remote and cold that it was only a century ago that the first people explored the continent. Captain Scott's hut still stands as a memorial to these men. Science is now the only significant human activity allowed; robot submarines are sent deep beneath the ice in search of new life-forms, which may also be found in a labyrinth of ice caves high up on an active volcano. Above, colossal balloons are launched into the purest air on earth to detect cosmic rays. At the South Pole there is a research base designed to withstand the world's most extreme winters. Cut off from the outside world for six months, the base is totally self-sufficient, even boasting a greenhouse.
Episode 7: On Thin Ice
Sir David Attenborough journeys to both Polar Regions to investigate what rising temperatures will mean for the people and wildlife that live there and for the rest of the planet. David starts out at the North Pole, standing on sea ice several metres thick, but which scientists predict could be Open Ocean within the next few decades. The Arctic has been warming at twice the global average, so David heads out with a Norwegian team to see what this means for polar bears. He comes face-to-face with a tranquilised female, and discovers that mothers and cubs are going hungry as the sea ice on which they hunt disappears. In Canada, Inuit hunters have seen with their own eyes what scientists have seen from space; the Arctic Ocean has lost 30% of its summer ice cover over the last 30 years. For some, the melting sea ice will allow access to trillions of dollars worth of oil, gas and minerals. For the rest of us, it means the planet will get warmer, as sea ice is important to reflect back the sun's energy. Next David travels to see what's happening to the ice on land: in Greenland, we follow intrepid ice scientists as they study giant waterfalls of meltwater, which are accelerating iceberg calving events, and ultimately leading to a rise in global sea level. Temperatures have also risen in the Antarctic - David returns to glaciers photographed by the Shackleton expedition and reveals a dramatic retreat over the past century. It's not just the ice that is changing - ice-loving adelie penguins are disappearing, and more temperate gentoo penguins are moving in. Finally, we see the first ever images of the largest recent natural event on our planet - the break up of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, an ice sheet the size of Jamaica, which shattered into hundreds of icebergs in 2009.
Episode 8: (Special) The Epic Journey
This short special shows Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station and other scientific researchers in the Polar regions.
Our journey begins with David at the North Pole, as the sun returns after six months of darkness. We follow a pair of courting polar bears, which reveal a surprisingly tender side. Next stop is the giant Greenland ice cap, where waterfalls plunge into the heart of the ice and a colossal iceberg carves into the sea. Humpback whales join the largest gathering of seabirds on earth to feast in rich Alaskan waters. Further south, the tree line marks the start of the Taiga forest, containing one third of all trees on earth. Here, 25 of the world's largest wolves take on formidable bison prey. At the other end of our planet, the Antarctic begins in the Southern Ocean where surfing penguins struggle to escape a hungry sea-lion and teams of orcas create giant waves to wash seals from ice floes -a filming first. Diving below the ice, we discover prehistoric giants, including terrifying sea spiders and woodlice the size of dinner plates. Above ground, crystal caverns ring the summit of Erebus, the most southerly volcano on earth. From here we retrace the routes of early explorers across the formidable Antarctic ice-cap - the largest expanse of ice on our planet. Finally, we rejoin David at the South Pole, exactly one hundred years after Amundsen then Scott were the first humans to stand there.
Episode 2: Spring
Spring arrives in the polar regions, and the sun appears after an absence of five months; warmth and life return to these magical ice worlds - the greatest seasonal transformation on our planet is underway. Male Adelie penguins arrive in Antarctica to build their nests - it takes a good property to attract the best mates and the males will stop at nothing to better their rivals! But these early birds face the fiercest storms on the planet. In the Arctic, a polar bear mother is hunting with her cubs. Inland, the frozen rivers start to break up and billions of tons of ice are swept downstream in the greatest of polar spectacles. This melt-water fertilizes the Arctic Ocean, feeding vast shoals of Arctic cod and narwhal. The influx of freshwater accelerates the breakup of the sea-ice - an area of ice the size of Australia will soon vanish from the Arctic. On land, a woolly bear caterpillar emerges from the snow having spent the winter frozen solid. Caterpillars normally become moths within months of hatching, but life is so harsh here that the woolly bear takes 14 years to reach adulthood. Once mature it has only days to find a mate before it dies! Alongside the caterpillars white Arctic wolves race to raise their adorable cubs before the cold returns.
Episode 3 Summer
It is high summer in the Polar Regions, and the sun never sets. Vast hordes of summer visitors cram a lifetime of drama into one long, magical day; they must feed, fight and rear their young in this brief window of plenty. Summer is a tough time for the polar bear family, as their ice world melts away and the cubs take their first swimming lesson. Some bears save energy by dozing on icy sun beds, while others go egg-collecting in an Arctic tern colony, braving bombardment by sharp beaks. There are even bigger battles on the tundra; a herd of musk oxen gallop to the rescue as a calf is caught in a life and death struggle with a pair of Arctic wolves. But summer also brings surprises, as a huge colony of 400,000 king penguins cope with an unlikely problem - heat. The adults go surfing, while the woolly-coated chicks take a cooling mud bath. Nearby, a bull fur seal is prepared to fight to the death with a rival. Fur flies as the little pups struggle desperately to keep out of the way of the duelling giants. Further south, a minke whale is hunted amongst the ice floes by a family of killer whales. The dramatic chase lasts over 2 hours and has never been filmed before. The killers harry the minke whale, taking it in turns to wear it down. Eventually it succumbs to the relentless battering. Finally, comical adelie penguins waddle back to their half a million strong colony like clockwork toys. The fluffy chicks need constant feeding and protection as piratical skuas patrol the skies. When an unguarded chick is snatched, a dramatic "dogfight" ensues.
Episode 4: Autumn
For the animals in the polar regions, autumn means dramatic battles and epic journeys. Time is running out - the Arctic Ocean is freezing over and the sea ice is advancing at 2.5 miles per day around Antarctica. Polar bears gather in large numbers on the Arctic coast as they wait for the return of the ice. Soon, tempers fray and violent sparring contests break out. Meanwhile 2,000 beluga whales head for one special estuary, a gigantic 'whale spa' where they will thrash their snow-white bodies against the gravel and exfoliate. Inland, the tundra undergoes a dramatic transformation from green to fiery red. Here, musk ox males slam head-first into each other with the force of a 30mph car crash as they struggle to defend their harems. Frisky young caribou males play a game of 'grandma's footsteps' as they try to steal the boss's female. Down in Antarctica, Adelie penguin chicks huddle together in creches. When a parent returns from fishing, it leads its twins on a comical steeplechase - sadly there's only enough for one, so the winner gets the meal. Two months later and the chicks are fully feathered apart from downy Mohican hairdos - they're ready to take their first swim - reluctantly though, as it seems penguins are not born with a love of water! And with good reason - a leopard seal explodes from the sea and pulls one from an ice floe, a hunting manoeuvre that has never been filmed before. As winter approaches and everyone has left, the giant emperor penguin arrives and makes an epic trek inland to breed. The mothers soon return to the sea leaving the fathers to hold the eggs and endure the coldest winter on earth.
Episode 5: Winter
There is no greater test for life than winter, as temperatures plummet to 70 below and winds reach 200kph. Darkness and ice extend across the polar regions and only a few remarkable survivors gamble on remaining. We join a female polar bear trekking into the Arctic mountains to give birth as the first blizzards arrive. Out on the frozen ocean, the entire world's population of spectacled eider ducks brave the winter in a giant ice hole kept open by ferocious currents. Arctic forests transform into a wonderland of frost and snow - the scene of a desperate and bloody battle between wolf and bison, but also where a remarkable alliance between raven and wolverine is made. Beneath the snow lies a magical world of winter survivors. Here tiny voles dodge the clutches of the great grey owl, but cannot escape the ultimate under-show predator - the least weasel. Midwinter and a male polar bear wanders alone across the dark, empty icescape. Below the snow, polar bear cubs begin life in an icy den while fantastical auroras light the night skies above. In Antarctica, we join male emperor penguins in their darkest hour, battling to protect precious eggs from fierce polar storms. Weddell seals escape to a hidden world of jewel-coloured corals and alien-looking creatures but frozen devastation follows as sinister ice stalactites reach down with deadly effect.
Episode 6: The Last Frontier
The documentary series reveals the extraordinary riches and wonders of the Polar Regions that have kept people visiting them for thousands of years. Today, their survival relies on a combination of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science. Most Arctic people live in Siberia, either in cities like Norilsk - the coldest city on earth - or out on the tundra, where tribes like the Dogan survive by herding reindeer, using them to drag their homes behind them. On the coast, traditional people still hunt walrus from open boats - it is dangerous work, but one big walrus will feed a family for weeks. Settlers are drawn to the Arctic by its abundant minerals; the Danish Armed Forces maintain their claim to Greenland's mineral wealth with an epic dog sled patrol, covering 2,000 miles through the winter. Above, the spectacular northern lights can disrupt power supplies so scientists monitor it constantly, firing rockets into it to release a cloud of glowing smoke 100 kilometres high. In contrast, Antarctica is so remote and cold that it was only a century ago that the first people explored the continent. Captain Scott's hut still stands as a memorial to these men. Science is now the only significant human activity allowed; robot submarines are sent deep beneath the ice in search of new life-forms, which may also be found in a labyrinth of ice caves high up on an active volcano. Above, colossal balloons are launched into the purest air on earth to detect cosmic rays. At the South Pole there is a research base designed to withstand the world's most extreme winters. Cut off from the outside world for six months, the base is totally self-sufficient, even boasting a greenhouse.
Episode 7: On Thin Ice
Sir David Attenborough journeys to both Polar Regions to investigate what rising temperatures will mean for the people and wildlife that live there and for the rest of the planet. David starts out at the North Pole, standing on sea ice several metres thick, but which scientists predict could be Open Ocean within the next few decades. The Arctic has been warming at twice the global average, so David heads out with a Norwegian team to see what this means for polar bears. He comes face-to-face with a tranquilised female, and discovers that mothers and cubs are going hungry as the sea ice on which they hunt disappears. In Canada, Inuit hunters have seen with their own eyes what scientists have seen from space; the Arctic Ocean has lost 30% of its summer ice cover over the last 30 years. For some, the melting sea ice will allow access to trillions of dollars worth of oil, gas and minerals. For the rest of us, it means the planet will get warmer, as sea ice is important to reflect back the sun's energy. Next David travels to see what's happening to the ice on land: in Greenland, we follow intrepid ice scientists as they study giant waterfalls of meltwater, which are accelerating iceberg calving events, and ultimately leading to a rise in global sea level. Temperatures have also risen in the Antarctic - David returns to glaciers photographed by the Shackleton expedition and reveals a dramatic retreat over the past century. It's not just the ice that is changing - ice-loving adelie penguins are disappearing, and more temperate gentoo penguins are moving in. Finally, we see the first ever images of the largest recent natural event on our planet - the break up of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, an ice sheet the size of Jamaica, which shattered into hundreds of icebergs in 2009.
Episode 8: (Special) The Epic Journey
This short special shows Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station and other scientific researchers in the Polar regions.
* Fascination Coral Reef: Mysterious Worlds Underwater (2013)
The Maldives: "The Pearls in the Indian Ocean". Their true treasures are to be found deep down, offshore and close to the surface where coral reefs are as rich in species as tropical rainforests. Colorful coral forests provide food and protection for small and large perches, wrasses, snappers, puffer fish and many others. Observe in real 3D turtles swimming across the reef as if we were actually there. Be impressed by the blaze of color of fish, rampant sponges and corals crossing our path.
* Earth: The Power of the Planet (2007)
A/K/A "Earth - The Biography"
The epic story of planet Earth is told in a new, landmark series for BBC Two. Using spectacular images, illuminating science content and compelling narration, the series reveals how each one of the great forces, including volcanoes, ice, the ocean and the atmosphere, have played a critical and central role in the development of Earth since its birth 4.6 billion years ago.
Highlighting the major events that have shaped the Earth's history and allowed life to flourish, presenter Dr Iain Stewart (Journeys From The Centre Of The Earth and Journeys Into The Ring Of Fire) visits some of the most remote places on the planet. The series follows him as he abseils into a lava lake in Ethiopia and cave dives in the underwater caverns left by the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Episode 1 - Volcanoes
Volcanoes are one of nature's most awesome and destructive forces, but they are also the life force and architect of our planet. They can raise up great mountains and create new land, or they can level cities and destroy entire civilizations. They provide a glimpse of the power of Earth's internal heat source, without which it would have become a dead planet millions of years ago. In this episode, Iain takes us on a journey to some of the most dramatic places on Earth, starting in Ethiopia.
Episode 2 - The Atmosphere
The atmosphere is Earth's protective layer, cloaking us in a warm, oxygen-rich embrace and shielding us from the cold hostility of space. It acts as a natural greenhouse, keeping the Earth 51 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it would otherwise be. Yet the atmosphere is also full of contradictions. It's immensely powerful but at the same time highly sensitive. It's destructive, yet it shelters us. It was created in part by the planet's first organisms, and it continues to be essential for life.
Episode 3 - Ice
Our icy adventure begins with host Dr. Iain Stewart in the Alps, where he goes down an ice crevasse to show viewers how snowfall develops into expansive masses. Then, we see how ice can shape the earth's topography giving rise to features like Yosemite National Park and Manhattan Island, in NY. Finally, journey to Greenland and see how ice sheets and glaciers are melting at a phenomenal rate that is likely to accelerate over the coming years, changing the world as we know it.
Episode 4 - Oceans
Earth's oceans help make our planet different from every other planet in the solar system. As far as we know, no other place is the right temp for liquid
water, the most essential ingredient for life to exist. The oceans are Earth's primary stabilizing force, and their immense power helps to shape the appearance and behavior of the entire planet and everything living on it. And they are also the planet's great unknown - their deepest points have been visited less than the surface of the moon.
Episode 5 - Rare Earth
It has taken 4.6 billion years for the Earth to evolve from a barren rock into the world we know today. Explore the forces beyond our planet that have determined Earth's destiny forces of destruction and regeneration in the solar system that created the planet and still protect it. And now the remarkable planet is facing a new challenge: humankind. The question is, how will it survive?
The epic story of planet Earth is told in a new, landmark series for BBC Two. Using spectacular images, illuminating science content and compelling narration, the series reveals how each one of the great forces, including volcanoes, ice, the ocean and the atmosphere, have played a critical and central role in the development of Earth since its birth 4.6 billion years ago.
Highlighting the major events that have shaped the Earth's history and allowed life to flourish, presenter Dr Iain Stewart (Journeys From The Centre Of The Earth and Journeys Into The Ring Of Fire) visits some of the most remote places on the planet. The series follows him as he abseils into a lava lake in Ethiopia and cave dives in the underwater caverns left by the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Episode 1 - Volcanoes
Volcanoes are one of nature's most awesome and destructive forces, but they are also the life force and architect of our planet. They can raise up great mountains and create new land, or they can level cities and destroy entire civilizations. They provide a glimpse of the power of Earth's internal heat source, without which it would have become a dead planet millions of years ago. In this episode, Iain takes us on a journey to some of the most dramatic places on Earth, starting in Ethiopia.
Episode 2 - The Atmosphere
The atmosphere is Earth's protective layer, cloaking us in a warm, oxygen-rich embrace and shielding us from the cold hostility of space. It acts as a natural greenhouse, keeping the Earth 51 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it would otherwise be. Yet the atmosphere is also full of contradictions. It's immensely powerful but at the same time highly sensitive. It's destructive, yet it shelters us. It was created in part by the planet's first organisms, and it continues to be essential for life.
Episode 3 - Ice
Our icy adventure begins with host Dr. Iain Stewart in the Alps, where he goes down an ice crevasse to show viewers how snowfall develops into expansive masses. Then, we see how ice can shape the earth's topography giving rise to features like Yosemite National Park and Manhattan Island, in NY. Finally, journey to Greenland and see how ice sheets and glaciers are melting at a phenomenal rate that is likely to accelerate over the coming years, changing the world as we know it.
Episode 4 - Oceans
Earth's oceans help make our planet different from every other planet in the solar system. As far as we know, no other place is the right temp for liquid
water, the most essential ingredient for life to exist. The oceans are Earth's primary stabilizing force, and their immense power helps to shape the appearance and behavior of the entire planet and everything living on it. And they are also the planet's great unknown - their deepest points have been visited less than the surface of the moon.
Episode 5 - Rare Earth
It has taken 4.6 billion years for the Earth to evolve from a barren rock into the world we know today. Explore the forces beyond our planet that have determined Earth's destiny forces of destruction and regeneration in the solar system that created the planet and still protect it. And now the remarkable planet is facing a new challenge: humankind. The question is, how will it survive?
* Could We Survive A Mega Tsunami? (2013)
Calm was the last thing that Could We Survive a Mega-Tsunami? (BBC Two) was trying to create. Instead the objective of this imagined staging of a super wave hitting Europe and America appeared to be the creation of enough fear to have paranoid survivalists fleeing up the nearest mountain to barricade themselves in. What else was this Hollywood-style, CGI-heavy bad dream with hysterical voice-over and tribal wailing trying to achieve? Understanding for the real survivors of the real tsunamis that really killed 200,000 people and devastated the Indian Ocean region in 2004? Or the even more recently traumatised victims of this natural horror show in Japan? I hadn't detected a world sympathy deficit following these events, and use of real footage of the carnage from those disasters mixed up with fantasy sequences seemed gratuitous.
* Climbing Everest with a Mountain on My Back - The Sherpas Story (2013)
Every year, over a thousand climbers try to reach the summit of Mount Everest, with the annual record for successful attempts currently standing at 633. But of that number, nearly half were Sherpas - the mountain's unsung heroes. Yet the Sherpa community has remained secretive about their nation, culture and experiences living in the shadow of the world's highest mountain. Now, for the first time, they open the door into their world. Without the expertise of the Sherpas, only the hardiest and most skilful climbers would succeed. Every day they risk their lives for the safety of others, yet they seek neither glory nor reward, preferring to stay in the background. Following the stories of four such Sherpas - Phurba, Ngima, Ngima Tenji and Gelu - this film reveals the reality of their daily lives, not just up the mountain, but with their families after they return home.
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