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CORAL SEA DREAMING
Coral Sea Dreaming enters into the very heart of life – and death – on a coral reef. It is a story that spans 500 million years and stars some of the most exotic and wonderous marine creatures on earth. Coral is the planet’s greatest natu- ral architect, and coral reefs boast the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem.
GEORGIA, CRADLE OF WINE
360° GEO - Report portrays a changing wine region that is torn between the ancient traditions of its soviet heritage and modern market requirements.In the Soviet era, Georgia was said to be the wine cellar of the USSR.Even after the collapse of the huge empire, wine remained one of the country's most important export goods. But since Russia has imposed an embargo, exports have declined dramatically.Georgia is now in search of new sales markets at a time when winegrowing in its Caucasus region is in full swing. Small winegrowers, cooperatives and winegrowing estates based on the Western model vie with each other for quantity and quality.
NATURE'S FORCE
EP. 03. A snapshot of Seasons, how they work together and keep the globe in balance. Droughts are explored in terms of how we can predict them, proof our lives from them and collect data because of them. Hurricanes are explained, their power revealed and the measures that are used to help us survive their impact. Thunderstorms have a few stages of development that roll out in a particular order.
NATURE'S FORCE
EP. 04. How are Rainbows formed and what’s their science? We look at the largest Hail ever recorded and explain why it comes in so many shapes and sizes. Global Warming is a big issue and topic, and we give a nutshell insight to its meaning and impact on many levels. Forecasting is key and crucial to living with nature and its weather, as it involves precision technologies and expertise. Typhoon Halyan is an example of one of the most devastating storms in recent history and its story illustrates the power and destruction that Typhoons can cause.
EUROPEAN IDENTITIES
What is European Identity? Is it cultural or political? Thibault Bourdon travels 8500 Km on his bicycle crossing multitude of dialects & landscapes, majestic mountains, stunning cliffs across the continent exploring this political & economic cohesion of 750 million people. In the end, the project of the European Union is a beautiful idea but, for Europeans.
THE HAWKDOCTOR OF ABU DHABI
360° GEO - Report visits takes a trip to the vet and accompanies the doctor on her daily mission dedicated to the feathered treasures of the sheiks. Falcons are an inherent part of Arab culture in the United Arab Emirates. For centuries, the country has traditionally hunted with the impressive raptors. Almost every family owns at least one falcon. The German lady veterinary Margit Müller takes care of these precious birds of prey's health. She is the manageress of the "Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital" - the biggest Falcon Hospital in the world.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
LOS ANGELES. Go for launch! We visit Space Shuttle Endeavor at the California Science Center. Then, we check out the glitch and glamour at the Hollywood Museum. We'll learn about the Holocaust at the Holocaust Museum and Japanese Internment during WWII at the Japanese/American National Museum. After that, we dig for bones at the famous La Brea Tar Pits.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
ST. PETERSBURG. Up, up and away! We discover St. Petersburg Florida's aviation roots at the St.Pete History Museum. Then, comb your mustache, we visit the Dali Museum to look at Salvador Dali's amazing masterworks. We'll dredge the deep looking for sponges, and defend the bay at Fort Desoto.
SARAH SHARK
EP. 01. Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
SARAH SHARK
EP. 02. Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
THE TREE-CLIMBERS FROM CALIFORNIA
Rick Dirks is one of the best tree climbers in California. He is able to climb 100-meter tall (328-foot) redwood trees with skill and courage and do so at breathtaking speed. He even ties himself to the crown of these giant trees in a sleeping bag for the night. In addition to trimming the trees and installing measuring tools, Rick collects the tree’s cones and seeds at dizzying heights – because the redwoods can only continue to survive if they are cultivated. In California, these giant trees are still cut down for timber.
THE TRUE COLORS OF US UNIVERSITIES
This documentary reveals the dazzling and obscure system of American University campuses: a world of money, influence, but also stress, decadence, excess, where alcohol freely flows and where drugs circulate. Follow the students every day; in their steps, their hopes, their secret rituals, and their wildest sprees!
CAMBODIA'S LAST BAMBOO TRAIN
This report climbs aboard the bamboo train, learns about its passengers and portrays life as it currently is in Cambodia. Without this bamboo train, people would not be able to go do their daily tasks such as going to work or to the doctor.Deep in the Cambodian Battambang region, a small bamboo train called "Norry" makes its way through rice fields and jungle passages. It is considered to be one of the most important lifelines into the poor region. But it looks like Norry's time is running out, because of the changes in Cambodia over the last years.More and more fields are being cleaned of land mines, new roads are being built, and many Cambodians are now able to afford a motorbike. The people fear that in a few years' time the bamboo train will stop operating.
MIND IN MOTION
Our exploration will lead us into the depths of the brain and to the very sources of consciousness, for a fascinating glimpse into the process of thought. How can we decide whether a person in a coma is likely to return to consciousness? How can a person see with the tongue? Why do amputees experience phantom sensations in missing limbs? What do we have in common with the fruit fly? What are the effects of meditation on the brain? Scientific answers to these questions and others are now within our reach, thanks to stunning new research in the neurosciences. It focuses on the brain, our mental mechanisms, the connection between body and mind. Why we need to represent ourselves and others consciously in order to survive? In our quest for answers, we have met some remarkable scientists - high-ranking pioneers who are innovative yet modest. They share their discoveries and questions with us while stressing that it is vitally importance for our society to try and understand why we have conscious brains. The story of their search, across North America and Europe, will be vividly told through evocative visuals and original imagery from new brain exploration technology.
NICKEL, THE KANAK'S TREASURE
In the heart of the Pacific, in New Caledonia, the Kanaks have been fighting for their independence for over 40 years, and they use nickel as a weapon to achieve their end. The subsoil of the island is filled with this ore essential for global growth. To finance their future state, the Kanaks open mines, build factories, to have a part on the materials market. Is this nation of 100,000 people at risk of losing far more precious by gambling with raw material and to shift from political dependence to a financial one?
MAN EATERS
The first documentary about the Human-leopard conflict in Sri Lanka, “Man Eaters: A Human Leopard Story” approaches the conflict by analyzing past and present cases of man-eating leopards in Sri Lanka and what led to their strange behavior. Unlike India, man-eating leopards in Sri Lanka are very rare.
UNBREATHABLE CITIES ON THE VERGE OF ASPHYXIATION
With an epidemic of cancers among adults, and widespread asthma among children, China and India are on a constant health alert. Nor is the rest of the world free from harm as the pollutants are travelling.
ON THE CITIES’ ROOFTOPS
PARIS. How is life on the city’s roofs? This series scales new heights, exploring apartment buildings, towers and monuments to discover a world full of unsuspected treasures : our rooftops. By day and night, the population changes on these heights. There are people who work here, people who live here, and others who come here to relax. The world’s rooftops are a continual hive of activity…
WONDER
PROBLEMS. Seg 1 Monty Hall problem. The Monty Hall Problem poses a counter-instinctive dilemma of picking a choice with a higher probability of winning. It has been calculated that switching from a player’s initial choice to the last option possible, after eliminating all empty choices, instead of sticking with the initial choice gives a bigger chance of winning. Seg 2 The Birthday Problem. The Birthday Problem presents a situation that addresses brains’ unintuitive response to exponents. We try to figure out why it’s possible for only 23 people to have a 50% chance of sharing a birthday when there are 365 unique birthdays. The dilemma usually comes in when we gloss over the fact that even small groups can form several pairings, and we actually compute the probability of sharing a birthday by subtracting the chances of not sharing a birthday by multiplying individual probabilities with each other. The answers can be quite surprising when the math to be done is not instinctive for people. Seg 3 Gambler’s ruin. Gambler’s Ruin closes in on how a gambler with the smaller amount will always be the loser in the long run in a game of 50-50 chance with an indefinite number of rounds playing. Gambler’s Ruin also debunks the ‘luck’ factor by emphasizing that each round played has its separate probability from previous rounds, thus maintaining chances of winning at 50%. Seg 4 The Infinite Hotel Paradox. The Infinite Hotel Paradox shows how infinity, for all its vastness, cannot be fully grasped, especially when it goes beyond the confines of the countable infinity. The paradoxical part comes in when the union of two sets with infinite elements will still be infinity; adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing infinity with infinity is still infinity. Seg 5 The Locker Riddle. The Locker Riddle stimulates how good and fast a person is at factorization. In the problem, the key is identifying which numbers from 1-100 are perfect squares, but the solution lies in the number of factors those particular numbers have. Perfect squares have odd numbered factors because one factor will be multiplied by itself and it only counts as one in the riddle’s context, leaving those locker numbers open in an alternating open-close pattern.
SARAH SHARK
EP. 01. Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
SARAH SHARK
EP. 02. Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
AFRICA'S DEADLIEST
EP. 01. Masters of stealth or speed, using enhanced senses and lethal strategies to hunt, Africa’s killers include the incredibly fast cheetah and lions, which while slower, have raw power and ingenious teamwork on their side. The rivers, meanwhile, hold fearsome crocodiles.
BRITTANY
The region is wild and rough, ruled by tempestuous winds and seas. Its population proud and willful. Many of them still speak their indigenous language today. The Celts named Brittany “Armorica”, "the place by the sea". The Atlantic dominates life here, where tides soar, stone houses lie low against the storms, and where America beckons from the western tip. Brittany enjoys a special status among the French regions. Coarse and rugged, scarred by centuries-long disputes between English or French domination, it still boasts breathtaking beauty and authenticity. What does being from Brittany mean today?
SPEED KILLS
EP. 03. In the forest’s dark underworld, there’s a lot more happening than meets the eye. Under every rock, behind every tree, death could be lurking.Africa’s largest cobra is beat to the chase by the Giant bullfrog. Big Brown Bats use sonar to take out Wax moths at high speed. And the world’s 2nd fastest cat leaps 10 feet into the air after its aerial prey.When death comes to the underworld, it takes the express!
ON THE CITIES’ ROOFTOPS
BUENOS AIRES. How is life on the city’s roofs? This series scales new heights, exploring apartment buildings, towers and monuments to discover a world full of unsuspected treasures : our rooftops. By day and night, the population changes on these heights. There are people who work here, people who live here, and others who come here to relax. The world’s rooftops are a continual hive of activity…
YVES SAINT LAURENT
FIRESTARTER. A documentary of a true pioneer of fashion. Sabbatical Entertainment celebrates one of the most influential designers ever as we explore the designer's unparalleled professional acclaim, as well as his fascinating and tumultuous personal life. Yves Saint Laurent can be credited with both spurring the couture's rise in the 1960s as well as the tuxedo suit for women. He was able to adapt his style to accommodate the changes in fashion during his entire career. Sabbatical Entertainment’s original documentary shows viewers how YSL approached fashion with a different narrative by wanting women to look comfortable yet elegant at the same time.
WONDER
NATURE'S GAMES. Seg 1 Carrion flowers. Carrion flowers are the unorthodox perception of flowers for they are rare, big, and very unpleasant. Other terms are stink flowers and corpse flowers. The biggest flower in the world, rafflesia arnoldii, is a carrion flower. These flowers are difficult to find and reproduce and could breed through cross-pollination by attracting flies and dung beetles. Seg 2 Aposematism. Aposematism is a form of signalling that enables protection for both preys and predators by giving signs of poison and danger through showing off the bright colors and patterns on their epidermal layers that become associated with inedibility. Some species have developed mimicry based on aposematism in order to avail the protection aposematic colors give. Seg 3 Cuckoo Misdirection. Cuckoo misdirection demonstrates the mimicking abilities of a female cuckoo in order to find host nests to hatch her eggs. The female mimics a cry of a predator bird in order to frighten the hosts, leaving them vulnerable, thus the cuckoo can seize the chance to drop her egg on a host nest. Seg 4 Pheromones. Animal pheromones are the chemicals secreted and released by different species to communicate with other organisms. There are various types serving different purposes, ranging from reproduction, to trailing, to alarms. Some pheromones are also specific to one species of animals. Seg 5 Deimatic Behavior. Deimatic behavior is another type of defensive behavior in animals that also involves mimicry. It’s the opposite of aposematism because while aposematism works by blatantly showing or signalling its danger or unpalatability, deimatic behavior relies on the element of surprise to startle predators in order for species to flee to safety.
WONDER
PERCEPTION. Seg 1 Saccadic Eye Masking. Saccadic eye movements are characterized as the fast movement of eyes when perceiving motion. These are so fast that they are blurred. To compensate for the blurriness, our brains mask these blurred visions to help us see a completed albeit masked version of sight. Seg 2 Plant Movement. While plants do not exhibit movement for locomotion or moving from place to place, they still exhibit movement in response to different stimuli. These movements are plant adaptations for food production, plant reproduction and survival. Seg 3 The Language of Color. Language plays a major role in how people from different parts of the world perceive color. The fact that some languages completely lack terms for some colors that other languages have come to know offers insight on how much influence it has on the way people see colors. Seg 4 Color Blindness. Color blindness is the condition that makes people not able to properly see and perceive colors. Color blindness is the result of damaged or underdeveloped rods and cones. these are the light sensitive cells that can be found in the part of our eyes known as the retina which are responsible for seeing colors. Color blindness can either be genetic or caused by sustained damage to the retina over time. Seg 5 Perspective Illusion. This is a technique used in illustrations to render scenes and objects in 3 dimensions with depth and foreshortening. The technique was pioneered by Italian painters during the renaissance period. It involves drawing objects with reference to points measured from a constant line of sight.
RACE OF LIFE
EP. 06. With predators practically always on the lookout for a meal, prey must constantly avoid being eaten. Any defensive adaptation that prey can utilize adds to the chances of survival for its species. Some adaptations are defense mechanisms which can give the prey an advantage against their enemies. The first is very direct and comes naturally. Animals can use speed as a very effective means of escaping predators. In the evolutionary history of big herbivores and the carnivores that prey upon them, the phrase “arms race”is only technically a metaphor. Antelope are literally born to run, and many of the things that chase them, such as the cheetah, are either masters of endurance or champion sprinters. The evolutionary story almost writes itself: over millions of years of chasing, and being chased, wherever predators evolved to move quickly, their prey were selected to run even faster. Except of course there’s more to life than running for your life. An antelope’s frame is under more demands than evading cheetahs—it also needs to travel long distances to follow food availability with the shifting rainy season. The ostrich meanwhile stands at one extreme of bird evolution, for although unable to fly, of all the birds the ostrich runs the fastest race of life. More peculiar still is the Golden Wheel spider, the only creature known to turn itself into a wheel in order to get away from trouble. There are many ways to win the race, when the goal is always survival.
RACE OF LIFE
EP. 07. With predators practically always on the lookout for a meal, prey must constantly avoid being eaten. Any defensive adaptation that prey can utilize adds to the chances of survival for its species. Some adaptations are defense mechanisms which can give the prey an advantage against their enemies. The first is very direct and comes naturally. Animals can use speed as a very effective means of escaping predators. In the evolutionary history of big herbivores and the carnivores that prey upon them, the phrase “arms race”is only technically a metaphor. Antelope are literally born to run, and many of the things that chase them, such as the cheetah, are either masters of endurance or champion sprinters. The evolutionary story almost writes itself: over millions of years of chasing, and being chased, wherever predators evolved to move quickly, their prey were selected to run even faster. Except of course there’s more to life than running for your life. An antelope’s frame is under more demands than evading cheetahs—it also needs to travel long distances to follow food availability with the shifting rainy season. The ostrich meanwhile stands at one extreme of bird evolution, for although unable to fly, of all the birds the ostrich runs the fastest race of life. More peculiar still is the Golden Wheel spider, the only creature known to turn itself into a wheel in order to get away from trouble. There are many ways to win the race, when the goal is always survival.
BHUTAN IN THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, the small kingdom of Bhutan has decided to do away with the dictatorship of Gross Domestic Product and economic growth at all costs. A new wealth indicator has now become the country’s gold standard: Gross National Happiness. Launched by the country’s fourth King, the “new paradigm” is based on four pillars: protection of the environment; conservation and promotion of Bhutanese culture; good governance; and responsible and sustainable economic development.
SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON
ARCHIPELAGO IN ISOLATION. 360° GEO - Report shows the people from St. Pierre and Miquelon, a French overseas collectivity, in their struggle between self-preservation and responsibility against nature.Saint Pierre and Miquelon - directly in front of Newfoundland's coast lays a French archipelago forgotten from the far motherland. For centuries, the codfish brought prosperity to the group of islands, until a French-Canadian agreement prohibited catching it due to overfishing.Today, even the rough beauty of the island nature is threatened - because environmentalists are powerless against the frustration and indifference of the island's inhabitants. The environmental activist and passionate naturalist Roger Etcheberry lives on St. Pierre and Miquelon since childhood.Together with a Parisian botanist he explores the few pristine places on the archipelago and fights for their conservation.
CHINA UNCOVERED
THE NEED FOR SPEED. China runs on two gears as it moves millions of people around every day. A young driver of one of the world’s fastest trains and two seasoned pilots of one of the world’s biggest airlines are seeing the effects modernization and globalization have on their journeys. Meanwhile, in downtown Shanghai a recreational revolution is taking place as the youth choose bikes and skateboards over four wheels.
NATURE'S FORCE
EP. 05. Snow is a fascinating world of crystals that animals, plants, and humans have had to adapt to, in order to benefit from its best and survive its worst attributes. Some communities live with Tornadoes by building homes with survival features and rather than get out of their paths, they rely on warning systems and classifications. And behind all great weather events is Wind, find out how and why it can change from a gentle breeze into a devastating gale force and where does it go? Nature’s force can be mystical and puzzling and the Sunshower has been the subject of myths and legends and superstitions, but it does have a scientific explanation.
NATURE'S FORCE
EP. 06. What is La Nina and how is it being monitored? Find out the effects and the reach that this system is influencing. How did Indian Summer get its name and what is the science behind the phenomenon? Winter is the season that has the biggest effect on the planet, animal behaviour and often brings out the worst that nature can bring. Nature’s Halo is a magical sight with a scientific explanation. The story of and lessons from Hurricane Katrina give us a great understanding of the ferocity and speed that nature can unleash
QUIRKY SCIENCE
The invention of paper seems straightforward. Although writing has been around for a long time, paper hasn't. In fact, putting thoughts down in written form wasn't always easy or practical. Early people discovered that they could make simple drawings on the walls of caves, which was a great place for recording thoughts, but not very portable. Earlier forms were bamboo, made by the Chinese and we have all heard of Papyrus, which actually was not the first type of paper. True paper - made from various fibers much like today, is credited to Han Dynasty official Cai Lun in 105 AD, though there's evidence of use 100-200 years' earlier. Paper used to be extremely expensive - it was all hand made and used only by kings' advisers. In the 14th century man started making paper from cloth, as the Black Death left so many clothes behind. That made paper cheap. But another question arose, how do we put things on paper? The pen has made some revolutionary changes. Often – because those having the luxury of being able to write - ended up annoyed with the ink stains it left behind. The feather pen wasn’t ‘all that’! The humble ballpoint pen was invented when someone thought of placing a ball inside a tube filled with ink. Nowadays, paper brings us another issue: it is one of the largest contributor to greenhouse gasses and other pollutants - about 10% of all greenhouse gasses – which is three times more than the aviation industry! So now we have E-paper. The one and only non-paper... paper.
THE BOY FROM THE WILD
Growing up on a Game Reserve meant to help wildlife get out of captivity, it shares how it began & how Peter Meyer survived some incredible moments in the wild.
INFESTATION
UNDERWATER INVASION. Water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface and is the medium of life. All life forms and their surrounding ecosystems are dependent upon water, without it we would cease to exist. Director of Notre Dame’s Environmental Change Initiative, Dr. David Lodge examines the infestations that are spreading throughout our fresh and salt water systems and clogging our precious waterways.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
ODDS AND ENDS. This show features some segments that didn't fit in their respective episodes. We play around at the Pinball Museum in Las Vegas. Then, we salute the Commander in Chief at the Presidential Hall of Fame in Clermont, FL. Also, we'll swim with real mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs in Central Florida, and cheer on Teddy Ballgame at the Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
BALTIMORE. O Say can you see? We’re in Baltimore, MD. We’ll learn about the Battle of Baltimore at Fort McHenry and the inspiration of the Star Spangled Banner. Then we dig deep into the history of Baltimore’s most famous resident, Edgar Allan Poe. We’ll sift through a huge collection of pop art and collectibles at the Geppi Museum, and learn about cracking codes at the National Cryptology museum.
SARAH SHARK
EP. 03. Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
SARAH SHARK
EP. 04. Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
THE POLAR SCHOOL OF NOMAD CHILDREN
360° GEO- Report visits the Nenets, the last true nomads on earth, on their remote Russian peninsula. Every August, on the Russian polar peninsula of Yamal, children of reindeer shepherds await a helicopter that will bring them back to school after the summer holidays. For the main part of the year, 600 nomad children from the indigenous people of the Nenet live and learn separated from their parents. Up until now, their home Yamal was an of Russia that was far from any semblance of civilization- until an enormous gas pool was discovered beneath the tundra. Now, destroyed nature and gigantic industrial plants are a common sight along the nomad's track - but this industrial development is also offering new opportunities to their children.