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GALICIA'S DEATH COST
360°GEO - Report accompanies goose barnacle fishermen on a trip to the deadly cliffs. But even there, the goose barnacle population is declining rapidly.Their working district is the "Costa del Morte" - the "Coast of Death", where the oil tanker "Prestige" split apart in 2002. Here, the waves of the Atlantic are often lashed against the rocks by northwest gale force 8 winds.Their working district is the "Costa del Morte" - the "Coast of Death", where the oil tanker "Prestige" split apart in 2002. Here, the waves of the Atlantic are often lashed against the rocks by northwest gale force 8 winds.
ROLL ON CINEMA
This film endeavours to show how the invention of cinema was in no way inevitable, and how it may well have been a mere accident. To pinpoint the start, it all began in the heart of Paris, in the depths of darkened room, on 28 March 1798, when Etienne-Gaspard Robertson gave one of his first screenings of his "Fantasmagoria" - making ghosts and spectres dance. But how did we move from perfecting the magic lantern to the cinematography of the Lumiére brothers? The invention was born throughout the 19th century, out of the unpredictable crossing of two parallel research paths - that of philosophical toys and the photography of movement. Originally-named optical devices - such as the kinesigraph, the zoetrope, the praxinoscope and the phenakistoscope, without forgetting the photographic revolver or gun - associated the realm of toys with the realm of thought, reflecting both a fascination for the magical effects produced by animation and speed, and a desire to understand human anatomy, and analyse the phenomenon of vision. All these pre-cinema optical devices literally stemmed from a desire for spectacle and the will to acquire knowledge. Robertson, Reynaud, Plateau, Muybridge and Marey spearheaded the adventure. Thanks to these brilliant inventors, we travel across the 19th century, ending in Paris in 1895 in the Salon Indien du Grand Café, where the first public movie screening took place.
THE SUBVERSIVES
Theo van Boven becomes Director of Human Rights for the UN in 1977, where it was impossible to even name a country for gross violations. No bureaucrat, he battles the most repressive regimes of the late 20th century, such as Chile and Argentina and opens the UN door for the first time to "subversive" survivors from across the world. Risking everything, he even takes on the US and the Secretary General.
ARGAN OIL: THE WHITE GOLD OF MOROCCO
This report follows the process of making Argan oil, beginning with the harvest and ending with the cooperatives working for the international market. Made from the nuts of the Argan tree, which grows almost exclusively in the Essaouira region of Morocco, Argan oil has become one of the latest miracle ingredients of the beauty industry in Europe. Publicity is created around the fact that this oil is made by Berber women. But who are they? How do they live? And how hard is their work? We accompany these women in their daily lives and take part in their traditions.
THE BEST SHEEPDOGS FROM WALES
The film follows Nigel and his dogs throughout the summer. Nigel Watkins is a farmer and vice-world champion sheepdog handler. Together with his partner, Janet, he runs his little farm Llanddeusant in the Brecon Beacons National Park in the south of Wales. Farming takes up a fair amount of his time, but his hobbies take up much more of it: he trains Border Collies, a breed of sheepdog.
THE NEW MAN OF AZERBAIJAN
Still today, there are no phones, no Internet and no newspapers in the remote areas of Azerbaijan. The newsman or "Ashig" has always played an important role in this Eastern culture over the centuries. Without them, the inhabitants would be radically cut off from the rest of the world and all its news. Certain distinguished representatives of their guild still travel the country's mountains to the remotest areas, to spread news, stories and the latest gossip. One of these representatives is Nemet, the old and honorable Aschug from Baku, who has been practicing this skill for a very long time. Like all Aschugs, he transmits his information through song!
JOURNEYS IN AFRICA
SAFARI 101: TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL ADVENTURE. All the essentials for going on, and having a successful safari are covered before our host gets a very special challenge—to find at least half of the “Big Twelve” on one safari drive. Four hours and six (6) very special animals—can he do it using his own rules for a successful safari?
WONDER
ART OF ILLUSION. Seg 1 Animation. Animation is the process and technique that involves creating the illusion of movement from still drawings and inanimate objects. It is achieved by displaying images with slight variations in a rapid and successive manner thus making our eyes perceive the illusion of movement. Seg 2 Aviation Illusions. Aviation illusions are the sensory illusions associated with taking flight. When pilots take flight their vestibular system, the sensory system responsible for balance, is affected by conflicting stimulus from what the pilot sees and feels during flight. Seg 3 Spinning Dancer. The spinning dancer illusion is an illusion that was created by Noboyuki Kayahara. One can either perceive the dancer as spinning clockwise or counter clockwise. This phenomenon is explained by Bistable perception which states that perception can be altered subjectively just by how an object is observed. Seg 4 Mirage. Mirages are a physical optical phenomenon that can be observed when there is a difference in the temperature in the surrounding air of an area. The different temperatures of the air causes light to refract and cause weird distortions when viewed at the correct angle. This can range from weird reflections to distortions and even the appearance of floating objects. Seg 5 Rainbow Formation. Rainbows are formed as a result of sunlight being refracted and reflected by tiny drops of water in the atmosphere. The water droplets act as prism that can split the sun’s white light into the spectrum of visible colors thus creating the effect of a colorful rainbow.
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 LEOPARDS NEW SPOTS
The Leopard’s New Spots is a documentary film about one man’s mission to halt the alarming decline in southern Africa’s leopard populations due to a widespread skin trade. Traditionally, only the Zulu royals have been allowed to wear leopard skins. However, in the last three decades the Shembe Church, a four million strong religious group, has adopted the skins into their ceremonial costume. The demand for leopard skins is now astronomical. Because the use of skins is so wide spread and culturally entrenched, law enforcement seems helpless to police this trade in a protected species. It has become, in one researchers words, 'a major conservation blind spot’. Leopard researcher Tristan Dickerson believes that you can’t save the leopard without the support of the Shembe people. The film follows Dickerson as he travels from the heart of leopard country to the heart of Shembe and Zulu culture in an effort to discover a solution that benefits all parties. His best solution turns out to be fake fur. Bad fakes are commonly used by church members while they save for the expensive real thing. Dickerson believes that if he can produce a high quality, affordable fake fur, and gain the endorsement of the powerful leader of the Church he can turn the tables in favour of the leopard.
AFRICA'S DEADLIEST
EP. 02. Killer armies collaborate to take down larger prey. On land, a zebra’s kick can kill, but in the water it’s easy meat for a congregation of crocodiles. Wild dogs may not seem like fearsome predators, but a pack kills fast, brutally and often.
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.
OUT OF TOWN ADVENTURES
S1 EP 05: PALM SPRINGS - JOSHUA TREE. Outta Town Adventures travels both near and far to discover the best advenures the destinations have to offer. Season 1 visits attractions from California to Rwanda, Switzerland, Iceland, Utah, Zambia, Mexico, The Grand Canyon, Georgia (the Eastern European one) Louisiana, Hawaii, Mauritius and Seychelles. This TV series is dedicated to presenting history, culture and geography in a fun and pisitive way. It encourages people to explore this beautiful world - something that starts with simply getting out of town!
OUT OF TOWN ADVENTURES
S1 EP 06: RWANDA. Outta Town Adventures travels both near and far to discover the best advenures the destinations have to offer. Season 1 visits attractions from California to Rwanda, Switzerland, Iceland, Utah, Zambia, Mexico, The Grand Canyon, Georgia (the Eastern European one) Louisiana, Hawaii, Mauritius and Seychelles. This TV series is dedicated to presenting history, culture and geography in a fun and pisitive way. It encourages people to explore this beautiful world - something that starts with simply getting out of town!
QUIRKY SCIENCE
Mankind has been flying for over a century. As early as the 1500s Leonardo da Vinci tried to build a flying machine. Drawing inspiration from birds he gave it wings. Unfortunately, his ‘Ornithopter’ didn’t work, and indeed, the airplanes of today do not have flapping wings! We also tried it with balloons. Huge 245-metre long airships that needed the guts of between 80,000 to 200,000 cows! But, it was the kite that became the forerunner of the flying machine. A kite made by the now famous Wright brothers. The two brothers were bicycle repairmen, which convinced them that a flying machine could be highly unstable and yet controllable, such as with bicycles. They built their kites as strong as their bicycle frames and used bicycle parts to test their workings. The early Wright planes could manage no more than 65 km/h. Nowadays, a commercial plane can top 800 km/h. What is it that make our current planes fly 12 times faster? Well, one British Royal Air pilot, Frank Whittle, remembered his school experiments with the ‘Aeolipile’, a piece of ancient Greek engineering. This pilot argued that we could fly faster – if we’d fly higher - because there is less air resistance at high altitudes. The future of aviation has lead to Airbus’s A380, the largest passenger plane in the world as well as the scramjet built by NASA. So what will be the next quirky discovery for flight?
QUIRKY SCIENCE
Cooling is more than a luxury. Nowadays it is a necessity. Without refrigerated shipping and stocking, fresh food wouldn’t reach our supermarket so easily. Can you imagine living without it? Before the invention of the refrigerator, icehouses were used to provide cool storage for most of the year. To cool our food and beverages, blocks of ice were simply cut out of frozen lakes and shipped to far and beyond. The so-called ‘ice-industry’ came to its end when, in the late 1900s, our waters became too polluted to serve as a cool preserving agent. Air-conditioning, on the other hand, was actually invented to control the humidity that was ruining the paper of printing offices, rather than the technology being used to cool you off. The quirky part is, you can’t create cold; you can only ‘move’ temperature form one place to another. The first one to find a technology that cooled the inside of a box - the forefather of the refrigerator - was a medical doctor. In fact, he thought he was building a machine to cure malaria. And yet it took over a century after that, before people started using refrigerators, because refrigerators were thought to be dangerous. And they had a point! For a few decades, the refrigerator was something of a killer machine (literally) as they omitted toxic gases that poisoned people… Even Einstein got worried and developed a cooling-machine. And when refrigerators stopped killing people, scientists discovered that refrigerants were harming the environment. All sorts of chemicals have passed through our refrigerator coils, to be discarded… but perhaps we have a new solution: cooling with the vibrations of sound. That does sound cool.
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.
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.
THE TECH EFFECT
EP. 05. In this episode we look at some of the ways technology is helping us solve the big environmental problems of our age. From satellites that map sea surface height, to the development of sustainable fuels such as hydrogen, scientists are using their ingenuity to find answers that will enhance our lives in the future. An aircraft that runs just on solar power, a tech company that’s using its mapping expertise to fight floods and a farmer using futuristic technology to protect his tomato plants are among the innovations profiled in this episode.
THE TECH EFFECT
EP. 06. In this episode we visit the home of the future, a place where automation, robotics and connectivity combine to create an easier and more sustainable life for its human inhabitants. From personal robots, to indoor hydroponic gardens, electronics companies are competing to find the most intuitive solutions to automating household chores. This episode also explores advances in technology in the motoring world, such as drones that give drivers advance warning of upcoming hazards, a “robot whisperer” who visits a car factory to study robotic body language and how Lamborghini is conducting carbon fibre tests in space. Finally, we look at how home gaming and drone racing are using innovation to expand entertainment options.
THE MYSTERY OF THE DISAPPEARING BEES
An investigation into a worldwide ecological disaster that could endanger the whole of humanity. The future of our food resources depends on one small insect - the western honey bee, or Apis mellifera. Indeed, it is the most important agricultural pollinator on our planet given that one third of our food supply depends directly on pollination from bees. This documentary tells the story of a worldwide ecological disaster that has been waiting to happen for several generations. It was filmed over an 18-month period in France, Germany, the U.S., Canada and Scotland and retraces the various leads carried out by research scientists in order to try and understand and to stop the declining numbers of domestic and wild bees. Scientists are not the only professionals to figure at the centre of this drama. Beekeepers are in the front line, and striking contrasts exist among beekeepers' experiences in different countries, in various economic situations. The documentary seeks to understand how the long-enjoyed harmonious relationship between man and bee has now undergone such a radical change. It seeks to find a solution that goes beyond science. A solution that cannot be found without thoroughly re-examining our agricultural practice and our model of society. Can we rise to the challenge? Awards : 2011 : Star of the SCAM (France). 2012 : Jade Kunlun Awards
WONDER
COLOR. Seg 1 Chromatic Adaptation. Chromatic adaptation is the ability of humans to adjust to changes in brightness to keep up with the appearance of colors. this is the reason why we are able to perceive colors properly even though lighting in real environments change constantly. Seg 2 Color-changing animals. Color changing in animals are developed adaptations which the animals use for various applications such as signaling their species or as a way to hide from predators. Animals that can change color have specialized cells called chromatophores that can alter pigmentation and light reflecting properties. Seg 3 How do we see the color pink. We are able to see pink because our brains are able to perceive variations in light and color. Although pink as a wavelength does not exist in the light spectrum, it is our brains that processes light in a such a way that we are able to perceive combinations of colors thus giving us a way to see colors like pink. Seg 4 Blue wings, blue feathers. Blue rarely exists in nature. But due to evolution, structural features in the wings and feathers of some animals allow light to bend in ways that make it possible to reflect the color blue. Seg 5 Snow camouflage. Snow camouflage, is a type of camouflage that certain creatures use to hide during winter. It is typically characterised by differing shades of grays and whites.
SECRETS OF THE THRACIAN KING
In August 2004 in Bulgaria, archaeologist Georgi Kitov made a spectacular discovery in the valley of the Thracian Kings, a valley where about twenty temples and royal tombs are located. Kitov accessed a still-intact ancient tomb, which housed incredible wealth, dating back to the 4th century B.C., when Thracian culture was at its height. In front of the gigantic mausoleum, archaeologists found a magnificent, life-sized bronze head, one of the period's finest specimens ever found, and possessing an unsettlingly modern style. Who was this king and what does his tomb tell us about Thracian culture? Was he buried according to the Thracian custom of Orphic rites, and what do we know today about these secret rites that promised eternal life? Research into the deceased's identity revealed the tomb belonged to King Seuthes III. With the help of archaeologists and historians, who decipher the king's vestiges, the film pieces together the puzzle of Seuthes III's life. He was a modern king, who was open to Hellenisation, a warrior king, who was opposed to Macedonian authority, and a priest king, who was committed to preserving Thracian cultural rites.
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?
ON THE CITIES’ ROOFTOPS
BERLIN. 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…
JOURNEYS IN AFRICA
MOMBASA: THE CENTER OF IT ALL. Gold, ivory and slaves drove the economy of the East coast of Africa 500 years ago. Join us as we explore the Portuguese and Arab roles in these horrific trade schemes. We’ll also investigate the pristine waters off the coast of the nearby National Park where our host dons a snorkel mask and comes face-to-face with the creatures of the coral reef.
JOURNEYS IN AFRICA
ARUSHA/MANYARA: HIDDEN WONDERS OF THE NORTH. The Great Rift Valley is actually where the continent of Africa is literally tearing itself apart. It’s a geologic phenomenon where one side is a rainforest full of colorful birds and strange monkeys and the other, a large lake centered on a vast plain. Two bordering eco-zones…double the wildlife.
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.
ZENITH
EP. 12. Zenith – Advances in Space Exploration reveals these latest developments and the implications they hold for all of us.
ZENITH
EP. 8. Zenith – Advances in Space Exploration reveals these latest developments and the implications they hold for all of us.
FINE COCOA FROM ESMERALDA
Cacao Nacional from Ecuador is also known as "Theobroma Cacao" or "food of the gods". The pods grow in the remotest regions of the country, including in small villages along the Rio Santiago and the Rio Napo. Theobroma's distinctive flavor is valued by chocolatiers around the world. The high demand helps cocoa farmers like Lilian and Cleofe develop a new, long-term and more reliable means of subsistence. Cocoa plantations also immensely benefit the environment: cocoa trees grow in mixed species plantations and thereby protect the rainforest. They represent an alternative to palm tree plantations that are highly destructive to the local environment.
CHINA UNCOVERED
THE QUEST FOR WEALTH. Two brothers from rural China train in the art of Kung Fu in the hopes of elevating their lives however minimally. Meanwhile, rich kids in the city attend private English schools to improve their chances to study abroad. But China’s favorite philanthropist Chen Guang Biao shares his rags-to-riches story proving that odds can indeed be beaten. Rural children in China may still dream small, but as for the young elite partying away in rooftop bars, life is sweet.
CHINA UNCOVERED
THE COST OF BEAUTY RISING. Fashion designer Ji Cheng has shown her designs at London fashion week and, like beauty stylist A Zhi, is beginning to challenge the monopoly of Western brands in China. New levels of expendable income mean the wallets of the wealthy elite are helping fund this rising beauty scene and creating a market for luxury goods for shrewd businesswoman Felicity Feng. Expats from everywhere are trying to gain a foothold in this blossoming city, but can they handle its lightning speed?
HERDING SHEEP IN ICELAND
Starting at the beginning of September, the Northern Lights unveil their magical patterns on Iceland's starry skies. At the same time, Icelanders celebrate the "Retir": sheep and horses are herded to the lowlands. 4,500 sheep and 800 horses spend 3 to 4 months in the untamed highlands. Now, they are rounded up. No single farmer can herd so many animals to the lowlands. The entire community helps.
QUIRKY SCIENCE
Few substances in history have had as profound an effect on mankind as gunpowder and yet its discovery was probably an accident! A big bang, for one… Records show that the Chinese were aware of the explosive stuff as early as 300AD. The invention of gunpowder is a bit of a mystery, and so are its ingredients: it was made by mixing sulfur (a yellow stone- hiding deep underground), charcoal (burned wood), and saltpeter (or potassium nitrate) which was the white frosting found on poop that had been given time to settle and get comfortable. As you can imagine, it takes some effort to make gunpowder. But, rulers needed gunpowder. Gunpowder needed saltpeter. And saltpeter needed poop. And so, dukes declared a monopoly on their lands' waste. Until, only 500 years after the Chinese discovered it, we found out why secretions have such an explosive character. It turns out to be caused by microscopic bacteria, which produce the nitrates as byproducts of digestion. The reason why gunpowder explodes is that it burns very fast, and when it burns it releases gases that have a bigger volume than the original powder (similar to how steam is bigger than water is). But the gunpowder from the old days gave off so much smoke that battlefields were literally too smoky to aim. Until, in 1888, Albert Nobel invented a dense smokeless powder explosive called ballistite. And now, is gunpowder about to be replaced?
COLONIES UNDER THE SEA
The film follows four unique divers as they explore shipwrecks in the heart of the Bahamas archipelago in order to discover the unexpected life they harbor.
SAVE THE BUCARDO
During many years, scientists and institutions fought to avoid the extinction of the Bucardo, a rare Pyrenean mountain goat. In 2003, Spanish and French scientists managed to clone the last bucardo. It was the first time in history that an extinct animal came back to life. They took a historic step in science, the first de-extinction in the world, the first real “Jurassic Park” and a new door was opened to hope.
JOURNEYS IN AFRICA
NGORONGORO: BATTLE FOR THE CRATER. Nicknamed the Garden of Eden, this volcanic caldera is home to over 25,000 big game animals. Here survival isn’t just a game—it’s a matter of life and death. You’ll witness one of the great acts of nature—buffalo, lion and hyena in a face-to-face struggle for dominance. Life in the crater can take surprising twists.
HISTORIC FOOTBALL MATCH IN FLORENCE
Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, is today a so-called "museum-city". The small city center is invaded by thousands of tourists every day. But there is one sport tourists usually don't know : the calcio florentino, a violent game with no rules, exclusively for Florentine people. Struggling with the consequences of gentrification, the city is losing its identity and its citizens. But there is still one way in which Florence and the "Fiorentini" can express their own identity - the "Calcio Storico Fiorentino" (Historical Florentine soccer), a game that has been played in Florence for 800 years but only 3 days a year in the month of June! This primitive, tough and dangerous mix of football and boxing is played in one of the world's most famous squares, the Piazza Santa Croce. The players can hit the ball with their hands or feet, and they can stop their adversaries in any way possible. These two rules make the game one of the roughest sports ever played.
EUROPEAN ISLANDS EP
03: TENERIFE. The European islands are renowned primarily for their hotel resorts. However, we will show you a completely different face of theirs: forests, beaches, coves, mountains, valleys and rivers. Perhaps you will find places that will take your breath away. Why just lie on the beach when there is so much to see? Put on some good hiking shoes, pull your shoelaces tight, and get to know the entire island like the back of your hand.
INDIA'S JUNGLE BOOK HOSPITAL
In the densely populated India, living space for wild animals is getting short. Around the country land is being cultivated and houses are constructed. India's only scientifically run rehabilitation center offers shelter for wild animals. Here veterinarians Dr. Phulmoni Gogi and Dr. Prasanta Boro take care of ill and injured animals, which got in conflict with civilization and would have hardly survived on their own: a feverish buffalo, a dozen orphaned elephants and a young rhinoceros. With a lot of dedication and patience, the doctors aim is to slowly raise the awareness of the people to save the wild animals.