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ORGANIC PANIC
BODY CARE PRODUCTS. In episode 2 we explore the more “nourishing” side of personal products, examining moisturizers, cleansers and toothpaste. Lawyer Holly Rasky worries that her favourite products are going to make her sick. Author and EcoHolic activist Adria Vasil takes her on a pharmacy tour and explains how Canada’s lax regulations allow manufacturers to include potentially toxic chemicals in our most intimate products, chemicals that are banned in the rest of the world. Reluctant to give up her favourite toothpaste, Holly speaks with former health minister Darren Praznik who assures her that the government does everything it can to protect her and that industry has strong incentives to keep her safe. Health Canada chimes in with facts and figures to show they are Canadians best defense against dangerous products.
HIDDEN TRACES
This was the « other » Second World War – the one in the Pacific, confronting the Japanese Imperial Army to the Americans. Although not as famous as the war that raged in Europe, this conflict was just as ferocious and central to our collective memory.
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.
LES ACORES, LE SORT DES BALEINES
There is a goldmine atmosphere in the Azores: in the crystal-clear water live 21 species of whales and dolphins. Their instinct for play and their empathy for humans make them a fantastic source of capital. Several whale-watching companies have been founded in recent years – and swimming with dolphins has become one of the most sought-after tourist attractions. But there are also critical voices, such as the biologist Maria de Cruz, who is attempting to find out how much stress it causes the marine mammals.
PAST HUNTERS
S1 EP 03: THE BLOCK. The team investigate a disused factory in Burton-Upon-Trent. Reports of paranormal happenings are common and the team are ready for anything.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
BELFAST. We’re shipping off to Belfast, Northern Ireland on today’s episode. First, we’ll gawk at the world’s biggest Titanic museum. Then, we’ll learn about the province’s complicated history at the Ulster Museum. Finally, we get thrown in the slammer at the very creepy, Crumlin Road Jail.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
DUBLIN. We travel to the end of the rainbow in Dublin, Ireland. We’ll gawk at the Book of Kells, a holy book displayed at Trinity College. We visited the hallowed halls of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and touched famed Irishman, Daniel O’Connell’s crypt at Glasnevin Cemetery. Finally, we learn the complicated history of Irish independence at Kilmainham jail.
TRAVEL QUEST
BRAZIL. Bill Ball breaks the rules and stereo types of travel shows as he ventures beyond the highlights. What do you do after you’ve lead groups to over 140 countries and all 7 continents? Welcome to Bill’s bucket list on steroids... Travel Quest. This new, fast-paced series chases Bill around the globe as he seeks out anything but the mundane and ordinary—coming face-to-face with the largest crocodiles in the world, snorkeling with thousands of jellyfish, walking on the rim of an exploding volcano, feeding a group of sharks without a cage, bicycling across the Serengeti... this is not your typical travel show!
TRAVEL QUEST
ANTARCTICA. Bill Ball breaks the rules and stereo types of travel shows as he ventures beyond the highlights. What do you do after you’ve lead groups to over 140 countries and all 7 continents? Welcome to Bill’s bucket list on steroids... Travel Quest. This new, fast-paced series chases Bill around the globe as he seeks out anything but the mundane and ordinary—coming face-to-face with the largest crocodiles in the world, snorkeling with thousands of jellyfish, walking on the rim of an exploding volcano, feeding a group of sharks without a cage, bicycling across the Serengeti... this is not your typical travel show!
QUIRKY SCIENCE
In contrast with popular belief, Edison did not invent the light bulb. Many people contributed to the invention. Mind you, the first lamp was invented around 70,000 BC. Once upon a time we had limelight, which was actually quite unsafe, and then there were arc “arc lamps” – shedding light that blinded movie stars up to the point where they had to wear sunglasses. What Edison did was improve the light bulb to become a practical, affordable and safe product. He tested over 5000 filaments to make the bulb last: from bamboo fiber to a hair out of an assistant’s beard. At the same time others were working on light bulbs made with gasses, which we now know as energy efficient lamps. Modern-day lighting innovations are quite startling, a lot of them - we can’t even see with the naked eye… Lasers, for example. For the longest time it was merely a pet-theory of the grand Einstein. Nobody knew what to make of this idea that ‘atoms could release their excess energy as light’ When the laser was invented, people joked that the laser was ‘a solution looking for a problem’. Now it is omnipresent. In the near future: laser-light therapy by flashing the human brain.
QUIRKY SCIENCE
A man with an ear for music, one of the first to try teaching the deaf how to speak, thought he could build a "harmonic telegraph". He had this idea that several notes could travel through a wire simultaneously, instead of the one Morse code that the telegraph could transmit. He thought this to be possible because he misinterpreted the writings of a researcher writing in German – a language he did not know. – And would later describe his misinterpretation as a "very valuable blunder". The man was Alexander Graham Bell and he invented telephony. The big question is: what happens in that wire? How can voices travel? Bell and his assistant eventually proved that different tones would vary the strength of an electric current in a wire. In fact, it’s the vibrations of the voice that determine the strength of the current. His invention caused a lot of fuss – yet it took years before people comprehended the scale of it: before the widespread use of the phone – whom were you going to call? Eventually, the telephone, or better said, its wiring, leads to the Internet. Nowadays we mostly make our calls ‘wireless’ so the wire Graham Bell used to make voices travel over long distances is no longer needed How does that work? Even wireless calling, some say, is actually a very unnatural way of communicating. Looking at the future, are we heading towards a ‘phoneless’ call?
ARCTIC: THE ROUTE OF THE NUCLEAR-POWERED ICEBREAKERS
This report accompanies a polar cargo ship through the Arctic Sea and provides a rare insight into the interior of the Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker float. Along the north coast of Russia, a land of climatic extremes, lies one of the most difficult to navigate straits in the world. The Northern Sea route is a 6,000 kilometer shipping lane through the Polar Sea.
THE NEW CUBA
Cuba, decades after the revolution. There is a new spirit emerging in Havana. Reforms are encouraging new business ideas and a large number of licenses have been issued for independent enterprise. The sale of real estate and cars has been legalized. In the socialist enclave of Cuba, there is now a spirit of letting visions and lifestyles become reality, of shaping a new Cuba. “ArteCorte” is such a dream come true. The master hair stylist Papito has built up the best beauty salon in the city. Customers love “ArteCorte” and are all very different from one another: young and old, proper and offbeat, poor and slightly less poor.
SHOW ME WHERE YOU LIVE
JAPAN. Show me where you live is a documentary series that aims to answer the following question: How can human beings claim ownership to a space so that they can live safely within it, function as a society, and above all be in harmony with the environment around them? As we discover cultures and emblematic populations, we follow Philippe Simay who is at the heart of Inhabiting the World and represents its identity and originality. Philippe takes us on an epic adventure around the Human Habitat and sets the tone for the journey. As a humanist and philosopher, Philippe is a tireless surveyor of the city, and an explorer of living spaces. Determined to travel around the world, Philippe unveils how the populations that he encounters claim the space they occupy, shapes it and adjust to it. In this series of 20 films, of 26 minutes each, the habitat will be a major showcase revealing our capacity to adapt ourselves at a time where we need to find solutions in order to address immense changes.
SHOW ME WHERE YOU LIVE
NETHERLANDS: THE FLOATING HOUSES OF IJBURG. Show me where you live is a documentary series that aims to answer the following question: How can human beings claim ownership to a space so that they can live safely within it, function as a society, and above all be in harmony with the environment around them? As we discover cultures and emblematic populations, we follow Philippe Simay who is at the heart of Inhabiting the World and represents its identity and originality. Philippe takes us on an epic adventure around the Human Habitat and sets the tone for the journey. As a humanist and philosopher, Philippe is a tireless surveyor of the city, and an explorer of living spaces. Determined to travel around the world, Philippe unveils how the populations that he encounters claim the space they occupy, shapes it and adjust to it. In this series of 20 films, of 26 minutes each, the habitat will be a major showcase revealing our capacity to adapt ourselves at a time where we need to find solutions in order to address immense changes.
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.
LEOPARDS OF DEAD TREE ISLAND
“Leopards of Dead Tree Island” (1 x 52’) takes us on an unforgettable HD journey into the lives of these three cats: Mosweo – a young mother who gave birth to two cubs during the abundance of summer. She is solitary by nature and takes on parenthood alone. Will she be able to rear and defend her cubs in this challenging environment - competing with lions and hyenas and coping with floods and drought? Buddah is the dominant male leopard of Dead Tree Island. He is the father of Mosweo’s cubs but he offers her no support or protection. To further complicate matters Tipa, her previous offspring, still shares her same territory, competing for food and posing a threat to her new cubs. He is now an independent three year old moving dangerously close to his mother’s new den site. He is an insider that she has tolerated so far. But, with the arrival of her new set of cubs he’s become an adversary that needs to be dealt with. Tipa also remains within his father’s territory. Buddah’s heavy frame and mauled ears allude to his age and stature. He moves through Dead Tree island with confidence and entitlement, fighting off his most irritating of rivals – baboons. Tipa’s efforts to hunt and assert his own authority are clumsy and naive in comparison. The island covers the natural hunting grounds of all these secretive cats, they are drawn together by circumstances beyond their control leading to tension, drama and ultimately tragedy. Mosweo loses one cub to a predator and then finds the last of her litter paralyzed and dying. She tries everything in her power to comfort and revive her doomed offspring – but to no avail. Mosweo’s is forced out of Dead Tree island when Buddah’s attention strays towards an exciting new scent. A new, stronger female has made her way into his territory and Mosweo tries desperately to divert his attention away from this new rival. But the new female is in estrus and mates with Buddah, thereby cementing her own place among the group of leopards at Dead Tree Island. The contrasting environments of the Okavango Delta provide a uniquely beautiful backdrop as this drama unfolds among the Leopards of Dead Tree Island.
WOW, I NEVER KNEW THAT!
COCA COLA, SLINKY, FRISBEE. Wow, I Never Knew That! is a whimsical, half-hour television series that is jam-packed with exciting tidbits and fascinating facts that uncover the truths and origins behind the stuff you’re already familiar with. From the items you use every day to the phrases you use in conversation to the habits you’re so accustomed to, you’ll be fascinated to learn how they’ve all really come about! Learn how a pharmacist and an accountant created the most famous drink in the world, COCA COLA! And, learn the “BEAR” truth behind how a U.S. president helped create everyone’s favorite stuffed toy, THE TEDDY BEAR! Then, how did a piece of wire accidentally “SLINK” its way to become a fantastic fun toy for children? Plus, how a the WIFFLE BALL was invented.
WOW, I NEVER KNEW THAT!
ETCH A SKETCH, BINGO, BIKINI. Before computer drawing programs, there was a toy that if you mastered its two circular white knobs you could have a picture perfect SKETCH. We’ll explain how the ETCH A SKETCH drew onto the scene. And what did Neil Armstrong REALLY say when he stepped on the moon, the “aahh” answer will surprise you! Plus, where did the explosive name BIKINI come from?
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?
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.
SPEED KILLS I
EP. 01. Jungle hunters are masters of disguise. But speed is their secret weapon. A chameleon shoots its ballistic tongue out with five times more g-force than a fighter jet. A Gaboon Viper strikes as fast as lighting. And Leopards take to the trees in a murderous ballet. The jungles explode in an orgy of speed, designed purely to kill.
INFESTATION
FORESTS UNDER ATTACK. Forests are crucial for our survival on Earth. They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and supply all living forms with clean oxygen. “We are like a patient in a hospital bed that is turning down their oxygen tank and thinking they could live with a little bit less oxygen and meanwhile the CO2 is increasing in the room” says journalist Andrew Nikiforuk.
NATURE'S FORCE
EP. 07. Weather is universal and it’s also Extra Terrestrial. Learn about space weather and how it can impact us on earth. Supercells are unique storms that scientists have learnt to measure into three types. Under the earth’s crust, nature is extremely energetic, and we see this through the Volcano which acts as our eye into the forces beneath our feet. Learn about the purple buzzing glow called St Elmo’s Fire, how it was named and were to look for it.
THE TECH EFFECT
EP. 01. The Tech Effect is a portal to the future, a look at the forces and inventions that could shape us in the coming century. From e-sports to robotics, home automation to autonomous cars, this series examines the potential for cutting edge technology to improve our lives, while not ignoring the risks. The Tech Effect will appeal to anyone curious about exploring the technological advances that are changing our world. Sophisticated and edgy, each theme-based episode profiles the innovations transforming contemporary life. By identifying the world’s most ingenious discoveries, we can unlock tomorrow, today. This episode investigates the jobs of the future, and why it might not be long before your co-worker is a robot. As industry changes, companies are identifying ways to re-train their workforce so they can be deployed in new roles. With space research becoming an important tool for innovation, we hear from a worker on the International Space Station about the types of experiments he conducts. Finally, we visit the factories of the future, discovering that, as a car has more lines of code than an F35 fighter jet, one of the most important jobs of the future in the automotive industry is software developer.
TRAVEL BY DART
URUGUAY. This episode is probably the most random travel show you will ever see but - at the same time - one of the most complete when it comes to Uruguay's traditions and customs. Sorin falls in love with this country, as it is one of the most developed nations in South America. A pleasant surprise is up for grabs. From learning about local wines to visiting the most extensive pencil collection in the Guinness Book of Records, Sorin gets to dive into the local dances and traditions - such as the Murga. Face painting and weird-looking behavior - here are some perfect ingredients for this episode's success. This is a must-see show, as the host takes you not only through Montevideo but the spectacular towns of Colonia and Punta del Este - the best-kept secrets of Uruguay. Click play.
TRAVEL BY DART
CUBA - PART 1. During his trip to Uruguay, Sorin Mihailovici threw a new dart at the world map and hit Cuba in a dreamy setup. This episode represents a refreshing way of looking at things in the beautiful country, which endured too much over the last decades. Sorin starts in Havana and introduces the viewer to the famous classic cars, explaining why they are so many and what's so special about them. He then takes a trip to Vinales, the world's most-renown area when it comes to producing cigars. You get to see how the high-sought Cuban cigars are made, from start to finish, as Sorin receives unprecedented access to a tobacco plantation and discovers the process of making the cigars, from seeds to consumption. The episode also features a visit to Ernest Hemingway's favorite spot in Havana, La Bodeguita del Medio, where the famous American author got inspired to write most of his pieces.
THE LAST ORANGUTANS OF SUMATRA
Today there are only 6000 Orang-Utans living in Sumatra. According to pessimistic evaluations the chances of this threatened species to survive seem rather limited. The main reason for their extinction is that their natural habitat is being destroyed for the more profitable cultivation of palm oil plantations. By today already 70 % of the Sumatran Island is already covered by palm oil trees. In addition most of the local population sees them more as an object of entertainment rather than a national heritage which is worth being protected. Since that common attitude in society is even changing it could still come too late for those anthropoid apes. Ian Singleton who moved here from England is dedicating his life to the care of these apes. Since 20 years, he is working to facilitate a refuge for the last ones of their kind so they could live again untroubled in Nature and maybe even decrease their population
WONDER
PHENOMENAL. Seg 1 Iridescence. Iridescence is the phenomenon where surfaces reflect a multitude of colors at once and could change color perspectives upon shifting the angle of viewing. Iridescence is caused by interference, where light gets reflected or cancelled out by the structures of the surfaces. Seg 2 Chemiluminescence. Chemiluminescence is the phenomenon of producing light energy through chemical reactions. The byproduct of a chemiluminescent reaction, instead of heat energy, is a photon or a light particle. Only selected compounds are capable of producing chemiluminescence, usually highly oxidized compounds when reacting with another compound. Seg 3 Bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is a form of chemiluminescence, only that this occurs in living things. Special compounds collectively called as luciferin oxidizes upon catalysis by enzymes called luciferase, producing oxyluciferin. Upon decay, oxyluciferin releases photons or light particles. Bioluminescence serve different functions for each organism, but all for survival purposes. Seg 4 Gemstone Coloration. A gemstone acquires its color through elements that are essential to its structure or through impurities, or elements that replace some of the metallic ions in the structure that will affect which colors in the visible spectrum gets absorbed or reflected. Seg 5 Mechanical Plant Defenses. Mechanical plant defenses demonstrate how survival instincts are incorporated into plant morphologies and physiologies by growing or producing various defensive features such as thorns, spines, and prickles to the less obvious ones like trichomes and raphides and less aggressive forms of defense like thigmonasty.
WONDER
SENSORY TRICKS. Seg 1 Visually-Evoked Auditory Response. VEAR or Visually Evoked Auditory response is the type of auditory perception where our brains perceive to hear sounds in response to seeing something. In the case of the jumping pylon illusion, a thud sound is perceived even though there is no sound accompanying the animation. Seg 2 Retinal Fatigue. Retinal fatigue is the term used to describe the condition when the photoreceptors in our eyes become tired or strained due to staring at one color for extend periods of time. The effect causes an afterimage of the complementary color to appear out of nowhere and will be temporarily visible for a few seconds. Seg 3 Müller-Lyer illusion. The Müller-Lyer illusion is an optical illusion where parallel lines of the same length appear longer when perceived with different pointed arrowheads drawn at the ends. Possible explanations suggest that our minds tend to look at overall length rather than just the line’s parts or segments when processing the image. Another possible explanation is that our minds tendency to look at angled lines and perceive patterns of depth. Seg 4 Ames Room. The Ames room is a specially constructed room that features a distorted and skewed floor plan. when viewed from one angle, our brain is tricked into thinking that the perspective of the rooms is normal but when a person walks from one end to another the distorted floor angle makes it look as if the person changes size drastically. Seg 5 Synesthesia. Synesthesia is a genetic condition that is present in at least 4% of the human population. People with synesthesia have hyper connected neurons that allow them to perceive a stimuli as interconnected with different senses. An example of which is the ability to see color while hearing sounds.
OUT OF TOWN ADVENTURES
S1 EP 07: UTAH - SALTON SEA. 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 08: GEORGIA. 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!
SPEED KILLS
EP. 01. Desert creatures endure searing heat and zero rainfall, but speed is their ticket to survival.A Tiger beetle runs at the human equivalent of 500 miles per hour. A caracal jumps six feet to swat a weaverbird out of midair. And the world’s fastest chameleon hunts on the desert floor.Only the hardiest, fastest animals survive. Nothing else stands a chance.
ORGANIC PANIC
FOOD. Food and agriculture are the front lines of the organic revolution. What you eat and how it’s grown affects not just your life, but the lives of every person on the planet. Trauma nurse Stew Granger grew up on a farm and wants to return to his roots, but has questions about food politics and safety. Sarah Elton, bestselling author and organic food activist, takes Stewart on a tour of a local organic market and explains how organic food is the only way to feed the planet and keep everyone from farm to table healthy and secure. Stewart meets economist and food geographer Professor Pierre Desrochers at the University of Toronto. The academic rejects the activist’s claims and insists that intense, technological, industrial farming is the only way to feed a global population. Stewart decides that organic food is the compassionate choice.
ORGANIC PANIC
FASHION. Fashion isn’t just about adornment and style. What you wear can change the lives of people around the world, for better or worse. In this episode we look at how local designers and global chains respond to the growing demand for organic fashions. Furniture designer Lisa North is passionate about her personal style, but wonders if her clothes were made at the expense of garment workers’ health and safety. Kelly Drennan, founder of Fashion Takes Action, a group committed to reforming the fashion industry, explains how toxic materials and waste from conventional clothes pollute the earth and cost you money. Emily Scarlett, PR manager for H&M takes Lisa on a tour of their private showroom and makes the case for a corporate giant doing more to promote organic materials than anyone else. Lisa’s love of vintage clothes inspires her to simplify a complex problem.
HIDDEN TRACES
Napoleon Bonaparte - Military genius and builder, he will then reign, without any intention to share his position, for over a decade and will engage, with his troupes, in many battles. His imperial army, which has reached 700 000 men, is considered in 1815, the greatest one in the world.
A DOG'S LIFE
A Dog’s Life explores the widely assumed facts that may actually be based on faulty and out-dated research. Ingenious experiments and meticulous observation reveal that the problems dogs solve best are those that involve interacting with humans. A fascinating and fun documentary that gives us ‘a dog’s eye view’ on the world.
FALKLAND ISLANDS PENGUINS ADVANCING FORWARD
360° GEO - Report captures the rough beauty of the Falkland Islands on camera, and plunges into the life of the penguin colonies at the far end of the world. The Falkland Islands is an archipelago in the South Atlantic, not far from the South American continent. In the 1980's, England and Argentina fought a cruel war for sovereignty. Altogether on both sides, about 1,000 people lost their lives before the Argentinians surrendered. Today, the roughly 700 islands of the British Overseas Territory are once again a natural paradise: thousands of penguins crowd the coast, while the almost 3,000 inhabitants lead a "British way of life" and try to do their best given their economic and territorial isolation, at 12,600 km from London.
PAST HUNTERS
S1 EP 04: MILL STREET BARRACKS. Built in 1861 Mill Street Barracks is steeped in rich history. It has accommodated many branches of the armed forces throughout its life. Like many other barracks it has also been used as a morgue making it a prime location for the supernatural.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
SAN DIEGO. Get your sun tan lotion on, because we’re headed to the land of perfect weather and sunsets. We’ll sample a fish taco, climb the 100’s of steps of the California Tower, stand on the flight deck of the USS Midway, as well as, revisit San Diego’s founding on the San Salvador at the San Diego Maritime museum.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
MONTREAL. Bonjour! We’re headed to Quebec Province on today’s show. First, we get blown away by the thunderous pipes at Montreal’s Notre Dame Basilica. After that, we go underneath the city at the Pointe a Calliere archaeology museum. Next, we’ll learn about the native ecosystem at the gigantic, indoor, BioDome. Lastly, we’ll learn about the 1967 Montreal Expo at the structures that are still visited today.
TRAVEL QUEST EP. 06: MADAGASCAR
Bill Ball breaks the rules and stereo types of travel shows as he ventures beyond the highlights. What do you do after you’ve lead groups to over 140 countries and all 7 continents? Welcome to Bill’s bucket list on steroids... Travel Quest. This new, fast-paced series chases Bill around the globe as he seeks out anything but the mundane and ordinary—coming face-to-face with the largest crocodiles in the world, snorkeling with thousands of jellyfish, walking on the rim of an exploding volcano, feeding a group of sharks without a cage, bicycling across the Serengeti... this is not your typical travel show!
TRAVEL QUEST EP. 08: NORTH POLE
Bill Ball breaks the rules and stereo types of travel shows as he ventures beyond the highlights. What do you do after you’ve lead groups to over 140 countries and all 7 continents? Welcome to Bill’s bucket list on steroids... Travel Quest. This new, fast-paced series chases Bill around the globe as he seeks out anything but the mundane and ordinary—coming face-to-face with the largest crocodiles in the world, snorkeling with thousands of jellyfish, walking on the rim of an exploding volcano, feeding a group of sharks without a cage, bicycling across the Serengeti... this is not your typical travel show!
QUIRKY SCIENCE
Plastic has become ubiquitous. Impressive, since we’d been living without them for centuries! We have grown dependent on plastics in many ways. The production industry uses it to connect the parts that make machinery: our trillions of toilet bowls need it, let alone wash machines, computers, toothbrushes, pens and traffic lights. Can you imagine that plastic was accidentally invented for the purpose of making billiard balls? Though, its inventor had used something now called guncotton, which led to a rather explosive game of pool. In the end, the first plastic was discovered when someone witnessed how Southeast Asian farmers used the poop of a little beetle, called shellac, to preserve wood. When looking for a substitute, Leo Beakeland created ‘Bakelite’ and that substance turned out to be the first plastic. Nylon followed, the first man-made synthetic plastic, developed by Dupont to replace silk. Nylon isn’t that difficult to make yourself, amazingly. During WW2 all nylon production went into the manufacturing of parachutes, leading Dupont and others to stop producing pantyhose. It led to true nylon riots. Plastics were plain out popular. Indeed, the age of plastic had only just begun. But plastic is made with oil and is hard to break down, which calls for a solution. A company in the US is creating a bioplastic grown inside microorganisms. In fact – soon they’ll have plants cultivating plastic… plastic grown in the field? Now that is quirky!
QUIRKY SCIENCE
The Internet was invented during the cold war and launched in 1969. Yet it wasn’t made for the public. In fact, it was developed for the army to communicate quickly and secretly so that no spies could intercept and no bombs could disrupt the sharing of information! It was nothing like we know today. The Internet involved computers exchanging text, on a black field with green letters, and e-mail was only invented 2 years later because the developers needed a reliable tool to communicate. So only in 1972 was this application; electronic mail, introduced. The Internet we know now was actually a second, separate invention, launched over a decade and a half after the Internet was first launched, and was called the ‘World Wide Web’. Nobody was paying attention to Tim Berners-Lee and his pet idea, even though he had a radical new way for scientists to share data by linking documents to one another over the Internet! His proposal came back with the words "vague but exciting" written across the cover, so Berners-Lee took his invention to the people: with a website, bringing us the Internet we know today. Yet the Internet is only just out of its baby shoes, and is now being used to drive radical change in music and films, politics and business, changing the very way we see and interact with one another! From the computer screen to mass protests in the street, So what will the future bring us, how will the Web 3.0 change us? A web that can understand human needs?
TROUBLE IN LEMUR LAND
High up in the mountains of north-eastern Madagascar lives one of the world’s most critically endangered primates. There are less than a thousand Silky Sifakas alive today and this area of remote rainforest, known as Marojejy–Anjanaharibe-Sud, is their only home.In the past, the rugged terrain here kept the Silkies relatively safe but things are now changing at an alarming pace. This magical place is under serious threat from illegal logging operations as international demand for highly sought-after rosewood and ebony increases. Unscrupulous logging gangs are encroaching on the Silkies’ last remaining habitat.‘Trouble in Lemur Land’ follows two men, an American primatologist and a Malagasy conservationist, on their quest to protect this rare species, at the same time providing a rare glimpse into the life of this extraordinarily beautiful and graceful animal.The film centres around the arrival of two babies in the group – a glimmer of hope in an otherwise desperate situation. Lemur reproduction rates are slow and Silkies only mate one day in the year, so it is a very special moment when primatologist Erik Patel sees the newborns for the first time. He has a permanent camp on the outskirts of their last remaining territory and we are given a rare glimpse into this intimate, close-knit group as the babies develop in the sanctuary of the forest canopy.Meanwhile, taking advantage of long-term political instability, the loggers are steadily extracting Madagascar’s rosewood for export to China. Although they are well armed and highly motivated, conservationist Desire Rabary is not afraid to confront them, regardless of the risks. He heads up a network of local people who play a vital role in the survival of the forest and its lemurs. Over the past five years, he has worked hard to actively expose the loggers’ illegal trail of destruction but, as this film reveals, the heart of the problem starts on his own doorstep.This 50-minute HD film brings the forest to life, with stunning images of many of its other species, including the striking helmet vanga bird, white-fronted brown lemur, red-bellied lemur, green tree frogs, panther chameleons and the elusive fossa. This treasure trove of endemic Madagascan wildlife is a timely reminder of what we stand to lose if the environmental issues so critical to their survival are not urgently addressed.