Evolution Boxed Set (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)Everybody knows that when it comes down to the final question in a game of Trivial Pursuit that they should make me try and answer a science question because I know pretty much nothing about science and nature. This is because the one thing I knew about high school biology was that you dissected animals and being sick in front of the smartest girls in school did not appeal to me at all. So I took Life Through the Microscope (it involved drawing) and Ecology (it was the only class that fit my schedule) and missed out on Biology, Chemistry and Physics. However, since I did my dissertation on the infamous Scopes "Monkey" Trial I do have something of an interest in the controversy over evolution if not the concept itself. This seven-part series exploring various facets of evolution was perfect so someone like me who insists on having theory of any sort mixed with a heavy dose of practice.
"Evolution" is as much about the profound impact the evolutionary process has had on our understanding of the world around us as it is on the various versions of the theory that have been expounded in scientific textbooks for the past century. The series basically focuses on five key concepts regarding evolution, sandwiched between episodes that constitute a dramatic introduction and a controversial coda:
"Darwin's Dangerous Idea" offers dramatizations of key moments in Darwin's life along with contemporary talking heads explaining the profound implications of the evolutionary theory and the place it holds in the scientific community today as a pivotal concept. It takes a while to adjust to the episodic approach of the dramatizations, which come and go without a real sense of regularity, but since they dramatized the famous retort of Huxley to Bishop Wilberforce and other key moments in the popularization of evolution there is a certain effectiveness to it all. What you get from this episode is a better idea of what the initial complaints were to evolutionary theory and who was making them.
"Great Transformations" explores the evolutionary changes that caused the incredible diversity of animal life that exists on earth. The focus is on the development of the four-limbed body plan, which is explained in the context of how animal life moved from water to land and eventually to human beings, thereby answering the key question of why are human connected to all life.
"Extinction!" represents the flip side of evolutionary transformations, explaining the how and why behind the fact that 99.9 percent of all species that have ever lived on earth are now extinct. This leads to the provocative question as to whether human beings are going to cause the next mass extinction on the planet.
"The Evolutionary Arms Race" puts the entire concept of natural selection and survival of the fittest in the context of humanity's battles with microorganisms, looking at a case study regarding the reemergence of tuberculosis in Russian prisons. With the alarming spread of resistance among pathogens that cause disease, the episode explains how this particular "race" offers the major threat to human existence. The scary question here is whether we are fighting a battle we cannot win.
"Why Sex?" makes the contention that in evolutionary terms sex is more important than life itself. But on a more pragmatic level is addresses the question of whether males are necessary to perpetuate the species, looking at a wide variety of case studies drawn from nature. This episode also explains the principle of monogamy in evolutionary terms.
"The Mind's Big Bang" addresses the question of why humans are the dominant species on earth. The answer is found in the past, when something happened to primitive humans to trigger a creative, technological, and social explosion, which ultimately allowed humans to dominate the planet. The episode tries to uncover (literally) the primitive forces that contributed to the emergence of the mind of the modern human being.
"What About God?" is the coda to the series in that it returns to the initial question of Darwin's day regarding the conflict between evolution and religion. The debate is presented within the context of a college student whose family is not happy with what he is learning about evolution at Wesleyan College, a group of high school students trying to get their local school board to allow the teaching of creationism, and the activities by adults on both sides of the question to win this pivotal battle. I consider the episode to be remarkably even-handed, but then I do not think there is an inherent conflict between the two, which invalidates my opinion for true believers on both sides.
Overall I like the fact that "Evolution" goes for depth rather than breadth. The case studies, at least to my uneducated mind, come across as being representative of the issue under discussion. The DVD series also features access to the Evolution Web site with its interactive games, activities, and biographies, so those who would like to get additional information and insight on any one of these topics can easily do so. There are also student lessons for teachers who want to work these episodes into their science classes and a printable teacher's guide (remember, "Evolution" was produced by WGBH Boston, which means we are talking--surprise--public television).

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Evolution offers a groundbreaking and definitive view of the extraordinary impact the evolutionary process has had on our understanding of the world around us. Beginning with Darwin s revolutionary theory, this seven-part series explores all facets of evolution the changes that spawned the tree of life, the power of sex, how evolution continues to affect us every day, and the perceived conflict between science and religion. Includes:Darwin s Dangerous Idea: Interweaving key moments of drama in Darwin's life with current research, Darwin s Dangerous Idea explores why his theory of evolution might matter even more today than it did in his own time.Great Transformations: From the development of the four-limbed body plan, the journey of animal life from water to land, and the emergence of humans, Great Transformations focuses on the important evolutionary changes that triggered the earth s incredible diversity.Extinction!: Some 99.9 percent of all species that have ever lived on earth are now extinct. Extinction! explores why, then confronts a frightening notion: Are humans causing the next mass extinction the sixth in the history of life on earth?The Evolutionary Arms Race: Survival of the fittest: Is it raw competition, a level of cooperation indispensable to life, or both? Explore our own spiraling arms race with microorganisms the only real threat to our existence and trace the alarming spread of resistance among pathogens that cause disease.Why Sex?: Investigate the endless variety of sexual expression and the powerful hold sex exerts over almost all living things. And discover why, in evolutionary terms, sex is more important than life itself.The Mind s Big Bang: Between 100,000 and 50,000 years ago, something happened that triggered a creative, technological, and social explosion, allowing humans to dominate the planet. What forces may have contributed to the emergence of the modern human mind?What About God?: Of all the species on earth, only humans try to explain who they are and how they came to be. Encounter real human stories of people struggling to find a balance between religion and science, realms that play very different roles in assigning order to the universe and a purpose to life.

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The Universe: The Complete Season One (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am reviewing the Blu-ray version of The Universe Season One.
Let me first frame my review. I am a big astronomy buff. I have been interested and studied astronomy all my life. Although I dabled in aerospace engineering in college due to my love of space, I ultimately changed my major and have never really worked in the field. In fact I don't own a telescope. Most of my interest has been satisfied by books and wonderful TV shows like Cosmos and The Planets.
So, to me this series would have been perfect fit. A modern Cosmos with all the latest technology, computer graphics, and newest imagery. However, this series is dissapointing. I wanted this to be the outer space equivalent of the stunning Planet Earth series (or even walking with Dinosaurs), which it is not. It's not that it's horrible or even bad, just it left so much on the table.
So, I will outline what I find as flaws and then finish the review with the positives.
1) It's a little to cutesy. The narative style is a little too casual and relies on a lot of comparisons that are a little trite. For instance, they describe how Jupiter flings comets and asteriods out of their normal orbit (which protects the inner planets) by comparing it to a frisbee thower. So we have a lady on a field throwing a frisbee over and over. There are descriptions like, "I want to go ice fishing on Europa" from professional scientists, and using pool tables to make analogies of particles in the Sun colliding, but doing it over and over, or how the threats to the Earth are like an amusement park (except that they aren't at all!!!). Most of us get the point with the mere mention and don't need the extended display of terrestrial footage. It comes off as dumb and slightly insulting. Especially since most of the analogies are weak at best and very misleading at worse since they don't quite work. The narative comes off as trying to be hip and plays to a younger or naive crowd.
2) Animation quality is inconsistent. The computer animations can be quite good, but many are also quite bad. It's inconsistent. In fact some are high def and some are standard def or even blurry! That's unexceptable for computer animations. Even if rendered at lower rez they should be clear. My only guess is they couldn't get the originals. For instance on the rocket launch of the Mar rover missions the picture quality is very bad. However, I have Roving Mars on blu-ray and know it's quality is top notch. Why didn't they get the source? Some animations are really hokey too, like 10 years ago. Still some animations are quite good.
3) Constantly repeating a few graphics multiple times throughout the show. This one is really annoying and kills any desire to revist the show for another viewing. They constantly replay the same few computer animations throughout the episode too many times. This combined with the repeating of the people/earth shots, screams to me: We only had so much budget and we are stretching it as far as we can.
4) Lack of real images. It's amazing that we have soooo many good high rez images of many of the space topics they cover and they choose not to use them. Hubble has put out some great images as well as many other satellites. There are 1000's of photo's of Jupiter and the moons, Saturn, etc... and yet we get very few. When we do get some they are usually blurry low resolution and only shown for a few seconds (see mars episode). This would have been a great way to fill space and show the awe of the universe without repeating the same canned footage and computer animations over and over.
5) Lack of historical context or mission data. The show seems to find a couple things it focuses on in an episode and then avoids a lot of other stuff. for instance, when discussing Jupiter they show only one probe that visited, Voyager, but not a single mention of any other mission. There's no context into what we found out and when. No grander understanding to the journey of exploration and what it has uncovered over time. DOn't get me wrong, I don't want to see another show about how engineers built a satellite at NASA. But knowing that many other probes visited and what they found and how their data got better and answered questions from previous ones....
6) Misleading computer graphics. This one is probably my biggest beef with the show. In and attempt to dramaticize the show, much of the images are flat out misleading or wrong. For instance one animation has the moon (as in Earth's moon) revolving around Jupiter. Another has Europa in front of a star field that is zooming (like a ship going into hyperspace). Or when they show a Gamma burst from a star hitting Earth it looks like a huge glowing space ray. Or showing the asteroid field as heavily populated sea of rocks like a sci fi movie (I had to tell my wife, the asteriods are so far away from eachother that you wouldn't see another one if standing on one). These are plain turn offs if you ask me. It doesn't give the right imagery to those that don't know any better.
7) Formula of 4 or 5 concepts. It seems that each episode has at most 4 or five concepts it touches upon and no more. You can start to see and predict how the episodes will go and realize they aren't going to go in depth on a particular episode since they spend a lot of time on only the four or five areas. For instance, Jupiter they talk about How it Formed, the weather patterns, Europa, and Magnetosphere. There is so much more they could have gone over when discussing Jupiter and the moons.
I could go on. I had high hopes for the series but feel it's a pop culture cable television show with little BBC or PBS feel to it.
So is it good at all? Well, yes, it's still decent. This does fill a void in space documentaries. There are a few new nuggets of information that I am gleaning and some of the animations are still cool. If I were an average person without any knowledge of space, I might find it really neat. It might inspire some children to take up astronomy. Some episodes were more interesting than others (like the one on our Sun).
All in all, I give it a recomendation if you are curious. THere aren't that many astronomy documentaries and even Cosmos and The Planets are pretty dated. If you can get past the narrative and other flaws then you will probably find it was worth it.
I think if you have high def cable/satellite though, I would just watch it on TV as it airs. You probably won't find the need to buy it.
UPDATE: I hadn't viewed the bonus feature "The Big Bang" prior to my reivew. I have to say it was MUCH better quality than the regular episodes. It actually showed the history of astronomy including early scientists and theories of the universe but from a unique perspective. It showed only those people/theories connected to the eventual big bang theory. That was nicely done. It put a good wrapper around the whole big bang theory. Also the special was high def throughout the entire program (only rarely did this special drop in lower def material). So the consistency of the high def production was apparent. Even old phots were given the high def treatment and look excellent on screen even if they were only black and white. The show was a little light on CG. I could have enjoyed some more attention to dark matter and it's role in the universe's evolution. They also only showed one theory for the end of the universe, the Big RIP. They didn't cover the convergence or other theories. I guess the show is about the big bang and not the end. All in all, this bonus feature adds quality to the package. I would have given an extra half star to make my review 3 1/2 stars because of it.


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From the mysteries of our own solar system those that surround unexplored galaxies, history and science collide in this ambitious investigation of the Universe.Questions about the Universe have consumed man since the dawn of time. In the 50 years since humans made their first tentative explorations of space, we have increased our knowledge of the cosmos dramatically, using powerful telescopes, robotic probes, and manned missions. But only recently has computer technology allowed scientists to illustrate in stunning detail their awe-inspiring conclusions. THE UNIVERSE, a groundbreaking series from THE HISTORY CHANNEL, employs cutting-edge computer-generated imagery to bring distant planets and faraway stars up close, allowing viewers to gaze at black holes and comets, and witness the births and deaths of galaxies and solar systems.This epic miniseries takes viewers on an exhilarating voyage through the cosmos. From the farthest reaches of distant galaxies back to the familiar face of our moon, THE UNIVERSE brings the mysteries of the heavens down to earth.

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Adam (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I cried during a lot of this movie....my young son has Asperger Disorder, and this is the most accurate depiction of a person on the Autism Spectrum that I've ever seen. I cried tears of joy that someone finally "got it," and will make others aware of the challenges and gifts of persons affected by Asperger's. I cried because I know my son's life will be more difficult due to his Asperger's. I cried because the world will present obstacles to him that I will not always be there to help him with. I cried because when we left the theater, my son was staring thoughtfully and I asked him to share his thoughts and he said...."Wow, I didn't realize that I would still have Asperger's when I grow up." I hope this movie brings awareness of autism to a large audience, and people will open themselves to getting to know a person with the disability....to become friends....and to realize the beautiful treasure that having a friend on the autism spectrum is. Too many people with Asperger's are lonely, ignored, unemployed, rejected, teased, and bullied. I hope this movie helps to change that in a small or big way, for my son and others....This is a lovely movie - it's funny, romantic, hopeful, and a great love story - you will never forget it.

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A delightful romantic story about two strangers in search of an extraordinary connection. Adam (Dancy) is a brilliant but awkward astronomy buff, who is drawn out of his sheltered existence by his beautiful and outgoing new neighbor, Beth (Byrne).
Audio: English: 5.1 Dolby Surround / Spanish & French: Dolby Surround
Language: Dubbed & Subtitled: English, French & Spanish
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 2.35:1

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When We Left Earth - The NASA Missions (Limited Edition) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Here's why I like this set:

The image quality is (mostly - see below) very good. Even with the 16mm film source the extra resolution of Blu-Ray is apparent and some of the film is staggeringly effective. As has been stated in another review, the modern interviews are pristine.
The variety and scope of the clips is excellent. The makers have sourced every possible movie from private hands (cine films) and NASA and there's a great deal I've not seen despite 40 years of interest in the subject.
The narration is well written and appropriate. This feels like a story with narrative rather than a straightforward documentary.
Here's why I dislike this set and think it's a wasted opportunity:
Despite the quality of the film clips there are some that have clear and very obvious visible and not just minor anomalies but persistent great big black blobs in the same place on the screen. This 'dirt' persists across clips taken at varied times, even months apart and in very different locations, so it wasn't on the original film. That means, logically, that it's a projection fault and that it wasn't spotted during the HD transfer to Blu-Ray. that's VERY disappointing.
More importantly there's the issue of the music. I'm British and (until recently) our TV documentaries used the original audio soundtrack alone rather than additional music. If music was used then it was sparingly and appropriate and it certainly didn't get in the way of the original audio. During this presentation the music is near permanent. It never stops except for a few seconds here and there. It drowns out narration and more importantly it all but removes the original audio. Subtitles are provided for capcom recordings (voices to and from the spacecraft) but they wouldn't be needed if the infernal music would just shut up! Not only that but the music isn't of good quality and is stupidly over-blown, false drama in every moment. The scenes are dramatic enough, leave them alone please. In the extras there are standalone clips of the astronauts training (etc) and I though at least with these there'd be the original audio but no, the music is even worse and there's NO original audio at all. Shameful. I realize that this is the norm for American TV documentaries (Nothing personal, you make the best TV in the world on the whole) but it ruins the experience and should be resisted.
So, a very very good set partially spoiled by the music and some transfer anomalies. If you can cope with the music then don't let the anomalies put you off. It's probably the best NASA footage on Blu-Ray so far but it could have been the best full stop.


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Since the dawn of mankind, we have stared up at the lights in the sky and wondered... Now join the heroic men and women who have dared the impossible on some of the greatest adventures ever undertaken - the quest to reach out beyond Earth and into the great unknown of space! To celebrate 50 years of incredible achievements, the Discovery Channel has partnered with NASA to reveal the epic struggles, tragedies and triumphs in a bold chapter of human history. Along with the candid interviews of the people who made it happen, hundreds of hours of never-before-seen film footage from the NASA archives - including sequences on board the actual spacecraft in flight - have been carefully restored, edited and compiled for this landmark collection.*Packaged in spectacular, limited-edition tin.*Original NASA footage digitally remastered in high-definition featuring exclusive ''never before seen'' footage*4 hours of bonus footage not seen in TV broadcast.

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Louie Giglio: The Heart of Passion (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Hi I first saw one or part of one of Louie's DVD/CDs online on YouTube my sister sent me the link or told me about it. It really blew me away I was so WoWed by his Talks I have now seen all 4 and own them several times over because I have given away several of them and purchased like 20 or more for other people at Church and Campmeeting last year 2008 my personal favorite is How Great is our God! I wish everone could see this and just realize how Big our God is and how really Small we reall are. The Lord God wants us to know him and to really get to know him you have to have an experence of True Genuine Salvation. Louie tries to wow you to get you to look beyond your little problems and see that there is a God outthere that although he's bigger that anyone can even imagine yet he's small enough to live inside your heart. To have a Passion for Christ you must see his passion to realize how much God loves you he sent his only begotten Son Jesus to die on a cruel Cross the Cross of Calvary to purchase our redemption so you and I could really be Free So if the Son therefore shall make you FREE you shall be Free indeed! Not free to do what ever you want to do but to be free to live for God and give him the Glory honor the praise that he alone diserves he is worthy. Worthy is the lamb that was slain! Worthy is our God of all our praise! Thank you Jesus

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Set of all 4 Passion Talk Series DVDs. Set includes: Indescribable, How Great Is Our God, Hope: When Life Hurts Most, and Fruitcake and Ice Cream. The Passion Talk Series "The Heart Of Passion" contains 4 full length talks and nearly 4 hours of compelling content from Louie Giglio. The collection of talks have been experienced by millions around the world. Each talk tells a meaningful story of God's goodness, grace & love. This special package, includes 4 full length talks which will inspire, encourage & speak to God's grace & truth.The Passion Movement and the messages of founder Louie Giglio have impacted the lives of millions of people around the globe, calling people everywhere to live for the glory of God. Focused on the collegiate age group - yet spilling over to people of all ages - Passion exists to unite students for spiritual awakening in this generation. From its inception, the movement of Passion has birthed new anthems of worship, influencing countless churches and helping to define the current worship climate and establish artists Chris Tomlin, David Crowder*Band, Charlie Hall, Matt Redman and others. Indescribable (April 08) The heavens are telling the glory of God, and their expanse declares the work of His hands. Indescribable takes us on an image-rich journey through the cosmos, allowing us to peer into God's universe to discover the amazing magnitude of His greatness and grace.How Great Is Our God (April 08) Our life is a miracle, and the Creator of the universe knows each of us by name. He's big enough to breathe out stars, yet intricate enough to fashion together the trillions of cells that make up every facet of who we are. And he cares about each of us & promises to carry us through. He will hold onto you and hold you together, giving strength to those who hope in His unfailing love. Hope: When Life Hurts Most (April 08) Life isn't easy. We Experience problems and setbacks every day. But during the hardest parts of life, when the bottom seems to fall out, where do we turn for peace? God offers Himself and His cross as an anchor of hope no matter what we face in life. The hope we find in Him allows us to leverage our darkest moments for His fame. Fruitcake And Ice Cream (Oct 08) An unlikely collision of friendship & grace is demonstrated in this message that breathes hope for the spiritually searching while providing massive kick-start for those within the church who carry the unrivaled story of God's grace and truth in a darkened world.

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Weaponology (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd never seen this show before and bought it on a whim cause I love military documentaries. What a treat; it was WAY better than I expected and a bargain. I also liked how they start at the modern evolvement of different weapons and trace the history and different componenets that go into bringing it about. If you've ever seen the show "Connections" on PBS you'll recognize the presentation format and really like it. I'd give this a show 10 stars if it was an option.

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Get caught in the crosshairs for a targeted look at the history of firepower, as in-depth as only the Military Channel could deliver. From the most devastating destructive devices ever developed to the most protective technology, Weaponology demystifies the simple Molotov cocktail, the cumbersome yet deadly Gatling rifle, submarines that ferry nuclear missiles, deadly booby traps and so much more.Get fired up for these 13 exciting episodes! SNIPER RIFLES BODY ARMOR RAPID FIRE ARTILLERY SUBMARINES VERTICAL TAKEOFF BOMBER FIGHTER BOOBY TRAPS FRAGS, PINEAPPLES AND RPGs FIRE WEAPONS ARMORED PERSONAL CARRIERS TANKS

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Destroyed in Seconds (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you like to watch things blow up, or smash into other things, this is the DVD set for you. These 2 DVD's contain 10 episodes of non-stop action. Lots of fun to watch. No re-creations or dramatizations here, just the real footage of real events unfolding. A spectacular collection with minimal comentary.

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Clip after clip, host Ron Pitts presents the most shocking destructions caught on tape.From the well-orchestrated implosion of Las Vegas\' iconic Dunes Hotel to terror attacks on an Israeli marketplace, no topic is too trivial or taboo.Destroyed in Seconds is meant not just to shock and entertain but to educate and explore events that lead to mass destruction.In certain scenarios, see how families and communities bounce back from devastation.Be it act of God or man-made, don\'t miss a moment as Ron explores the cause and effect of catastrophes caught on tape.

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Essential Space Collection (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this because I like alot of folks,love outer space stuff,This dvd has something to entertain everyone in your family,It takes you to different planets and moons,and shows you what it should be like if you could go there.It also tells of a few things we are tring now.It is well worth the price.

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Rocket to the outer limits of intergalactic exploration in the Discovery Channel's most exciting and absorbing space programs. Travel to the explosive fireball Io, join researchers as they prepare for the 2018 mission to Mars and beyond, get a hands-on look at the first personal space vehicle that could jumpstart tourism into space and so much more in this special, otherworldly collection.
Episodes: 73 Worlds and Counting Space Shuttle: Countdown to ComebackBlack Sky: The Race for Space Base Camp Moon Starship Orion: The Future of Space Travel Space Station Live: HD

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Faces of Earth (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is another of my favorites. I have studied Geology and I love these videos about our wonderful planet.
This is close to "How the Earth is Made" series but I think more in depth. I would not hesitate to recommend this video to libraries,
schools and your home.
This video is about Earth showing us her true faces: plate techtonics, ice ages, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, the deep ocean and more. This is an absolutely fascinating video. Then there is animal and ocean life and US!
I highly recommend this video--you won't regret it!
Sara Howard, Author of Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Moon and The Biggest Explosions in the Universe

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Explosive volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods and even human beings contribute to the constant changes on the Earth's surface. Uncover the deep mysteries of our planet with top geologists in Faces Of Earth. Using state-of-the-art computer animation and stunning photography, these four in-depth, compelling programs explore how these forces shape the Earth and how, in turn, the Earth has shaped human evolution.Includes: Building the Planet Witness the explosion that formed planet Earth, and travel back in time to explore the evolution of the Earth we know today. New technologies allow today's geoscientists to strip back the layers of Earth to see what previously could only be imagined. Shaping the Planet Earthquakes rumble, volcanoes explode, land is stretched and pulled like taffy - pushing up mountains and creating new oceans. Special effects and advanced animation techniques take viewers inside tectonic events to find out why the ground constantly shifts under our feet. Assembling America The land we see today was shaped over hundreds of millions of years. Guided by leading geoscientists, we unravel the mysteries of continent-building and the almost unimaginable span of geologic time. Human World Beginning with the dawn of agriculture, mankind has moved from simply reacting to Earth's processes to shaping the planet. But are we pushing too hard and upsetting this delicate balance?

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Cosmic Collisions (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is not the Cosmic Collisions program shown at the Museum of Natural History's Planetarium. I should have believed the prior reviewer. The narrator for this DVD is not Robert Redford. I was going to return it but my kids liked the program. Graphics are OK.

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Right now, massive meteors and asteroids are orbiting dangerously close to Earth. Some may even be poised to hit us in the foreseeable future! Where are they? What type of damage will they cause? What can we do stop a caroming asteroid thats headed toward us, or prevent future Near Earth Objects from lining us up in their sites.
Episodes:

EARTH: They have left deep scars all over the face of our planet and are responsible for one of the biggest extinctions in history. Scientists believe that its not a question of if theyll strike again, but when.Cosmic Collisions: Earth covers everything there is to know about meteor clashes with our planet and how scientists are preparing for the next deadly assault on Earth.

SOLAR SYSTEM: Our solar system is a cosmic pinball machine. Rock piles as big as cities plow into planets and leave destruction in their wake. Cosmic Collisions: Solar System travels through our cosmic neighborhood as we examine how collisions created our moon, left gashes on Jupiter, and how pieces of Mars ended up in our own backyard.

GALAXIES: Galaxies smash into each other, stars collide with the force of several nuclear bombs and black holes fuse in a deadly fireworks display.Even our own galaxy marches toward a clash with its closest neighbor, Andromeda. Cosmic Galaxies journeys through space as we examine the cosmic battles being waged between celestial bodies.

PREHISTORIC DISASTERS: Since the Earth's creation 4.5 billion years ago, the planet has been struck by a series of catastrophes, each one pushing life to the edge of extinction. But from disaster comes new life - and while the dominant species on the planet were wiped out, hardier creatures survived and thrived, moving into the vacuum left by the extinction. These creatures in turn took over the planet until they themselves fell victim to yet another mass extinction.The Earth's history is rife with prehistoric disasters that have molded the planet and changed the course of evolution.But with each disaster came another leap forward on the evolutionary trail from single celled bacteria to humankind itself. Without this series of events, neither mankind nor any of the life we see around us would be here today. Episodes: Birth of the Planet, Snowball Earth, Planet of Fire, Asteroid Strike.

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