NOVA - Magnetic Storm (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)This DVD leads us through time to examine the strength of the Earth¡¦s magnetic field through various perspectives, from potteries to volcano rocks. It also briefly describes the consequences of Earth without the protection of the magnetic field, how Earth generates the magnetic field, and when the next reversal of magnetic field occurs.
I find that the information on the DVD is not detailed enough. However, the PBS website (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/) gives me a better understanding of the Earth¡¦s magnetic field.

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What is weakening Earth’s invisible shield? Magnets have the power to attract and repel-sometimes on a massive scale. The Earth’s molten core-a violent mix of searing heat, crushing pressure, and a billion trillion tons of liquid iron-creates an invisible shield that surrounds the globe, guarding against a constant barrage of deadly radiation from space. But over the last few decades, the Earth’s magnetic field has weakened dramatically, intriguing scientists across the globe.The power generated 2000 miles beneath our feet protects us every day, but the loss of Earth’s magnetic field is a brewing storm that affects us all. While experts research and debate, persistent questions remain. Is a rare geomagnetic reversal the cause of earth’s inner turmoil? And if the magnetic field were to vanish altogether, would Earth become as lifeless as Mars? Travel from Hawaii’s molten lava flows to the mountains of Oregon and into the far reaches of outer space for a charged look at Earth’s magnetic history and potentially deadly future. Special DVD features include: materials and activities for educators; a link to the NOVA Web site; scene selections; closed captions;and described video for the visually impaired. On one DVD5 disc.Region coding: All regions.Audio: Dolby stereo.Screen format: Letterboxed.

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NOVA - Origins (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)The NOVA four-part series, Origins, is the perfect gift for a lay person who's interested in the evolution of earth and its unique place in the Universe. I found myself totally engrossed in the development of our planet, learning things that I never knew. I had no idea that our moon was created when another planet struck earth billions of years ago, or that the oceans on our planet were actually formed from the ice on comets that hit earth during its formative years. I didn't know that life on our planet began from the microbes that came here attached to the comets and astroids that struck earth. I didn't know that it was because of having a planet the size of Jupiter in our solar system that we were actually shielded from the vast majority of destructive astroids that travelled through our system. This enabled life on earth to continue without too many major interruptions. I didn't know that scientists have already discovered other solar systems within our galaxy that have planets and the possibility of life. And, these are just a few of the things discussed by Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson as the host and narrator of Origins. This is a show with a wealth of information geared to people of all ages with an acute interest in our planet and the universe. The only complaint I have is that some of the computer animations were showed over and over again, especially in Parts 1 & 2. Other than that, Origins is an excellent series that teaches the viewer about astronomy, biology and geology in a way thats informative and highly entertaining and never boring! A great gift for kids who are just getting started in their quest to understand the origins of life.

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Has the universe always existed? How did it become a place that could harbor life? Are we alone, or are there alien worlds waiting to be discovered? NOVA presents some startling new answers in Origins, a groundbreaking four-part NOVA miniseries. New clues from the frontiers of science are presented by dynamic astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History. As the host of Origins, Tyson leads viewers on a cosmic journey to the beginning of time and to the depths of space, in search of the first stirrings of life and its traces on other worlds. The series' first hour, Origins: Earth is Born, gives viewers a spectacular glimpse of the tumultuous first billion years of Earth - a time of continuous catastrophe. Episode two, Origins: How Life Began, zeroes in on the mystery of exactly how it happened. Join the hunt for hardy microbes that flourish in the most unlikely places: inside rocks in a mine shaft two miles down, inside a cave dripping with acid as strong as a car battery's, and in noxious gas bubbles erupting from the Pacific Ocean’s floor. The survival of these tough microorganisms suggests they may be related to the planet's first primitive life forms. Hour three starts with a bang - the Big Bang in which everything began. Origins: Back to the Beginning explores how the colossal, mind-boggling forces of the early universe made it possible for habitable worlds to emerge. In episode four, Origins: Where are the Aliens?, Tyson explores such provocative questions as: Would "E.T.s" resemble "us" or the creatures of science fiction? And are there planets on which life can flourish rare or common in our universe?Special DVD features include: materials and activities for educators; a link to the NOVA Web site; scene selections; closed captions;and described video for the visually impaired. (Final features TBD) On two discs (disc size TBD).Region coding: All regions.Audio: Dolby stereo.Screen format: Letterboxed.

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Human Body: Pushing the Limits (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)This 2-disc set presents 4 episodes focused on different areas in which the human body is "pushing the limits": sight, strength, sensation, & brain power. I have actually shown some clips in my general psychology class as the material is presented in an easy to follow & interesting format -- perfect for freshmen! For anyone who is a Discovery Channel geek like myself, whether you're an educator or it's just a hobby (or both), this is a must-have for your collection. My only regret is that I bought it directly from the Discovery Channel website rather than Amazon.com -- I could've saved about $15!

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HUMAN BODY:PUSHING THE LIMITS - Blu-Ray Movie

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Earth: The Biography (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Is it as good as Planet Earth? No. This documentary series doesn't a never-ending overabundance of brilliant imagery. But don't let that dissuade you. If it wasn't for "Planet Earth" everyone would be raving about this set. Because though its visuals aren't always as stunning as that excellent series -- sometimes the screen shows just a guy or two talking in front of a washed out sky -- overall "Earth: The Biography" is just as interesting and at times even more informative. The special effects are good, too.
Generally, I'd say this set is great for anyone with even a passing interest in geology, at least if they're over, say, 8.
These are the same shows that recently aired on the National Geographic Channel. There are no bonus features.
Disc 1 has three shows, "Volcanoes," "Atmosphere" and "Ice." Disc 2 adds "Oceans" and "Rare Earth." Each of the first four explains how that particular system works, as well as what happens when it's messed with.
The last show examines a theory that says simple life may actually be common on other planets, but complex life -- i.e., animal life -- requires such a complex sequence of events that we'll never find another human-like population. It goes on to examine how humans are damaging the planet. Did you know each year people cut down enough forest to cover the state of South Carolina?
Everything is presented with plenty of objective, scientific information.
My favorite show is the first one, since it includes the formation of Earth. Did you know scientists think our planet once had a twin? Or that the moon is drifting away from us?
Though the narrator, Dr. Iain Stewart, speaks in a Scottish brogue, I didn't have any trouble understanding him. He's calm and articulate.
By the way, you can't help but be reminded of "Planet Earth" as you watch this. A commercial for it is actually the first thing that comes up when you pop in Disc 1.
Besides "Planet Earth," I'd recommend pairing this up with An Inconvenient Truth. Or a trip to go see Wall-E.

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This landmark series uses specialist imaging and compelling narrative to tell the life story of our planet, how it works, and what makes it so special. Examining the great forces that shape the Earth - volcanoes, the ocean, the atmosphere and ice - the programme explores their central roles in our planet's story. How do these forces affect the Earth's landscape, its climate, and its history? CGI gives the audience a ringside seat at these great events, while the final episode brings together all the themes of the series and argues that Earth is an exceptionally rare kind of planet - giving us a special responsibility to look after our unique world. This is a series that shows the Earth in new and surprising ways. Extensive use of satellite imagery reveals new views of our planet, while timelapse filmed over many months brings the planet to life. Offering a balance between dramatic visuals and illuminating facts, this ground-breaking series makes global science truly compelling.

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Disney Nature Earth (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this because of the way it was advertised. It was said that they followed 3 families, polar bear, whale and elephant families. I already saw BBC Planet Earth and I have a copy. I knew that it was made from footage taken at the same time that planet earth was filmed by BBC however I thought, because of the hype, that it would have additional footage of those 3 particular animal families that maybe they didn't put in the other films because of time constraints or they didn't want to dwell too much on one thing. I was wrong The footage on Disney's DVD is exactly the same. They show a lot of footage that does not pertain to any of the 3 groups to fill the added time. The photography is good, the views breathaking and worth watching but if you have a copy of the BBC planet earth series, don't buy it; you already have a copy of all the footage on those. There is nothing new here and it does not follow the 3 families in detail as advertised. If you don't have the plant earth dvds and you want a much more shortened version you would enjoy this.

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An epic story of adventure, starring some of the most magnificent and courageous creatures alive, awaits you in EARTH. Disneynature brings you a remarkable story of three animal families on a journey across our planet -- polar bears, elephants and humpback whales. Filmed with spectacular clarity and beauty, EARTH is both majestic and intimate as it captures rare footage of nature's wildest and most elusive animals. From the landmark Disneynature collection, EARTH is an astonishing and heartwarming film filled with adventure, suspense and humor that will take your breath away.

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Fearless Planet (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The crew who put these shows together must have been hired from the MTV music video crew. The nauseously 'stylish' shakey cameras; the antiquated, jerky, strobe, 1980's "Max Headroom" effects; the "Matrix" speed-up flying camera effects; and the constant, hyperfast changing edits; allows little or no room to truly enjoy the High-Def scenery pulsated before your eyes! This kind of pace may be good for a 3 minute music video, but not for a 50-some minute documentary. They are trying way too hard to be 'cool'. Perhaps some prefer this style.
This is no "Planet Earth" series by any means. The small selection of CGI clips are repeated over, over, and over agian, many of them reapear in all 6 episodes. Spiced with sand and water-surfing, bicycle-riding, rock climbing (with climbers who always manage to drop-a-rock every climb) to add 'action' to the documentary. There are and will be more truly jaw-dropping, scenic and informative documentaries in HD to enjoy. Go for those. I have, and enjoy many documentaries of all types, these are the worse of all.

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Join a unique team of outdoor adventurers and scientists in exploring the wonders of our planet in this visually stunning series. Prepare for an awe-inspiring experience as we rappel down the massive walls of the Grand Canyon, dive into the Great Barrier Reef, descend into the Venezuelan jungles and much more in this exciting exploration of the world's natural marvels. Through eye-popping CGI effects, learn how time and nature conspire to create these awesome spectacles and why some of these landmarks are destined to remain while others may be lost forever. Includes: Grand Canyon, Earth Story, Great Barrier Reef, Sahara Desert, Hawaii, Alaska

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Super Comet (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Super Comet - After the Impact is a Discovery Channel special that basically takes the comet that wiped out the dinosaurs and puts into modern times. They used the same type of cometary body assumed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, the same size, same impact location, and utilized all the computer modeling they have done on this past event to try to show what might happen (and to show what they think happened then). Not terribly creative and suggests that they really don't know all the effects of such an impact and are just putting things together from what little they have been able to figure out about that one impact, some (or much) of which may be just speculation, though I'm sure that there is some good science going on there.
The cheesiest part of this "docu-drama" was, of course, the depicted foibles of the humans experiencing the event. The show included some cheesy drama, following the struggles of several individuals or groups, before, during, and after the impact, to show how people would react to such a global cataclysm. Even though cheesy, maybe those depictions were useful. The one guy who simply couldn't grasp the nature of the event, kept traveling "home" (which happened to be the site of the impact) even when it was clear that there was no home left. His emotions and his ignorance basically drove him to his own death.
Other people continued to act as if the world was still the same place and suffered thereby, though they learned to cope. There's the typical dumb teenager whose inability to grasp the nature of what is happening (not to mention that her parents weren't very forthcoming with information), who goes running off after a dog. Her parents go after her, eventually find a car, and then the father and teen run off and leave the mother sitting in a running car like it was double parked at the bank! Like desperate people weren't going to steal it immediately with the sleeping mother inside?! Sheesh. Mainly, the characters all acted like they fell out of the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down! What was clearly evident was that it was lack of knowledge about such events that was the chief problem for all of them.
There were a number of experts trotted out for the "docu" part of the docu-drama. I think I would rather have seen a show that was just about the science with the experts and special effects than the silly way this thing was put together.
One interesting item: at one point, one of the experts made the remark "WHEN it happens," as though he - and the rest of them - knew for a fact that this was on the agenda for our near future. The very fact that so many scientists are working on these problems, including a large number of them studying the possible human reactions and behaviors and how to deal with masses of people, should warn us that there IS something they aren't telling the masses in the headlines of our daily newspapers, though certainly they are "testing" public reactions with shows such as Super Comet - After the Impact.
If you want to know what is really in the future, read Victor Clube's The Cosmic Winter and Comet/Asteroid Impacts and Human Society: An Interdisciplinary Approach.
I had to make myself continue watching this one since I wanted to get up and leave several times. I kept thinking "I could be reading a good book..." But I stuck with it just to see if they had anything new to say. They didn't. It was weak and unsatisfying... cheese with no bread.

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Imagine a world cloaked in complete darkness. Food and water supplies disappear, tsunamis and fires rage, and scorching temperatures plummet to an Ice Age cold within months. Many scientists believe these cataclysmic environmental changes wiped out the dinosaurs after a gigantic asteroid struck the planet millions of years ago...and some say humans could be the next species to face extinction. SUPER COMET: AFTER THE IMPACT dares to bring the unthinkable to life in a fascinating look at how humans could adapt to a new world plagued by devastation on a global scale. You'll be riveted as you watch this unfolding of ultimate destruction that also celebrates the will of our species to survive despite incredible odds.

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Inside Planet Earth (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have to say; when it came to understanding and researching the center of the Earth and the planet's contstruction for my novel, this show covered it well. The extra feature, Inside The Volcano, was a perfect bonus, (although the bonus is rather long and not as well paced owing to the time it was made).
I should point out that Patrick Steward IS on this DVD--he is in the bonus feature documentary, Inside The Volcano, produced about 1996. He is there, but not in the main feature. That's where the confusion comes from. I own it, and I recognized his voice.
Good stuff overall :)

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It's the ultimate voyage our world has to offer: a journey from the temperate surface of our world to the fiery core of the Earth. With the aid of stunning visual effects, the unexplored interior of the Earth is split wide open, giving us an unbelievable view. From glowing seams of pure iron ore to sparkling diamond caverns to the magnetic field that keeps us safe from the lethal radiation of space... for now, this is the fantastical world we live in -- and never see.
Bonus Feature: Amazing Earth

From the heights of Mount Everest to the molten lava fields of Hawaii to the very core of our planet, the geologic forces that have changed the planet's face over the past 4.6 billion years are revealed. With state-of-the-art effects and the latest scientific information, this is the story of striking meteorites, gigantic eruptions, the movement of continents and other geologic events that have shaped our AMAZING EARTH.

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National Geographic: Drain the Ocean (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)This program is the use of CGI at its finest; not only the hear the description, but to see the continental shelf, the deeps of the Pacific from the air, in almost 3D quality is amazing. To look down in one segment and see an aircraft flying along the sheer drop to the ocean floor for what seems miles and miles is fantastic!

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Three-quarters of Earth is an alien world, lying beneath the surface of the oceans. And although it encompasses over half of the world\'s species, we know more about the surface of Mars than the bottom of the ocean. It\'s only recently that science has penetrated this world, revealing extraordinary life forms and vast sweeping landscapes on a scale that defies imagination. If we could remove the water, what would we see? Using CGI animation, based on the latest scientific research, Drain the Ocean explores one of Earth\'s last great frontiers as never before—revealing unimaginable landscapes more dramatic than anything on dry land.

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Battlestar Galactica - Season 4.0 (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)I would describe the first half of this season as occasionally mind-blowing, always gripping. It wasn't perfect, certainly, but it was pretty close. Each of this season's episodes was consistently good, compared to some of the weaker stand-alone episodes in the second half of seasons 2 and 3. BSG has made a successful and compelling transformation from a black/white, us vs. them SciFi/action series into a morality tale about peaceful coexistence, and every step of the way has been executed brilliantly. I'm eagerly awaiting the finale, though I would have welcomed additional seasons.
Also, I'm going to join the other reviewers asking people to stop posting 1-star reviews based on something completely unrelated to the quality of the show or something about the DVD set itself. Complain about the price, or the fact that it's split in half again (though the latter is due more to the writer's strike than anything), but don't come here to complain about problems downloading episodes. Over half of the 1-star reviews have nothing to do with the show or the DVDs.

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Item Name: Battlestar Galactica - Season 4.0; Studio:Universal Studios

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Planet Earth, Vol. 3: Great Plains/Jungles/Shallow Seas (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)The DVD was a must see...very well done...it will hold your attention. The pictures were awesome and mind blowing. I really enjoyed it and found things I did not know the third time I watched it. I will order more of these DVDs.

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From the makers of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, with an unprecedented production budget of $25 million, comes the epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production, over 2000 days in the field, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, shot entirely in high definition, this is the ultimate portrait of our planet. A stunning television experience that captures rare action, impossible locations and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved, wildest and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth's most extreme habitats. Planet Earth takes you to places you have never seen before, to experience sights and sounds you may never experience anywhere else.

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The Future is Wild (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)It is a clever, educative, informing work of the past-in-the-future Earth of which extinction of homo sapiens is just a next step of evolution regardless of Kyoto-Copenhagen-alike fairy-talks.
A mondo-doco-style movie is well done technically, combining animation with doco of life surrounding while navigating along sequences of a feature and extras.
Highly recommended.


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Imagine a world without humans, a world so different from ours that, until now, it has been impossible to imagine.Travel millions of years into the future and meet bizarre creatures like 8-ton land squids and mammal-wrangling spiders who dominate the earth and sea.Carakillers, toratons and terabytes aren't mere fantasy - they're creatures based on the latest scientific and evolutionary thinking.The future is indeed wild.

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Body in Numbers (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Body in Numbers" is a really interesting, informative, and innovative dvd. It strives to inform its viewers about the workings of the human body, by utilizing number amounts of everyday objects as comparisons. It relates specific information on many various parts and stages of our bodies...but at the same time, it manages to capture/maintain your interest while doing so. Because of this, it appeals to both young adults and older adults...it is actually enjoyable! In many ways, it seems somewhat similar to the "Eyewitness" science videos...except that this dvd is obviously targeted at more mature audiences. In fact, I plan on showing portions of it to my Living Environment high school classes...it's great to find a dvd that will enable students to enjoy, while also learning. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in learning about how and why our bodies function the way they do. You'll be astonished, and amazed by what you learn!

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More advanced than a computer yet more versatile and resilient than any machine is the amazing miracle known as the human body. From the thousands of breaths we take each day to the millions of receptors our eyes use to see, our bodies are an intricate and astonishing collection of working parts. In these four fascinating programs, we analyze the human body, from conception through old age, and decode the body's vital statistics in a surprising way that will completely change the way you think about yourself. The Miracle of Life We bring the miracle of conception to life in a brand-new way, illuminating the process with sheer numbers. For example, did you know that sperm must swim the equivalent of the width of Lake Superior to reach the female egg? Childhood This episode follows the evolving journey of our lives - from one-year-old to the age of 10. We look at how our muscles and bones develop, examine how we are able to learn so much so quickly, and analyze the incredible power of our senses. Becoming Men and Women This episode explores the numbers in the lives of our bodies from the age of 10 to middle-age. We see how a boy's testosterone levels soar 50 times over to transform him into a man and follow a girl's remarkable journey through puberty. Our Life in Numbers In this final episode, we look at the whole sweep of our body's journey through life, how it keeps going and what it's capable of producing during the course of a lifetime. For one person alone, the numbers climb into the trillions.

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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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Growing Up Wilderness (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I first saw an installment in this series on tv and had to order the full set. Each episode is both educational and touching. I would recommend it to animal lovers of all ages! These are wonderful stories!

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For the first time on DVD, you can enter the world of a baby wolves, a sitka deer, a black bear and a moose, as these little ones find their way through their young lives with the help of some professional human caregivers.

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Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Never have I been so moved by a series to exclaim in wonder and actually shed tears of joy at the beauty that surrounds us on this wonderful planet.
I have been watching it on Discovery HD Theater when it premiered in March. The first episode "Pole to Pole" set the tone by showing the range of life and species that exist on this planet. The subsequent episodes delve into the habitats one by one. Mountains, Fresh Water, Caves, Deserts, Ice Worlds, Great Plains, Jungles, Shallow Seas, Seasonal Forests and Deep Ocean are the subsequent episodes. This is one series that has to be seen to be believed of what the intrepid cameramen of BBC/Discovery Channel have been able to capture through their sheer perseverance in remote locations. The HD technology has captured some scenes and images never seen before and some seen before but never with this clarity and beauty. 5 years, 62 countries and 204 locations is what it took to make this series, and the result is a lifetime TV series.
This is one series that fascinated my kid as much as it amazed me. She wanted to watch her cartoons but the moment the episode began she was captivated. Both of us shared together the wonder that is our Planet and it was she who brought up the subject of what we might be doing to it by our actions. We cried when we saw how polar bears have begun to drown as ice melts faster every year. The image of one lone bear trying to walk on ice but falling into the slushy waters, and having to swim longer distances to capture food and finally dying with exhaustion was heart breaking. The series makes no references to the present conditions, just in passing as with the polar bear. I think the directors and producers of the series just wanted to show us the beauty of the natural world, the fight for survival of several animals even when there is no climactic change. And as we keep watching and are filled with awe and wonderment that we're lucky enough to live on this planet, we begin to appreciate quietly in our hearts how we need to change today to ensure that we save our planet.
That is what my daughter felt on her own, she asked me why we were not doing more to save our natural world and I did not have any good answers. The last 3 episodes, Planet Earth: The Future delve deeper into these issues, which I haven't had a chance to see yet.
I watched a clip of David Attenborough's version video on the web before I started watching the series with Sigourney Weaver's narration, and I was disappointed by her blandness and lack of depth. I bought this set like many others to listen to Sir David's narration. I was torn between the regular DVD set and the HD DVD though. This series is good enough to make me buy an HD DVD player just to be able to watch it in its true form! However, the regular set has the Future series and the Planet Earth diaries which the HD set does not have. I loved the Planet Earth Diaries (or behind the scenes) with cameramen, it made a fascinating documentary on it's own, and wished some were longer. If they had the extra material in the HD DVD set, it would have been my first choice.
I had saved the Discovery HD Theatre epidodes on my HD Cable box and I was able to compare their image quality with this Standard DVD version playing on an upconverting DVD player. The Discovery Theater images were crystal clear, and you could literally see each grain of sand on the sea bed or each crevice on a rock face. The Standard DVD looked pretty good when upconverted to 720p and if I had not seen the HD version I would have been quite amazed with the image quality. Right now I've been spoilt by the Discovery Theater version. If you're considering the HD version it's a great choice if you have an HD DVD/BluRay player. You'll probably not see a better HD disc. This series was shot completely in HD format. From my experience in the media industry I can tell you that this is a very, very expensive format to shoot in especially given the 5 years that it took to make this series. Most television is shot in a regular digital format and then upconverted to the HD format later. That gives great images but they cannot compare to something shot totally in HD. That is the reason the image quality of this series is spectacular. In HD they were able to capture the action which when replayed in slow-motion also stays crystal clear. Therefore you have breathtaking images of a shark capturing its prey (and many others) in slo-mo.
This really is the set to buy. It's like a living documentation of the beauty of our earth, some of which was starting to disappear right as the cameras were rolling. Perhaps, that is why BBC and Discovery spared no cost to produce this series and it is a masterpiece.

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With an unprecedented production budget of $25 million, and from the makers of Blue Planet: Seas of Life, comes the epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production, over 2,000 days in the field, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, shot entirely in high definition, this is the ultimate portrait of our planet. A stunning television experience that captures rare action, impossible locations and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved, wildest and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth's most extreme habitats. Planet Earth takes you to places you have never seen before, to experience sights and sounds you may never experience anywhere else.

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