NOVA - Hitler's Lost Sub (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)This two hour DVD traces the history of submersibles through WWII and details the dramatic U-Boat campaign off the US.
It follows the story of wreck divers Ritchie Kohler and John Chatterton as they spend years identifying the wreck of a German U-Boat they were put onto by Capt. Bill Nagle of the dive boat "Seeker". Three divers, including a father and son team, were lost in this quest.
It travels from archives in the US to Germany where poignant stories of the U-869's crew are revealed.
A nice tour takes the viewer through a Type 9 U-Boat in a museum. The video also has some amazing high quality underwater footage taken by veteran wreck diver Bill Delmonico. This footage of the U-869 in spectacularly clear water conditions was shot long before the submarine wreck was actually identified. Strangely, Mr. Delmonico does not receive an artist's credit for this work.
As a wreck diver and charter boat skipper who has dived on U-Boat and other submarine wrecks for many years this video was doubly interesting to me. It should fascinate any diver or historian. Really does bring out enough stuff to scare you.
It is a must have companion to Robert Kurson's superb "Shadow Divers" and Bernie Chowdhury's sad account of the fate of Chris and Chrissy Rouse, "The Last Dive: A Father and Son's Fatal Descent into the Ocean's Depths". The Wreck Hunters: Dive to the Wreck of the USS Bass

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The true story behind the cataclysmic World War II naval battle that took place just off American shores. 1941. America had just entered World War II, but terrifying unseen weapons were stalking US targets, sinking over 400 ships just miles from American shores in the worst naval defeat in United States history. The stealthy predators were German U-boats, Hitler’s deadly warships of the deep.It was cataclysmic-with bodies and wreckage washed ashore on the eastern seaboard. But the Allies ultimately triumphed, sinking over 700 enemy submarines.Fifty years later, the personal drama behind this wartime state of siege resurfaced when a team of divers discovered an unidentified German U-boat deep in the waters off the New Jersey coast. What boat was it? And what secret mission brought it there? The divers embarked on a dangerous, six-year quest to uncover the secret of the mysterious wreck. Three divers lost their lives in the search, but the clues uncovered have shed remarkable new light on the struggles and triumphs from this undersea war.There’s more in this spectacular two-hour video journey. Trace the history of submarines and undersea warfare from the American Revolution through World War II, and tour the sophisticated-and cramped-interior of a captured U-boat. Dive in dangerous waters with deep sea detectives as they attempt to retrieve clues that will reveal the decaying U-boat’s identity. See how the breaking of secret Nazi codes by the Allies altered the outcome of the war-and helped unravel the mystery behind this German U-boat. And finally, travel to Germany with the divers as they rewrite a part of World War II history, bring closure to families of the lost crew and discover how one man’s life was spared.

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From Conception to Birth (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)At 7 months pregnant with my second child, I enjoyed this movie until I got tired of how often they reiterated how painful, practically impossible, and scary pregnancy and childbirth are. I mean, "Childbirth is like trying to fit a softball down your throat?" And they went on and on about how it should be physically impossible, how painful it is... all while showing moms in labor lying on their backs in hospital beds, hooked up to IVs and fetal monitors not being offered any pain relief (like walking around or being massaged or having a shower or a bath or any other comfort measures) until they finally "give in" and have the epidural... It's another ridiculous example of how our media distorts birth and helps cause our high cesarean rates and poor fetal outcomes. My young son was with me, and even he had the sense to say at the beginning, when they took a baby away from the mom immediately, "hey! that baby wants to be with its mother." I do have to say the images of the babies in the moms' bellies while they walked around were pretty awesome. But there was hardly any of that, unfortunately, and the rest of the video isn't worth watching to get to them.

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FROM THE MIRACLE OF CONCEPTION TO THE WONDER OF BIRTH, THIS IS AN INSIDE VIEW OF OUR MOST FASCINATING JOURNEY. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HUMAN LIFE IS REVEALED WITHIN A WOMAN'S BODY - FROM THE INCREDIBLE FIRST MOMENTS OF CELL DIVISION THROUGH THE BABY'S AWE-INSPIRING GROWTH OVER THE NEXT NINE MONTHS. THIS AMAZING DVD, FILLED WITH TRULY UNIQUE AND MAGICAL IMAGERY, IS NOT TO BE MISSED.

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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 - In the Path of a Killer Volcano (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a teacher of Earth and Environmental Science and have the VHS version of this fabulous documentary. It excels at highlighting the science of volcanology as well as the real world decisions that the seismologists/volcanologists from the U.S. Geologists had to deal with. It profiles a few scientists who quickly became my heroes after watching this including John Ewert, Rick Hoblitt, and Dave Harlow (among others). I will be purchasing the DVD version of this when it is released. It is a must have if you want to impress upon your students 1) how truly awesome volcanoes are and 2) how important scientific research is in helping to save lives. The DVD version of this should be fantastic. I think that you'll find that it is a real nail biter!

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The Philippines' Mount Pinatubo is about to blow big. Is there enough time to evacuate the hundreds of thousands in its raging path? Stay with the scientists who remain behind- and see some astonishing footage of the world's largest volcanic eruption in 80 years. Local tribespeople were the first to see the signs."There was a flash of light from the sky," said one."I thought it was my time to die." The Philippines' Mount Pinatubo was acting restless- and the volcanologists at Clark Air Force Base were starting to sweat.An angry mountain is highly unpredictable.If they misread its fits and starts, a violent explosion could send pyroclastic flow- hot, dense avalanches- roaring down its sides at 100 miles per hour, burning everyone and everything in its path.But if they ordered an evacuation and nothing happened, these experts could lose their credibility for good. With a typhoon headed in their direction, the stakes are even higher.Torrential rains turn ash and rock into hot mud flows that can bury a town in minutes.Is it time to issue a Level 4 alert- ordering hundreds of thousands to flee their homes?Stay with the courageous scientists who remain behind- and see some astonishing footage as the world's biggest eruption in 80 years really starts to blow.

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NOVA - Typhoid Mary: The Most Dangerous Woman in America (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)This Nova episode is something I saw on TV last evening.I knew about Typhoid Mary from historical legend but knew nothing about the facts.And as the actress portraying her so bluntly put it her NAME was Mary Mallon,an Irish immigrant cook living in New York at the turn of the 20'th century.And as this show so properly points out was responcible for one of the most mysterious and often deadly epidemics of the day.Only trouble is that in some significant ways Mary Mallon didn't come off as a particularly sympathetic character-she attacked Dr.Soper,who inicially informed her of her health status with a fork and constantly avaded the attentions of health service officials trying to track her down,while having killed three people and infecting others,unintentionally of course.
Mary was what was known as a healthy carrier.She was infected with Typhoid and was able to spread it to others but experienced no symptoms herself.There were in fact at least several dozen more like her but because of her unique case she got the most publicity by far.That was all compounded by the fact that dues to sexism and social Darwinism of her time she also became the literal poster child for Typhoid.
She died in the 1930's,near 70 years old and having been exhiled for years on North Brother Island,the American equivilent of a leper colony.The story itself as well as that of much of Mary's life is a tragic and sad one.But all sides made serious errors in judgement,and perhapes Mary's lack of respect over the years may have been due to her constant denials about having carried the disease and lack of remourse for those she's infected.Maybe the idea horrified her too much to bare and it drove her close to madness.She was afterall something of a caregiver by trade and likely resented having been blamed for causing so much misery.That's my personal opinion but nobody,as this shows really knew what was going on inside her head.And if this is to prove factual I don't know if we'd want to.So was she a victem or victemizer?Probably both but as such likely too frightened to live with it but to proud to admit it.But anyway this will prove very educational and eye catching.

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Interweaving biography and social history, The Most Dangerous Woman in America tells the extraordinary story of Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary. She gained this notoriety by being the first person in North America to be identified as a healthy carrier of typhoid fever. Despite her indignant protests of innocence, she was incarcerated for years on an island in New York's East River. Mary Mallon's saga throws into vivid relief the emerging science of public health and the social, ethical, and legal dilemmas it posed to its pioneers at the turn of the twentieth century.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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NOVA: Fractals - Hunting the Hidden Dimension (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an interesting and entertaining introduction to fractal geometry. It illustrates how the Julia and Mandelbrot sets were devised. Benoit B. Mandelbrot himself was dismissed and scoffed at by mathemeticians until he authored "The Factal Geometry of Nature", they then realized the connection of fractals & math and nature, even our bodies use it for economy of construction. There is order in so-called disorder except in cases of cancer. But computers were necessary to utilize the full potentials of fractals. This film offers graphic demonstrations. The spinoffs of B.Mandlebrot's book include the first ever computer generated special effects for Star Trek movies, some medical research applications, a quantum leap in design for antennaes for cell phones. Ships now from WGBH Boston.

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Item Name: NOVA: Fractals - Hunting the Hidden Dimension; Studio:WGBH BOSTON

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NOVA - The Elegant Universe (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a warning to other potential purchasers, please note that this is not a new program "Beyond" the original "The Elegant Universe" but just a repackaging with 2 other programs.
I thought the first DVD was great, and was just about to purchase this one because it sounded like a new program continuing where the first left off, but in fact it is EXACTLY the same program! I got the details from WGBH.org and here they are :-
THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE AND BEYOND is a compliation of three different NOVA programs that have already aired. They are listed below with synopses on each one:
1) The Elegant Universe (WG36779)
Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory Join host Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University and the best-selling author of The Elegant Universe, for an in-depth exploration of the groundbreaking new string theory that will excite scientists and non-scientists alike. If string theory proves correct, the universe we see obscures a reality that is far richer and more complex than anyone ever imagined--a universe with numerous hidden dimensions, a universe in which the fabric of space can rip and tear, a universe that may be but one of many parallel universes
2) Einstein's Big Idea (WG38889)
Everyone's heard of it, but what does E=mc2 really mean? With brilliant period recreations, discover how an obscure patent clerk, Albert Einstein, came up with his shattering 1905 discovery that the realms of matter and energy are inescapably linked. Starring Aidan McArdle (Ella
Enchanted) as Einstein, and Shirley Henderson (Bridget Jones's Diary) as Einstein's first wife, Mileva Maric.
3) Einstein Revealed (WG26479)
Journey into the mind of a genius in this penetrating profile of the world's most renowned physicist, who contributed more than any other to our modern vision of physical reality. Andrew Sachs (Fawlty Towers) stars as Albert Einstein.
I Hope this helps prevent anyone wasting their money buying the same program twice.

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One of the most ambitious and exciting scientific theories ever posed-one that may be the long-sought "Theory of Everything"-gets a masterful and lavishly animated explanation that will excite scientists and non-scientists alike. Beginning with simple and clear explanations of major concepts of physics, including gravity, electromagnetism, and relativity, The Elegant Universe illuminates one of the most revolutionary theories in physics today.Known as string theory or superstring theory, this startling idea proposes that the fundamental ingredients of nature are inconceivably tiny strands of energy, whose different modes of vibration underlie everything that happens in the universe. The theory attempts to unite the laws of the large-general relativity-and the laws of the small-quantum mechanics-breaking a conceptual logjam that has frustrated scientists for nearly a century.If string theory proves correct, the universe we see obscures a reality that is far richer and more complex than anyone ever imagined-a universe with numerous hidden dimensions, a universe in which the fabric of space can rip and tear, a universe that may be but one of many parallel universes.Join host Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University and the best-selling author of The Elegant Universe, for this exciting and in-depth exploration of this groundbreaking new theory.Special DVD features include:bonus video-how the animation was created; Multidimensional Math activity; The Making of The Elegant Universe activity; printable materials and activities for educators; link to The Elegant Universe Web site; excerpt from the best-selling book The Elegant Universe; scene selections; closed captions;and described video for the visually impaired.On two DVD9 discs.Region coding: All regions.Audio: Dolby stereo.Screen format: Letterboxed.On two DVD9 discs.Region coding: All regions.Audio: Dolby stereo.Screen format: Letterboxed.

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Hitlers Lost Sub (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)A true story about the incredible efforts to unmask the sunken nazi submarine that was found decades after the war off the coast of New Jersey! This video has all the makings of a dangerous, dramatic modern day diving expedition, while at the same time, bringing us back in time to World War II. The end had me in tears. These divers were so brave, that to think of what they risked and lost to find out the origins of the sub gives me chills. An interesting angle of WWII history. A MUST for divers or WWII buffs!

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The true story behind the cataclysmic World War II naval battle that took place just off American shores. 1941. America had just entered World War II, but terrifying unseen weapons were stalking US targets, sinking over 400 ships just miles from American shores in the worst naval defeat in United States history. The stealthy predators were German U-boats, Hitler’s deadly warships of the deep.It was cataclysmic-with bodies and wreckage washed ashore on the eastern seaboard. But the Allies ultimately triumphed, sinking over 700 enemy submarines.Fifty years later, the personal drama behind this wartime state of siege resurfaced when a team of divers discovered an unidentified German U-boat deep in the waters off the New Jersey coast. What boat was it? And what secret mission brought it there? The divers embarked on a dangerous, six-year quest to uncover the secret of the mysterious wreck. Three divers lost their lives in the search, but the clues uncovered have shed remarkable new light on the struggles and triumphs from this undersea war.There’s more in this spectacular two-hour video journey. Trace the history of submarines and undersea warfare from the American Revolution through World War II, and tour the sophisticated-and cramped-interior of a captured U-boat. Dive in dangerous waters with deep sea detectives as they attempt to retrieve clues that will reveal the decaying U-boat’s identity. See how the breaking of secret Nazi codes by the Allies altered the outcome of the war-and helped unravel the mystery behind this German U-boat. And finally, travel to Germany with the divers as they rewrite a part of World War II history, bring closure to families of the lost crew and discover how one man’s life was spared.

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