The Quest For Life How did life on Earth begin? Is there life beyond our planet? Is there a future for humankind on other planets? This documentary examines the search for life, from its origins on Earth to possibilities in space. The quest for answers takes EXPLORING SPACE to earthly locales ranging from Greenland to the mountains of eastern Mexico, from a French vineyard to a research facility in Japan – as well as deep into outer space. Earth may be a rare environment uniquely designed for nurturing living organisms, but as humans explore the creation of the planet, the realization grows that the answers to the origins of life may lie beyond earthly bounds. Watch the full documentary now (playlist - 2 hours) Monster of The Milky Way Astronomers are closing in on the proof they’ve sought for years that one of the most destructive objects in the universe - a super massive black hole - lurks at the center of our own galaxy. Could it flare up and consume our entire galactic neighborhood? NOVA takes us on a mind-bending investigation into one of the most bizarre corners of cosmological science: black hole research. From event horizon to singularity, the elusive secrets of supermassive black holes are revealed through stunning computer-generated imagery, including an extraordinary simulation of what it might look like to fall into the belly of such an all-devouring beast. Space, itself, is falling inside the black hole. It’s rather like a river falling over a waterfall. Watch the full documentary now
Cosmic Voyage Nominated for an Academy Award, this 36-minute IMAX production offers a state of the art, computer generated journey through the universe, and tries to pinpoint the role of human beings cohabitating within its vastness. Among the topics included are a variety of the greatest scientific theories known to exist - some of which had never before been visualized on film - as well as a guided tour through the cosmos and solar system, and a look at the nature of black holes and exploding supernovas. This IMAX offering presents us with not only one but two journeys - one in space (going from the entire universe to quarks) and one in time (going from the first cells to human beings). These are both monumental enterprises, but unfortunately this half-hour movie can only offer us an inkling of either. Watch the full documentary now
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage With Cosmos, Carl Sagan and his wife and co-writer, Ann Druyan, brilliantly illustrated the underlying science of his same-titled book, placing the human species within a space-and-time context that brought the infinite into stunningly clear view. The series, which originally aired in 1980 on PBS, has been seen by more than 700 million people worldwide and remains a high-water mark in miniseries history. Sagan lucidly explains such topics as Einstein's theory of relativity, Darwin's theory of evolution, and the greenhouse effect, bringing the mysteries of the universe down to a layman’s level of understanding. This documentary inspired me to a love of science, learning, and freedom of inquiry that have shaped both my interests and intellectual curiosity.
The Elegant Universe Adapted from a provocative book by Brian Greene, this deeply engrossing documentary -- which originally aired on PBS's NOVA in three parts -- attempts to explain the controversial string theory, a complicated scientific proposal that, in short, posits a single explanation for many of the universe's mysteries. As affable an egghead as you're likely to find, Greene engages an array of physicists in his examination of string theory, which in part blends Einstein's theory of relativity with the complex laws governing quantum mechanics. Although mind-numbing technical terms are kept to a minimum, those of us not conversant with advanced physics might feel a bit lost at times. Still, the subject is undeniably fascinating, and some of the conclusions are nothing short of mind-blowing: a reasoned, professional discussion of a universe encompassing 11 separate dimensions certainly calls Johnny Carson's "I did not know that" to mind. Watch the full documentary now (playlist - 2 hours, 48 minutes)
Here Comes The Sun If it were up to the sun, we would have no energy problem. Every half hour on the Earth's surface, there is more than enough light to provide energy needs for the whole world in a year. We don't have an energy problem, we have a conversion problem. If we are able to harvest sunlight in smart way, then we can prevent a global energy crisis. That sounds nice but that does not mean it will succeed, at least that is what many different bodies want us to believe. It's too expensive, takes too much space, too much material, it costs more energy than it brings, and it is still not efficient enough. Radical German government measures have proved that it is possible. Watch the full documentary now -
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