These are available to OSU (or other OhioLINK Institutions) students, faculty, and staff only
After the Warming
Episode One
1991
Ambrose Video
In this first part James Burke explores global warming from a historical and theoretical perspective. Segments describe the impact of climate change on human activity, analyze the importance of the Industrial Revolution, and draw conclusions about global warming. Climatologists, and scientist present complex concepts and theories in an understandable manner. This production reinforces the human impact on the environment, projects the needs for personal responsibility, and facilitates the integration of science and social sciences.
After the Warming
Episode Two
1991
Ambrose Video
James Burke continues the investigation of global warming. Segments identify the characteristics of a developing nation, analyze the influence of media on public opinion, evaluate and suggest forestation policies, and compare the pros and cons of research vs. immediate action. Sequences describe sources of renewable energy, identify ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and reinforce ecological actions which protect the environments and humankind. This high tech production stimulates environmental discussions, projects the needs for personal responsibility, and facilitates the integration of science and social sciences.
Aquatic Environments: Riparian Area, Lakes, and Marshes
2000
Lakes, marshes, and the lands that border them are home to a rich variety of plants and animals. This program describes research techniques that are used for exploring still water environments. The importance of riparian habitats to endangered species is underscored. (26 minutes, color)
America's First River: Bill Moyer's on the Hudson (2 Parts Series)
2002
The Hudson River, the catalyst for the conservation movement of the 19th century and the
environmental movement of the 20th, remains a focus of conflicting
desires and competing demands.
Aquatic Environments: Streams and Rivers
Series: Way Out West
If water is the lifeblood
of the Earth, then streams and rivers are the Earth's arteries. This
program examines research techniques suitable for use in moving water
environments while presenting approaches to evaluating stream health.
(27 minutes, color)
Bill Moyers Reports: Earth on Edge
2001
Assesses the state of the environment.
Boiling Point: The Global Struggle for Water
2002
Competition for freshwater is heating up. Is war inevitable, or is a peaceful solution possible? This program spotlights three trouble spots that epitomize the intensifying crisis and efforts being made to manage it: the Okavango, where a commission formed by Angola, Namibia, and Botswana is trying to resolve the conflict that is endangering the river?s unspoiled waters; the Rio Grande, where an aging water-sharing treaty and ever-greater demands for water leave farmers on both sides of the divide with little hope; and the West Bank, where Palestinian rainwater reservoirs and the Israeli water grid are dangerous points of contention between the two peoples. (27 minutes, color)
Clear Water, Cloudy Future
Series: Great Lakes Alive (4 Parts Series)
Examines lake Erie's incredible turn of events, and what scientists are doing to solve the
riddle.
The Collapse of the Aral Sea
2000
The Aral Sea used to be one of the world's largest and most productive inland bodies of water until a Soviet plan to turn Central Asia into the greatest cotton-producer on Earth destroyed it. Now mostly a sterile lake amidst a desert poisoned by decades of fertilizer and pesticide runoff, the Aral Sea, itself ruined, is ruining the lives of all who still live near it. This program details the irreversible damage to the ecosystem and the resulting health problems being faced by the remaining inhabitants of the region. "The Aral Sea and the tragic plight of its people is not a freak, isolated event, but a crisis that is just slightly ahead of its time," says host David Suzuki. (54 minutes, color)
The Comfort Blanket: Earth's Atmosphere
1991
This program concentrates on how the atmosphere, composed of air and water vapor, protects life by acting as a planetary thermostat. Information on solar radiation and the role of carbon dioxide and other gases in trapping heat is included in this discussion of Earth's global "comfort blanket." (20 minutes, color) (cc)
Continental Drift: Legacy of Fire
Series: Earth Story (8 Parts Series)
Follows geologists from Bolivia to Alaska as they examine the similarities in rocks found at
both poles.
Dating the Earth
Series: Earth Story (8 Parts Series)
Producer: BBC Contract
1998
Travels back in time to uncover the place where life began.
Death of the Dinosaurs
Series: Earth Story (8 Parts Series)
1998
Follow scientists as they trace the evidence deep into the earth's core of molten metal.
Earth: A Special Case
Series: Planet Under Pressure
1991
Beginning with a look at the nightmarish conditions on other planets, this program illustrates
how Earth's position in the solar system is crucial to its
life-sustaining properties. The immense diversity of life forms
inhabiting the planet and the elaborate interdependence of all species
throughout the biosphere are explored. (20 minutes, color) (cc)
The Earth and Moon
Series: Earth Story (8 Parts Series)
1998
Astronomers are now scanning the galaxy for other habitable planets.
Einstein: Shedding light on the universe
2002
This lively animated biography of Albert Einstein introduces students to one of history?s most influential scientists while clearly illustrating his profound ideas. Attention is given to how Einstein reconciled conventional velocity addition with the constant speed of light and how he arrived at his special and general theories of relativity. His most famous equation, E=mc2, is derived in four simple steps, and the tapping of matter?s energy through fission and fusion is addressed. Rich in content and fun to watch, this video provides a perfect platform for discussing the scientific theories that revolutionized the way we understand our world.
The Elements
1982
Earth, air, water, and fire presented at their most grand.
Extreme Environments: Sand Dunes, Hot Springs, and Tundra
Series: Way Out West
2000
How do life forms adapt to
extreme terrestrial and aquatic environments? This program answers that
question by examining plants and animals that call quartzite and gypsum
sand dunes, phreatic caves, acidic geothermal springs, and alpine
tundra home. (27 minutes, color)
The Future of Life: Searching for Solutions
Series: State of the Planet
2000
At the current rate of resource depletion, humankind stands to lose fully half of Earth's
remaining species over the next 100 years. At this crucial point in
world history, a choice must be made: will coming generations inhabit a
healthy planet or, quite possibly, a dying one? In this program, David
Attenborough searches for solutions to this impending eco-disaster. The
research of demographer Ian Diamond, climatologist Stephen Schneider,
zoologist John Hanks, marine biologist Amanda Vincent, conservationist
Walter Lusigi, and biologists Ian Redmond, John Lawton, Sir Robert May,
and Edward Wilson is featured. A BBC Production. (50 minutes, color)
Geologic Past of the Southwest
Series: Way Out West
2000
This program researches the ancient environments of the Southwest by investigating an Ice Age
cave, a Tyrannosaurus dig in the Bisti Badlands, volcanic activity at
El Malpais National Monument, and fossilized mammal footprints near the
Rio Puerco. (26 minutes, color)
Global Warming and the Extinction of Species
2005
Some scientific studies predict that as the Earth continues to warm, up to a third of all species could go extinct by the middle of the century. This ABC News program looks at the effect of global warming on non-human life?specifically two species of frogs that used to inhabit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, in Costa Rica; three additional vanished frog species in Madagascar; and the severely threatened checkerspot butterfly in southern California. Commentary is provided by Alan Pounds, of the University of Miami; the American Museum of Natural History?s Chris Raxworthy; and Camille Parmesan, of The University of Texas at Austin. (22 minutes)
The Great Experiment
Series: Great Lakes Alive (4 Parts Series)
1995
Looks at the effects of toxic chemicals on the Great Lakes basin.
Heard Island
2002
Over 2,000 miles southwest of Australia, Heard Island is wet, windy, and one of the few unspoiled environments left on earth. In this program, scientists and researchers from a wide array of disciplines undertake a six-month expedition to this remote spot that serves as a precise barometer of climate change and global warming. The team conducts studies ranging from archaeological excavations of Heard Island's once-bustling seal blubber industry to ornithological surveys of migratory sea birds and their diets. (51 minutes, color)
Hubble: Secrets from Space
1998
Ambrose Video
This film traces the history of the $2 billion Hubble Space Telescope. It contains poignant interviews with the astronomers and other scientists who developed the instrument, and with space archaeologists who show examples of star birth and death, black holes, deep sky work and planetary observations made possible by Hubble. Incorporating brilliant animation and awe-inspiring Hubble space imagery, Hubble: Secrets From Space also documents the training of astronauts and the technology used for Hubble servicing missions.
Interdependence of Life
2005
On planet Earth, no living thing is an island. This video identifies the world's ecosystems as it explains the flow of energy and the cycling of matter within them. Terms such as biosphere and biome, biotic and abiotic, autotrophs (producers) and heterotrophs (consumers), and the food web are defined, and ecology and conservation as fields of study are explored. Rainforests serve as a timely and powerful example of the interdependence of life at the global level -- and the devastating worldwide effects of deforestation. A Cambridge Educational Production.
Is There A Crisis? Biodiversity in Decline
2000
The most striking feature of life on Earth is its richness and variety. But research shows that the planet's biodiversity is seriously threatened with destruction by human activities. From the depths of the oceans to the tops of rainforest canopies, from the African savannas to the soil underfoot, this program hosted by David Attenborough reveals the extent of that living bounty--and the chilling rate at which species are becoming extinct. The research of paleontologist Peter Ward, marine biologist Sylvia Earle, entomologist Terry Erwin, and biologists Sir Robert May, Edward Wilson, and John Lawton is featured. A BBC Production. (50 minutes, color)
Journey to the Ocean Floor
Series: Earth Story (8 Parts Series)
1998
Contains stunning footage of the ocean floor.
The Living Soil: The Value of Humus
Series: Planet Under Pressure
1991
Soil is a remarkable substance--in essence, a self-sustaining biological machine. This
program shows how nutrients are endlessly replenished in healthy soil
through the interaction of plant roots, nitrogen-fixing bacteria,
fungi, and other life forms to create humus. Soil loss through
deforestation and intensive farming techniques is also considered. (20
minutes, color) (cc)
Noah's Children
Series: Earth Story (8 Parts Series)
Producer: BBC Contract
1998
Did the great flood, as described in the Book of Genesis, really happen?
Non-Point Source Water Pollution: An Overview of Runoff
Series:Our Urban Environment: Water Quality
2000
This program investigates sources of runoff and the pollution that occurs when it washes contaminants such as pesticides, bacteria, oil, and unwanted nutrients into aquatic ecosystems. Cost-effective initiatives to divert and filter runoff are also spotlighted, including stormwater rehabilitation systems, highway runoff purification systems, construction site erosion controls, and waste retention lagoons. In addition, many experts are featured, including A. J. Englande, of Tulane University; Frances Dunham, executive director of the Santa Rosa Sound Coalition; and Carlton Dufrechou, executive director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation.
Oil and Energy
1995
Can we meet the demand?
The Oil Curse
Series:Extreme Oil
2004
The discovery of oil is often celebrated as a one-way ticket to wealth and economic growth. But in some developing countries, striking it rich has had the opposite effect -- making oil more of a bane than a blessing for the poorest inhabitants. This program contrasts two cases: Ecuador, where the toxic environmental legacy of oil has sparked a landmark lawsuit over international corporate accountability, and western Africa, where today's oil companies have embraced new ethical and political approaches to business. In Angola, the oil industry is creating health and education development projects to ensure that some part of a potential $200-billion jackpot will reach and benefit the local population. (57 minutes, color)
On The Road
Series:Tales From The Maproom
1993
Ambrose Video
From medieval pilgrims to car atlases, travelers rely on maps. Also, how parents can help their children with map reading skills.
The Origin of Species
1998
Darwinism--so profound and so simple--is arguably the most significant scientific theory to impact
humankind since the Copernican model of the solar system. This
remarkable program, narrated by David Attenborough, brings Charles
Darwin's The Origin of Species to life, clearly capturing the thesis of
each chapter. Supported by outstanding nature photography, this elegant
examination of speciation, domestic breeding, natural and sexual
selection, and the relationship between all living things is an
excellent introduction to the subject of evolution. A BBC Production.
(30 minutes, color)
The Oxygen Partnership: Air and Evolution
Series: Planet Under Pressure
1991
More than simply a blanket of breathable gas, the atmosphere acts as both a heat engine and a
solar shield. This program investigates the relationship between the
evolution of life on Earth and the appearance of oxygen in the
atmosphere, the development of the ozone layer, and the implications of
shifts in the balance of atmospheric components. (20 minutes, color)
Oxygen: the Poison Gas
Series: Earth Story (8 Parts Series)
1998
Examines the possible consequences of our actions.
Ozone: Chlorofluorocarbons and Ozone Depletion
Series: Planet Under Pressure
1991
The discovery of a hole in the ozone layer during the 1980s spelled the beginning of the end for
chlorofluorocarbons, once widely used as refrigerants, solvents, and
propellants and in the manufacture of plastic foams. This program
describes the chemistry behind the depletion of the stratospheric ozone
layer by the accumulation of CFCs in the atmosphere. (20 minutes, color) (cc)
The Pipeline
2004
This ambitious documentary follows the circuitous route of the 1,100-mile BTC Pipeline, a string of 150,000 steel pipes that links the cities of Baku, in Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, in Georgia; and Ceyhan, in Turkey. The pipeline will transport the rich, previously untapped energy reserves of the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean, from where it will flow into the global market, but its route makes many detours around areas of regional conflict and territorial dispute. Traveling the pipeline's length, the filmmakers encounter numerous stumbling blocks -- including their own arrest in Azerbaijan -- as they make their way through some of the most geographically challenging and politically unsafe places on Earth. (57 minutes, color)
The Pleasure Planet: Can the Earth Be Saved?
Series: Planet Under Pressure
1991
Home to billions of human beings, Earth is reaching an ecological crisis point. By analyzing
rates and patterns of consumption in developed and developing nations,
this program targets overpopulation and exploitation of natural
resources as the primary causes of the world's environmental problems
and offers approaches to coping with them. (20 minutes, color) (cc)
Program 2: 1820 - 1845
December 2004
Ambrose Video
Turning Points in the Physical Sciences
1820 Electromagnetism is Discovered
1824 Carnot Expresses First Law of Thermodynamics
1830 Charles Lyell Publishes "The Principles of Geology"
1831 Faraday Produces Electricity from Magnetism
1837 A Past Ice Age is Theorized by Agassiz
1842 Doppler Effect
Scientific Method
1999
Many think the scientific method is a complicated formula used only by those with a degree in chemistry. In reality, the scientific method is a system of reasoning which can be used to solve almost any type of problem. This program examines the basic elements of the scientific method including defining and researching the problem, forming a hypothesis, using experiments and observations to gather information, analyzing the data, forming a conclusion, and communicating the results. Shows many practical day-to-day utilizations of the scientific method including the testing of new drugs and analyzing the performance of various types of sporting goods. An excellent way to demonstrate the exciting and rewarding aspects of the science field.
Sequence Stratigraphy: The Book Cliffs of Eastern Utah
2001
Sea-level change has occurred throughout Earth?s history. What can the past tell scientists today about the rise and fall of the planet?s oceans? This program takes viewers on a virtual field trip to the Book Cliffs, in Utah?the place where sequence stratigraphy was developed and tested?to study and interpret the sedimentary record there. Some of the field evidence for sea-level change is shown, along with how the sequence stratigraphy model has been applied to this particular shallow marine and fluvial succession. An excellent combination of location footage supported by detailed on-screen diagrams.
Super-Powered Earth
2005
Use this program to emphasize connections between the Earth?s natural resources and the latest advances in technology and medicine. The video shows how research into the chemical makeup of geological and biological materials drives the innovation of energy systems, building techniques, and pharmaceuticals?and how these improvements can save lives and reduce stress on the environment. Resin coatings for giant wind turbines, wax-plaster mixtures for energy-efficient homes, and fungi-derived compounds that could lead to an osteoarthritis cure?the video features these and many other advances, suggesting a future in which humanity can both profit from and protect the Earth. (46 minutes)
Testing the Limits of Possibility: Massive Dams and Waterworks
2003
When it comes to water management, many politicians and technocrats have felt that colossal problems are only solved by colossal projects: dams. But blind faith in concrete can often have devastating effects on communities and the environment. This program examines the positive and negative impact, as well as the politics and economics of several ongoing or proposed projects: China?s Three Gorges Dam, Egypt?s Mubarak pumping station, pit-mine reclamation in Germany?s Lausitz region, and Spain?s controversial national hydrological plan for the Ebro river. (27 minutes, color)
A Tissue of Lies
Series:Tales From The Maproom
1993
Ambrose Video
Mapmakers, can never show it exactly as it is, if only to overcome the difficulty of representing the earth's curved surface on a flat sheet of paper. A look at the confines and conventions, as well as the imagination and politics employed in mapping.
To the Last Drop
Series: Great Lakes Alive (4 Parts Series)
1995
The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater body in the world.
Wastewater Treatment and Discharge
2000
This program illustrates the physical, biological, and chemical treatment processes required to decontaminate industrial and residential wastewater and describes ways in which discharge is being put to work. Two wastewater treatment facilities are toured?one a traditional bricks-and-mortar operation and the other a constructed wetland system. Also, Steve Woods, of the Bayou Marcus Water Reclamation Facility; Thomas Byrom, of the Galveston Bay Estuary Program; and many others praise innovations such as high-tech disinfection and using treated wastewater to recharge aquifers while at the same time voicing concerns over funding difficulties and violations of the law. (27 minutes, color)
Water for the Cities
Series:Thirsty Planet
2003
This program takes a hard look at the mounting challenge of providing millions of people in urban areas with potable water and adequate disposal of waste water. To highlight the difficulties, segments focus on the water problems of the megalopolis, cities with populations of over ten million people, such as Lagos, Jakarta, and Mexico City. The massive logistics that enable Las Vegas to prosper in the middle of a desert are also explored. (27 minutes, color)
Water for the Cities
Series:Thirsty Planet
2003
(a different video in the series)
This program takes a hard look at the mounting challenge of providing millions of people in urban areas with potable water and adequate disposal of waste water. To highlight the difficulties, segments focus on the water problems of the megalopolis, cities with populations of over ten million people, such as Lagos, Jakarta, and Mexico City. The massive logistics that enable Las Vegas to prosper in the middle of a desert are also explored. (27 minutes, color)
Water for the Fields
Series:Thirsty Planet
2003
No matter where on Earth, the one human activity that consumes the most water is the one that wastes the most: agriculture. From locations around the world, this program surveys both disasters of agricultural irrigation, such as cotton farming in Uzbekistan, and innovative successes in water-efficient techniques and crops, such as in California and India. Numerous examples illustrate the destructive effects of deforestation and overgrazing, the difficulty of fighting erosion and reclaiming arable soil, and the urgency of the motto: more crop per drop. (27 minutes, color)
Water for Profit
2003
The moment demand outpaces supply, water becomes a commodity to be traded in the global market. But who owns the rights to water? And how can a price be set on water? In this program, the pros and cons of privatization are assessed in a number of water management situations around the world: Aguas Argentina in Buenos Aires; the Bechtel corporation in Cochabamba, Bolivia; Thames Water company in Jakarta; and a public/private test partnership in Albania. Corporate representatives, anti-privatization activists, farmers, and industry experts offer commentary from all sides of the issue. (27 minutes, color)
Water, Water Everywhere: The Hydrologic Cycle
Series: Planet Under Pressure
1991
This program studies the hydrologic cycle and water's chemical and physical abilities to
dissolve and transport minerals, nutrients, and toxins. Alarming
inadequacies in sewage treatment methods and dangerous environmental
problems involving water pollution and overuse of groundwater are also
discussed. (20 minutes, color) (cc)
Waters of Discord
Series: Thirsty Planet
2003
Almost half the world gets its drinking water from rivers that cross national boundaries. Analysts predict that more wars will be fought over water than oil. This program surveys a number of active or potential hot spots: Israel and the river Jordan; the Southeastern Anatolia Project in Turkey and its effects on Syria and Iraq; Egypt?s Toshka Canal and the Nile Basin Initiative; and the Tehri dam in India. The program also looks at the effects of the Hoover dam on the Colorado River delta in Mexico and the success of Lesotho?s Katse dam. Vandana Shiva, author of Water Wars, discusses many of these situations. (27 minutes, color)
Watery Visions: Is the Future Potable?
Series: Thirsty Planet
2003
In a dramatic reversal of policy since apartheid, South Africa has become a model of water fulfillment. Despite being one of the driest regions on Earth, India?s Rajasthan is an oasis due to the revival of a system of ancient rain basins. This program looks at these encouraging examples to show how sustainable solutions to long-term water management can be achieved, while a visit to Sert? in Brazil illustrates the appalling alternative?two very different futures. (27 minutes, color)
Why Is There a Crisis? Environmental Exploitation
Series: State of the Planet
2000
Extinction is a natural process, and five times in the dim reaches of Earth's long history it
has happened on a huge scale. Now, due to human activities, another
mass extinction has been set in motion--and it is unfolding at an
unprecedented speed. This program, hosted by David Attenborough,
investigates the devastating effects of humankind's overpopulation and
overconsumption in an attempt to understand how the crisis may yet be
averted. The research of conservation biologist Tom Lovejoy, marine
biologist Sylvia Earle, climatologist Stephen Schneider, and biologists
Jared Diamond, Edward Wilson, John Lawton, and Sir Robert May is
featured. A BBC Production. (50 minutes, color)
The Wilderness
Series: Extreme Oil
2004
As the industrialized world's desire for oil grows larger, so does the opposition from environmental groups intent on protecting the land. As demand increases, what restraints should be put on where oil companies drill? This documentary journey heads to the farthest reaches of Alaska and Canada, with a side trip to Washington, D.C. As the pressure for oil -- and "energy security" -- increases, fragile wilderness areas across the globe are being opened up to oil exploration and furious debate. Featured is Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In Washington, those lobbying for and against tapping into ANWR's oil supply state their cases. The filmmakers also explore the oil sands in a pristine forest landscape in Alberta, Canada, the extraction site of what some call "the world's worst oil." (57 minutes, color)
Winds of Change: Global Warming and Extinction
Series: Planet Under Pressure
1991
As increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane trap more and more heat in
the atmosphere, the potential for an ecological disaster is growing. By
relating changes in temperature to the extinction of species throughout
history, this program contends that global warming, if left unchecked,
will result in mass extinction. (20 minutes, color) (cc)
November 2001
Ambrose Video
Descend more than two miles below the Earth's surface to witness the fascinating and dangerous measures that are endured to fulfill the world's obsession with gold and it's immense value.
Mponeng Mine in South Africa produces 13 and a half tons of gold per year, but not without tremendous risk and looming danger. More than 5,000 workers inhabit the mine. Join them on a journey that includes massive explosives, excruciating temperatures and constant fear of injury or death.
From the initial blasting through lava rock to the final armed transport of pure gold bars, the voyage into the "World's Deepest Goldmine" is a firsthand look at the noblest of medals.
Wrestling the Mississippi
1999
Ambrose Video
The Mississippi River floods of 1973, 1993 and 1995 were bad, but none were the 100-year flood that hydrologists predict. This disastrous flood is coming though - and many scientists say that when it does, the Mississippi will finally and inevitably have its way, flooding over its normal banks into countless towns. Narrated by Louisiana born Harry Connick, Jr., this film takes us up the mighty river for a look at its history and how it has affected the people who live on its banks. State-of-the art graphics are used to show where the Mississippi should be and could be, but no one can be certain what course the river will take.
Compiled by Mary W. Scott, Geology Librarian, Orton Memorial Library of Geology
Designed by Michael C. Veres, Student Library Assistant
Last updated: November 3, 2006