Man-Made Disasters

Origins of the Solar System

PBS NOVA scienceNOW Did an ancient supernova explosion trigger the birth of the solar system? Scientists are finally closing in on evidence that, nearly five billion years ago, a supernova shock wave swept through a cloud of dust and gas and caused it to collapse, eventually forming the sun and the planets. Meteorite hunters have scoured the globe for space rocks containing evidence of this ancient supernova in the form of rare isotopes that could only be created in the intense pressure of a supernova explosion. Working side-by-side with computer modelers, who create dazzling visual simulations of the baby solar system, they have revealed that the death of an enormous star, at least twenty times the mass of our sun, could be responsible for the birth of our own solar system. We also see amazing Hubble images of nebulae where the same cycle is happening today.

Man-Made Disasters

1X60 min. documentary, National Geographic Channel Drilling for natural gas causes a mud volcano in Java. Urban sprawl bolsters microclimates in Atlanta that help strengthen an approaching tornado.  Miiners in Newcastle, Australia remove so much coal and water from the earth it causes the most severe earthquake in Australian history.  Can a direct link be drawn between human activity and these ‘natural disasters’?  The jury is still out.  Some geophysicists believe these are examples of man’s capacity for drastically and suddenly awakening the planet’s destructive force, others believe these conjectures are without merit.  Does our quest for power and our impulse to build mega-structures come with an unexpected price tag? Certain forward-thinking energy companies and structural engineers are assuming it does, and they’re at the vanguard of a new movement that’s finding ways to generate energy and build big without disrupting the delicate balance of forces below—and above—the earth’s crust.

Finding The Origin Of Life

National Geographic Channel 2009 As far as we know, life is unique to Earth. So how did it come to be? And why here? We’ve all wondered about the origins of life, but one scientist in San Diego believes that he and his mentor found the answer. Dr. Jeffrey Bada at UC San Diego, sheds new light on renowned scientist Stanley Miller’s controversial experiment from a half century ago. Like Miller, Bada recreates conditions on Earth before life began 4 billion years ago. But this time, Bada introduces 21st century technology that Miller could only dream of. While cameras roll, the San Diego scientist mixes up a batch of “primordial ooze,” then, similar to the mythical Dr. Frankenstein, zaps it with a bolt of electricity—“primordial lightning.” The results? Amino acids, the building blocks of all life. It was this stunning experiment that first demonstrated that life could have evolved spontaneously from a combination of chemical processes present on early Earth. Still, how could these amino acids evolve to become bacteria, animals, and eventually humans? How did life start reproducing itself from something that isn’t alive?

Earth Without The Moon

National Geographic Channel 2009Earth Without The Moon reveals the startling fact that the Moon is receding from Earth and is gaining speed each year. The moon is a stabilizing force for Earth, enabling life to originate, evolve, and exist over the last 4 billion years. However, when it recedes just 10% further from Earth, the Earth will tip up to 90 degrees on its axis, creating endless catastrophes.  Extreme temperature swings will push oceans to the poles and ice to the equator; massive dust storms and hurricanes will last hundreds of years; rising sea levels will submerge cities like New York and Rio de Janeiro. Without our Moon, life as we know it will perish from the Earth.

Secret World Of Fireworks

Premiere Date: TBD 1X60 min. documentary, National GeographicSecret World of Fireworks (w.t.) explores the closely held secrets, recipes, and techniques from the world of pyrotechnic showmen. For the first time in this HD special, National Geographic takes a behind the scenes look into this exclusive world with unique access from Zambelli Internationale of New Castle, Pennsylvania – America’s “First Family of Fireworks” – along with rocket scientists and chemists from Los Alamos, New Mexico.