It took all of human history until 1800 for the world’s population to reach its first billion. Now we add a new billion nearly every dozen years. Over the next half century, 98 percent of that growth will take place in our planet’s poorest regions. And as the global total swells to nearly 9 billion by 2050, the social and environmental strains will be enormous. Through vivid personal stories, The Population Paradox reveals many startling trends. In this groundbreaking, worldwide investigation of humanity’s future, NOVA shows how decisions made now will change the fate of everyone over the next fifty years.
Subjects: Biology
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The Living Cell
Join Jenna and Tony in an impromptu game of “cell-ebrity squares” to learn about the structure and functions of plant and animal cells. With help from knowledgeable “cell-ebrities,” and actual cell footage, students learn about the characteristics of living things, the parts of a cell, Cell Theory, diffusion and osmosis, and active and passive transport. Inspire students to learn more with their own game of “cell-ebrity squares.” DVD features include on-screen teacher’s guide and vocabulary plus chapter selections: ()(2) Cells(3) Discovering cells (4) Plant and animal cells (5) Parts of a cell (6) Other types of cells (7) Cells with no nucleus (8) Diffusion and osmosis (9) Viruses (10) Conclusion.
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The Challenge of 20th Century Biology
The race for the structure of DNA, just over 50 years ago, is a wonderful story of intrigue and personalities, and gives us a very interesting insight into how science actually works, rather than how philosophers tell us it should work.
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Life’s Three Great Branches: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eucarya
Modules: Self-Replicating Molecules Evolve, The Archaeans, Earth’s First Inhabitants, The Rise of Bacteria, Photosynthesis and Oxygen, Eucarya, the Domain of Nucleated Cells Gets Its Start, The Evolution of Mitochondria, The Domains of Life.
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The Eukaryotic Cell Evolves
Modules: Motor Proteins Get Cells Moving, Mitosis assures Genetic Continuity, Plastids Evolve Through Endosymbiosis, The Red, Brown and Green Lines of the Photosynthetic, Life Branch Out, The Invention of Sex, The Origins of Multicellular Ogranisms, Conclusion.
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Adventures in Scientific Exploration
Eye of the Cyclops: adventures in Scientific Exploration features voyages of discovery into nine environments (3 pond regions, 2 streams, 2 woodland, 2 urban yards).
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Plankton Play
Cyclops, and its intrepid crew of explorers, dive into open water where they encounter the denizens of the plankton: micro-crustaceans, insects, rotifers and protists, all organisms that show unique adaptations for open water life.
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Decomposers Everywhere
Settling their craft into the bottom, the micronauts discover that the bottom ooze is populated by bacteria, the microbes that decompose and recycle organic materials. Decomposers Everywhere is an unforgettable visual introduction to the concept of organic decomposition.
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Food Chains Begin with Photosynthesis
In this episode, a single algae cell is rescued and its green secrets are revealed through experiments performed on board the Cyclops. Jonathan and Lyra discover how algae start food chains that ultimately sustains the fish, birds, amphibians and mammals living in and around the pond.
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Protozoans and Algae
Cruising through the weedy shallows, the crew is amazed at the diversity of protozoans swimming by the observation ports. They discover how these amazing single cells feed, reproduce and escape.