National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth (2005)

Around the globe scientists are racing to solve a series of mysteries. Unsettling transformations are sweeping across the planet and clue by clue investigators are discovering ways that seemingly disparate events are connected. Crumbling houses in New Orleans are linked to voracious creatures from southern China. An asthma epidemic in the Caribbean is linked to dust storms in Africa. Scientists suspect we have entered a time of global change swifter than any human being has ever witnessed. Where are we headed? What can we do to alter this course of events? Hosted by actor Edward Norton.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 727994930099 Product Description

Not junk science but...

This gives some interesting populist insights of the changes humans have brought, and are bringing, to the planet. Some of the examples are interesting whilst others are familiar. It is not urgent enough for me and the real reasons for these `negative' changes are not really explained. However, I suppose would be difficult to do this and make the programme populist(and it would upset many of the `powers that be').
However, a subtle point but, I think, an important one was the use of background music. This music is used in dramas to create illusions (of fear, of dread, etc) but why are these techniques used in a DOCUMENTARY? When the caribou swam across the river, I did not need an acoustic guitar playing in the background (why is it there- to stop boredom?). I would rather hear the natural sounds of the swimming. Herein lies the rub, this is really not a documentary but entertainment that purports to educate. In fact, it makes a mockery of the natural world by trying every technique to hide it, whilst at the same time using visuals combined with (annoying) sounds to induce emotion not knowledge. I have yet to hear percussion instruments under the sea in real life. Modern audiences need to see nature as it is. I am disappointed that many recent documentaries, excellent visuals are not enough for producers - that is, natural sounds and sights are not enough - we must be fed artificial `music' as well. (after all CSI uses that technique). `Bye `bye natural world. 'Bye, 'bye documentary. Fiction beomes fact. This is really a nice piece of Disneyeque science with a few entertaining and useful insights. Come on National Geographic, how about a deeper inveigation into this - something more sober. I do not doubt that the facts presented with the excellent visuals would be entertaining and truly educational. Let's try to get out of the virtual, make believe world in documentaries
January 8, 2008

Excellent and enjoyable series on our small and fragile planet

Strange Days is so well put together, and Edward Norton is a powerful narrator. I show at least one of the four episodes in classes that I teach. Students from Middle School to Grad School enjoy it equally. Episode 2: The One Degree Factor is my favorite documentary on Climate Change. Episode 4: Troubled Waters is one of the most chilling environmental segments ever aired. And the other two Episodes are fabulous.

I enjoy how the series shows scientists of every walk of life (not just white males in lab coats) and how it ties everything together and demonstrates how important and fragile linkages are in the Earth system.

This is a must see for everyone who call Earth home. Teachers, you'll love showing these in your classes, and your students will love them, too!

See http://www.pbs.org/strangedays/ for more information. November 29, 2007

Hollywood stars can have a big impact in our lives!

I have seen Edward Norton take on diverse roles in films - from a notorious racist that gets enlightened in "American history X" to a brilliant dual role in "Fight club". He is simply a fantastic actor. I watched "Strange Days on Planet Earth" narrated by him and I now realize that I have a special respect for this guy. This is not because he is versatile and gets into character in films (although he is!) but because he reveals in this documentary that Edward Norton in real life is the most humble man who can talk convincingly to people to change their lives for the benefit of mother nature.

What Edward does in this series is give us a glimpse into what scientists are finding out about the earth, what are the things that can potentially go wrong in our earth if humans act irrationally, what are the ways in which we can avoid these dangers etc. All of the segments are short, but they are all well connected. some of the answers that scientists find can be both surprising and thought-provoking. Examples: 1) The over-hunting of wolves in yellowstone led to the almost complete elimination of oak trees. why? because wolves prey on deer which inturn prey on young oak tree saplings. 2) The extinction of certain variety of toad is due to a chemical atracine in fertilizers. why? because atracine gets into water and even at the lowest concentration causes conversion of male into female frogs effectively reducing the male:female ratio to maintain population. These are only some of the very thought-provoking things that the series discusses. Infact, everything begins with a premis and through careful investigations by scientists, ends with solving the puzzle.

This one should be a must for anybody that wants to be cognizant of the fact that humans can have an adverse effect on the world around them if they are not being very careful. This series will also be thoroughly enjoyed by anybody that like Edward Norton! I highly commend his effort at promoting awareness among people about the only planet that we are ever going to live in. July 23, 2007

Pay Attention!

This was well researched and well presented. It helped a lot that Edward Norton was the narator but the topic at large is very concerning. June 11, 2007

Junk Science

Opening Arctic section strung together by a chain of assertions based on speculation with no hard scientific data to justify conclusions.

A couple of these were:
1. Mid winter rain is now common in the arctic
2. Snowfall has significantly increased
As a resident of AK, I know that neither of these is true.

At the opening of the program the question was asked whether the decline of the Porcupine Herd is due to natural cycles or global warming, but the question was never answered. They failed to examine population variances at all and instead went straight to the assertion that global warming is causing the demise of the Porcupine Herd. What are the historic cycles of this herd? How does it compare to other caribou herd populations? What factors affect these cycles?

Couldn't watch any more!

April 18, 2007

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