Earth - The Biography (2008)

Better than "Planet Earth" series?

I see several reviewers not liking "Earth: The Biography" as much as "Planet Earth", both of which I own. I found the BBC version "Earth: The Biography" to be far more useful on a broader scale, packing an enormous amount of information and understanding into only 4 main episodes, and finally the amazing "Rare Planet" finale. I have a background in Biology & Genetics, but I would recommend this series to anyone- layperson or scientist. It is in-depth enough to satisfy my questioning nature, while clear and succinct enough for my 10 year old and totally non-science daughter to understand!

If you want an understanding about "the big picture" about the dynamics of our planet, then this is the right series. I feel that "Planet Earth" is more for those who would appreciate a huge in-depth episode about each little thing- a whole episode dedicated just to caves! For a broad understanding in far less time though, "Earth: The Biography" is the way to go.

Ok, well truly I'd recommend them both! :-) It just depends on your personal taste as to which style you like: everything in a nutshell, or much longer detail under the microscope kind of view. August 21, 2008

Big Picture Hope - with a Scottish Host

As one who feels some despair about the state of the world on socioeconomic and environmental levels, I found EARTH: THE BIOGRAPHY wide-reaching enough that I regained some energy to work for the future of the planet. Geology and geography, environment and the human footprint are dealt with here rationally and clearly alongside excellent photography and computer graphics. I buy a DVD once every 4-5 years on average; this one was an instant-buy even before its release date. August 16, 2008

Thought provoking and entertaining.........

All in all I think this is an excellent overview of the 4.5 billion year history of our planet. "Earth" goes a bit further than geology by putting each of the presented forces into an affective context. Our biosphere is more integrated and dependent than most people realize. This series serves to bring that thought to light. People can put out all the good or bad information they like. It is up to the reader/viewer to find the truth through several sources. None of the documentaries produced should be taken as THE authority on any subject. Whatever National Geographic would like to TELL me I should believe Is not what will evolve into the truth for me. I will decide that for myself. Considering my philosophy on assimilating this or other information I think some folks were a bit hard on this series. It is what it is and if I want more information I will find it. These types of programs are meant to be educational ENTERTAINMENT. Thought provoking without covering every possible detail. As educational entertainment this show has done a wonderful job of explaining the processes of the earth and how they relate to everything around us including our own existence. This program is worth the $20 I paid for it and this series is well worth sitting down with your kids to watch. Programs like this can only spark more curiosity and imagination. More than the actual facts and figures which can be researched at anytime I think programs like this serve to keep our curiosity and imagination moving and our brains thinking. Watch it with your kids and see how many questions you get!! The family interaction generated will certainly be QUALITY family time. Who better to teach your kids than you?? August 16, 2008

Great Pictures, Poor Science.

I and wife are NG "fans", contributors and subscribers (also TRAVELER), but this time I was very disappointed... That is to say, they've "gone too far". Let me try to explain. (By the way we have the full DVD set, which consists of 5 programs of approximately :45 in length.) I very much enjoyed the videography, and even the host, but the program compromises what it purports to do, which is, trace the history and significance of various elements of life on earth, with some very dubious science. Let me give you an example, but in order to understand the example you must understand that every episode of the program is permeated with stern warnings, flash-forward images, etc. regarding anthropogenic global warming. (I chuckle to remember that In THE OCEANS the host, referring to a quite debatable and theoretical link between CO2 absorption and acidity levels in certain parts of the ocean, and for some reason also referring to an isolated local jellyfish kill in the south pacific [which he admits was due to natural weather fluctuations] actually exclaims: "We're pumping out so much CO2 that the oceans just can't keep up.." [This statement vis a vis acidity alone is a VERY hefty amalgam of dubious science.])In any case, the example I WANTED to give, was the main thrust of The Oceans: that because of global warming, the conveyor current is likely to "shut down" just as it did 250 million years ago when same shut-down caused the Permian extinction. I thought this was infuriating, as there remains GREAT debate over the cause of the PT Extinction and warming / conveyor shutdown doesn't even make the top three most likely reasons. So - I could go on and on but, in a nutshell, great pictures, bad science. It's one thing to scare people in order to get them on the climate-crisis bus, it's quite another thing to "stretch," oversimplify and misrepresent very good standing research and fascinating science to fit a programming agenda. Tracing back 40 years or so, NG is on the whole giving its readers and viewers fewer and fewer facts, fewer and fewer tidbits of real information, and more and more "death befalls the planet" speeches while violins play underneath. Oh well. It's effective at generating "maximum emergency contributions" from most people, I'm sure. And... I still love the pictures! August 11, 2008

More of a resume than a biography ;)

'Earth - The Biography' is a documentary about Earth's geology, atmosphere, and oceans.
It provides a short overview of how our planet was created but its main focus is on how Earth's natural forces combine to create conditions for life - and how this makes Earth a unique place in the Solar system and 'perhaps in the universe'.

It's a very high quality documentary that is on the same level as 'Planet Earth' and 'Blue Planet' - with great footage and visions of earth.
The guy with the accent is actually very charming, watchable, and non-obtrusive. I'm a non-native speaker and had no problems understanding what he was saying. Besides, there are subtitles.

I only regret that they did not put any special features on the DVD. After watching all five episodes, I really wanted to see a little more.
August 7, 2008

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