The weather has been rough this year. Hurricanes, rough winter and extreme summer heat. that extreme summer heat has caused more issues than just high electricity bills from running the air conditioner. The world's coral reefs have come under severe stress and scientists fear they are in danger of dying off.
The heat is causing the coral to shed its color, or bleach. Many corals have already expired and the dying isn't stopping now. Warm water in the Caribbean could cause coral there to undergo drastic bleaching within the next few weeks.
This is the second time coral has undergone a mass die-off. In 1998, some 16% of the world's shallow-water reefs died. However, scientists fear that in some areas, such as Thailand, the die-off this year will be worse than that of 1998.
Record high temperatures for the first eight months of 2010 have increased ocean temperatures which, in turn, placed stress on the delicate corals. Not only do corals add a breathtaking beauty to the landscape of the ocean, they provide a natural habitat for a variety of sea creatures.
The reefs themselves are millions of tiny polyps working hand-in-hand with algae. The algae capture sunlight and carbon dioxide and feed the polyps. It is the algae that bring the beautiful and vivid colors to the reefs. When temperatures rise, the metabolism of the algae speeds up and they create toxins rather than sugars to feed the polyps. The polyps reject the algae and bleaching occurs. The corals can possibly recover if temperatures drop to where the algae can reproduce. Continued heat eventually kills the polyps.
Some areas appear to be slowly recovering as temperatures slowly drop and some areas appear to not have been affected at all. The reefs of the Florida Keys have yet to suffer any effects of bleaching while serious bleaching has happened off the Texas-Louisiana border. The north Caribbean has experienced initial bleaching but are now experiencing cooler temperatures thanks to hurricanes and tropical storms. The southern Caribbean hasn't been so lucky.
The most famous coral reef in the world, Australia's Great Barrier Reef has many scientists worried. The Australian summer is just beginning and Australian waters are already above normal temperatures. The worry is if there is a bad monsoon season, the Great Barrier Reef will sustain serious bleaching.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39282717/ns/technology_and_science-the_new_york_times/
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Coral Faces Second Mass Die-Off
The weather has been rough this year. Hurricanes, rough winter and extreme summer heat. that extreme summer heat has caused more issues than just high electricity bills from running the air conditioner. The world's coral reefs have come under severe stress and scientists fear they are in danger of dying off.
The heat is causing the coral to shed its color, or bleach. Many corals have already expired and the dying isn't stopping now. Warm water in the Caribbean could cause coral there to undergo drastic bleaching within the next few weeks.
This is the second time coral has undergone a mass die-off. In 1998, some 16% of the world's shallow-water reefs died. However, scientists fear that in some areas, such as Thailand, the die-off this year will be worse than that of 1998.
Record high temperatures for the first eight months of 2010 have increased ocean temperatures which, in turn, placed stress on the delicate corals. Not only do corals add a breathtaking beauty to the landscape of the ocean, they provide a natural habitat for a variety of sea creatures.
The reefs themselves are millions of tiny polyps working hand-in-hand with algae. The algae capture sunlight and carbon dioxide and feed the polyps. It is the algae that bring the beautiful and vivid colors to the reefs. When temperatures rise, the metabolism of the algae speeds up and they create toxins rather than sugars to feed the polyps. The polyps reject the algae and bleaching occurs. The corals can possibly recover if temperatures drop to where the algae can reproduce. Continued heat eventually kills the polyps.
Some areas appear to be slowly recovering as temperatures slowly drop and some areas appear to not have been affected at all. The reefs of the Florida Keys have yet to suffer any effects of bleaching while serious bleaching has happened off the Texas-Louisiana border. The north Caribbean has experienced initial bleaching but are now experiencing cooler temperatures thanks to hurricanes and tropical storms. The southern Caribbean hasn't been so lucky.
The most famous coral reef in the world, Australia's Great Barrier Reef has many scientists worried. The Australian summer is just beginning and Australian waters are already above normal temperatures. The worry is if there is a bad monsoon season, the Great Barrier Reef will sustain serious bleaching.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39282717/ns/technology_and_science-the_new_york_times/
The heat is causing the coral to shed its color, or bleach. Many corals have already expired and the dying isn't stopping now. Warm water in the Caribbean could cause coral there to undergo drastic bleaching within the next few weeks.
This is the second time coral has undergone a mass die-off. In 1998, some 16% of the world's shallow-water reefs died. However, scientists fear that in some areas, such as Thailand, the die-off this year will be worse than that of 1998.
Record high temperatures for the first eight months of 2010 have increased ocean temperatures which, in turn, placed stress on the delicate corals. Not only do corals add a breathtaking beauty to the landscape of the ocean, they provide a natural habitat for a variety of sea creatures.
The reefs themselves are millions of tiny polyps working hand-in-hand with algae. The algae capture sunlight and carbon dioxide and feed the polyps. It is the algae that bring the beautiful and vivid colors to the reefs. When temperatures rise, the metabolism of the algae speeds up and they create toxins rather than sugars to feed the polyps. The polyps reject the algae and bleaching occurs. The corals can possibly recover if temperatures drop to where the algae can reproduce. Continued heat eventually kills the polyps.
Some areas appear to be slowly recovering as temperatures slowly drop and some areas appear to not have been affected at all. The reefs of the Florida Keys have yet to suffer any effects of bleaching while serious bleaching has happened off the Texas-Louisiana border. The north Caribbean has experienced initial bleaching but are now experiencing cooler temperatures thanks to hurricanes and tropical storms. The southern Caribbean hasn't been so lucky.
The most famous coral reef in the world, Australia's Great Barrier Reef has many scientists worried. The Australian summer is just beginning and Australian waters are already above normal temperatures. The worry is if there is a bad monsoon season, the Great Barrier Reef will sustain serious bleaching.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39282717/ns/technology_and_science-the_new_york_times/
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
UK Television: Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson
If you don't live in one of the countries of the British Commonwealth, chances are you might not be that familiar with Tony Robinson. If you aren't British and you do know him then you most likely know him only as the hygenically-challenged S. Baldrick, dogsbody to Sir Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh from the wildly popular UK comedy series Blackadder. While Baldrick always had a cunning plan to get himself, Edmund and Lord Percy Percy deeper into trouble (while supposedly trying to get them out), Tony Robinson has a cunning plan to educate the populace. From Time Team, The Worst Jobs in History and Tony Robinson and the Paranormal to Man on Earth, Tony Robinson's Crime and Punishment and Catastrophe, Robinson has traveled throughout Europe to provide viewers with a wealth of knowledge on a fascinating array of subjects.
Robinson's latest project is Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson. The three part documentary series airs on the UK National Geographic Channel. The series has already aired once in its entirety and there are more repeats of each episode scheduled. In each hour-long episode, Robinson looks at a different aspect of Britain's explosion (literally!) into life.
This is an amazingly fascinating series and Robinson's presentation is brilliant. He doesn't confuse viewers with scientific terminology or complicated speech. He describes everything in perfect laymen's terms that viewers of virtually any age could understand with no problem. Even if you aren't particularly interested in geology, this series is an incredibly interesting watch. Computer animation and footage of actual volcanic explosions assist the viewer in picturing just what the Birth of Britain would have looked like millions of years ago. The breathtaking landscapes and Tony Robinson's humor make this series not only educational but a pleasure to watch. After watching these three episodes, you truly will never see the majestic British Isles the same way again!
Episode One--Hidden Volcanoes (original air date: September 1, 2010)
Who would have thought that volcanic eruptions were once part of Britain's history? Tony takes us on a 1,500-mile journey beginning in Edinburgh to investigate how volcanoes formed the British isles into the beautiful and picturesque landscapes we know and love today. Thanks to the visionary research of James Hutton, the signs of ancient volcanic eruptions were discovered in the Scottish rocks. Tony next heads to Snowdonia, Wales and surveys the area by air and on foot and, by pointing out the various volcanic eruptions, illustrates how the British Isles literally "pulled itself together". Next, we visit Hadrian's Wall where Tony takes us on a tour of the 70-foot vertical cliff Whin Sill. Finally, we journey to Skye to learn how Britain broke free from North America with Tony and Dr. Dougal Jerram, an earth scientist from Durham University.
Episode Two--Ice Age (original air date: September 8, 2010):
We move from unbearably hot burning lava to ice as much as a mile thick starting in Loch Ness. We're not there to search for Nessie. Instead, something much more exciting to geologists is at the bottom of Loch Ness. Adrian Shine (naturalist, The Loch Ness Project) came to Loch Ness to search for Nessie. He now uses his equipment to research the Loch. Core samples have revealed the massive glacier that caused Loch Ness to be such a remarkably deep body of water. The glacier wasn't a mere 750 feet high. It reached at least a stunning 1,200 feet with the possibility of another 2,000 feet. Tony goes to Glen Roy where three odd parallel lines run round the Glen. They were formed by a great glacier that dammed the valley forming a lake and, as the glacier moved, the lines, lake lines, came into being. Next, we head to Glasgow that once housed a mile-thick sheet of ice. Tony explains why Glasgow is rising at the rate of about 2mm a year and just why Glasgow is full of steep hills. We leave Scotland for the Lake District in England to see how glaciers move rocks and leave a landscape behind as they retreat. We go to the Dales to see a hillside strewn with boulders that all tell a story of a long-ago glacier. The Anglian Ice Sheet is explained when we head to London as well as how the Thames has actually been moved. Excavations downriver explain how ancient climate change created the island of England.
Episode Three--Gold Rush (original air date: September 15, 2010):
Britain is a land of many treasures of all kinds. In the final episode, we go on a hunt for the gold that still lies buried beneath the land. Tony starts with the events that collected the gold into deposits. He begins his journey in Snowdonia, Wales to study slate. He moves on to Dolaucothi to Dolaucothi Mine, which was one of Britain's most productive gold mines over 2,000 years ago. In South Wales, Tony explains about the Roman invasion in search of gold. In the Southern Uplands, Tony goes to see gold that didn't hide from the seeker but, instead, was a bit easier to find. After a few minutes of panning, Tony actually strikes gold! Much farther south in Torquay, Tony goes to see a rare and stunningly beautiful form of gold. At Hope's Nose, Tony visits with mineralogist Alan Hart from the Natural History Museum for information about how this rare and unique deposit has formed and why it is in the fern-like shape that makes it so beautiful. We move on to Omagh in Northern Ireland. Using the theory that when what is now Ireland broke from what is now Newfoundland, Canada, Ireland must have retained some of the same gold that can be found in North America. Sure enough, real gold was found alongside 'fool's gold'. The final stop is deep in rural, Northern Ireland: Cavanacaw, site of the Cavanacaw Mine. Sixty tons of rock must be moved to find enough gold to make a single wedding ring. The product of the mine will be sent to Canada where it is separated.
If you missed Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson the first time around, never fear! All three episodes are scheduled for repeat on the National Geographic Channel:
Hidden Volcanoes:
Thursday, 23rd September, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, 30th September, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, 2nd October, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.
Ice Age:
Tuesday, 28th September, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, 2nd October, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Gold Rush:
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday 23rd September at 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday 29th September at 9:00 a.m.
For More Information:
National Geographic Channel Site: http://natgeotv.com/uk/birth-of-britain-with-tony-robinson
Robinson's latest project is Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson. The three part documentary series airs on the UK National Geographic Channel. The series has already aired once in its entirety and there are more repeats of each episode scheduled. In each hour-long episode, Robinson looks at a different aspect of Britain's explosion (literally!) into life.
This is an amazingly fascinating series and Robinson's presentation is brilliant. He doesn't confuse viewers with scientific terminology or complicated speech. He describes everything in perfect laymen's terms that viewers of virtually any age could understand with no problem. Even if you aren't particularly interested in geology, this series is an incredibly interesting watch. Computer animation and footage of actual volcanic explosions assist the viewer in picturing just what the Birth of Britain would have looked like millions of years ago. The breathtaking landscapes and Tony Robinson's humor make this series not only educational but a pleasure to watch. After watching these three episodes, you truly will never see the majestic British Isles the same way again!
Episode One--Hidden Volcanoes (original air date: September 1, 2010)
Who would have thought that volcanic eruptions were once part of Britain's history? Tony takes us on a 1,500-mile journey beginning in Edinburgh to investigate how volcanoes formed the British isles into the beautiful and picturesque landscapes we know and love today. Thanks to the visionary research of James Hutton, the signs of ancient volcanic eruptions were discovered in the Scottish rocks. Tony next heads to Snowdonia, Wales and surveys the area by air and on foot and, by pointing out the various volcanic eruptions, illustrates how the British Isles literally "pulled itself together". Next, we visit Hadrian's Wall where Tony takes us on a tour of the 70-foot vertical cliff Whin Sill. Finally, we journey to Skye to learn how Britain broke free from North America with Tony and Dr. Dougal Jerram, an earth scientist from Durham University.
Episode Two--Ice Age (original air date: September 8, 2010):
We move from unbearably hot burning lava to ice as much as a mile thick starting in Loch Ness. We're not there to search for Nessie. Instead, something much more exciting to geologists is at the bottom of Loch Ness. Adrian Shine (naturalist, The Loch Ness Project) came to Loch Ness to search for Nessie. He now uses his equipment to research the Loch. Core samples have revealed the massive glacier that caused Loch Ness to be such a remarkably deep body of water. The glacier wasn't a mere 750 feet high. It reached at least a stunning 1,200 feet with the possibility of another 2,000 feet. Tony goes to Glen Roy where three odd parallel lines run round the Glen. They were formed by a great glacier that dammed the valley forming a lake and, as the glacier moved, the lines, lake lines, came into being. Next, we head to Glasgow that once housed a mile-thick sheet of ice. Tony explains why Glasgow is rising at the rate of about 2mm a year and just why Glasgow is full of steep hills. We leave Scotland for the Lake District in England to see how glaciers move rocks and leave a landscape behind as they retreat. We go to the Dales to see a hillside strewn with boulders that all tell a story of a long-ago glacier. The Anglian Ice Sheet is explained when we head to London as well as how the Thames has actually been moved. Excavations downriver explain how ancient climate change created the island of England.
Episode Three--Gold Rush (original air date: September 15, 2010):
Britain is a land of many treasures of all kinds. In the final episode, we go on a hunt for the gold that still lies buried beneath the land. Tony starts with the events that collected the gold into deposits. He begins his journey in Snowdonia, Wales to study slate. He moves on to Dolaucothi to Dolaucothi Mine, which was one of Britain's most productive gold mines over 2,000 years ago. In South Wales, Tony explains about the Roman invasion in search of gold. In the Southern Uplands, Tony goes to see gold that didn't hide from the seeker but, instead, was a bit easier to find. After a few minutes of panning, Tony actually strikes gold! Much farther south in Torquay, Tony goes to see a rare and stunningly beautiful form of gold. At Hope's Nose, Tony visits with mineralogist Alan Hart from the Natural History Museum for information about how this rare and unique deposit has formed and why it is in the fern-like shape that makes it so beautiful. We move on to Omagh in Northern Ireland. Using the theory that when what is now Ireland broke from what is now Newfoundland, Canada, Ireland must have retained some of the same gold that can be found in North America. Sure enough, real gold was found alongside 'fool's gold'. The final stop is deep in rural, Northern Ireland: Cavanacaw, site of the Cavanacaw Mine. Sixty tons of rock must be moved to find enough gold to make a single wedding ring. The product of the mine will be sent to Canada where it is separated.
If you missed Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson the first time around, never fear! All three episodes are scheduled for repeat on the National Geographic Channel:
Hidden Volcanoes:
Thursday, 23rd September, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, 30th September, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, 2nd October, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.
Ice Age:
Tuesday, 28th September, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, 2nd October, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Gold Rush:
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday 23rd September at 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday 29th September at 9:00 a.m.
For More Information:
National Geographic Channel Site: http://natgeotv.com/uk/birth-of-britain-with-tony-robinson
UK Television: Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson
If you don't live in one of the countries of the British Commonwealth, chances are you might not be that familiar with Tony Robinson. If you aren't British and you do know him then you most likely know him only as the hygenically-challenged S. Baldrick, dogsbody to Sir Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh from the wildly popular UK comedy series Blackadder. While Baldrick always had a cunning plan to get himself, Edmund and Lord Percy Percy deeper into trouble (while supposedly trying to get them out), Tony Robinson has a cunning plan to educate the populace. From Time Team, The Worst Jobs in History and Tony Robinson and the Paranormal to Man on Earth, Tony Robinson's Crime and Punishment and Catastrophe, Robinson has traveled throughout Europe to provide viewers with a wealth of knowledge on a fascinating array of subjects.
Robinson's latest project is Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson. The three part documentary series airs on the UK National Geographic Channel. The series has already aired once in its entirety and there are more repeats of each episode scheduled. In each hour-long episode, Robinson looks at a different aspect of Britain's explosion (literally!) into life.
This is an amazingly fascinating series and Robinson's presentation is brilliant. He doesn't confuse viewers with scientific terminology or complicated speech. He describes everything in perfect laymen's terms that viewers of virtually any age could understand with no problem. Even if you aren't particularly interested in geology, this series is an incredibly interesting watch. Computer animation and footage of actual volcanic explosions assist the viewer in picturing just what the Birth of Britain would have looked like millions of years ago. The breathtaking landscapes and Tony Robinson's humor make this series not only educational but a pleasure to watch. After watching these three episodes, you truly will never see the majestic British Isles the same way again!
Episode One--Hidden Volcanoes (original air date: September 1, 2010)
Who would have thought that volcanic eruptions were once part of Britain's history? Tony takes us on a 1,500-mile journey beginning in Edinburgh to investigate how volcanoes formed the British isles into the beautiful and picturesque landscapes we know and love today. Thanks to the visionary research of James Hutton, the signs of ancient volcanic eruptions were discovered in the Scottish rocks. Tony next heads to Snowdonia, Wales and surveys the area by air and on foot and, by pointing out the various volcanic eruptions, illustrates how the British Isles literally "pulled itself together". Next, we visit Hadrian's Wall where Tony takes us on a tour of the 70-foot vertical cliff Whin Sill. Finally, we journey to Skye to learn how Britain broke free from North America with Tony and Dr. Dougal Jerram, an earth scientist from Durham University.
Episode Two--Ice Age (original air date: September 8, 2010):
We move from unbearably hot burning lava to ice as much as a mile thick starting in Loch Ness. We're not there to search for Nessie. Instead, something much more exciting to geologists is at the bottom of Loch Ness. Adrian Shine (naturalist, The Loch Ness Project) came to Loch Ness to search for Nessie. He now uses his equipment to research the Loch. Core samples have revealed the massive glacier that caused Loch Ness to be such a remarkably deep body of water. The glacier wasn't a mere 750 feet high. It reached at least a stunning 1,200 feet with the possibility of another 2,000 feet. Tony goes to Glen Roy where three odd parallel lines run round the Glen. They were formed by a great glacier that dammed the valley forming a lake and, as the glacier moved, the lines, lake lines, came into being. Next, we head to Glasgow that once housed a mile-thick sheet of ice. Tony explains why Glasgow is rising at the rate of about 2mm a year and just why Glasgow is full of steep hills. We leave Scotland for the Lake District in England to see how glaciers move rocks and leave a landscape behind as they retreat. We go to the Dales to see a hillside strewn with boulders that all tell a story of a long-ago glacier. The Anglian Ice Sheet is explained when we head to London as well as how the Thames has actually been moved. Excavations downriver explain how ancient climate change created the island of England.
Episode Three--Gold Rush (original air date: September 15, 2010):
Britain is a land of many treasures of all kinds. In the final episode, we go on a hunt for the gold that still lies buried beneath the land. Tony starts with the events that collected the gold into deposits. He begins his journey in Snowdonia, Wales to study slate. He moves on to Dolaucothi to Dolaucothi Mine, which was one of Britain's most productive gold mines over 2,000 years ago. In South Wales, Tony explains about the Roman invasion in search of gold. In the Southern Uplands, Tony goes to see gold that didn't hide from the seeker but, instead, was a bit easier to find. After a few minutes of panning, Tony actually strikes gold! Much farther south in Torquay, Tony goes to see a rare and stunningly beautiful form of gold. At Hope's Nose, Tony visits with mineralogist Alan Hart from the Natural History Museum for information about how this rare and unique deposit has formed and why it is in the fern-like shape that makes it so beautiful. We move on to Omagh in Northern Ireland. Using the theory that when what is now Ireland broke from what is now Newfoundland, Canada, Ireland must have retained some of the same gold that can be found in North America. Sure enough, real gold was found alongside 'fool's gold'. The final stop is deep in rural, Northern Ireland: Cavanacaw, site of the Cavanacaw Mine. Sixty tons of rock must be moved to find enough gold to make a single wedding ring. The product of the mine will be sent to Canada where it is separated.
If you missed Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson the first time around, never fear! All three episodes are scheduled for repeat on the National Geographic Channel:
Hidden Volcanoes:
Thursday, 23rd September, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, 30th September, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, 2nd October, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.
Ice Age:
Tuesday, 28th September, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, 2nd October, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Gold Rush:
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday 23rd September at 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday 29th September at 9:00 a.m.
For More Information:
National Geographic Channel Site: http://natgeotv.com/uk/birth-of-britain-with-tony-robinson
Robinson's latest project is Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson. The three part documentary series airs on the UK National Geographic Channel. The series has already aired once in its entirety and there are more repeats of each episode scheduled. In each hour-long episode, Robinson looks at a different aspect of Britain's explosion (literally!) into life.
This is an amazingly fascinating series and Robinson's presentation is brilliant. He doesn't confuse viewers with scientific terminology or complicated speech. He describes everything in perfect laymen's terms that viewers of virtually any age could understand with no problem. Even if you aren't particularly interested in geology, this series is an incredibly interesting watch. Computer animation and footage of actual volcanic explosions assist the viewer in picturing just what the Birth of Britain would have looked like millions of years ago. The breathtaking landscapes and Tony Robinson's humor make this series not only educational but a pleasure to watch. After watching these three episodes, you truly will never see the majestic British Isles the same way again!
Episode One--Hidden Volcanoes (original air date: September 1, 2010)
Who would have thought that volcanic eruptions were once part of Britain's history? Tony takes us on a 1,500-mile journey beginning in Edinburgh to investigate how volcanoes formed the British isles into the beautiful and picturesque landscapes we know and love today. Thanks to the visionary research of James Hutton, the signs of ancient volcanic eruptions were discovered in the Scottish rocks. Tony next heads to Snowdonia, Wales and surveys the area by air and on foot and, by pointing out the various volcanic eruptions, illustrates how the British Isles literally "pulled itself together". Next, we visit Hadrian's Wall where Tony takes us on a tour of the 70-foot vertical cliff Whin Sill. Finally, we journey to Skye to learn how Britain broke free from North America with Tony and Dr. Dougal Jerram, an earth scientist from Durham University.
Episode Two--Ice Age (original air date: September 8, 2010):
We move from unbearably hot burning lava to ice as much as a mile thick starting in Loch Ness. We're not there to search for Nessie. Instead, something much more exciting to geologists is at the bottom of Loch Ness. Adrian Shine (naturalist, The Loch Ness Project) came to Loch Ness to search for Nessie. He now uses his equipment to research the Loch. Core samples have revealed the massive glacier that caused Loch Ness to be such a remarkably deep body of water. The glacier wasn't a mere 750 feet high. It reached at least a stunning 1,200 feet with the possibility of another 2,000 feet. Tony goes to Glen Roy where three odd parallel lines run round the Glen. They were formed by a great glacier that dammed the valley forming a lake and, as the glacier moved, the lines, lake lines, came into being. Next, we head to Glasgow that once housed a mile-thick sheet of ice. Tony explains why Glasgow is rising at the rate of about 2mm a year and just why Glasgow is full of steep hills. We leave Scotland for the Lake District in England to see how glaciers move rocks and leave a landscape behind as they retreat. We go to the Dales to see a hillside strewn with boulders that all tell a story of a long-ago glacier. The Anglian Ice Sheet is explained when we head to London as well as how the Thames has actually been moved. Excavations downriver explain how ancient climate change created the island of England.
Episode Three--Gold Rush (original air date: September 15, 2010):
Britain is a land of many treasures of all kinds. In the final episode, we go on a hunt for the gold that still lies buried beneath the land. Tony starts with the events that collected the gold into deposits. He begins his journey in Snowdonia, Wales to study slate. He moves on to Dolaucothi to Dolaucothi Mine, which was one of Britain's most productive gold mines over 2,000 years ago. In South Wales, Tony explains about the Roman invasion in search of gold. In the Southern Uplands, Tony goes to see gold that didn't hide from the seeker but, instead, was a bit easier to find. After a few minutes of panning, Tony actually strikes gold! Much farther south in Torquay, Tony goes to see a rare and stunningly beautiful form of gold. At Hope's Nose, Tony visits with mineralogist Alan Hart from the Natural History Museum for information about how this rare and unique deposit has formed and why it is in the fern-like shape that makes it so beautiful. We move on to Omagh in Northern Ireland. Using the theory that when what is now Ireland broke from what is now Newfoundland, Canada, Ireland must have retained some of the same gold that can be found in North America. Sure enough, real gold was found alongside 'fool's gold'. The final stop is deep in rural, Northern Ireland: Cavanacaw, site of the Cavanacaw Mine. Sixty tons of rock must be moved to find enough gold to make a single wedding ring. The product of the mine will be sent to Canada where it is separated.
If you missed Birth of Britain with Tony Robinson the first time around, never fear! All three episodes are scheduled for repeat on the National Geographic Channel:
Hidden Volcanoes:
Thursday, 23rd September, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, 30th September, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, 2nd October, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.
Ice Age:
Tuesday, 28th September, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, 2nd October, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Gold Rush:
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday 23rd September at 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday 29th September at 9:00 a.m.
For More Information:
National Geographic Channel Site: http://natgeotv.com/uk/birth-of-britain-with-tony-robinson
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Parachuting Dog, Behind the Scenes World War II Hero
This news story is a bit old but I found it quite interesting and thought it deserved a mention here.
The men and women of World War II faced a lot of obstacles. Not only did they face the enemy firing upon them but the environment in which they flew posed a problem. A team of American physiologists researched the effects flying had on the human body and, in the course of their experiments, used an unlikely subject: a St. Bernard dog.
One doctor made a high-altitude jump to experience the effects the dive would have on the human body and nearly died in the process. However, he was able to use the information from his jump to calculate the exact time a parachute should be opened to limit the impact of the g-forces on the body.
Enter Major, a 145-pound St. Bernard dog. Major was thrown from an airplane 26,000 feet in the air to test parachute straps at a high altitude. He wore a custom oxygen mask and was able to dog paddle all the way to the ground and land safely.
Major's 26,000 foot down dog paddle and the efforts of the doctor before him not only assisted in the war effort but left research that led to modern breathing equipment.
For more information about the research into flying and diving during World War II and Major, please visit the full MSNBC.com Technology and Science Article.
The men and women of World War II faced a lot of obstacles. Not only did they face the enemy firing upon them but the environment in which they flew posed a problem. A team of American physiologists researched the effects flying had on the human body and, in the course of their experiments, used an unlikely subject: a St. Bernard dog.
One doctor made a high-altitude jump to experience the effects the dive would have on the human body and nearly died in the process. However, he was able to use the information from his jump to calculate the exact time a parachute should be opened to limit the impact of the g-forces on the body.
Enter Major, a 145-pound St. Bernard dog. Major was thrown from an airplane 26,000 feet in the air to test parachute straps at a high altitude. He wore a custom oxygen mask and was able to dog paddle all the way to the ground and land safely.
Major's 26,000 foot down dog paddle and the efforts of the doctor before him not only assisted in the war effort but left research that led to modern breathing equipment.
For more information about the research into flying and diving during World War II and Major, please visit the full MSNBC.com Technology and Science Article.
Parachuting Dog, Behind the Scenes World War II Hero
This news story is a bit old but I found it quite interesting and thought it deserved a mention here.
The men and women of World War II faced a lot of obstacles. Not only did they face the enemy firing upon them but the environment in which they flew posed a problem. A team of American physiologists researched the effects flying had on the human body and, in the course of their experiments, used an unlikely subject: a St. Bernard dog.
One doctor made a high-altitude jump to experience the effects the dive would have on the human body and nearly died in the process. However, he was able to use the information from his jump to calculate the exact time a parachute should be opened to limit the impact of the g-forces on the body.
Enter Major, a 145-pound St. Bernard dog. Major was thrown from an airplane 26,000 feet in the air to test parachute straps at a high altitude. He wore a custom oxygen mask and was able to dog paddle all the way to the ground and land safely.
Major's 26,000 foot down dog paddle and the efforts of the doctor before him not only assisted in the war effort but left research that led to modern breathing equipment.
For more information about the research into flying and diving during World War II and Major, please visit the full MSNBC.com Technology and Science Article.
The men and women of World War II faced a lot of obstacles. Not only did they face the enemy firing upon them but the environment in which they flew posed a problem. A team of American physiologists researched the effects flying had on the human body and, in the course of their experiments, used an unlikely subject: a St. Bernard dog.
One doctor made a high-altitude jump to experience the effects the dive would have on the human body and nearly died in the process. However, he was able to use the information from his jump to calculate the exact time a parachute should be opened to limit the impact of the g-forces on the body.
Enter Major, a 145-pound St. Bernard dog. Major was thrown from an airplane 26,000 feet in the air to test parachute straps at a high altitude. He wore a custom oxygen mask and was able to dog paddle all the way to the ground and land safely.
Major's 26,000 foot down dog paddle and the efforts of the doctor before him not only assisted in the war effort but left research that led to modern breathing equipment.
For more information about the research into flying and diving during World War II and Major, please visit the full MSNBC.com Technology and Science Article.
Music: Thao with the Get Down Stay Down "When We Swam"
Fans of the hit Australian television show Offspring know the song When We Swam very well as it is the theme song for the series.
When We Swam is an upbeat number that gets into your head and refuses to leave. The song, appearing on the bands current record, Know Better Learn Faster (2010), is super catchy and super addictive. Days, and even weeks after you hear it you will still be humming the tune and catch yourself singing "oh, bring your hips to me" at random times throughout the day. Thao's awesome vocals grab you right off. I love her voice. When We Swam has made me an instant Thao with the Get Down Stay Down fan!
The band consists of Thao Nguyen, Willis Thompson and Adam Thompson. The bands beginnings can be traced to the meeting of Thao and Willis at a re-enactment in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. They met Adam Thompson later at a Richmond delicatessen. They have four full records to their credit thus far along with three record appearances by Thao:
The Sound the Hare Heard (2005)
Like the Linen (2005)
We Brave Bee Stings and All (2008)
Know Better Learn Faster (2010)
Thao's Young Man appears on Kill Rock Stars Winter Holiday Album (2005)
Thao's Cool Yourself You are Flush Red & Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind appears on Thao/The Thermals - Record Store Day Split 7" (2005)
Thao appears on several tracks on Portland Cello Project: The Thao and Justin Power Sessions
With awesome songs like When We Swam, I foresee a brilliant and very bright future for Thao with the Get Down Stay Down.
To hear the complete song, watch the video on You Tube. Official video courtesy of KillRockStars.
For More Information:
Official Web Site: http://thaomusic.com/
When We Swam is an upbeat number that gets into your head and refuses to leave. The song, appearing on the bands current record, Know Better Learn Faster (2010), is super catchy and super addictive. Days, and even weeks after you hear it you will still be humming the tune and catch yourself singing "oh, bring your hips to me" at random times throughout the day. Thao's awesome vocals grab you right off. I love her voice. When We Swam has made me an instant Thao with the Get Down Stay Down fan!
The band consists of Thao Nguyen, Willis Thompson and Adam Thompson. The bands beginnings can be traced to the meeting of Thao and Willis at a re-enactment in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. They met Adam Thompson later at a Richmond delicatessen. They have four full records to their credit thus far along with three record appearances by Thao:
The Sound the Hare Heard (2005)
Like the Linen (2005)
We Brave Bee Stings and All (2008)
Know Better Learn Faster (2010)
Thao's Young Man appears on Kill Rock Stars Winter Holiday Album (2005)
Thao's Cool Yourself You are Flush Red & Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind appears on Thao/The Thermals - Record Store Day Split 7" (2005)
Thao appears on several tracks on Portland Cello Project: The Thao and Justin Power Sessions
With awesome songs like When We Swam, I foresee a brilliant and very bright future for Thao with the Get Down Stay Down.
To hear the complete song, watch the video on You Tube. Official video courtesy of KillRockStars.
For More Information:
Official Web Site: http://thaomusic.com/
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