The Quest for Knowledge
Humans have always had a thirst for knowledge – whether it be to improve their lives and circumstances or out of sheer curiosity and the urge to get to the bottom of things. Without scientific discoveries, humanity would not have evolved at such a rapid pace. Life as we know it today would be unthinkable without the knowledge we gain through science and scholarship. Innovations and new insights are integrated into our lives in ever quicker succession. We watch scientists, engineers and inventors as they look for ways to increase human knowledge. These fascinating films accompany them in their Quest for Knowledge.
Order number 264700 (140-144),
Documentary, 05 x 30 min., Arabic, English, Spanish
(69 additional episodes available)
The Quest for Knowledge
Episode synopses:
140
Exploring Earth’s Interior
What is the interior of our planet composed of? And how do the forces arise that trigger earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? Questions that we cannot answer from direct observation. And yet we do have some answers: thanks to seismological measurements, samples from the Earth’s interior thrown up by active volcanoes, and technologies that simulate conditions deep below our planet’s surface.
141
The Marvel of Hands
Our hands have extraordinary motor and sensory abilities. This is the subject of intensive research. Neuroscientists are investigating the areas of our brain that become active when we use our hands. Sports physicians warn that we are using our hands in less complex ways in the digital age. Paleoanthropologists are exploring the evolutionary history of the marvel that is the human hand.
142
The Secrets of the Durfort Mammoth
The giant Durfort mammoth died over one million years ago and has now stood in the Paris Natural History Museum for over 100 years. Restoring the southern mammoth skeleton requires exhaustive research. Modern scientific methods have provided new insights into the Pleistocene world and into the life and death of this particular mammoth.
143
The Flying Rivers of the Amazon
“Flying rivers” have been the subject of scientific research since the 2000s. These massive streams of water vapor are generated by billions of trees, including those in the Amazon rainforest. They transport more moisture through the atmosphere every day in South America than the Amazon River carries to the ocean.
144
The Biology of the Sky
The atmosphere is home to many small and microscopic organisms: insects, seeds, pollen, and bacteria. This “aeroplankton” is very important for the environment. It’s crucial to ensuring the reproduction and genetic diversity of many species and is one of the foundations for healthy biological and chemical cycles on Earth.
