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20 Episodes 1978 - 1978
Episode 1
Wed, Jan 4, 1978 60 mins
"In the Event of a Catastrophe," a comparison of the civil-defense systems in the U.S. and USSR. Experts interviewed include Paul Warnke, director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and Bardyl Tirana, director of the Civil Defense Preparedness Agency. They speculate on the devastating effects of a nuclear attack on population and industry. Also: newsreels of Hiroshima after the A-bombing in 1945.
Episode 2
Wed, Jan 18, 1978 60 mins
A look at how the body's disease-defense mechanisms are triggered. Included: interviews with researchers from around the world. Tony Kahn is the narrator.
Episode 3
Wed, Jan 25, 1978 60 mins
The first of two reports on space explorations, recalls U.S. efforts to beat the Soviets to the moon. Film clips include John Glenn's 1962 orbital flight, Ed White's 1965 space walk, Neil Armstrong's step onto the lunar surface in 1969 and the tragic 1967 launch-pad fire that took the lives of three Apollo astronauts. Included are interviews with NASA officials.
Episode 4
Wed, Feb 1, 1978 60 mins
"The Final Frontier," the second of two 1978 reports on space exploration, examines the potential of the space shuttle Enterprise. Also: speculation about orbital colonies. Robert Montiegal reports.
Episode 5
Wed, Feb 15, 1978 60 mins
Profiling the nomadic Mbuti who inhabit the rain forest of Zaire. They are seen making clothing from tree bark; building huts from saplings and leaves; stalking elephants with spears, bows and arrows, and nets; and joining with villagers in marriage and circumcision ceremonies.
Episode 6
Wed, Feb 22, 1978 60 mins
A docudrama about a malpractice suit filed against Dr. Denton Cooley that resulted from the implantation of an artificial heart in l969. Dr. Cooley: William Kiehl. Mrs. Karp: Jeanne Kaplan. Judge: Gil Rogers. Dr. De Bakey: Ralph Drischell. Holloway: John Clarkson.
Episode 7
Wed, Mar 1, 1978 60 mins
"The Great Wine Revolution," about how automation has made possible the mass production of inexpensive wines in California. Also: a visit to France shows the slower, traditional wine-making process.
Episode 8
Wed, Mar 8, 1978 90 mins
Claims that extraterrestrials influenced early civilizations are reviewed and challenged on "The Case of the Ancient Astronauts." Author Erich von Daniken speaks for the claims; scientists who disagree are also interviewed. Phenomena examined include carvings on a Mayan sarcophagus; geometric lines on Peru's Nazca Desert; the Great Pyramid at Giza; and an African tribe's longtime knowledge of a star first sighted in the late 1800s.
Episode 9
Wed, Mar 22, 1978 60 mins
"The Mind Machines," an examination of computer technology. Shown: a machine being "taught" to make medical diagnoses; a computerized wheelchair that responds to voice commands; and a self-operating NASA rover slated to someday explore Mars. Also: a look at the way computers have been depicted in Hollywood films.
Episode 10
Wed, Mar 29, 1978 60 mins
"Icarus' Children" focuses on Paul MacReady, who designed a human-powered plane that became the first to negotiate an official test course. The plane is seen taking off, propelled by a cyclist. Also: unsuccessful flights by competing craft and MacReady's early models.
Episode 11
Wed, Apr 12, 1978 60 mins
A study of life in a New England pond looks at beavers whose dam created the pond; a tadpole metamorphosing into a bullfrog; and such microscopic life as plankton (the basis of the pond's food system).
Episode 12
Wed, Apr 19, 1978 60 mins
Examining the deterioration of Athens' historic culture. The report cites erosion by air pollution from factories, and the damage done by tourists.
Episode 13
Wed, May 3, 1978 60 mins
A portrait of industrialist Henry Ford (1863-1947) using vintage footage shot by his own film company. Included: clips of his family and the assembly line he developed to mass-produce cars. Examined: his pacifism during W.W.I; his antisemitism; his anti-unionism.
Episode 14
Wed, May 10, 1978 60 mins
A look at lasers speculating on their potential to speed communications and harness solar energy, and reports on their present uses in medicine (removing tumors), construction (leveling) and manufacturing (cutting of patterns).
Episode 15
Wed, May 24, 1978 60 mins
How farmers are using "The Insect Alternative" to fight pesticide-resistant pests shows wasps eating bugs called citrus red scales, which infect apple orchards. Also: how a Texas cotton grower combats boll weevils with both pesticide and natural predators.
Episode 16
Wed, May 31, 1978 60 mins
How arable terrain in and around the Sahara is turning into wasteland. Viewed: projects used to recultivate these areas, including the planting of trees with their own reservoirs; and a "drip-irrigation" system by which plants' roots are constantly kept moist.
Episode 17
Wed, Jun 7, 1978 60 mins
Demonstrating how 2.7 million square miles of African grazing land have been infested by the tsetse fly, an insect whose own parasite is deadly to cattle and horses. The report also examines attempts to control the fly with insecticides and deforestation; and the high cost of implementing these measures on a large scale.
Episode 18
Wed, Jun 14, 1978 60 mins
A look at a new breed of zoos---spacious habitats that are becoming the last refuge for some endangered species. Zoos visited include the San Diego Wild Animal Park; the Gladys Porter Zoo in Texas; Israel's High Bar Reserve; and the Research and Conservation Center for the National Zoo in Virginia. Ruby Dee narrates.
Episode 19
Wed, Jun 21, 1978 60 mins
"A Whisper from Space," about how a form of radiation may offer clues to the origins of the universe. Interviewed are scientists who believe the radiation is a remnant of the theorized "Big Bang" from which the universe evolved. Astronomer Philip Morrison narrates.
Episode 20
Wed, Jun 28, 1978 60 mins
A 1978 examination of a Congressional proposal to make 99 million acres of Alaska wilderness part of the national park system. Among those interviewed: Secretary of the Interior Cecil Andrus; environmentalists; and developers who want the land left open for oil exploration, the timber industry, mining and farming.