WOW 
Monday, 28. April 2008
DisneyNature
Disney has another great website - and a great project!Walt Disney Studios introduced a new film label: Disneynature, announced on April 21, 2008, that will produce nature documentaries. DisneyNature will be based in France, and will work with the world's top documentary filmmakers to explore wildlife and nature around the planet.
The first of seven planned films will be "Earth". It is scheduled for release on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. Other film projects in the work are "Oceans", "The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos", "Orangutans: One Minute to Midnight", "Big Cats" and "Chimpanzee".
For now click and enjoy: DisneyNature.
Sunday, 27. April 2008
Planet Earth: Jungles
Jungles are the world’s powerhouses, the most vital habitats on the planet. They only cover 6% of the Earth, but they contain more than half of its plant and animal species living in a complex web of relationships. Without jungles, the planet would grind to a halt.Enjoy 48 minutes of mindblowing plants and animals, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. (by the way: David Attenborough getting ready to say Goodbye To Television.)
First shown November 2006
Tip: Clicking on the "CC" button at the bottom turns captions on if needed.
Have a wonderful sunday!
You may also like:
Can We Save Our Forests? Take the quiz and test your knowledge of the world's forests. And check out the rainforest with videos, photos, facts and success stories by The Nature Conservancy.
The Virtual Jungle by BBC.
The largest forest on earth is the taiga, circling the planet from Siberia to Canada. Learn more about earth's evergreen seas and forest-dwelling creatures:
Forests: Towering Trees, Falling Leaves by Discovery Channel.
Wednesday, 23. April 2008
The Endeavour Botanical Illustrations
'Ipomoea indica' - click the picture for a larger view
James Cook's historic voyage of 1768-1771 on the HMS Endeavour was the first to be organized specifically for scientific exploration. The Royal Society of London commissioned the journey to the South Pacific to observe the eclipse of the sun by Venus and to take measurements that would permit advances in ocean navigation. During the journey, the naturalists on board would also collect more than 30,000 samples and describe more than 1,400 species new to science.
The Endeavour sailed for South America in August 1768, rounding Cape Horn and heading into the uncharted Pacific. The team took the eclipse measurements, mapped the coasts of New Zealand and Australia and sailed home via southern Africa, sighting England more than 1,000 days after setting sail. Their expedition produced major discoveries in geography, natural history and medicine, and artist Sydney Parkinson's sketches were eventually published in 21 large bound volumes.
The Botany Library at London's Natural History Museum holds all the surviving botanical art, and this well-produced site presents most of it. An engaging introductory essay recounts the story of the Endeavour's voyage, and the collection of artwork can be searched or browsed by country. Each drawing is labeled as to species and family and can be viewed at nearly full size:
The Endeavour Botanical Illustrations.
See more images from Cook's first voyage in this picture library.
Find out more about the history of Captain Cook and exploration at the BBC History site.
Syzygium suborbiculare
Tuesday, 22. April 2008
OceanView
OceanView video productions will showcase high definition videos of the world beneath the waves.Our purpose at OceanView video productions is to capture and preserve images of the mystery, the peace, the harmony, and the beauty of the sea so that all may learn to appreciate this most wondrous of creations.
Descend with us as we enter this boundless environment, cradled in the arms of Mother Nature, swaying to the gentle surge of the heartbeat of this planet.
David White's HD videos are soooo BEAUTIFUL!!! Here are just three of them:
Westview: Night diving from boats in San Andres is restricted to the Pyramide reef which is within sight of land. We drove around to the other side of the island to Westview, a dive site that is accessible from shore.
Country Garden: A dive site in Bonaire depicting what a Caribbean reef looks like when it is contained within a marine protected area.
DJ Point: Murphy's law dictates that if you have the wide angle lens on the housing you will encounter lots of macro opportunities on your dive.
Saturday, 19. April 2008
Ocean Explorer
Porpita porpita has a small disc like body and floats freely in the water column. Related to the jellyfish, this species measures just one inch in diameter:
The picture above you'll find at Ocean Explorer Gallery: Living Ocean, with hundreds of images and videos of the living ocean.
NOAA Ocean Explorer is an educational Internet offering for all who wish to learn about, discover, and virtually explore the ocean realm. It provides public access to current information on a series of NOAA scientific and educational explorations and activities in the marine environment. The site provides a platform to follow explorations in near real-time, learn about exploration technologies, observe remote marine flora and fauna in the colorful multimedia gallery, read about NOAA's 200-year history of ocean exploration, and discover additional NOAA resources in a virtual library.
NOAA Ocean Explorer - be warned, this is an enormous site!!!
They have also a YouTube channel.
NOAA Titanic Expedition 2004: Breathtaking Wreck Footage
Thursday, 17. April 2008
Earth Day April 22, 2008
April 22 -- each year marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.Earth Day 1970 turned that all around: 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. Denis Hayes, the national coordinator, and his youthful staff organized massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.
As 1990 approached, a group of environmental leaders asked Denis Hayes to organize another big campaign. This time, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting the status of environmental issues on to the world stage.
Earth Day 2000 sent the message loud and clear that citizens the world 'round wanted quick and decisive action on clean energy.
Now, the fight for a clean environment continues. We invite you to be a part of this history and a part of Earth Day.
Get Ready For Earth Day April 22, 2008 and do something nice for Mother Earth!
And don't miss the Earth Day Television.
Wednesday, 16. April 2008
Animals Save the Planet
'Animals Save the Planet' are some humorous animated short tips from animals on how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle.Produced by Aardman Animations studio for Animal Planet. See more shorts here.
Saturday, 12. April 2008
InsectNet
This video shows the Apache Fritillaries in their natural habitat in the Eastern Sierras. The male is orange and the female is black. You will see a male trying to mate with a female, but she is saying "Back off dude!" by vibrating her wings. She is telling him she is already mated ...To see more insect videos of interest visit: InsectNet. The purpose of this site is to provide a meeting place for entomologists, insect collectors and insect hobbyists.
The video above is from the section In the Field, where you'll find many beautiful butterflies.
Wednesday, 09. April 2008
The Toilet Tank Trick
Everybody's saying the environment is going down the toilet. But simple fixes around the house can help prevent it. With one easy adjustment, you'll save money, water and the environment ... one flush at a time.Step 1: Fill up a half-gallon container and seal it shut.
Step 2: Put the container in your toilet's water tank. You'll use less water in your tank and save water with every flush!
Step 3: Done. In one minute, you just saved 16% on your water bill and 7,500 gallons per year. Let your friends know; this tip will save us all money and help keep our environment from going down the tubes.
Tuesday, 08. April 2008
Vanishing Giants - Elephants of Asia
“Vanishing Giants - Elephants of Asia” is a collection of extraordinary images that will provoke, intrigue and enthrall. Palani Mohan has devoted many years to creating this intimate glimpse into the world of the Asian elephant, a creature which – even as its African cousin flourishes – is threatened as never before. But this is far more than simply a book of elephant photographs. Rather, it’s a tale of two species; that of the elephant, and the humans with which it shares its abodes. It’s a love story, and a war story, a history of animosity and attraction, a study of shattered symbiosis.
Up Close: Elephant skin may look tough, but it is, in fact, very sensitive and wounds heal slowly.
First check out the beautiful Photo Essay by Time: Elephants of Asia, Photographer Palani Mohan journeys across Asia, searching for the soul of the Asian Elephant.
Then meet Palani Mohan at Vanishing Giants - Elephants of Asia and view his compelling black and white images of the endangered Asian elephants. (61 pictures)
The photographs have been taken over six years, in 11 Asian nations – from the streets of Bangkok to the logging camps of the Andaman Islands.
To see more of his work visit the other Palani Mohan Photography Website.
Saturday, 05. April 2008
Deer in the Yard
Eva in the pyramid
Our house was built in the deer's natural habitat in a remote rural area. Well worn deer trails cut through the property's abundant pine and sage. The oldest deer we've met (we call her Mama Rose) walked right up to us when we first arrived, sniffing and looking us over. Rose smelled some almonds in my pocket so I gave her a few. We gave some almonds to her family a few other times but stopped the practice when advised that feeding deer is illegal. Even so, that didn't stop them from regular visits. Rose and her kin obviously think the yard belongs to them as much as anyone else, and they are just taking advantage of the wealth of natural foods growing everywhere. They especially like clover flowers, but it's amazing to see the variety of tasty flowers, leaves, twigs, nuts and berries they'll eat ...
And enjoy the video - I see glimpses of paradise:
Thursday, 03. April 2008
Cute Pika
The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). Sir David Attenborough narrates.Tuesday, 04. March 2008
Future of Humanity
This clip is from 'The Life of Mammals' nature documentary series written and presented by David Attenborough. The suggestion he makes in the end is one that I think should be taken to heart.More at BBC's Life of Mammal Website: Watch video clips, discover fascinating facts, and play the interactive challenges to find out why mammals are so spectacularly successful.
Monday, 03. March 2008
Snake's Breakfast
Sunday, 02. March 2008
Wave That Shook the World
On December 26, 2004, at 7:59 a.m. local time, an undersea section of the Earth's crust slipped along a 700-mile-long fault off the coast of Sumatra, setting in motion a train of destructive waves called tsunamis that left well over 250,000 people dead or missing. In "Wave That Shook the World," NOVA traces exactly what happened, and why.This program tells the minute-by-minute story of the 2004 tsunami, featuring video footage and scientific analysis of the onrushing waves that spread for 3,000 miles around the Indian Ocean basin. NOVA interviews eyewitnesses, including one of the few people who survived when a train carrying 1,500 passengers along a coastal route in Sri Lanka was swamped by the waves; and two men who videotaped the second, more destructive wave that hit their beachfront bar in Thailand. Thousands had been lulled into a false sense of security after the first wave passed. Tsunamis, however, usually consist of several waves, separated by many minutes or even hours, and the biggest can come at any time.
More at PBS:
- Wave of the Future: What will it take to be ready for the next major tsunami?
Anatomy of a Tsunami: Follow the tsunami from its birth at the seafloor to its devastating collision with coasts around the Indian Ocean.
Once and Future Tsunamis: With this interactive world map, learn about nine tsunamis, and see where the next one could strike.
You may also like the transcript.
Duration:55 minutes.
Keep cool and have a beautiful Sunday, my friends!