Maven's Secret Science
Hidden Secrets revealed by the Best Science Documentaries & Docudramas. What does the future hold for ourselves and our children? Science drives the technology and engineering upon which our society depends. These excellent offerings will prepare you for that future. Outstanding production values make these a joy to watch even by the rigorous standards of modern audiences. Also see
Maven's SciFi Not Horror Maven's Top Rated Favorites Maven's B-Movie Favorites Maven's Chivalry, Sword & Sorcery Maven's Politics: American Style . External Science Web Sites ted.com/watch/ted-ed scienceNews.org/ scienceChannel.com/ scientificAmerican.com/ popsci.com/ science.gov/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke's_three_laws
Maven's SciFi Not Horror Maven's Top Rated Favorites Maven's B-Movie Favorites Maven's Chivalry, Sword & Sorcery Maven's Politics: American Style . External Science Web Sites ted.com/watch/ted-ed scienceNews.org/ scienceChannel.com/ scientificAmerican.com/ popsci.com/ science.gov/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke's_three_laws
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- CreatorMichelle AshfordStarsMichael SheenLizzy CaplanCaitlin FitzGeraldDrama about the pioneers of the science of human sexuality whose research touched off the sexual revolution.
- StarsNeil deGrasse TysonChristopher EmersonKeythe FarleyAn exploration of our discovery of the laws of nature and coordinates in space and time.
- StarsMorgan FreemanSean CarrollMichio KakuHosted by Morgan Freeman, Through the Wormhole will explore the deepest mysteries of existence - the questions that have puzzled mankind for eternity. What are we made of? What was there before the beginning? Are we really alone? Is there a creator? These questions have been pondered by the most exquisite minds of the human race.
- DirectorRon HowardStarsTom HanksBill PaxtonKevin BaconNASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy.
- StarsSigourney WeaverDavid AttenboroughNikolay DrozdovA documentary series on the wildlife found on Earth. Each episode covers a different habitat: deserts, mountains, deep oceans, shallow seas, forests, caves, polar regions, fresh water, plains and jungles. Narrated by David Attenborough.
- StarsJohn HurtRoger MunnsA cinematic experience bringing you the most amazing human stories in the world. Humans and wildlife surviving in the most extreme environments on Earth
- StarsOprah WinfreyDavid AttenboroughDoug AllanDavid Attenborough's legendary BBC crew explains and shows wildlife all over planet earth. From giving an overview of the challenges facing life to hunting the deep sea and various major evolutionary groups of creatures.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughPierce BrosnanPeter ScoonesMammoth series, five years in the making, taking a look at the rich tapestry of life in the world's oceans.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughJoe StevensShane MooreThis exploration of the planet's most breathtaking natural events follows vast migrations, huge ocean convergences, powerful weather systems and mighty floods.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough's ground-breaking exploration of a group of organisms that are vast in number, yet often too small to be noticed: the invertebrates.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough's comprehensive study of how a remarkable group of animals evolved - a group that includes ourselves.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughA nature documentary series written and presented by David Attenborough, that looks at the evolution and habits of amphibians and reptiles.
- StarsIain StewartLeo HouldingVictor BakerIn each episode, geologist Dr. Iain Stewart explains the effects and importance of a specific force of nature, such as wind or volcanism. He also examines the various ways in which it shapes planet earth itself and influences life on it, often in conjunction with other natural forces, and sometimes with lifeforms, as in the 'apocalyptically' grave case of global warming.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough's comprehensive and richly detailed study of birds, examining the variety of different species and their ways of life.
- StarsBenedict CumberbatchMike RoweRichard WollocombeA documentary series on life in and adapted to the conditions of the Southern part of the Pacific Ocean, a vast aquatic region with an unequaled number of islands. Both wildlife and human cultures developed in a unique variety, largely determined by such natural conditions as huge distances, sea depths, currents and winds.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough's groundbreaking study of the evolution of life on our planet.
- StarsBrian CoxCarolyn PorcoRichard HooverIn this spellbinding series Professor Brian Cox visits the most extreme locations on Earth to explain how the laws of physics carved natural wonders across the solar system.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough's study of the world of plants, which demonstrates, with the aid of time-lapse photography, the rich and varied ways in which they flourish.
- CreatorAnn DruyanCarl SaganSteven SoterStarsCarl SaganJaromír HanzlíkJonathan FahnAstronomer Carl Sagan leads us on an engaging guided tour of the various elements and cosmological theories of the universe.
- StarsBenedict CumberbatchStephen HawkingMelissa RicciIn this comprehensive cosmology series Stephen Hawking looks at the entire universe, from the Big Bang to the end of time.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughEach of the twelve 50-minute episodes features a different aspect of the journey through life, from birth to adulthood and continuation of the species through reproduction.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough discusses the biomass and life in a variety of eco-systems spanning many of the environments found on Earth (from tropical to polar).
- StarsDavid AttenboroughSimon BlakeneyBill RudolphAfrica, the world's wildest continent. David Attenborough takes us on an awe-inspiring journey through one of the most diverse places in the world. We visit deserts, savannas, and jungles and meet up with some of Africa's amazing wildlife.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughSeries exploring the natural history of Antarctica.
- StarsPhil PlaitMichelle ThallerRichard LinternA users guide to the cosmos from the big bang to galaxies, stars, planets and moons. Where did it all come from and how does it all fit together. A primer for anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered.
- DirectorElliot WeaverZander WeaverStarsAnu OjhaIan CrawfordMaggie Aderin-PocockThe remarkable story of the determination and courage of a generation. A tribute to three brave astronauts and the thousands of men and women behind them during the final days of NASA's Apollo program.
- StarsErik ThompsonAlex FilippenkoLaura DanlyThis educational show explores many scientific questions and topics about the universe (Big Bang, the Sun, the planets, black holes, other galaxies, astrobiology etc.) through latest CGI, data and interviews with scientists.
- CreatorBruce NashStarsLloyd SherrHarlan SapersteinAdam RichmanFast-paced, fun and informative, Modern Marvels is The History Channel's signature series focusing on historical technology.
- StarsGene KranzGary SiniseJim LovellNarrated by award-winning actor Gary Sinise, WHEN WE LEFT EARTH is the incredible story of humankind's greatest adventure, as it happened, told by the people who were there. From the early quest of the Mercury program to put a man in space, to the historic moon landings, through the Soyuz link-up and the first un-tethered space walk by Bruce McCandless, this is how the space age came of age. The vivid HD series features vintage rushes and all the key onboards filmed by the astronauts themselves. The sequences are captured by cameras onboard the spaceships, enabling the series to tell the stories in a depth never seen before.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughAlec BaldwinChadden HunterFocuses on life and the environment in both the Arctic and Antarctic.
- DirectorYavar AbbasStarsAlec BaldwinSean PertweePaul EssiembreA journey through space and time.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough explores Charles Darwin's controversial theory of evolution by natural selection.
- StarsRobert WinstonAndrew BlackallPhillippaThe BBC explores the human body from the inside out as never before.
- StarsAlice RobertsKlaus SchmidtClive FinlaysonThis series explains the evidence for the theory of early human migrations out of Africa and subsequently around the world, supporting the Out of Africa Theory.
- StarsTom HanksNick SearcyLane SmithDramatized portrayal of the Apollo manned space program.
- CreatorNicola CookAdriana TimcoCatherine WylerStarsPaul VaughanJack FortuneDilly BarlowBritish documentary series that covers a variety of subjects in science and philosophy.
- StarsBrian GreeneLeonard SusskindAmanda PeetA documentary examining string theory.
- StarsSam NeillExplore the wonders of our universe with Sam Neill.
- StarsMark HallileySasa VasilievskiJerry SoftenThe Planets is a made for television documentary series that explores in depth the planets that make up our solar system.
- StarsKenneth BranaghEdward GeroThe final installment in the "Walking with" series is a 90-minute documentary about the evolution of life before the dinosaurs.
- StarsIain StewartAli HaleyalurIn each episode, geologist Iain Stewart describes how a certain geological force played a determinant part in human history. Culture may render people less dependent on nature, it still interacts with it, and actually increases the importance of such natural resources as minerals and fossil fuels.
- StarsJacob BronowskiJoss AcklandRoy DotriceAn account of man's development through his scientific and technological achievements.
- DirectorDaniel M. SmithStarsDavid AttenboroughThis documentary narrated by David Attenborough was filmed at the Natural History Museum, London, and uses state of the art CGI imagery to bring to life several extinct animals in the museum, including Archaeoptery, the Moa Ratite bird (Dinornis) and Haast's eagle. The documentary was well-received, and won a TV BAFTA in the specialist factual category.
- CreatorBill NyeJames McKennaErren GottliebStarsBill NyePat CashmanMichaela Leslie-RuleScientist/comedian Bill Nye explores various aspects of science for young viewers.
- DirectorTed SchillingerStarsCaleb ScharfKelvin LongHakeem OluseyiIf we faced a countdown to destruction, could we build a spacecraft to take us to new and habitable worlds? Can we Evacuate Earth? This documentary special examines this terrifying but scientifically plausible scenario by exploring how we could unite to ensure the survival of the human race.
- DirectorAndrew ZuckermanStarsRichard AdamsBuzz AldrinDavid AmramInspired by the idea that one of the greatest gifts one generation can give to another is the wisdom gained from experience, filmmaker and photographer Andrew Zuckerman traveled the globe to interview more than fifty of the world's most prominent writers, artists, designers, actors, politicians, and religious and business leaders - all over the age of sixty-five. WISDOM captures their voices, physical presences, words and ideas, to provide a legacy for the generations that follow and a timeless portrait of the universalities that connect us all.
- CreatorDaniel HartAlan KwanTacita MorwayStarsJay O. SandersCraig SechlerStacy KeachScience documentaries about various topics.
- CreatorGeorge PageThomas LovejoyStarsF. Murray AbrahamGeorge PageChris MorganDocumentary series exploring various global wildlife issues and subjects.
- StarsGabe DoranMike SeneseDavid HeberHowStuffWorks is about the stuff that makes the world go 'round. It's truly incredible to see the ingenious lengths people go to in order to extract rubber and iron, corn and wheat, and water and salt from the earth. Equally amazing is the number of different and varied products that can be derived from something so fundamental. Follow the incredible journey of these goods from the ground to your dinner table, car, closet, medicine cabinet and places you may have never imagined.
- StarsAbe RubensteinIt is mystery 4.5 billion years in the making: how has our planet transformed, and why? New clues are being discovered not in volcanoes or canyons, but inside each of us. From a case of hiccups to the sensation of deja vu to how we throw a football.
- 2010– 1h 25mTV-147.8 (20)TV EpisodeIt starts with a spark, but some ideas catch fire and in the process change the world. Necessity is the mother of invention--from darkness, man found light (the candle) and from even the farthest distances we can still find each other (the telephone).
- StarsNikolay DrozdovKenneth BranaghAvery BrooksDocumentary-style series about the era of the dinosaurs, mixing real locations and CGI.
- DirectorJoe AhearneStarsDavid SuchetMartin McDougallJoanne McQuinnThis two-part science fiction docu-drama examines the possibilities of a dangerous, manned space mission to explore the inner and outer planets of the Solar system.
- DirectorPierre de LespinoisStarsWayne D. BarloweCurtis ClarkJames GarvinThe CGI or computer animated drama/documentary takes place on Darwin IV, a planet 6.5 light years from earth, with 2 suns and 60% of Earth's gravity. Having identified Darwin as a world that could support life, Earth sends a pilot mission consisting of the Mothership Von Braun and three probes: Balboa, Da Vinci, and Newton. This robotic fleet is responsible for finding and assessing any life forms on Darwin IV. Initially, the expectation is to find microscopic life, but the probes soon find themselves in the middle of a developed ecosystem teeming with diversity of life of all sizes. The drama on Darwin IV is motivated by real science missions, such as the NASA Origins Program and the NASA / JPL Planet-Finder Mission, as well as the European Space Agency's Darwin Project. "Alien Planet " is a cosmic expedition along side Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku, Jack Horner, Craig Venter, and George Lucas, and NASA's Chief Scientist Jim Garvin. No longer just the domain of science fiction, "Alien Planet" dramatizes an exciting and possible answer to what alien life really looks like and when we'll find it.
- DirectorAnthony WallerToshi HooRaymond KurzweilStarsPauley PerretteRaymond KurzweilAnthony RobbinsComputer avatar saves the world from self-replicating microscopic robots.
- DirectorJulian JonesStarsWilliam ShatnerJon AdlerMartin CooperWilliam Shatner presents a light-hearted look at how the "Star Trek" TV series have influenced and inspired today's technologies, including: cell phones, medical imaging, computers and software, SETI, MP3 players and iPods, virtual reality, and spaceship propulsion.
- StarsLiz BonninDallas CampbellJem StansfieldThe BBC's popular science series Bang Goes the Theory delivers the best in both science and technology to explain the world we live in. In this special Technology collection, we'll learn how GPS works, investigate how hackers can access your smartphone, and find out whether or not wireless signals pose a health risk.
- CreatorSavin Yeatman-EiffelStarsLiev SchreiberJay O. SandersSalima IkramMysteries involving notable historical events, people and locations are scientifically examined.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughGavin ThurstonTim FoggOver 80% of Madagascar's animals and plants are found nowhere else on Earth. Discover what made Madagascar so different from the rest of the world, and how evolution ran wild there.
- StarsAdam CurtisRobert ReichAnn BernaysA documentary about the rise of psychoanalysis as a powerful means of persuasion for both governments and corporations.
- StarsCharles OsgoodNeil deGrasse TysonMichio KakuA Science Odyssey takes you on a journey through the most spectacular 100 years in the history of science and technology.
- StarsTimothy FerrisBob ElliottMurray Gell-MannTrip through the creation of the Universe from the Bog Bang to the frontiers of science. Musical score from Brian Eno. Includes visits with great thinkers.
- StarsBrad MatsenDavid GalloBruce ParkerWelcome to the ocean's dark side. The series goes deep to explore forces that have terrorized our planet throughout history. Beneath the surface, Tides and Currents, Predators, Lethal Pressure and Killer Shockwaves create ongoing and ominous threats. Five deadly forces, four turbulent episodes, one powerful surge of entertainment.
- CreatorPaul BarrosseStarsJohn HutchisonCassandra PetersonChristopher ChisholmStrange Universe was a United States syndicated daily half-hour program about paranormal phenomena that aired from 1996 to 1998.
- DirectorRussell ScottStarsJonathan WhitmoreGreg PooleMiranda RichardsonAn extraordinary journey deep into space offering fresh insight into the origins and evolution of the universe.
- StarsBrian CoxSteven MackintoshProfessor Brian Cox visits some of the most dramatic parts of the globe to explain the fundamental principles that govern the laws of nature - light, gravity, energy, matter and time. With the world's most profound science at its heart, Wonders Of The Universe reveals how the story of humanity is intimately entwined with that of the complex story of the origins of the universe.
- StarsStephen HawkingJeff RawleEugene Babaev6-part documentary series from arguably the greatest scientific mind in the world, the wheelchair-bound Stephen Hawking, which describes all current thinking on the Big Bang, origins of the universe, dark matter, black holes, etc. Includes interviews with leading astronomers and scientists, some commentary from the great man himself, and computer models of the theories.
- DirectorDavid KennardPatsy NorthcuttStarsBrian Thomas SwimmeThe Emmy Award winning JOURNEY OF THE UNIVERSE tells an epic story of cosmic, Earth and human transformation from The Big Bang to today. Evolutionary philosopher Brian Thomas Swimme and Yale historian of religions Mary Evelyn Tucker have crafted an elegant narrative that both illuminates and celebrates the profound role humans play in the flourishing of the Earth.
- StarsJacques-Yves CousteauRod SerlingGeorges WilsonThe aquatic explorations of Jacques-Yves Cousteau and the crew of the Calypso.
- StarsAlexander ScourbyLeslie NielsenRichard KileyFor over 30 years, the National Geographic Society has presented specials on nature, foreign culture, scientific breakthroughs, and things which fall under the general category of "neat stuff." Each special is self-contained.
- DirectorDavis GuggenheimStarsAl GoreBilly WestGeorge BushFilmmaker Davis Guggenheim follows Al Gore on the lecture circuit, as the former presidential candidate campaigns to raise public awareness of the dangers of global warming and calls for immediate action to curb its destructive effects on the environment.
- DirectorJacques PerrinJacques CluzaudStarsPierce BrosnanPedro Armendáriz Jr.Jacques PerrinAn ecological drama/documentary, filmed throughout the globe. Part thriller, part meditation on the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.
- DirectorAlastair FothergillMark LinfieldStarsJames Earl JonesPatrick StewartAnggunFeature-length version of the documentary TV series Planet Earth (2006), following the migration paths of four animal families.
- DirectorKeith ScholeyAlastair FothergillStarsSamuel L. JacksonPatrick StewartMeet Mara, an endearing lion cub striving to be like her mother; Sita, a cheetah and single mother of five; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a rival lion.
- DirectorClaude NuridsanyMarie PérennouStarsKristin Scott ThomasJacques PerrinA documentary on insect life in meadows and ponds.
- DirectorJacques PerrinJacques CluzaudMichel DebatsStarsJacques PerrinPhilippe LabroDocumentary on the migratory patterns of birds, shot over the course of three years on all seven continents.
- DirectorBen BurttStarsJames BuchliToni MyersOn several Shuttle missions, Earth has been portrayed from places that nobody else could reach. We also are shown the different locations and environmental problems mankind created there because of our wish to exploit our planet for our own benefit.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsWerner HerzogScott RowlandStefan PashovFilm-maker Werner Herzog travels to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, looking to capture the continent's beauty and investigate the characters living there.
- StarsHugh QuarshieIngrid KvaleMartin DohrnThe Great Rift Valley in Africa was created when the African and Arabian tectonic plates separated about 35 million years ago. This series investigates the forces that created the rift and focuses on the landscape and wildlife.
- StarsTarkanAlec BaldwinStephen FryGreat Migrations takes viewers on the epic journeys animals undertake to ensure the survival of their species.
- StarsSalvatore VecchioPeter CoyoteLisa LingA weekly series of short documentary segments funded by the National Geographic Society and done in the style of the National Geographic Specials. In 2003, the show was re-branded National Geographic Ultimate Explorer. A news-style journal format is now used instead of the more traditional format of the specials.
- DirectorDavid SingtonStarsBuzz AldrinAlan BeanEugene CernanThe crew members of NASA's Apollo missions tell their story in their own words.
- DirectorGus HolwerdaStarsAyaan Hirsi AliWoody AllenRichard DawkinsRenowned scientists Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss cross the globe as they speak publicly about the importance of science and reason in the modern world.
- StarsJosh CharlesMartin SheenRobin WilliamsThis program is made by the Discovery Network, and the show's 'full-name' has the suffix phrase of "The Questions of Our Life", after curiosity. The show tries to answer mysteries and certain queries within diverse fields like the human mind, history, archaeology, medicine, anthropology, nature, biology, space and history. While the show was being planned, Discovery's game-plan was to air twelve one-hour episodes each season for five years. However, when "Curiosity..." did premiere in August of 2011, it began a weekly broadcast schedule that ran the full first season, which ended with the 13th episode on November, 20, 2011. Similarly, the second season also followed the weekly format, between October 7, 2012 and January 27, 2013. Since then, there has only been one episode broadcast under the umbrella title of "Curiosity: The Questions of Our Life". This was the episode named "Stonehenge", which was shown on July 20, 2014. Two websites have emerged since the series debut, both of which deal with analogous subject matter, which achieve their individual goals strategically.
- CreatorJerry KolberBill MargolStarsJason SilvaBert Thomas MorrisApollo RobbinsAn examination of the nature of human perception and how it can be fooled.
- DirectorAstra TaylorStarsKwame Anthony AppiahJudith ButlerMichael HardtIn Examined Life, filmmaker Astra Taylor accompanies some of today's most influential thinkers on a series of unique excursions through places and spaces that hold particular resonance for them and their ideas.
- DirectorPhilip KaufmanStarsSam ShepardScott GlennEd HarrisThe U.S. space program's development from the breaking of the sound barrier to selection of the Mercury 7 astronauts, from a group of test pilots with a more seat-of-the-pants approach than the program's more cautious engineers preferred.
- CreatorPeter ReesStarsRobert LeeJamie HynemanAdam SavageA weekly documentary in which two Hollywood special effects experts attempt to debunk urban legends by directly testing them.
- StarsJon TickleJoe RowntreeTom PringleFast-paced, fun-packed and award winning series which combines entertainment and science in a groundbreaking format to prove that science really can be fun.
- StarsThomas FriedmanArnold SchwarzeneggerAmerica FerreraFrom the damage wrought by Hurricane Sandy to the upheaval caused by drought in the Middle East, this groundbreaking documentary event series provides first-hand reports on those affected by, and seeking solutions to, climate change.
- DirectorLeila ConnersNadia ConnersStarsLeonardo DiCaprioKenny AusubelThom HartmannA look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems.
- DirectorRobert StoneStarsStewart BrandRichard RhodesGwyneth CravensThe atomic bomb and meltdowns like Fukushima have made nuclear power synonymous with global disaster. But what if we've got nuclear power wrong?
- StarsRichard DillaneSteve NicolsonRavil IsyanovThe BBC's Space Race is a documentary/drama chronicling the major events and characters in the American/Soviet space race, leading up to the first moon landing. The series concentrates on Sergei Korolev, the Soviet chief rocket designer, and Wernher von Braun, his American counterpart, as their rivalry intensifies and the pressure to be the first builds.
- DirectorDouglas CohenStarsCorey BurtonAlex FilippenkoPeter WardA rapid-fire history of our world, from the beginning of time as we know it to present day. This two-hour CGI-driven special delves into the key turning points: the formation of earth, emergence of life, spread of man and the growth of civilization--and reveals their surprising connections to our world today.
- DirectorEd BrownStarsKen CookChristopher GaviganJeffrey HollenderOur bodies are changing, as synthetic chemicals are becoming an everyday experience for all of us. Every single human being on this planet is experiencing this, as we are constantly exposed on a daily basis to substances that our bodies have never seen before. At the same time, nearly all of our disease rates are rising, and many in the medical community are only now discovering, how much our lifestyles are affecting our own bodies, and those of the most vulnerable population, our children. Filmed all over the globe, 'Unacceptable Levels' pulls back the curtain on how these chemicals are getting into our bodies, and it also reveals that there is hope inside of all of our challenges.
- StarsMarcus du SautoyJon ButterworthFay DowkerThe mathematician Marcus du Sautoy discusses the recent discovery, the faster-than-light neutrino anomaly, that neutrinos may travel faster than light.
- DirectorMark LevinsonStarsDavid KaplanFabiola GianottiSherwood BoehlertAs the Large Hadron Collider is about to be launched for the first time, physicists are on the cusp of the greatest scientific discovery of all time -- or perhaps their greatest failure.
- DirectorJennifer BaichwalEdward BurtynskyStarsInocencia González SainzMarcus SchubertBill NanceA documentary on how water shapes humanity.