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The Indian Ocean Coastal Waters

   2009    Nature
The tropical Indian Ocean is home to the Spice Islands. Characterised by beautiful sandy beaches, fringing coral reefs and coastal mangrove forests, this is a vibrant nursery area for marine life, such as whale sharks, crabs, seahorses and a great variety of fish. The coastal areas are where humans have the most direct impact on the ocean's resources.
Series: Oceans

The Mastery of Flight

   1998    Nature
The second programme deals with the mechanics of flight. Getting into the air is by far the most exhausting of a bird's activities, and Sir Attenborough observes shearwaters in Japan that have taken to climbing trees to give them a good jumping-off point. The albatross is so large that it can only launch itself after a run-up to create a flow of air over its wings. A combination of aerodynamics and upward air currents (or thermals), together with the act of flapping or gliding is what keeps a bird aloft. Landing requires less energy but a greater degree of skill, particularly for a big bird, such as a swan. Weight is kept to a minimum by having a beak made of keratin instead of bone, a light frame, and a coat of feathers, which is maintained fastidiously. The peregrine falcon holds the record for being fastest in the air, diving at speeds of over 300 km/h. Conversely, the barn owl owes its predatory success to flying slowly, while the kestrel spots its quarry by hovering. However, the true specialists in this regard are the hummingbirds, whose wings beat at the rate of 25 times a second. The habits of migratory birds are explored. After stocking up with food during the brief summer of the north, such species will set off on huge journeys southwards. Some, such as snow geese, travel continuously, using both the stars and the sun for navigation. They are contrasted with hawks and vultures, which glide overland on warm air, and therefore have to stop overnight.
Series: The Life of Birds

The Mediterranean Sea

   2009    Nature
The sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea are home to over 700 varieties of fish and almost 10 per cent of the world's marine species. Its coastline is one of the most densely populated in the world and the human pressure on this sea is magnified each summer with the influx of holiday makers. Western civilisation developed around these shores but now human activity is having a profound effect on this endangered sea.
Series: Oceans

The Oceans

   2007    Nature
Earth’s oceans help make our planet different from every other planet in the solar system. As far as we know, no other place is the right temp for liquid water, the most essential ingredient for life to exist. The oceans are Earth’s primary stabilizing force, and their immense power helps to shape the appearance and behavior of the entire planet and everything living on it. And they are also the planet's great unknown - their deepest points have been visited less than the surface of the moon.
Series: Earth, The Power of the Planet

The Phenomenon

   2020    Culture
This explosive documentary is the most credible examination of the global mistery and cover-up of unidentified aerial phenomenon. With shocking testimony from high-ranking government officials and NASA Astronauts, Senator Harry Reid says it 'makes the incredible credible.'
The same year that life-giving water was discovered on a distant planet, the US Navy made a startling announcement: Images captured by its pilots of objects exhibiting a vastly superior technology were authentic.

The Pink Floyd Story Which One is Pink I

   2007    Art
Fifty years after Britain's foremost underground band released their debut album Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Pink Floyd remain one of the biggest brand names and best-loved bands in the world. This film features extended archive footage, some of it rarely or never seen, alongside original interviews with the four surviving members of Pink Floyd - David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason - and traces the journey of a band that has only ever had five members, three of whom have lead the band at different stages of its evolution.
Series: The Pink Floyd Story Which One is Pink
Through the Wormhole

Through the Wormhole

2011  Science
The Sky at Night

The Sky at Night

2023  Science
The Story of China

The Story of China

2016  History
How to Change Your Mind

How to Change Your Mind

2022  Medicine
Reel Rock

Reel Rock

2015  Culture