nova – An Autonomous Agent

NOVA – Life’s Rocky Start

anautonomousagent — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 15:01:33 +0000

Life’s Rocky Start gives a decent educational account of the importance of minerals to both the formation (assuming life originated on Earth) and the progressive development of life. It is one of the few documentaries I have seen that properly shines light on the importance of meteorites to the understanding of planetary formation. The documentary starts by visiting Marrakesh, Morocco to show how meteorites are obtained in the infamous Northwest Africa region. I only wished it developed more on this meteorite theme.

NOVA – Alien Planets Revealed; Journey of the Universe (2011)

anautonomousagent — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 05:22:00 +0000

I have listed a few of the better movies/shows which I have watched in the past month.

Nova – Alien Planets Revealed – Documentary about the discoveries of the Kepler Planet Hunter Telescope

Journey of the Universe (2011) – Grand overview and insights into all of science. Quote from synopsis:

Using his skills as a masterful storyteller, Swimme connects such big picture issues as the birth of the cosmos 14 billion years ago to the invisible frontiers of the human genome as well as to our current impact on Earths evolutionary dynamics. Through his engaging and thoughtful observations audiences everywhere will discover the profound role we play in this intricate web of life.

Australia’s First 4 Billion Years – NOVA

anautonomousagent — Sat, 11 May 2013 22:53:00 +0000

This series focuses on the geographic and biological evolution of the Australian continent since the formation of the Earth. Dr. Richard Smith narrates the entire series, starting with the formation the first lifeforms on Earth, up until the modern time. Good series and worth a watch.

Watch it on PBS here.
Watch it on YouTube here.

Ancient Computer – NOVA

anautonomousagent — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:26:00 +0000

Ancient Computer, recently released on NOVA, investigates in detail the Antikythera mechanism. This device is really stunning. Charles Babbage is usually credited with the first computer — his difference engine. However, the Antikythera mechanism shows that the first known computer was actually developed in ancient times. Perhaps even more ancient humans, like the Babylonians or Egyptians, had such machines, their devices lost or destroyed. YouTube link.

Earth From Space – NOVA

anautonomousagent — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:47:00 +0000

Well done NOVA. Earth From Space, a NOVA documentary detailing the information revealed about Earth through satellites, is a must see. The visual images of the atmospheric processes and natural phenomenon are the best I have seen and really show the inter-connectedness of the environmental processes on Earth. Follow this link to watch it on YouTube.
Download the HD version here or buy it here.

Doomsday Volcanos – NOVA

anautonomousagent — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 22:23:00 +0000

After the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010, many economic losses ensued. Did insurance agencies and risk monitors account for this natural event? I am sure they did; or, at least they expected a small probability for an event of this scale. But what if a volcanic eruption thirty times larger and more violent occurs? This is exactly what will happen at Katla. As NOVA’s Doomsday Volcanoes explains, it is not if… but when will it erupt. Is the world ready? Katla has erupted twenty times since 930 AD; currently, Katla has not erupted for 95 years, the longest sterile period since 930 AD.

Watch it on YouTube here. Or buy it on Amazon here.

Lord of the Ants – NOVA

anautonomousagent — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:36:00 +0000

The life and work of Edward O. Wilson, neatly summarized in NOVA’s Lord of the Ants, could fill bookshelves. Wilson has an extraordinary mind which he uses to explore the natural world and synthesize patterns. I would encourage everyone to watch this NOVA episode on Wilson. Watch it here on YouTube.

Iceman Murder Mystery – NOVA

anautonomousagent — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 05:08:00 +0000

NOVA does a great job in Iceman Murder Mystery, a documentary on Otzi. Preserved in ice for 5,300 years, his body survived the test of time and provides an enormous amount of information about ancient man. I find it amazing that humans have been burying their dead for thousands of years in preparation for a future life. But Otzi achieved the greatest rebirth of any mummy. In ways he could have never dreamed of, he has been brought back to life. Watching this show on Otzi makes me want to write a novel about the events which lead up to his death. This could provide the basis for a fascinating story full of clan rivalry, intrigue, revenge, backstabbing, and murder.

Also watch it on YouTube here.