Search - National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth on DVD

The not so insignificant relationship between man and nature

W. Chen | Medellin, Colombia | 10/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 2-DVD series powerfully shows how mankind is connected to nature and how far away events relate to one another.

The program's stories spans 9 countries - USA, Uganda, Trinidad & Tobago, Nigeria, Jamaica, St.Lucia, Australia, Canada, and Venezuela with vignettes on several others.

Four sections cover invasive species, climate change, predators, and rivers /ocean. In every section there is a discussion on how the action of man affects a place, and how that in turn affects us.

One story talks about how changes in the atmosphere cause increased dust to blow from the African Sahara desert, which causes asthma in children and reef degradation far away - in the Caribbean. Another story talks about how very low levels of pesticides causes sex changes in frogs - which if taken to the logical conclusion, one might wonder how this affects human sexuality. Some of the most haunting images come from a man made lake that destroyed a rainforest in Venezuela due to the construction of a hydroelectric dam.

After watching this, I suggest stepping back from the actual stories and consider how the theory applies to our current culture today.

I have seen alot of nature DVDs and traveled extensively around the world for many months at a time, this is easily one of my favorites to explain the current situation of the world. It should be handed out for free.

If you enjoy this you might be interested in these DVDs: NOVA - World in the Balance (Pollution from China reaching the US), NG Guns, Germs, & Steel, Shape of Life, BBC Blue Planet, Charcoal People(!!), Sacred Planet, Commanding Heights, Life & Debt, and Zapatista.

The Shape of Life 4-DVD set also has an interesting story on invasive species too - regarding the New Zealand Flatworm destroying farmland in Scotland by eating worms. Power of the small..."

Strange days? Really?

KnightChess137 | 12/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These four episodes make it quite apparent what's happening on Planet Earth. Human beings--we-- are becoming the instruments of our own self-destruction. The sensible thing to do would be to simply put a halt to our brainless ways, but more people are concerned with self-advancement or making a profit than leaving behind an inhabitable world for our posterity. There's no excuse for polluted drinking water. Overfishing is irresponsible and unacceptable. Killing off the one predator that can keep an entire ecosystem from collapsing has embarassing consequences. Species invade and wreak havoc in places where they don't belong because the people pushing world transportation and globalization have little concern for the delicate equillibriums of life on Earth. Toxic chemicals have no place on my dinner plate. And global warming is not a hoax; it is real, it is dangerous, and it is our fault. Gone are the days when we can pursue biology and environmental science for fun or because we think animals are cute; now we must pursue it and get our heads into our survival, or our progeny will have every reason to desecrate our remains or machine gun us all for leaving behind nothing but a smoggy wasteland for them. I hate it when my fellow AP Environmental Science classmates walk into the classroom with anything but grave, urgent expressions on their faces. Instead of acting like we have a grand task before us, they goof off and think it strange when I do not goof off with them. I highly recommend this two-DVD set to everyone because everyone's planet is everyone's business and everyone's responsibility."

Stellar series! If you care about the world at all, ya gotta

yygsgsdrassil | Crossroads America | 08/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Edward Norton leads us through some fascinating shifts of earthly goings on in this attention getting documentary sponsored by the folks at National Geographics and currently in rotation on your local PBS station. Learn how shifts in temperature not only affects caribou migration in the northern frontier, but global wind paths which allow microspores to affect kids in the Carribean as well as coral reef growth. See what scientists do to respond to eroding forests in Hawaii, due to renegade flora. Will a plant mite keep the croc population from getting at the fishermen in Lake Victoria? And will planting trees in a few acres of farm land in Australia keep the Great Barrier Reef in the pink? This serves the answers. Spiced with some great computer generated animation and some hip special EFX, this is the best in enviromental documentaries yet. See it."

Strange Days on Planet Earth!!!!!GREAT!!!!!

J. Hylton | Bassett VA USA | 06/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Strange Days on Planet Earth is one of the best DVDs I own at this time. It is very informative. Edward Norton was a great host. I had no idea all of this was going on in the world. It made me think about what the things I do might effect our plant."