ts central idea, of a perfect but impossible place, has since become part of our mental furniture. But what does this very amusing (though also rather stern) book mean? It has sometimes been seen as a satire on the inevitable conformity of political equality but may rather offer a portrait of a magnificently just society. Utopias links both with London and with the civic culture of Renaissance Europe more generally will be explained. Focussing on its significance at the time when it was written, with reflections on its remarkably varied legacy. This is part of the Being Human festival and is complemented by an exhibition at the University of London’s Senate House which runs until December 2016, Utopia and Dystopia.
Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham’s mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/
In this video essay we take a deep dive into the enduring mystery of the African Humid Period or the Green Sahara. A period about 16,000-5,000 years ago when monsoonal rains brought a lush grassland to the Sahara Desert. We will be exploring the ancient civilizations that once called this land home as well as the biodiversity it once housed. All in an attempt to learn more about the mysterious and fascinating cultures that once existed in the Green Sahara.
In this month’s Lightning Round video, I look up the deadliest job in the world, how much of your body you can lose and continue living, talk about bias in the media, and why depression might be a good thing.
Here’s the links to the websites I pulled up in the video:
Hi Spacecats, I’m Dr Maggie Lieu and welcome to my channel, where you can find all things space, astronomy and physics! Have you ever wondered why the atmosphere doesnt float off to space but doesnt crash down to earth either? Earth’s ambipolar field plays a crucial role, pushing the atmosphere upwards and impacting everything from ion density to our planet’s overall structure. In this video I talk about just that from the latest research findings from NASAs endurance rocket
Enjoy a full 50-minute documentary about parrots in urban areas.
Planet Parrot: Alien invaders are infiltrating our cities. Colourful, noisy and clever, they are multiplying rapidly. The rise of the city parrot seems unstoppable. But why are they doing so well in cities, while their rural cousins are struggling to survive? Yucatán, Mexico: a small beak tentatively takes some food from its human surrogate mother. Even at this stage, the features are recognisable – this is a baby Scarlet Macaw. A team of parrot experts are trying to rebuild the wild populations of one of the most colourful parrots in the world. Every newly hatched parrot baby is nurtured until it is fit for release. Not only the Scarlet Macaw is struggling to survive in the wild, but many other species of wild parrots are declining in numbers as well. Several thousand kilometers away, in the city of Stuttgart, Germany: a flock of adult Yellow-headed Amazons are swooping into trees. Snow is falling, and the parrots look out of place against the grey buildings and drab skies. But these parrots live in the wild – and are growing in numbers.
The same trend can be observed across the world. In Sydney, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are a common sight. In Argentina, Burrowing Parrots have established colonies in local towns, and in Phoenix, Arizona, the saguaro cactus provides an ideal home for the charming lovebirds from Africa. The lives of these different species of parrots tell a fascinating story: in their native habitats, the numbers of parrots are declining. At the same time, over the past few decades, they have slowly been taking over our cities – in places where we would least expect to see them. Feral escapees have flocked together to form thriving populations that are now competing for space with native birds. A staggering 70,000 parrots already live wild in cities around the world – some of which are considered highly endangered in their native homeland. But why have parrots done so well in human environments? Is it down to their intelligence? Are they outsmarting native birds? Or is it because we find them colourful and fun, and so encourage them to live alongside us? Exploring city parrots around the world, we discover a surprising truth. The answer to saving parrots in the wild may be found in our cities. Every city parrot might be a valuable genetic reservoir to help restock wild populations that have become extinct. ‘Planet Parrot’ is a story about a group of colourful, charismatic animals that are increasingly turning a human world into a sanctuary for their own kind.
#terramater #fulldocumentaries
📽️ Facts:
Title Planet Parrot
Duration 50 min
Written by Matt Hamilton
Directed by Matt Hamilton
Executive producers Ivo Filatsch, Sabine Holzer
A production of Humble Bee Films for Terra Mater Factual Studios.
Plastic pollution is a huge problem on every continent, and increasingly in our oceans. Land based microbes have been discovered that have learnt how to digest certain plastics, but new research has now discovered that nature is at it in our oceans as well! So has evolution gifted us a solution to the Great Pacific Garbage patch?
Don McLean’s Iconic song ‘American Pie’ has been referred to as the Day the Music Died, since that’s one of the most famous lines in the song. But the music actually died for Don several times: First, with Buddy Holly’s death, and then, with his father’s unexpected heart attack. Don McLean’s life was anything but easy, but in this inspirational life story we deep dive into his struggles and triumphs and everything that led him to write these everlasting lyrics. Now, second to the Star Spangled-Banner, American Pie by Don McLean has been pegged America’s Most Iconic Song. So, sit back and relax, as we dig up the Roots of Don McLean’s Song, American Pie. 🎵
