CCA Library Videos-Biology

CCA videos can be checked out for one week, and can also be viewed in the library. With one weeks' notice, CCA faculty can reserve videos in advance of planned classroom showings and make arrangements to pick up and return videos by contacting the Library (303-340-7545, library@ccaurora.edu). All the Audiovisual items listed below are housed at the Lowry Science Library, but can be reserved for use at the Centretech campus as well.

12-LEAD ELECTROCARDIOGRAM. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. 30 MIN. 616.120754 TWE. Acquaints the professional with the functioning of a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). Covers: principles and components of the 12-lead ECG unit; single- and multiple-channel recording; recognizing and evaluating T-wave inversion, ST segment elevation, and pathologic Q wave; identifying leads and ECG changes in acute interior wall MI, acute anterior wall MI, acute posterior wall MI, and acute right ventricular MI. A 24- page booklet is included.

ACID RAIN, NEW BAD NEWS. YEAR: 1985. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 58 MIN. 363.7 ACI. Shows the devastation caused by acid rain through scenes of the Black Forest, fishless and frogless lakes in the Adirondacks, and dissolving stone figures on the facade of Cologne Cathedral.

AMAZON, A VANISHING RAINFOREST. YEAR: 1988. FORMAT: VHS. 29 MIN. 574.4 AMA. Through interviews with a number of scientists working to save the Amazonian ecosystem, looks at Brazil's Amazon River Basin to show how encroaching development poses a threat to the region's fragile environment.

ANNELIDS. YEAR: 1983. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 595.14 ANN. A small anesthetized earthworm is shown dissected, featuring the pumping hearts. Tubifex worms live in the rich bottom ooze of ponds. Their unique adaptation to this stagnant environment is a blood pigment containing hemoglobin. Nereis, the clam worm of muddy bay shores, is shown in close-up. Certain leeches are blood-feeding parasites, but some other types live commensally with crayfish.

ARCHITECTURE OF CELLS. YEAR: 1983. FORMAT: VHS. 45 MIN. 574.87 ARC. Examines the relationship between cell structure and function in many types of cells from many different organisms. Intended to illustrate how cells are specialized to perform specific functions. The three parts looks at prokaryotic and eucaryotic cell structure, various organelles, and the role of the cell nucleus; cells in multicellular organisms including secretory, epidermal, digestive, and muscle cells; and the special structure of nerve cells, particularly receptors that sense sound, chemicals, and light. Contains three parts on one tape: Pt. 1 -- The Cell Blueprint, Pt. 2 -- A Congress of Cells, and Pt. 3 -- Sensory and Nerve Cells, each about 15 minutes in length.

ARRIVING. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #1. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 1. Being born is a trying experience, especially when the seas, other creatures and the climate seem to conspire against it. In this film, anthropologist Sir David Attenborough finds the odds against survival extraordinarily high. Go deep beneath a reef where the giant clam spews out a volcanic cloud of semen and then, minutes later, displays it legendary reproductive schizophrenia by bellowing out an immense typhoon of eggs.

ARTHROPODS. YEAR: 1975. FORMAT: VHS. 13 MIN. 595.2 ART. Millipedes and centipedes are contrasted in close-ups, comparing appendages and differences in feeding. The variety of form in decapods is illustrated by the sand crab. A black widow is shown spinning its egg cocoon. The diverse adaptability of insects is represented by hornets scavenging a freshly killed mammal. The "waggle dance" of honeybee communication is shown.

BACTERIA, INVISIBLE FRIENDS AND FOES. YEAR: 1983. FORMAT: VHS. 59 MIN. 589.9 BAC. Explores the world's enormous bacterial population, which not only is a source of many diseases, but also plays an indispensable role.

BASIC CHEMISTRY FOR BIOLOGY STUDENTS. YEAR: 1993. FORMAT: VHS. 21 MIN. 574.192 BAS. Introduces biology students to the basic chemistry of life, including atoms, elements, molecules, ions, isotopes, carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleic acids. Looks at the biochemical basis of how plants convert the sun's energy into materials they can used for growth; how animals convert plants into energy; how our bodies grow, move, breathe, get sick, renew themselves and age; and how the basic information of life is passed from generation to generation.

BLIND WATCHMAKER: THE EVOLUTIONARY IDEAS OF RICHARD DAWKINS. YEAR: 1998. FORMAT: VHS. 49 MIN. 575 BLI. British biologist Richard Dawkins is blunt in his support for evolutionary theory as opposed to "special creationism." This program, inspired by Dawkins' book, allows each side to present its best arguments-- with some bias toward Darwinian evolution. The evidence is well-organized and current. Creationist ideas are vividly contrasted with contradictory data through observation, computer simulations, robotics, experiments, and close examination of designs in nature. The central argument here is that the diversity we see in such complex adaptations as the eye and insect mimicry can best be explained by cumulative natural selection over long periods of time.

BLOOD: RIVER OF LIFE, MIRROR OF HEALTH. YEAR: 1986. FORMAT: VHS. 31 MIN. 611.0185 BLO. This 2-part program examines the functions and analysis of blood and introduces viewers to the ways blood test results provide detailed information about the health of the human body. Part 1,The River, examines the structure and functions of blood components, including plasma, red cells, white cells, and platelets. Part 2, The Mirror, looks at specific blood tests: how they are carried out and what they tell about the general health of the body.

BODY AGAINST DISEASE. YEAR: 1980. FORMAT: VHS. 48 MIN. 616 BOD. Part 1, Disease and Defenses (15 min.) -- Part 2, The Immune Response (16 min.) -- Part 3, The Body Against Itself (17 min.).

BODY ATLAS, 5 VOLUMES. YEAR: 2002. FORMAT: DVD. EA. 65 MIN. 612 BOD VOLS. 1-5. Takes the viewer on a journey through the human body. New techniques film the interior workings of the body in action. Each program matches the interior process to the way it affects our everyday lives. Contents: Disc 1. In the womb ; Glands and hormones -- Disc 2. Muscle and bone ; Breath of life -- Disc 3. Skin ; The food machine ; Taste and smell -- Disc 4. Visual reality ; Defend and repair ; Sex -- Disc 5. The human pump ; Now hear this ; The brain.

BRAIN. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NEW LIVING BODY. 20 MIN. 612.82 BRA. This program opens in the emergency room of a large hospital where head injuries are an all too common problem. The importance of the brain is evident from the skill and technology employed in ensuring that any damage to it is minimized. Using combinations of computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and advanced surgical techniques, the program shows why the brain is so important and explores what is known about how it works. The program provides a complete introduction to the following topics: Brain structure and function, Localization of brain activity, Motor and sensory neurons, and Simple reflex arcs.

CELL DIVISION & THE LIFE CYCLE. YEAR: 1985. FORMAT: VHS. 30 MIN. 574.87 CEL. Explores process of cell division using drawings and microphotographs. Examines role of cell division in development, growth, healing, body maintenance, and sexual reproduction.

CELL WARS. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: LIFE REVOLUTION. 26 MIN. 616.079 CEL. Biotechnology combines man and mouse to track and attack man's most feared diseases, using cells to destroy killer cells. Exceptional computer animation demonstrates how the body's immune system works. The program explains the role of antibodies in vaccinations and allergies, and shows the uses of monoclonal antibodies in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of different types of tumors, as well as the immune system deficiency syndrome, AIDS.

CELL: FUNCTIONING STRUCTURE, 2 PARTS. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: BIOLOGY TODAY. 57 MIN. 574.8 CEL. Pt. 1 uses cinemicroscopy and special-effects animation to present the cell as a functioning entity as well as a stable, reproducible structure. Shows ways cells obtain nourishment, and discusses cellular reproduction and cell structure. -- Pt. 2 uses cinemicroscopy and animation to show chemical events which take place within the living cell. Describes genetic code and DNA, discusses the chloroplast of the plant cell, and investigates cellular communication.

CELLULAR RESPIRATION: ENERGY FOR LIFE, 2 COPIES. YEAR: 1994. FORMAT: VHS. 22 MIN. 574.8764 CEL. This program takes students through the intricate process of cellular respiration. Special effects and high quality graphics demonstrate how cells convert nutrients into energy. This program describes the crucial steps of aerobic and anaerobic respiration, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain, as well as the concepts of kilocalories, potential energy and kinetic energy.

CHEMISTRY OF THE CELL, 2 PARTS. YEAR: 1967. FORMAT: VHS. 39 MIN. 574.87 CHE. Part 1, Structure of Proteins and Nucleic Acids, discusses the nature of amino acids, proteins, and DNA, and illustrates the need for and means of their exact duplication following cell division. Part 2, Function of DNA and RNA in Protein Synthesis, discusses the chemical and physical properties of DNA and RNA, and illustrates the way these molecules act to control and activate synthesis of cell proteins at ribosomes.

CHROMOSOMAL BASIS OF HEREDITY. YEAR: 1979. FORMAT: VHS. 17 MIN. 573.2 CHR. This animated film clearly illustrates the chromosomal basis of heredity. It traces the history of the chromosomal theory, describes how gene pairs separate in the sex cell, explains how chromosomes are passed from parent to child, shows what happens to chromosomes during meiosis and demonstrates the constancy of mitosis.

CITY OF CORAL. YEAR: 1983. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 57 MIN. 574.92 CIT. Studies in ecosystems of a coral reef with special emphasis on the means used by various animals to survive in this complex environment.

CLEAN AIR. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EARTHBEAT #6. 25 MIN. 574.5 EAR PROG. 6. Investigates incredible statistics in Mexico City for air pollution from cars and factories while powerful imagery brings the intensity of the earth's plight to view. Possible solutions to the air problem are discussed including a solar-powered car and various practical tips for energy and air quality conservation.

CLEAN WATER. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EARTHBEAT #2. 25 MIN. 574.5 EAR PROG. 2. Presents a disturbing look at a number of instances of water contamination including the effect of polluted ground water from farming, expulsion of toxic benzene from a Soviet factory, toxic runoff in the Puget Sound area, and a cleanup attempt of the Boston Harbor. Possible solutions are also discussed. Actor Ted Danson hosts.

CLONE OF FROGS. YEAR: 1979. FORMAT: VHS. 20 MIN. 591.87 CLO. Exceptional photographic sequences clearly illustrate the complex process by which the first cloned frogs were produced at Oxford University.

COCAINE AND HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY. YEAR: 1986. FORMAT: VHS. 20 MIN. 362.29386 COC. Beginning with a brief expose of the magnitude of the cocaine abuse problem, the film demonstrates how this stimulant affects the body and the mind. The film employs real medical pictures to present a unique and realistic picture of cocaine's effects on the body.

COELENTERATES. YEAR: 1976. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 593.5 COE. This film shows hydra capturing a daphnia and later regurgitating the exoskeleton. The reproductive methods of hydra and obelia are compared. On Hawaiian reefs, close-ups of the colonial stony corals reveal thousands of individual limestone-producing polyps. Aurelia pulses along by muscular contractions produced in its swimming bell. The Portuguese man-of-war is seen in close-up.

CONSERVE ENERGY. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EARTHBEAT #7. 25 MIN. 574.5 EAR PROG. 7. Spans the globe to look at what some people are doing about the energy crisis. Includes discussions of the Energy Fitness Team in Massachusetts showing how simple adjustments at home can save on both energy use and utility bills, a trip to Africa where one man is building special ovens that produce more heat and use less wood, and a visit to a Southern California power company that is harnessing solar power.

CONTINUING THE LINE. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #12. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 12. The ultimate trial of life may be to perpetuate it. Anthropologist Sir David Attenborough may just have the proof to that hypothesis. And remarkable evidence it is-- examine the strategies animals use to pass their genes on to the next generation.

COURTING. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #11. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 11. Forget any notion that courting in the animal world is merely pursuit and conquest. Under anthropologist Sir David Attenborough's watchful eye, this natural ritual is subtle, varied and quite astounding.

DARWIN'S REVOLUTION IN THOUGHT, CLASSROOM EDITION. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: GOULD, STEPHEN JAY. 50 MIN. 576.8 GOU. Using evolutionary biology, history of science and social history as his canvas, Gould paints the fascinating picture of how human biases -- philosophical, cultural and spiritual -- have continued to resist Darwin's theory, inverting it into its own scientific and philosophical opposite.

DARWIN'S REVOLUTION IN THOUGHT, EXTENDED TEACHERS EDITION. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: GOULD, STEPHEN JAY. 75 MIN. 576.8 GOU. Using evolutionary biology, history of science and social history as his canvas, Gould paints the fascinating picture of how human biases -- philosophical, cultural and spiritual -- have continued to resist Darwin's theory, inverting it into its own scientific and philosophical opposite.

DARWIN'S REVOLUTION. YEAR: 1986. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: BURKE, JAMES. SERIES: DAY THE UNIVERSE CHANGED #8. 52 MIN. 303.4 DAY P.8. People believed in the 1700's that all forms of life were unchanged since creation. Then the study of geology and fossils produced new ideas about change in living things and the age of the earth. Wallace and then Darwin concluded that species evolved to survive in their environments over great periods of time. The concept of survival of the fittest was later adapted to justify Nazism, robber baron capitalism, and communism.

DECODING THE BOOK OF LIFE. YEAR: 1989. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 58 MIN. 574.87322 DEC. Traces the history of DNA mapping and looks at the controversial genome project whose goal is to determine the location and makeup of individual genes in the human genome. Discusses the potential for ethical, social and economic abuses inherent in such an undertaking. Includes an interview with geneticist James Watson who with others discovered the structure of DNA.

DINOSAURS. YEAR: 1989. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: ATTENBOROUGH, DAVID. SERIES: LOST WORLDS, VANISHED LIVES #3. 40 MIN. 560 ATT PT. 3. Explores what Earth looked like during the age of Dinosaurs, what dinosaurs looks like, what they ate, how fast they moved, and how intelligent they were. Modern paleontological techniques reveal secrets about the lives these ancient inhabitants led.

DISSECTION OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: WORKINGS OF THE HUMAN BODY. 34 MIN. 611.1 DIS. Provides an in depth look at the circulatory system using human cadaver dissection. This tour of the circulatory system is conducted by two physicians at the University of Florida Medical School and was written by Anthony Gaudin.

DISSECTION OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: WORKINGS OF THE HUMAN BODY. 25 MIN. 611.3 DIS. Provides an in-depth look at the digestive system using human cadaver dissection. This tour of the digestive system is conducted by two physicians at the University of Florida Medical School and was written by Anthony Gaudin.

DISSECTION OF THE HEART. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: WORKINGS OF THE HUMAN BODY. 25 MIN. 611.12 DIS. Provides an in-depth look at the heart using human cadaver dissection. This tour of the heart is conducted by two physicians at the University of Florida Medical School and was written by Anthony Gaudin.

DNA & THE EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION. YEAR: 1998. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EVOLUTION. 20 MIN. 574.92 DNA. This program shows the structure and replicating processes of DNA and the effects of genetic mutation. It also demonstrates the Lederberg Experiment, and recapitulates the evidence provided by fossils and structural and biological homologies that the process of adaptation and the selection of adapters rests on a wide range of genetic variability.

DNA REPLICATION: THE REPEATING FORMULA. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 574.873 DNA. The synthesis of a DNA molecule is represented step-by-step as the fertilization of the egg starts the process of cell division that grows into the living organism. The ability of DNA to replicate itself during the process of cell division enables the blueprints for creating proteins to be passed on.

DO WE REALLY WANT TO LIVE THIS WAY? YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #3. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 3. Two dramatic examples of air and water pollution, the city of Los Angeles and Europe's Rhine River, illustrate the price we pay for progress. Ways to sustain the environment in Western industrial life are also explored.

DOUBLE HELIX. YEAR: 1998. FORMAT: VHS. 107 MIN. 574.873282 DOU. This fast-paced dramatization is about the race to solve one of the greatest mysteries of 20th-century science-- the structure of DNA. It is the story of the diligent research, creative analysis, and perseverance of James Watson and Francis Crick that led to the discovery. With the help of their colleague, Maurice Wilkins, they also earned the 1962 Nobel Prize. Students of biology and genetics will benefit from the process of problem-solving used to identify the structure of DNA, as well as the clear, concise summary of research evidence.

ECHINODERMS. YEAR: 1983. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 593.9 ECH. Beds of purple sea urchins are seen along a rock coast. Close-ups show their mobile spines, tube feet, gills and mouth. A sand dollar's spines are shown to be used for locomotion and protection. Starfish exhibit variety in form and color. Brittle stars have long serpent-like arms; basket stars have arms which are branched and act as plankton strainers. Tentacles of the sea cucumber are taken into the central mouth opening and cleaned of food.

ECOLOGY AND ADAPTATION (SCIENCE I). YEAR: 1985. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: GED ON TV #107. EA. 30 MIN. 371.26 GED NO. 107. Topics covered include the meter and scientific measurement; ecology: ecosystems, food chain; and adaptation: short/long term.

ECOSYSTEMS. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: STONEBARGER, BILL. 32 MIN. 574.5 STO. Part One introduces ecology and environmental science comparing and contrasting the views of several leading ecologists. Part Two outlines ecological concepts including the laws of thermodynamics, the flow of energy, the cycling of matter, and food chains. Ends with a look at how human values play a role in environmental choices.

ENDANGERED SPECIES. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EARTHBEAT #5. 25 MIN. 574.5 EAR PROG. 5. Looks at the difference individuals are making in protecting animals from extinction. In three separate segments the indiscriminate destruction of marine life through dragnet fishing in northern waters is exposed by Earth Trust, a commercial crab fisherman's fight for ecological preservation of Florida's Cockroach Bay is highlighted, and anthropologist Richard Leakey describes his life-and-death struggle against African poachers in Kenya.

ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EARTHBEAT #1. 25 MIN. 574.5 EAR PROG. 1. Within the setting of Yellowstone National Park the peril of the wolf, central predator and missing link in the ecological chain of the national park wildlife, is cited as an example of the dangers in disturbing ecological balance. Interviews with naturalists challenge the viewer to become aware of the components which form the foundation of the earth's ecosystem.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVOLUTION. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #1. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 1. The historical relationship of humans to their environment is examined -- how we once coexisted with nature, what changed, and how we are now literally transforming the face of the earth.

EVER-NORMAL GRANARY. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: AMERICA THE BOUNTIFUL #5. 30 MIN. 630 AME PT. 5. Looks at the history of agriculture in North America. This program focuses on the monumental problems that American agriculture faced in the 1930s. Farmers were caught in the downward spiral of crashing prices and farm foreclosures in the Great Depression, only to be followed by the disaster of the Dust Bowl. It was a time of violent shakeout, culminating in FDR's New Deal.

EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. 30 MIN. 576.82 EVI. An introduction to the theory of evolution and the evidence supporting it. Motion video and graphics present evidence from the fossil record, comparative anatomy, embryology, and geography. Evolution and natural selection are illustrated with present day examples.

EVOLUTION AND THE ORIGIN OF LIFE. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: BIOLOGY TODAY. 35 MIN. 575 EVO. Uses cinemicroscopy, time-lapse photography, special effects, animation, macro-photography, and documentary and nature footage to survey the history of the earth from its beginning. Topics include DNA, bacteria photosynthesis, flagellates, sexual reproduction, multicellular colonies, the Miller-Urey "hot-soup" experiment, and Darwin's theories.

FACTORING IN MENDEL. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 576.82 FAC. Darwin was unable to explain how characteristics are transferred from generation to generation. The solution was found in Gregor Mendel's experiments with the common pea plant. Finally, we examine dominant and recessive traits and what the Hardy-Weinberg law proves.

FARMERS OF THE SEA. YEAR: 1984. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 56 MIN. 631.5 FAR. Looks at aquaculture in its various forms, discussing its successes and failures. Explores its relationship to traditional fishing techniques and looks ahead toward its future in developing and developed countries.

FERTILIZATION. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. 5 MIN. 612.6 FER. This film shows diagrams of the male and female reproductive systems. Shows photomicrographs of a sperm penetrating an egg. It also shows drawings of various stages of the fertilized egg development leading to the formation of a new human being.

FIGHTING. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #7. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 7. The stakes may be food, territory, a mate or survival. The strategies might be sophisticated or simplistic. Whatever the ingredients, physical conflict is a fact of life. And anthropologist Sir David Attenborough shines incredible, indelible light on these wars of the animal world.

FINDING FOOD. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #3. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 3. When living things go looking for edible things, there's ample chance for incredible filmmaking as anthropologist Sir David Attenborough focuses on this vital quest. See the nearly perfect food-chain "designs" of plants and animals who have evolved an amazing array of tactics to ensure their own survival.

FINDING THE WAY. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #9. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 9. It may be true that getting there is half the fun. Yet anthropologist Sir David Attenborough proves that how animals get from one place to another also provides a good fraction of the natural world's wonder and mystery.

FLATWORMS. YEAR: 1983. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 595.12 FLA. This film shows planarians moving and detecting food; the taking of food into the branched intestine through a muscular pharynx. One animal is shown regenerating new parts. A postmortem examination of a frog shows two organs housing parasitic flukes: gorgoderina, the bladder fluke, and haematoleuchus, the lung fluke. The microscope reveals tapeworms in a catfish.

FOOD AND SHELTER. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EARTHBEAT #8. 25 MIN. 574.5 EAR PROG. 8. Explores solutions to the world's growing food shortage including organic farming, efforts of the Heifer Project in stopping the deterioration of the quality of our food supply, and topsoil preservation efforts conducted by the Land Institute of Iowa. A wind-swept visit to northern Kenya and its walking milk trucks spotlights this episode.

FOSSILS: PLANTS & TETRAPODS. YEAR: 1988. FORMAT: VHS. 20 MIN. 561 FOS. Illustrates the collecting of seemingly ordinary rocks in the field and how these rocks can reveal important information when subjected to careful laboratory analysis. Fossilized plant remains are analyzed and their origin is determined. It also presents evidence provided by structural analysis which supports the theory of evolution of land plants from the simple to the more complex. The relationship between the structures of extant plant forms and early plant groups which may have been their ancestors is explained and the processes used to reconstruct the original form of early animals are demonstrated.

FOSSILS: REPTILES & MAMMALS. YEAR: 1988. FORMAT: VHS. 20 MIN. 567.97 FOS. Presents fossil evidence for the evolution of reptiles and amphibians and explains the reasoning processes scientists must use when no direct evidence is available for examination. It also illustrates field techniques for collecting fragile fossils for transportation to the laboratory, where examination can take place under controlled conditions and traces the evolution of some modern mammals back through time.

FRIENDS & RIVALS. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #8. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 8. Man was hardly the first species to realize that it's wise to organize. And anthropologist Sir David Attenborough presents this wisdom of social structure in an unforgettably vivid way.

FRUIT FLY: A LOOK AT BEHAVIOR BIOLOGY. YEAR: 1974. FORMAT: VHS. 20 MIN. 595.774 FRU. Shows how the fruit fly is used to study behavior. Describes the work underway at the California Institute of Technology under the direction of Seymour Benzer which uses the breeding of behavioral mutant flies in an attempt to isolate the roots of behavior by tracing it to genetic sources.

FUNCTIONAL CHEMISTRY IN LIVING CELLS. YEAR: 1985. FORMAT: VHS. 67 MIN. 574.87 FUN. Introduces the major ideas of chemistry that are useful in understanding the biochemical aspects of cell biology that are a central part of introductory college biology courses. Covers those compounds and bonds that supply and transport energy within living systems from a biological perspective, emphasizing the energy-storage and transport characteristics of molecules biologically important for these traits. Contains four parts on one tape: Pt. 1 -- Atoms and Molecules (20 min.), Pt. 2 -- Carbohydrates and Lipids (19 min.), Pt. 3 -- Proteins (14 min.), and Pt. 4 -- Nucleic Acids (14 min.).

FUNGI. YEAR: 1980. FORMAT: VHS. 16 MIN. 589.2 FUN. The film examines the major groups of fungi, showing how certain molds have evolved chemical substances (antibiotics) which serve to reduce competition with other microorganisms, while other fungi produce poisons which are extremely toxic to man. In each group, the film shows unique mechanisms for spore production and dispersal. Underlying these points of interest is the theme: fungi function as important decomposers, breaking down dead material and releasing nutrients for recycling in the living world.

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. 32 MIN. 986.65 GAL. Looks at the strange and unique creatures of the Galapagos Islands that astounded those who first saw them and inspired Charles Darwin to change the way we look at the world and ourselves. This program is a slide show on video.

GIANT SEQUOIA. YEAR: 1979. FORMAT: VHS. 17 MIN. 585 GIA. Brings the natural science story of these giant trees up-to-date with information gathered through research during the past 10 years. Discusses the role of fires and animals in the life cycle of the sequoia.

GLOBAL WARMING. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EARTHBEAT #3. 25 MIN. 574.5 EAR PROG. 3. In a meeting at the Sundance Symposium, Robert Redford brings together top U.S. and Soviet officials to discuss action steps to combat global warming. Film clips and diagrams describe the process of carbon dioxide emissions on earth and their current and long-term effects are examined. Possible solutions are also presented.

GOD, DARWIN AND THE DINOSAURS. YEAR: 1989. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 58 MIN. 231.765 GOD. Chronicles the history of the creation-evolution controversy in the United States and examines the arguments put forth by the supporters of both views. In this context, the program explores the definition of science, reviews standards of scientific evidence, and discusses the importance of testing and debating theories within an established community of scientists.

GOOD SENSE ABOUT YOUR STOMACH. YEAR: 1973. FORMAT: VHS. 15 MIN. 612 GOO. Uses animation and dramatizations to illustrate the digestive process. Suggests some common sense rules for eating and relaxing tension, explaining when and how much to eat and drink, what to do for nerves and heartburn, and how to maintain regularity.

GREENHOUSE CRISIS: THE AMERICAN RESPONSE. YEAR: 1989. FORMAT: VHS. 11 MIN. 333.7916 GRE. Illustrates the greenhouse effect, summarizes some of the consequences of global warming, examines various forms of energy production and consumption, and concludes with an overview of how improved energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy sources can prevent global warming.

GROWING UP. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #2. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 2. Talk about child care. Anthropologist Sir David Attenborough has taken cameras and crew to every corner of the globe to expose remarkable examples of how baby animals gain the size and the strength to survive.

HEARING. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: MYSTERY OF THE SENSES #1. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 573.87 MYS VOL. 1. Hearing travels from the Arctic Circle to the forest of New Zealand to explore some of the ways we make use of sound. In the sublime quiet of northern Greenland, indigenous people hunt seals with the help of faint sounds from beneath the ice. Unaccountably, these Eskimo hunters are also losing their hearing- a mystery that confronts a visiting research scientist. In New Zealand, the Maori people have woven music, song and chant into virtually every aspect of their daily and spiritual lives. In the West, music is used largely for entertainment, but among the Maori it is used in warfare, storytelling, religion, sports and virtually every sphere of life.

HEART AND CIRCULATION. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. 5 MIN. 612.1 HEA. Uses animated drawings to show how the heart and blood vessels circulate blood through the body. Includes microscopic scenes of capillary action and discusses blood pressure and its relation to health.

HEREDITY, HEALTH & GENETIC DISORDERS. YEAR: 1985. FORMAT: VHS. 44 MIN. 616.042 HER. Probes the causes of such genetic disorders as sickle cell anemia, PKU, Tay Sachs disease, Down Syndrome, spina bifida, and cystic fibrosis. Teaches the principles of genetic screening, advances in medical technology, and the effects of genetic disorders on both individual and families.

HIDDEN UNIVERSE: THE BRAIN, 2 COPIES. YEAR: 1974. FORMAT: VHS. 48 MIN. 618.82 HID. Discusses the functions and malfunctions of the human brain, examining new techniques, drugs and equipment being used to diagnose and treat malfunctions. Explores the concept of memory and provides a visual test used for measuring an individual's ability to remember.

HOMEMAKING. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #5. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 5. As long as living creatures have needed warmth and security, they've built homes. Anthropologist Sir David Attenborough draws a bead on the Earth's housing market and finds it sturdy and wonderful to behold. Tour the great prairie-dog towns where these furry little architects have devised escape hatches and even ventilation towers.

HOMEOSTASIS. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NEW LIVING BODY. 20 MIN. 612.022 HOM. In order to understand homeostasis in a natural setting, this program observes what happens to the body during a marathon race. By monitoring the various physiological responses of one of the runners, we show the many changes and adjustments being made in the body as the race progresses. The data obtained from the runner are used to explain in detail how the body regulates temperature, blood oxygen, blood glucose, water balance, heart rate, breathing rate, and hormone levels. The program provides a complete introduction to the following topics: Homeostatic mechanisms within the body, Regulation of temperature, Regulation of blood sugar, Feedback systems, Role of hormones, and Water balance.

HOMEOSTASIS: MAINTAINING THE BODY'S INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT. YEAR: 1985. FORMAT: VHS. 30 MIN. 612.022 HOM. Discusses the role of homeostasis in regulating certain processes of the human body such as temperature, water balance, blood sugar, weight and respiratory gas concentration.

HORN OF PLENTY. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: AMERICA THE BOUNTIFUL #1. 30 MIN. 630 AME PT. 1. Looks at the history of agriculture in North America. As the New World became populated, methods of food production changed but corn remained the central focus. The relationship between the settlers and native Americans through the mid-18th century is examined.

HOT BLOODED DINOSAURS. YEAR: 1977. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 52 MIN. 567.91 HOT. Presents strong evidence of endothermy in dinosaurs and suggests that dinosaurs did not die or become extinct but evolved into our present day "birds."

HOW BABIES GET MADE. YEAR: 1987. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 58 MIN. 574.33 HOW. Examines the processes by which embryos develop from single cells into complex organisms and the efforts of scientists to discover the cellular and genetic mechanisms that account for both normal and abnormal embryological development.

HUMAN LIFE EMERGES. YEAR: 1998. FORMAT: VHS. 35 MIN. 612.6 HUM 1998. Human reproduction is a fascinating and complex process, especially when seen microscopically. This program presents a close-up view of reproduction, beginning with the fertilization of the female egg, through gestation and the millions of cell divisions, and culminating in birth of a fully formed individual. Each stage of the development is visualized in sequence: when the heart begins to beat, when the limbs develop, when the child first moves and responds to stimuli, and when it offers its first cry to the world at the moment of birth. Sophisticated computer animation and technical narration are used throughout in an effort to explain the gestation and birth processes for the advances learner.

HUMAN REPRODUCTION. YEAR: 1981. FORMAT: VHS. 22 MIN. 612.6 HUM 1981. Focuses on the biological aspects of human reproduction. Explains the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems and shows the reproductive process from conception to birth. Includes animated segments.

HUNTING & ESCAPING, 2 COPIES. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #4. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 4. The most hair-raising suspense film pales beside it. But this is not fiction. It's the life -and-death struggle in the "realest" world of all and anthropologist Sir David Attenborough has captured it. Great Skua birds swooping down on sea-bird nests near Shetland; killer whales hurling their eight-ton bodies onto the beach to snatch sea-lion pups and a mantis masquerading as a creamy orchid in order to bag a butterfly.

HYPOTHERMIA: THE COLD FACTS. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. 28 MIN. 616.989 HYP. Explains what hypothermia is, why some people are more susceptible to hypothermia than others, how such factors as body weight and attitude affect one's ability to survive in cold water, why drinking alcoholic beverages increases the risk of hypothermia, and how the body protects against cold through shivering and other reflexes.

IMMUNE RESPONSE. YEAR: 1982. FORMAT: VHS. 19 MIN. 611 IMM. Takes viewer's through a journey into the cellular landscape of the body's immune response, using time- lapse microcinematography and animation to clarify this complicated and vital process. Notes that the enhancement of treatment, prevention of infection, and even therapy for cancers.

IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #4. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 4. Are environmental protections and economic development inherently in conflict? Viewers visit Brazil and India to see how some environmental disasters began as well-intentioned development projects and to learn how development could proceed while protecting the environment.

INSIDE CELLS: CELLS AND THEIR ORGANELLES. YEAR: 2002. FORMAT: DVD. 29 MIN. 571.64 INS. Using electron microscope images and entertaining graphics, this program walks viewers through the basic components of a cell.

INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSYNTHESIS. YEAR: 1987. FORMAT: VHS. 30 MIN. 581.1 INT. Presents an introduction to the basic features of photosynthesis in higher plants. Includes simple classroom experiments, animation and graphic presentations.

INTRODUCTION TO THE MICROSCOPE & LABORATORY TECHNIQUE. YEAR: 1985. FORMAT: VHS. 30 MIN. 502.82 INT. Demonstrates the use of the microscope in a laboratory setting.

INVISIBLE WORLD. YEAR: 1988. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC VIDEO. 60 MIN. 502.8 INV. Uses highly specialized cameras, imaging devices, and electron microscopes to examine the universe of shapes, movements, and lives that exist beyond the limited range of human vision.

IS EVOLUTION PROGRESSIVE. YEAR: 1997. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: DAWKINS, RICHARD. 50 MIN. 575 IS. Richard Dawkins lectures on the theory of progressive evolution, which proposes the steady long-term improvement of evolutionary grade. The biological theory originated in Victorian England and developed analogous sociological, political and cultural counterparts.

IT NEEDS POLITICAL DECISIONS. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #9. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 9. This segment examines the power of politics in protecting the environment. Three nations in varying stages of economic development -- Zimbabwe, Thailand, and Sweden -- offer three different strategies for conserving the environmental future.

KEEPING IT TOGETHER: CELL MEMBRANES. YEAR: 2002. FORMAT: DVD. 33 MIN. 571.64 KEE. Examines the structure and function of cell membrances, including compartmentalization, intercellular interaction, regulation of the movement of materials, and as a location for biochemical activities.

LAND. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: AMERICA THE BOUNTIFUL #2. 30 MIN. 630 AME PT. 2. Looks at the history of agriculture in North America. This program focuses on the early settlers as population grew and the control and use of land became critical issues. Immigrants were drawn by the agricultural lure of abundant and fertile land, but many held differing opinions on how American land should be parceled out. The frontier moved west as the 18th century came to a close.

LIFE DURING THE MESOZOIC ERA. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. 21 MIN. 560.176 LIF. Examines the development of life during the Mesozoic Era, as evidenced by the study of fossil remains. Includes descriptions of plant life and dinosaurs.

LIFE DURING THE PALEOZOIC ERA. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. 21 MIN. 561 LIF. Explores fossil records and artist drawings and dioramas of life in the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Mississippian, Pennsylvanian and Permian Periods. Discusses also mass extinction theories and shows how the continents have moved.

LIFE FORMS & PROCESSES (SCIENCE II). YEAR: 1985. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: GED ON TV #108. EA. 30 MIN. 371.26 GED NO. 108. Covers the cell: theory, photosynthesis and reproduction; genetics and heredity; plants and animals: differences and similarities and the classification system.

LIFE IN CENOZOIC TIMES. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. 22 MIN. 567.9 LIF. Discusses how the rocks and minerals of Illinois were created or deposited. Discusses some of the uses of those rocks and minerals and how they are removed from the earth.

LIFE ON EARTH. YEAR: 1986. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: ATTENBOROUGH, DAVID. 233 MIN. 550 LIF. Contains 13 individual chapters: 1. The Infinite Variety -- Nature's secrets found in ancient places. 2. Building Bodies -- First signs of life in the seas. 3. The First Forests -- The world of plants, primitive and grand. 4. The Swarming Hordes -- The ingenious adaptability of insects. 5. Conquest of the Waters -- Complexities of the great groups of fish. 6. Invasion of the Land -- the emergence of amphibian creatures. 7. Victors of the Dry Land -- Reptiles and the dinosaur dynasty. 8. Lords of the Air -- Feathers, wings and birds in flight. 9. The Rise of the Mammals -- Where dinosaurs failed, mammals succeeded. 10. Theme and Variations -- The extremes of mammal evolution. 11. The Hunters and The Hunted -- Patterns of behavior in the animal kingdom. 12. Life in the Trees -- Spotlighting monkeys and their relatives. 13. The Compulsive Communicators -- The development and achievements of man.

LIQUID WASTE AND KIDNEY. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. 5 MIN. 612.6 LIQ. This film considers the function of the kidneys as well as the relationship between liquid waste and the internal body process.

LIVING TOGETHER. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #6. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 6. Compared with the natural world's elaborate "buddy" system, humans are curiously detached. Illustrating the point, anthropologist Sir David Attenborough has put together a stunning portrait of togetherness. Dive to a coral reef to meet an underwater odd couple-a shrimp and a goby fish.

LIVING WATERS OF THE BIG CYPRESS. YEAR: 1980. FORMAT: VHS. 14 MIN. 574.9759 LIV. Explains the role of water in the life cycle of this unique swamp and shows the wilderness habitats and plants and animals which inhabit the Big Cypress National Preserve.

LUNG ACTION AND FUNCTIONS. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. 5 MIN. 612.2 LUN. Describes the anatomy and functioning of the human lung.

MAGIC IN THE ROCKS. YEAR: 1989. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: ATTENBOROUGH, DAVID. SERIES: LOST WORLDS, VANISHED LIVES #1. 38 MIN. 560 ATT PT. 1. Introduces fossils, how they were formed, what they can tell us about life before man, and where they can be found around the globe.

MEIOSIS: THE KEY TO GENETIC DIVERSITY. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. 26 MIN. 574.32 MEI. Focuses on two important functions of meiosis. Meiosis ensures that individuals in a sexually reproducing species maintain the same number of chromosomes in their cells generation after generation. Meiosis is also a key mechanism for the diversity found in any sexually reproducing species.

MEIOTIC MIX. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 576.82 MEI. Illustrates the difference between mitosis, an asexual mode of reproduction, and the "chromosomal dance" that occurs during meiosis, with their significance to organic evolution. The reshuffling of chromosomes during meiosis is shown to generate variation.

MEN, WOMEN & THE SEX DIFFERENCE: BOYS AND GIRLS ARE DIFFERENT. YEAR: 1996. FORMAT: VHS. 43 MIN. 155.33 MEN. Are males and females really alike, aside from physical characteristics, or do we have innately different predispositions, aspirations, and abilities? In this ABC News special, John Stossel raises questions about the nature/nurture debate, and seeks to discover if many parents' gut instincts - and the findings of many researchers and psychologists - about differences between little girls and boys have been right all along. The program speaks with parents who have tried to foster gender-neutral behavior in their children, and specialists who illustrate differences in male-female brain functions and hormones. The program also speaks with feminists Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, and Gloria Allred, who question whether the issue of gender difference should even be raised.

METABOLISM: THE FIRE OF LIFE. YEAR: 1982. FORMAT: VHS. 36 MIN. 612 MET. Explores how the body consumes and breaks down nutrients; discusses the creation and storage of vital food compounds, and examines the role of the liver, pancreas, thyroid and pituitary glands, hormones, and intermediate synthesizers. Contains two parts on one tape: Pt. 1 -- The Body Complex (18 min.) and Pt. 2 -- Inside the Cell, the Processing Plant (18 min.).

MIRACLE OF LIFE. YEAR: 1983. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 57 MIN. 612 MIR. Combines live action and animation with detailed microcinematography to explain the process of human reproduction. Shows the cell as the basic unit of life, the structure and function of the male and female reproductive organs; the fertilization, implantation and development of the embryo and fetus during pregnancy; and the birth of the baby.

MOLLUSCS. YEAR: 1955. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 594 MOL. The chitons cling to rocks with a muscular foot. They have eight bony plates embedded in their dorsal surfaces. The radula is revealed in detail. A land snail moving over a windowpane displays waves of muscular action. Several nudibranches are shown. The film explores a clam's water circulatory mechanism. Basic cephalopod features are seen on a hatching octopus.

MORE FOR LESS. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #6. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 6. This program tracks the efforts of citizens in Iowa, Brazil, Denmark, and India as they search for new ways to use energy more efficiently. It also looks at how we can lessen our dependence on fossil fuels, which contribute to the greenhouse effect.

MUSCLE: CHEMISTRY OF CONTRACTION. YEAR: 1969. FORMAT: VHS. 15 MIN. 612.74 MUS. What part of the muscle contracts and what triggers the contraction? With the aid of an electron microscope and a simple tabletop model of muscle filaments, Dr. Georges R. Marechal demonstrates that actin and myosin proteins are the contractile elements of muscle. He further shows which specific chemical substances are necessary to activate them-adenosine triphosphate and calcium ions. Using the evidence of electron microscope studies, the film suggests that muscle filaments slide over and past one another during contraction.

MUSCULAR SYSTEM. YEAR: 1977. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: KING, DOUG. SERIES: HUMAN ANATOMY. 40 MIN. 611.73 KIN. This material shows the various skeletal muscles of the human body. They are described and identified in detail using human cadavers. There is also emphasis placed on the names, groups, and individual actions of muscles.

MZIMA: PORTRAIT OF A SPRING. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. 52 MIN. 574.524 MZI. Shows how, in the midst of the arid Tsavo National Park in Kenya, underwater springs support and nourish a wide variety of animal life.

NERVE IMPULSE. YEAR: 1971. FORMAT: VHS. 21 MIN. 612.81 NER. Extensive laboratory demonstrations help develop the physiological concepts raised in this film. The demonstrations range from fairly simple frog nerve-muscle preparations to a recreations of the single squid axon preparation made famous by Nobel prize winners Hodgkin and Huxley.

NEW LOOK AT ALGAE. YEAR: 1979. FORMAT: VHS. 15 MIN. 589.3 NEW. In this film there are striking examples of adaptation in freshwater and marine algae: diatoms with elongated spiny cases which reduce the rate of sinking; others which produce oil droplets in order to regulate their buoyancy; algae which live symbiotically within a host animal; multicellular algae which grow to 30 meters, supporting their elongated forms by means of gas-filled floats; and others.

NEW LOOK AT BACTERIA. YEAR: 1979. FORMAT: VHS. 16 MIN. 589.9 NEW. Live action sequences show an unsuspected variety of locomotion patterns and behavioral responses in these primitive organisms. There are gliding forms, which show close affinities to certain blue-green algae, spirochetes and their unique locomotion, and bacilli which use flagella to move through the medium in ways that keep them in contact with their food supply.

NOTES OF A BIOLOGY WATCHER. YEAR: 1982. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: THOMAS, LEWIS. SERIES: NOVA. 57 MIN. 574.01 NOT. Biologist and author, Lewis Thomas, demonstrates the individuality and interconnectedness in nature through his observations of various creatures, including the courtship of blue crabs, ferocious fights between sea anemones, tiny worms with tinier plants inside them, and termites which turn out to be committees of dozen of different organisms.

NOW OR NEVER. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #10. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 10. The final program focuses on individuals who are working now to effect critical changes that will determine the environmental quality of life in the 21st century. It encourages everyone from the average citizen to world leaders to play an active role in sustaining the earth.

NUMBER OF MY DAYS. YEAR: 1989. FORMAT: VHS. 57 MIN. 362.1 NUM. Follows the progress of four organ transplant surgeries through interviews with patients, their families, and their doctors. Covers the shortage of donated organs, ethics issues, criteria used to determine who will receive a transplant, emotional issues faced by transplant patients, and the enormous costs of the surgery and follow-up therapy.

ONLY ONE ATMOSPHERE. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #2. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 2. Violent storms, heat waves, and disruptions in the food supply are crises forecast for the coming century if we don't slow global warming now. The problems caused by CFCs and the depletion of the ozone layer are reviewed.

OUR DISAPPEARING FORESTS. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 18 MIN. 333.75 OUR. Discusses how over-population, pollution, and exploration for one-time profits are threatening the great forests of the world -- and how their potential destruction threatens us. This program is an enhanced slide show on video.

OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. 23 MIN. 571.96 OUR. A veritable army of cells is constantly on the alert in our bodies. Its mission is to destroy any foreign cells, viruses, or bacteria that attack the fortress they are protecting, the human body. This program uses stunning imagery to describe the battles our immune system wages inside our bodies, showing how it sets up defenses against viral invasion. It explains how, by means of vaccination, we can use the functions of the immune system to prevent disease. The program also shows how, in the case of organ transplants, the immune system must be suppressed, and shows how the anti-rejection drug, Cyclosporine, works.

OUT OF ASIA: NEW THEORIES ON EVOLUTION. YEAR: 1998. FORMAT: VHS. 51 MIN. 599.938 OUT. The common consensus among anthropologists is that modern man emerged from Africa. This program examines new evidence that disputes the African theory and alleges that simultaneous to the emergence of Homo erectus in Africa, there were groups of Homo erectus in Australia. Was there one center of evolution in Africa? Was there an earlier diaspora that predates the African migration? Was there a single, linear evolution from Homo erectus to modern man, or is it possible that there were various strains and that evolution is a result of hybridization? Does Java Man, dated at two million years ago, refute the African theory?

OUT OF THE OZONE. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. 19 MIN. 363.7392 OUT. Discusses the role of ozone in earth's atmosphere and the recent discovery that earth's ozone layer is being destroyed through the action of chloro-fluorocarbons (CFC's) and other pollutants. The program is an enhanced slide show on video.

PASSAGE OF FOOD THROUGH DIGESTIVE TRACT. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. 5 MIN. 612.3 PAS. This program uses x-ray motion pictures to show the passage of food through the entire digestive tract. The biting, chewing and swallowing of food are first shown by photography then by x-ray pictures.

PATTERNS OF DIVERSITY. YEAR: 1987. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: GENETICS. 25 MIN. 575.0162 GEN. Discusses Darwin's theory of natural selection by detailing experiments of land snail populations in the Pyrennes and in Britain and raises the possibility that Darwinian natural selection cannot account for changes in these populations. Presents the molecular theory of genetic drift developed by Motoo Kimura hypothesizing that variety is maintained by many neutral mutations that occur more rapidly than could be predicted by natural selection.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS: THE DARK REACTION. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 581.1 DAR. This program shows the step-by-step developments in the dark reaction, including the processes in the Calvin cycle and the production of glucose and starch.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS: THE LIGHT REACTION. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 581.1 LIG. The light reaction is explored in depth with computer animation. The program follows the path of the electrons through the P680 and P700 photosystems, and eventually out into the stroma, where they are used in the dark reaction.

PLASMA MEMBRANE. YEAR: 1988. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: CELL BIOLOGY. 15 MIN. 574.875 CEL. Uses photomicrography and animation to describe the functioning of the plasma membrane, the ultimate barrier through which materials must pass as they enter or leave a cell. Illustrates the role of the plasma membrane in maintaining the internal environment of the cell and in the processes of diffusion, osmosis, and active transport.

POPULATION PICTURE. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 576.82 POP. Returning to the larger themes of organic evolution, we again use the Hardy-Weinberg model, focusing on how the equilibrium of a population may be disturbed. Stabilizing, directional, and disruptive evolutionary phenomena are examined, and we touch on the theory of random genetic drift.

PUTTING FLESH ON BONE. YEAR: 1989. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: ATTENBOROUGH, DAVID. SERIES: LOST WORLDS, VANISHED LIVES #2. 38 MIN. 560 ATT PT. 2. Looks at what fossilized remains and fossilized footprints can tell us about what the creatures looked like, what they ate, and where they lived. Show how paleontologists use computer-enhanced motion analysis, three-dimensional modeling, along with their imagination and intuition to bring fossilized creatures to life.

RAIN FOREST. YEAR: 1983. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC VIDEO. 60 MIN. 574.52642 RAI. Showcases the rare beauty and rich variety of plant and animal life found in a Costa Rican rain forest. Also examines the impact of man's exploitation of the rain forest on this fragile ecosystem.

RAINFOREST: THE PUZZLE OF BIODIVERSITY. YEAR: 1997. FORMAT: VHS. 24 MIN. 577.34 RAI. In Darwin's world, the most aggressive and adaptable species survive. Then how to explain the anomaly of Barro Colorado Island in Panama, where 1,300 species of plants and 300 species of trees, and a varied, herbivorous animal population all coexist in an area of just 6 square miles? This program provides an understanding of the biodiversity, structure, and function of a tropical forest, and it offers new biological research on an organism's ability to adapt and survive in a competitive environment.

RARE GLIMPSES. YEAR: 1989. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: ATTENBOROUGH, DAVID. SERIES: LOST WORLDS, VANISHED LIVES #4. 40 MIN. 560 ATT PT. 4. Looks at the emergence of mammals on the Earth 67 millions years ago when dinosaurs died out. Looks at the search for fossils of small mammals and how certain sites, like the LeBrea Tar Pits, are rich depositories for scarce mammal fossils.

REDUCE WASTE. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EARTHBEAT #4. 25 MIN. 574.5 EAR PROG. 4. Investigates the aftermath of New York's famous garbage barge, and the subsequent formation of WRAP, We Recycle America Proudly. Looks at typical activities of New York's Toxic Cops, at a "smart kitchen", and at new and provocative methods for waste disposal and recycling. Demonstrates that recycling is actually less expensive than dumping.

REMNANTS OF EDEN. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #5. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 5. Protecting the diversity of living organisms while addressing the needs of growing human populations is the focus of projects in Thailand's and Costa Rica's tropical forests, Oman's deserts, Kenya's savannah game parks, and Florida's Everglades.

RESPIRATION AND WASTE. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. 5 MIN. 612.2 RES. This program provides live and animated pictures to portray certain aspects of respiration that are normally difficult to conceptualize. Tells how oxygen and food taken in the body are related to carbon dioxide, waste and urine.

RIBOSOMAL DNA. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 574.873 RIB. Ribosomal RNA and protein make up the ribosome, a complicated two-part machine that monitors the interaction between messenger RNA and transfer RNA. As explained in this program, the mutations that result from the faulty replication of a DNA code are usually harmful, but they are also believed to be the basis of evolution.

RNA SYNTHESIS: THE GENETIC MESSENGER. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 574.873 RNA. Every living species relies on the accuracy of DNA replication, and RNA, or ribonucleic acid, plays an essential role in this process. The information of the DNA strand is carried by the messenger RNA to the ribosome, the site of protein manufacture.

SAVE THE EARTH -- FEED THE WORLD. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #7. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 7. Australia, Indonesia, West Africa, and the American Midwest are rediscovering traditional farming practices and using science and technology to work with nature, rather than conquer it.

SCIENCE OF STRESS. YEAR: 2003. FORMAT: DVD. 50 MIN. 155.9042 SCI. Explores the links between stress and illness by staging a day in the life of a lawyer. An endocrinologist, a perinatal psychobiologist, an occupational psychologist, and two psychiatrists observe and comment on his stress factors and the way he handles them. The experts discuss how the "fight or flight response," a result of adrenalin and cortisol secretion triggered by stress, might be appropriate for fleeing from lions but is not a useful reaction in the office and can be detrimental over time.

SEA BEHIND THE DUNES. YEAR: 1981. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 59 MIN. 574.5 SEA. Combines symphonic music, detailed nature photography, and a lyric commentary to evoke an emotional as well as intellectual appreciation of the ecology of an ocean inlet. Describes the interrelationship of the ocean, bay, barrier beach, and salt marsh and shows the animals that inhabit this ecosystem.

SEEDS OF TOMORROW. YEAR: 1985. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NOVA. 58 MIN. 631.5 SEE. Visits Ethiopia, Greece and Peru to examine the genetic heritage of our foods and the efforts to save the seeds that plant breeders use to create new and better crops.

SELECTION AND ADAPTATION. YEAR: 1988. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: EVOLUTION. 20 MIN. 576.8 SEL. This program illustrates the selection by environmental constraints of the more favorable variations in a population and the inheritance of these variations by succeeding generations, resulting eventually in a population of plants and animals most of which is improved in its adaptation to its particular environment. It also shows the development of unique characteristics and adaptive structures that promote survival in particular environments and demonstrates the dynamic nature of environmental processes and their effect on the process of natural selection.

SELFISH MEME. YEAR: 1997. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: DAWKINS, RICHARD. 60 MIN. 304.5 SEL. Richard Dawkins discusses the theory of memes, which proposes a basic mental replicating unit in social evolution which is equivalent to the replicating function of the gene in biological evolution.

SENSES. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: NEW LIVING BODY. 20 MIN. 612.8 SEN. This program examines the role that our senses play in providing us with information about the world around us. Our brain depends upon the information from all our senses being integrated so that the brain is provided with consistent data that it can use to direct our actions. The program demonstrates how the senses of sight and balance operate as well as how they interact with each other. The program provides a complete introduction to the following topics: The visual system, The vestibular system, The relationship between the brain and the sensory organs, and Using modern technology to overcome our sensory limitations.

SENSORY WORLD. YEAR: 1971. FORMAT: VHS. 33 MIN. 155.911 SEN. An animated film, which shows a voyage through the human body to demonstrate the operation of the senses. Includes experiments showing sensory phenomena and confusion.

SKELETAL AND MUSCLE ACTION. YEAR: 1972. FORMAT: VHS. 9 MIN. 612.7 SKE. This program shows the relationship between body movement and skeletal muscle action. X-ray photographs make it possible to see these movements.

SMELL. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: MYSTERY OF THE SENSES #2. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 573.87 MYS VOL. 2. In smell, exotic smells virtually waft through your screen as Ackerman visits one of the world's largest creators of perfumes, where master "nose" (as perfume designers are known) Sophia Grojsman is mixing a new scent from hundreds of bottles in her lab. It is instructive to watch the "nose" at work as she blends smells characterized as "top notes," "middle notes" and "Bottom notes." These correspond to increasingly more complex molecules that take longer and longer to evaporate on the skin. Ideally, the bottom note is a desire-inducing emanation that hits the nose after more fragrant top and middle notes have piqued the olfactory interest.

STEPHEN JAY GOULD: THIS VIEW OF LIFE. YEAR: 1984. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: GOULD, STEPHEN JAY. SERIES: NOVA. 58 MIN. 574.0924 STE. A profile of the paleontologist, author and professor who is perhaps the liveliest voice in the field of evolutionary theory today and who may expound with informed humor on anything from the evolution of the panda's thumb to why a clam would mount a fish on its rear end.

STEROIDS: SHORTCUT TO MAKE-BELIEVE MUSCLES. YEAR: 1988. FORMAT: VHS. 35 MIN. 574.19243 STE. Using on camera interviews with athletes, health educators and medical professionals, this program explores the problem of the non-medical use of anabolic steroids. A number of young athletes give their reasons for not using these drugs. The program concludes with a detailed demonstration of a drug-free body development program.

SUCCESSION ON LAVA. YEAR: 1970. FORMAT: VHS. 14 MIN. 574.5 SUC. By destroying all life around them, volcanic eruptions provide ideal demonstrations of the order in which life reestablishes itself on lava. This film is a pictorial history of that process, opening with the spectacular 1969 Kilauea eruption, then moving directly to the aftermath of destruction. Because the Hawaiian islands have so many volcanoes in varying stages of age and activity, the film can trace the ecological succession on lava flows from the appearance of its first blue-green algae to the establishment of a mature biotic community -- a succession that ordinarily spans centuries.

SWORDS & PLOWSHARES. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: AMERICA THE BOUNTIFUL #3. 30 MIN. 630 AME PT. 3. Looks at the history of agriculture in North America. This program follows 19th century agricultural pioneer Henry Wallace and others as science and technology begin to impact farming and education in the years following the Civil War. New ideas were sprouting up and American farmers looked for advice from the federal government as the 20th century approached.

SYSTEMIC ANATOMY OF THE CAT: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM PART I. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: STROPES, STEPHEN L. SERIES: CAT ANATOMY #6. 30 MIN. 591.4 SYS VOL. 6. This video takes a look at the heart structure and the 33 veins in the thorax, forelimb, neck, abdomen and hindlimb.

SYSTEMIC ANATOMY OF THE CAT: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM PART II. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: STROPES, STEPHEN L. SERIES: CAT ANATOMY #7. 30 MIN. 591.4 SYS VOL. 7. This video takes a look at the 17 arteries in the thorax, forelimb and neck.

SYSTEMIC ANATOMY OF THE CAT: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM PART III. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: STROPES, STEPHEN L. SERIES: CAT ANATOMY #8. 30 MIN. 591.4 SYS VOL. 8. This video takes a look at the 18 arteries in the abdomen and hindlimb.

SYSTEMIC ANATOMY OF THE CAT: DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: STROPES, STEPHEN L. SERIES: CAT ANATOMY #4. 30 MIN. 591.4 SYS VOL. 4. This video takes a look at the oral cavity-alimentary canal, including the accessory organs of the cat.

SYSTEMIC ANATOMY OF THE CAT: MUSCULAR SYSTEM PART I. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: STROPES, STEPHEN L. SERIES: CAT ANATOMY #1. 30 MIN. 591.4 SYS VOL. 1. This video takes a look at the major muscles of the hindlimb and the hip of a cat.

SYSTEMIC ANATOMY OF THE CAT: MUSCULAR SYSTEM PART II. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: STROPES, STEPHEN L. SERIES: CAT ANATOMY #2. 30 MIN. 591.4 SYS VOL. 2. This video takes a look at the major muscles of the shoulder, back and forelimb of the cat.

SYSTEMIC ANATOMY OF THE CAT: MUSCULAR SYSTEM PART III. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: STROPES, STEPHEN L. SERIES: CAT ANATOMY #3. 30 MIN. 591.4 SYS VOL. 3. This video takes a look at the major muscles of the chest, abdomen, head and neck of the cat.

SYSTEMIC ANATOMY OF THE CAT: URINARY & FEMALE & MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. AUTHOR: STROPES, STEPHEN L. SERIES: CAT ANATOMY #5. 30 MIN. 591.4 SYS VOL. 5. This video takes a look at the 33 structures of the urinary tract and the female and male reproductive systems are identified.

TALKING TO STRANGERS. YEAR: 1991. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: TRIALS OF LIFE #10. 50 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 591.51 ATT PT. 10. Man may be entering the "Information Age", but the animal world has always had its own intricate forms of delivering the message. Anthropologist Sir David Attenborough journeys far and wide, seeking out the natural world's best communicators.

TASTE. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: MYSTERY OF THE SENSES #3. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 573.87 MYS VOL. 3. Taste travels around the world to explore the variety of taste sensations that humans have concocted to enhance our daily requirement of calories. Ackerman leads viewers through some exotic feasts: lobsters prepared at Maison de Bricourt, a two-star restaurant striving for its third star and the distinction of serving some of the finest food in France; the elaborate traditional meal shared with departed loved ones during the Day of the Dead in Mexico, and street food dished up at one of the hungriest intersections in Manhattan. Each of these meals is a blend of just four tastes - sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Each taste, we learn, was inherited from our distant ancestors as a means of distinguishing potential poisons in the wild or for finding nourishment.

TORCHLIGHT. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: AMERICA THE BOUNTIFUL #4. 30 MIN. 630 AME PT. 4. Looks at the history of agriculture in North America. This program features the story of George Washington Carver amid the changing agricultural economics of the late 1800's. Farm prices dropped and farmers struggled to make ends meet. Henry Wallace used the power of the press to advance agricultural interests, but many Americans began trading farm life for the industrial lure of the cities.

TOUCH. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: MYSTERY OF THE SENSES #4. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 573.87 MYS VOL. 4. Touch looks at our most sensual sense - the one that, arguably, gives the greatest and most profound pleasure. Massage is one of the most intense forms of touch, and it highlights the beneficial effects of the tactile senses. For asthmatics, a therapeutic massage can restore breathing. For premature infants confined to the isolation of an incubator, regular massages are a potent substitute for a mother's touch, since massaged babies gain weight almost 50 percent faster than those who lack such contact. For Ackerman, fresh from a soothing mud bath, the touch of a masseuse is a like a "caravan of sensations in this ocean of calm."

TRANSFER RNA. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. 10 MIN. 574.873 TRA. The functions of the three different types of RNA - messenger, transfer, and ribosomal - are explained. The transfer RNA acts as a vehicle for the amino acids, ferrying them to the ribosomal, where they link up with the messenger RNA molecules, forming a chain that becomes a protein.

TRIUNE BRAIN. YEAR: 1984. FORMAT: VHS. 30 MIN. 611.81 TRI. This program talks about the brain, the most mysterious organ in the human body. It also talks about it's functions and what part of the brain controls certain functions.

VIRUSES, THE MYSTERIOUS ENEMY. YEAR: 1982. FORMAT: VHS. 39 MIN. 616 VIR. Examines what is know about the tiny, mysterious, protein-covered nucleic acids called viruses and discusses their history, biochemistry and life cycle. Also discusses the body's natural defenses against viral disease and how medical science is progressing towards cures for viral ailments.

VIRUSES. YEAR: 1982. FORMAT: VHS. 15 MIN. 576 VIR. Shows the range of virus morphology and two modes of virus action: the direct takeover of the host cell as seen in the T4 bacteriophage, and the more subtle phenomenon of virus insertion, whereby the viral nucleic acid "snips" its way into the host cell's DNA and replicates along with the host's genes at each cell division. Also shows culturing methods and the effect of viruses on plant tissue.

VISION. YEAR: 1995. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: MYSTERY OF THE SENSES #5. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 573.87 MYS VOL. 5. Vision explores our most magical sense and the elusive truths that both art and science reveal about sight. From Native American petroglyphs and the artwork of Roy Lichtenstein and M.C. Escher to the latest 3-D views of the living human brain, images are a prodigious medium of communication. The intricate neural pathways that process images are evident when Ackerman submits to a "PET" scan, demonstrating how she uses the same visual circuits to see an object as to imagine it. No wonder dreams can seem so frighteningly real!

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET #8. 60 MIN. CLOSED CAPTIONED. 363.7 RAC PROG. 8. Demonstrations of how to generate less waste, as seen in Peru, Japan, Denmark, and California, take advantage of recycling and waste treatment.

WEB OF LIFE: EXPLORING BIODIVERSITY. YEAR: 1996. FORMAT: VHS. 115 MIN. 574.01 WEB. This program celebrates life on earth through the eyes of experts and laymen. As we enter a new age of exploration, unimagined numbers of species are being uncovered every day. The program travels around the world to explore the connections between all living things on earth.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SAVE THE PLANET. YEAR: 1990. FORMAT: VHS. 45 MIN. 363.705 WHA. Demonstrates ways in which the average U.S. consumer can help solve a wide variety of environmental problems by re-evaluating his use of natural products, reducing the amount of materials consumed, and recycling materials. The emphasis is on practical and inexpensive steps in the home, in the yard, and on the highways that can help conserve and protect Earth's resources.

WHEREBY WE THRIVE. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: AMERICA THE BOUNTIFUL #6. 30 MIN. 630 AME PT. 6. Looks at the history of agriculture in North America. This program deals with food production from the 1940s to the present. American agriculture became international in significance during the Cold War years, as research yielded great crop improvements and many U.S. farm products were exported to Third World countries. The "Green Revolution" allowed fewer farmers to grow more food.

WILD EDIBLE PLANTS. YEAR: 1976. FORMAT: VHS. 17 MIN. 581.632 WIL. Shows how common wild plants may be identified, harvested and used as food. Also stresses avoiding unknown plants that may be dangerous.

WOMEN AND DISEASE. YEAR: 1992. FORMAT: VHS. SERIES: DOCTOR IS IN. 30 MIN. 613.04244 WOM. Do women experience heart disease differently from men? Why do women have a higher rate of depression? Do treatments developed exclusively from research on men work for women? This program from The Doctor Is In examines the lack of medical research conducted on women, and the resulting diminished effectiveness of treatments in the areas of heart disease, depression, and alcoholism.

WORK OF THE HEART (SECOND EDITION, 1988). YEAR: 1988. FORMAT: VHS. 21 MIN. 612.17 WOR. This film observes our hardest working organ: the heart, the constantly pumping power source of our circulatory system. Animated footage illustrates the parts of the heart and how they relate to the work of the lungs, arteries, and veins. This edition describes heart and circulatory problems -- and how they are treated -- and gives special emphasis to the importance of good health care.