CCA Library Videos-Geology

CCA videos check out to Community College of Aurora faculty for one week. 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).

ATMOSPHERE & THE UNIVERSE (SCIENCE IV). YEAR: 1985. SERIES: GED ON TV #110. EA. 30 MIN. 371.26 GED NO. 110. Covers the atmosphere: composition, climate and pollution; the solar system; terrestrial planets and gaseous planets.

CITY OF CORAL. YEAR: 1983. 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. 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. 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.

CONSERVE ENERGY. YEAR: 1991. 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.

DARWIN'S REVOLUTION. YEAR: 1986. 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.

DINOSAURS. YEAR: 1989. 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.

DRIFTING OF THE CONTINENTS. YEAR: 1971. 50 MIN. 551.136 DRI. Surveys recent discoveries in the earth sciences which explain the movement of the continents and disclose other facts about the earth.

EARTH & WATER (SCIENCE III). YEAR: 1985. SERIES: GED ON TV #109. EA. 30 MIN. 371.26 GED NO. 109. Covers topics in geology including: earth's formation, plate tectonics and seismology; rocks: types and cycle; oceanography: water forms, water cycle and pollution.

ENDANGERED SPECIES. YEAR: 1991. 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. 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.

EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION. YEAR: 1995. 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. 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.

FOOD AND SHELTER. YEAR: 1991. 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: EXPLORING THE PAST. YEAR: 1986. 16 MIN. 560 FOS. Paleontology, one of the most exciting of the new sciences, has provided a wealth of information on the earth's geological history. This film offers viewers a close look at paleontologists working in the field and laboratory, collecting, examining, and interpreting many types of fossils. In addition to providing valuable data about the development of life on earth, these links to the past are crucial to our present search for natural resources such as petroleum and coal.

FOSSILS: PLANTS & TETRAPODS. YEAR: 1988. 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. 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.

GLOBAL WARMING. YEAR: 1991. 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.

GREENHOUSE CRISIS: THE AMERICAN RESPONSE. YEAR: 1989. 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.

HOT BLOODED DINOSAURS. YEAR: 1977. 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."

HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU? YEAR: 1989. SERIES: NOVA. 58 MIN. 551.51 HOT. Looks at the greenhouse effect -- the theory that human-produced gases are altering the atmosphere to create a hothouse climate -- and at some of its possible consequences like endless summers, failing crops, and widespread extinction. Shows scientists revealing the sources of "greenhouse gases" and discussing a variety of ways to reverse this dangerous trend.

HURRICANE. YEAR: 1984. 29 MIN. 551.5 HUR. Tracks an actual hurricane from its tame beginnings in the Atlantic to its violent landfall at Galveston, Texas, in August, 1983.

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

LIFE DURING THE MESOZOIC ERA. YEAR: 1990. 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. 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 IN CENOZOIC TIMES. YEAR: 1995. 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.

MAGIC IN THE ROCKS. YEAR: 1989. 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.

MESSAGE IN THE ROCKS. YEAR: 1981. SERIES: NOVA. 57 MIN. 525.01 MES. Delves into the mystery of how our planet was formed and how it evolves into its present structure. Examines how clues to the earth's origins may be found in meteorites found in fossils in the Antarctic dating back 3.5 billion years and in masses of ancient bacteria found at Mt. St. Helens.

MOUNT MCKINLEY, THE LAND ETERNAL. YEAR: 1975. 24 MIN. 574.509798 MOU. Traces the interdependence of life through the seasons in the subarctic region of Alaska.

PUTTING FLESH ON BONE. YEAR: 1989. 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.

RARE GLIMPSES. YEAR: 1989. 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. 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.

REMOTE SENSING: THE APPLICATION. YEAR: 1989. SERIES: REMOTE SENSING #3. 29 MIN. 621.3678 REM PROG. 3. Looks at a meteorological experiment using both remote sensing and field instruments whose aim to better predict local weather conditions.

REMOTE SENSING: THE SPECTRUM. YEAR: 1989. SERIES: REMOTE SENSING #1. 24 MIN. 621.3678 REM PROG. 1. Introduces the concept of remote sensing, looks at its history and background, and discusses the basics of the electromagnetic spectrum.

REMOTE SENSING: THE TECHNOLOGY. YEAR: 1989. SERIES: REMOTE SENSING #2. 27 MIN. 621.3678 REM PROG. 2. Looks at the equipment used to record remote images, to process them into photographic and digitized forms, and discusses how remote images can be interpreted.

ROCK CYCLE. YEAR: 1990. 90 MIN. 549.114 ROC. Combines earth images and innovative graphics to portray how rocks evolve and transform from one type to another in a never-ending cycle.

SEA BEHIND THE DUNES. YEAR: 1981. 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.

SEDIMENTATION: TURBIDITY CURRENTS. YEAR: 1987. 9 MIN. 551.483 SED. Depicts sediments released in a large flume under varying conditions with close ups of particle sorting and flow.

SPIRAL DANCE. YEAR: 1985. 28 MIN. 976.4932 SPI. Presents wildlife, plant communities and cultural history of Big Bend National Park.

STEPHEN JAY GOULD: THIS VIEW OF LIFE. YEAR: 1984. 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.

STONE FOREST. YEAR: 1974. 17 MIN. 561 STO. Illustrates the stages of petrification, using time lapse photography to depict the formation of crystals and the process by which fallen trees turn to stone.

SUCCESSION ON LAVA. YEAR: 1970. 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.

SUNSPOT MYSTERY: SUN-WEATHER CONNECTION. YEAR: 1977. SERIES: NOVA. 30 MIN. 551.5 SUN. Shows research focusing on the sun's effect on weather as part of the attempt to prevent natural disasters and regulate food supplies. Discusses such findings as a 22 year drought cycle and shows various experiments, including those conducted aboard skylab.

SUNSPOT MYSTERY: SUNSPOTS EXPLAINED. YEAR: 1977. SERIES: NOVA. 31 MIN. 523.7 SUN. Interweaves the latest research on aurora, solar constants, sunspot cycles, and tree analyses with historical scientific records to show how the sun's changes affect earth.

WATERFALLS. YEAR: 1987. 10 MIN. 551.484 WAT. Demonstrates waterfall formation and development, including migration, undercutting, and erosion.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SAVE THE PLANET. YEAR: 1990. 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.