Films with: Ross, Neil

Absolute zero

Presents the history of low-temperature research and the quest for ever-lower notches on the thermometer. The conquest of cold opens with experiments in the 1600s that asked what heat and cold are and whether they are different aspects of the same phenomenon. Shows how the experiments that settled those questions helped stoke the Industrial Revolution. The race for absolute zero dramatizes the rivalry between Scottish researcher James Dewar and Dutch physicist Heike Onnes, who plunged cold science to the forbidding realm at which oxygen and then hydrogen turn into liquids. Shows how the quest continues today as scientists pioneer super-fast computing near absolute zero--the ultimate chill of -459.67° F, where atoms slow to a virtual standstill.

DVD 7070

Ghost in your genes

While the discovery of DNA appeared to supplant much, or possibly all, of the nature vs. nurture question, this documentary highlights how life choices , stress, nutrition, may in fact impact or even change DNA processes. The filmmakers explore newer evidence that suggests DNA replication may not be as automatic as had been thought, and is shaped and affected by a second "epigenetic" chemical code that reacts with environmental changes, activating or deactivating various genes, all with potentially dramatic and even permanent results. As such, the nature vs. nurture question gains new prominence and new import, with the implication that people's choices with their own lives and the lives of their children have far-reaching consequences.

DVD 7162

Hunting the hidden dimension

"Nova takes viewers on a fascinating quest with a group of pioneering mathematicians determined to decipher the rules that govern fractal geometry. Their remarkable findings are deepening our understanding of nature and stimulating a new wave of scientific, medical and artistic innovation, stretching from the ecology of the rainforest to fashion design."--Container.

DVD 7008

Mars dead or alive /

In January 2004, two spacecraft (named Spirit and Opportunity) carrying identical robotic explorers touched down on the surface of Mars. Take a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the design, testing, and launch of the mission, then join the quest for signs of life on the red planet.

DVD 3574

Welcome to Mars

Documents the most significant events of the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

DVD 3593