Comments on: TV Review: Planet Earth http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html NIGHTTIME IS FOR DREAMING. DAYLIGHT IS FOR ACTION. Mon, 1 Dec 2008 18:18:20 +0000 By: Kevin Morgan http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33757 Kevin Morgan Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:02:14 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33757 I concur. It was a fantastic undertaking. I was especially impressed by the lengths the film crews went through to get their shots. I concur. It was a fantastic undertaking. I was especially impressed by the lengths the film crews went through to get their shots.

]]> By: Will Davies http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33733 Will Davies Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:40:36 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33733 David Attenborough is God. What is this Weaver heresy I hear? In all seriousness, I think Attenborough might be the most widely respected man in Britain. Interestingly, he's an atheist. I think he's planning a series on Darwin, the Beagle and evolution next - can't wait! I have Planet Earth on DVD, and it's great; who needs to trek to church of a Sunday to have a spiritual experience when you've got the whole planet waiting on your shelf? For Chris Swanson and Jeff T, I can only direct you to the Royal Society's excellent site on climate change, which can be found here: http://royalsociety.org/landing.asp?id=1278 (sorry for the shodding linking, I don't know to hyperlink here!) David Attenborough is God. What is this Weaver heresy I hear?

In all seriousness, I think Attenborough might be the most widely respected man in Britain. Interestingly, he's an atheist.

I think he's planning a series on Darwin, the Beagle and evolution next - can't wait! I have Planet Earth on DVD, and it's great; who needs to trek to church of a Sunday to have a spiritual experience when you've got the whole planet waiting on your shelf?

For Chris Swanson and Jeff T, I can only direct you to the Royal Society's excellent site on climate change, which can be found here: http://royalsociety.org/landing.asp?id=1278
(sorry for the shodding linking, I don't know to hyperlink here!)

]]> By: Jim S. http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33728 Jim S. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:19:50 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33728 I was fortunate enough to watch the entire series when it was presented on HD Theater (Discovery Channel's hi def version). We had just gotten our hi def lcd big screen and did not appreciate what HD could be until the opening scenes of Planet Earth. The entire series just blew our socks off. Mere written superlatives cannot convey the visual grandeur portrayed in this series. Do Not Miss It! I was fortunate enough to watch the entire series when it was presented on HD Theater (Discovery Channel's hi def version). We had just gotten our hi def lcd big screen and did not appreciate what HD could be until the opening scenes of Planet Earth. The entire series just blew our socks off. Mere written superlatives cannot convey the visual grandeur portrayed in this series.

Do Not Miss It!

]]> By: Susan B. http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33722 Susan B. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:54:59 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33722 The diversity of life shown in this series is incredible. I've watched it many times over and will do so again. One of the highlights for me is the scene of an ant (and later a grasshopper and many other insects) getting taken over by a parasitic fungus as its family members desperately move it as far away from the colony as possible. Even the morbid scenes like this are beautiful, and an important part of the natural processes that keep the ecosystems alive. One thing I love about the series is that by concentrating on ecosystems, rather than individual species or families, they can talk about how all these species have evolved in parallel with one another. I also appreciate that they discuss the non-living aspects of the ecosystems, such as the crystal structures in the caves. The diversity of life shown in this series is incredible. I've watched it many times over and will do so again. One of the highlights for me is the scene of an ant (and later a grasshopper and many other insects) getting taken over by a parasitic fungus as its family members desperately move it as far away from the colony as possible. Even the morbid scenes like this are beautiful, and an important part of the natural processes that keep the ecosystems alive.

One thing I love about the series is that by concentrating on ecosystems, rather than individual species or families, they can talk about how all these species have evolved in parallel with one another. I also appreciate that they discuss the non-living aspects of the ecosystems, such as the crystal structures in the caves.

]]> By: Ebonmuse http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33716 Ebonmuse Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:55:38 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33716 <blockquote>Will it be possible to do a similar film mere decades from now? I am afraid not.</blockquote> The producers of the film did mention at several points that vast animal migrations and other spectacles which they filmed for similar documentaries just a few decades ago can no longer be found today. There are still wild places on Earth, but the number that have not felt the effects of human depredation is growing increasingly small...

Will it be possible to do a similar film mere decades from now? I am afraid not.

The producers of the film did mention at several points that vast animal migrations and other spectacles which they filmed for similar documentaries just a few decades ago can no longer be found today. There are still wild places on Earth, but the number that have not felt the effects of human depredation is growing increasingly small...

]]> By: mikespeir http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33713 mikespeir Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:19:25 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33713 Happy Atheists Day everybody! Happy Atheists Day everybody!

]]> By: Valhar2000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33712 Valhar2000 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:48:11 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33712 I just finished watching the episode about caves yesterday, and it was amazing. I found the cave in the US, with those crystals that were almost sahped like coral, and had lithovore bacteria on them, even more impressive than the hundred meter high mound of bat droppings you mentioned. This series of documentaries is awesome! I just finished watching the episode about caves yesterday, and it was amazing. I found the cave in the US, with those crystals that were almost sahped like coral, and had lithovore bacteria on them, even more impressive than the hundred meter high mound of bat droppings you mentioned.

This series of documentaries is awesome!

]]> By: John Nernoff http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33706 John Nernoff Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:53:07 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33706 There is a lurking message of doom in any nature show, brilliant as a production may be. Humans seem to be inexorably and selfishly reproducing themselves and feverishly consuming any resource, imposing a frightening imbalance and destruction of what nature took millions of years to create. Will it be possible to do a similar film mere decades from now? I am afraid not. There is a lurking message of doom in any nature show, brilliant as a production may be. Humans seem to be inexorably and selfishly reproducing themselves and feverishly consuming any resource, imposing a frightening imbalance and destruction of what nature took millions of years to create. Will it be possible to do a similar film mere decades from now? I am afraid not.

]]> By: Jeff T. http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33705 Jeff T. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:42:29 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33705 Global warming may not be such a bad thing if the authors of "The Life and Death of Planet Earth" are correct. Being swallowed by ice seems more of a problem to me than getting in a few tans late in the fall. Enjoy this pale blue dot while it lasts, it will be white before we know it. Global warming may not be such a bad thing if the authors of "The Life and Death of Planet Earth" are correct. Being swallowed by ice seems more of a problem to me than getting in a few tans late in the fall. Enjoy this pale blue dot while it lasts, it will be white before we know it.

]]> By: Ebonmuse http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33703 Ebonmuse Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:17:12 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/planet-earth.html#comment-33703 What is there to question? Both the poles are melting. A wide variety of evidence from different fields of inquiry converges on the conclusion that this and other climactic changes currently taking place around the planet are caused by human burning of fossil fuels, which is increasing the atmospheric concentration of CO2 and causing a corresponding increase in the greenhouse effect. What is there to question? Both the poles are melting. A wide variety of evidence from different fields of inquiry converges on the conclusion that this and other climactic changes currently taking place around the planet are caused by human burning of fossil fuels, which is increasing the atmospheric concentration of CO2 and causing a corresponding increase in the greenhouse effect.

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