Science and Technology:
Applied Science and Technology

Contents - this page:
General and Miscellaneous
Applied Science  and Technology:
Aeronautic technologies 
Electrical Engineering/Computer Science 
Engineering/Materials Science

Contents - next page:
Physical Sciences:
Astronomy/Cosmology/Space Technology 
Earth Sciences, Oceanography, and the Environment 

Contents - following page:
Life Sciences:
Disability (on separate page) 
Health & Medical Sciences and Technology; 
Human Biology, Physiology & Genetics 
Human and Animal Origins 
Psychology (on separate page) 
Zoology/Animal Ecology and Behavior

General & Miscellaneous

The Age of Invention
An award winning visual essay on the Machine Age and technological innovation on the eve of World War I, recreating a past world from scratchy phonograph records, faded photographs, hand-cranked movie cameras morse keys and rhythmic steam pumps. 1984. 11 min. Video/C 9916

Animal Research Laboratory.

Ascent of Man.
A television series surveying the development of science. 1974. 52 min. each segment.

Ascent of Man. Part 1: Lower Than the Angels. Discusses the evolutionary changes that have made man superior to animals. The slow-motion and x-ray photography of an athlete in acton is used to point out the complexity of interaction between mind and body. Includes discussion of Darwin's theory and various methods of studying evolution. 52 min. DVD 802

Ascent of Man. Part 2: Harvest of the Seasons. Shows that the discovery of agriculture allowed man to domesticate plant and animal life. With Neolithic cultivators came the mounted nomads and the roots of warfare. The lifestyle of the Bakhtiari tribe of central Iran is examined, as they recreate the war games of Genghis Khan, as an example of how nomads lived and waged war during the Neolithic Age. 52 min. DVD 802

Ascent of Man. Part 3: Hidden Structure. Traces chemistry from its beginning in Oriental metallurgy and alchemy to Dalton's atomic theory and man's knowledge of the elements. Bronze craftsmen of China and the Samurai swordsmith of Japan are presented as early examples of the use of scientific principles. 52 min. DVD 803

Ascent of Man. Part 4: Music of the Spheres. Traces the evolution of mathematics and explores the relationship of numbers to musical harmony, early astronomy and perspective in painting. Follows the spread of Greek ideas through the Islamic Empire, Moorish Spain and Renaissance Europe. 52 min. DVD 803

Ascent of Man. Part 5: Starry Messenger. Highlights man's early study of astronomy in the Mediterranean region and the Ptolemaic and Copernican systems. Also explores the conflict between theology and science, the heresy trial of Galileo and the nature of censorship. 52 min. DVD 803

Ascent of Man. Part 6: Majestic Clockwork. Focuses on the contributions of Newton and Einstein in the evolution of physics by exploring the revolution that ensued when Einstein's theory of relativity upset Newton's description of the universe. 52 min. DVD 804

Ascent of Man. Part 7: Drive for Power. Explains how industrilization and political revolutions altered man's concept of power during the 18th century and points out the significance of these developments in the progress of man. 52 min. DVD 804

Ascent of Man. Part 8: Ladder of Creation. Explores the controversy that swirled around the theory of evolution by natural selection developed simultaneously by Alfred Wallace and Charles Darwin. 52 min. DVD 804

Ascent of Man. Part 9: Grain in the Stone. Focuses on the architectural expressions of man throughout history from his efforts to build simple stone walls to his creation of modern Los Angeles. Film includes Greek temples and French cathedrals as examples of previous architecural design. 52 min. DVD 805

Ascent of Man. Part 10: World Within World. Explores the world within the atom and traces the history of the men and ideas that have made 20th century physics one of the great achievements of human imagination. 52 min. DVD 805

Ascent of Man. Part 11: Knowledge or Certainty. Considers the moral dilemma which confronts today's scientists by contrasting humanist traditions with the inhumanities of the Nazis and the harnessing of nuclear energy with the development of the atomic bomb. Covers the work of Karl Gauss, Max Born, Werner Heisenberg and Leo Szilard. 52 min. DVD 805

Ascent of Man. Part 12: Generation upon Generation. Examines the complex code of human genetics and heredity, beginning with the experiments of Gregor Mendel and progressing to present day research in genetic engineering. 52 min. DVD 80

Ascent of Man. Part 13: Long Childhood. Draws together the many threads of the Ascent of man series as it surveys the complex role of science in the cultural evolution of man and takes stock of humanity's sometimes precarious ascent. 52 min. DVD 80

Bharat ki chhap.

Episode I: Introduction. Introduces the reporters and shows them engaged in preparatory research with visits to such sites as the ancient Kanheri caves and Jaipur's stone observatory Jantar Mantar. Also presented are interviews with archeologists B. B. Lal, excavator of sites mentioned in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, M. K. Dhavalikar who discusses indications of drought 3,000 years ago, and D. P. Agrawal who shows the process of carbon dating. Video/C 8532

Episode II: The Stone Age till 3500 B.C. This second episode examines contemporary tribal communities who continue to practice certain stone age techniques: The use of stone tools, the gathering of forest products and cave paintings which reflect a prehunting ritual. An encounter with the nomadic Gujjar tribe helps illustrate ancient techniques which are still viable while preparations for a wazwaan feast in a Kashmir village and the Navratri celebrations in Bombay also illustrate ancient rituals which still exist today. Video/C 8533

Episode III: The Harappan civilization, 3500 B.C. to 2000 B.C. This third episode visits the Harappan civilazation. The discovery of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro altered the view that Indian history began with the Vedic age. The ruins at Lothal help recreate Harappan city planning and drainage systems, their crops and agricultural technology. Harappan overseas trade and navigational technology are discussed as well as their still undeciphered script. Visits are also made to Khetri, believed to be where the Harappans mined copper. Video/C 8534

Episode IV: Iron Age, 2000 B.C. to 500 B.C. This fourth episode follows the social consequences of iron technology. The clearing of forests and improved agriculture with iron-tipped ploughs and spoked wheels laid the basis for new cities. This happened 1,000 years after the Harappan decline, in the basin of the Ganga. The megalithic culture, predominant in the South gives a more complete picture of the period. Bastar iron smelting today is almost identical to the megalithic technology. The city sites of Kaushambi and Rajgir are explored. The rise of brahminical orthodoxy is discussed, along with the geometry arising out of prescriptions for the construction of sacrificial altars. Video/C 8535

Episode V: The Age of Codification, 500 B.C. to 300 A.D. This fifth episode opens with the grammarian Panini who attempted to systematise the rules of Bhasha, an early form of Sanskrit, a masterly achievement of logic, analysis and classification. At the site of Pondicherry, the trade with Rome is recalled. Cities and ports in the south developed during this period because of excellent irrigation systems: the simple etram, the temple tank and the Grand Anaicut on the Kaveri River. The Saraswati Mahal Library is a storehouse of many manuscripts first compiled during the period, which saw an almost universal condification of social, religious and philosophic thought, including the denial of basic rights to women and the lower castes. Video/C 8536

Episode VI: Ayurveda and Astronomy, 300 A.D. to 700 A.D. This sixth episode introduces the basic principles of ayurveda, with reference to texts by Charaka and Sushruta which are remarkable not only for their pharmacopoeia and surgical knowledge, but also for their empirical-rational basis and scientific method. Next a visit is made to Kushana city sites at Sonkh, including a visit to the Mathura Museum. Concludes with a look at the work of Aryabhat and his achievements in mathematics and astronomy. Video/C 8537

Episode VII: Mathematics and Temple Architecture, 700 to 1200. This seventh episode examines a strange paradox: India is ahead of many regions in scientific and technolgical knowledge but invariably an impasse is reached. Thus the mathematics of early Indian astronomers is taken up centuries later in Europe. Alchemy arises in India, China and West Asia but it is Europe that gives birth to modern chemistry. The social reasons for this phenomenon are examined. Looks at the development of mathematics, particularly the zero and the place value notation system using the ten numerals. The technology of zinc and bronze metallurgy is explored and then images and statues in worship in Hindu temples as architecture becomes Video/C 8538

Episode VIII: Synthesis and growth, 1200 to 1600. This eighth episode describes society prior to the Turk and Afghan migrations. In the Sultanate period and later, feudalism became more deeply entranched, however the peasants and artisans were open to technological innovation. By the 16th century, the Portuguese founded their trading posts and missionaries carried out botanical studies and introduced the printing press. In the South there flourished the kingdom of Vijayanagar. Under Akbar the emerging cultural synthesis reached new heights with an explosion of exquisite crafts. The nobility encouraged horticulture and introduced many exotic fruits, even as India became renowned for its textiles. Video/C 8539

Episode IX: Stagnation and a changing world, 1600 to 1800. This ninth episode opens with the Bhakti and Sufi movements which were gathering force as the Mughal empire dissolved into small kingdoms. The Renaissance in Europe travelled to India but left to individual noblemen, never acquired the dimensions of a social force. Meanwhile Indian-built ships were much in demand by the Europeans and Jaisingh was building the city of Jaipur. He reformed the calendar and built a number of astronomical observatories. Tipu Sultan of Mysore had a more integrated approach to social and technological change. He attempted to acquire the latest military technology, but with his defeat, a major threat to colonialism was removed. Video/C 8540

Episode X: Colonialism and the Industrial Revolution, 1800 to 1900. This tenth episode opens with an examination of the battle of Plassey in 1757 and the ascendance of the British in India. Craft centers decayed as British-made goods flooded Indian markets and even the thriving steel industry in Telengana was affected. The East India Company conducted surveys of natural resources, leading to the development of raw material processing industries and the encouragement of crops useful to British industry. The railways were developed, helping to consolidate Britain's hold. The consequent discontent culminated with the 1857 war of independence. Yet the exposure to new ideas from the West had brought about a fresh awareness. The efforts of social reformers and educationists such as Ram Mohan Roy and Mahendra Lal Sircar are discussed.Video/C 8541

Episode XI: The Freedom Struggle and the Scientific Community, 1900 to 1947.This eleventh episode opens with India's freedom struggle at the start of the 20th century. The spread of education contributed to the growing national movement. The work of scientists such as J. C. Bose, P. C. Ray, Meghnad Saha and C. V. Raman is discussed in this context. These early scientists had a vision of a free India and many served on the Panning Committee founded by the Indian National Congress in 1938. Meanwhile, the plunder of India's natural resources continued and the story of coal is a typical example. Indian geologists and engineers came together against all odds, and demonstrated that Indian coal could be enriched by a washing process. Video/C 8542

Episode XII: Independent India, 1947 to the Present. This twelfth episode looks at the challenges after India gained its independence and the role of the scientific community in regeneration of the country. The "green revoution," often cited as an example of successful food production, is explored through interviews with farmers, an agricultural scientist and an economist. The proposed system of dams on the Narmada River and its ecological and social consequences is examined. The application of new technolgies has shown results, yet often the benefits are inequitable which points to the need for greater community participation in the development process. A recent example of people's involvement is the Baliraja Dam in Maharashtra, where people have formed a water users cooperative. Video/C 8543

Episode XIII: Retrospect and Prospect. This final episode looks at the promise of technology for the future of India. It visits some villages in Udaipur where a voluntary organisation is training local people for afforestation programs. Then to Hoshangabad, where an experiment in teaching science in the field is under way. In Meerut, scene of repeated political disturbances, the circumstances behind such outbursts are analyzed. The mass media also has a responsiblity. P.C Joshi speaks of the gap between the original vision and the present reality of television. The film concludes with filmmakers visiting Prof. Yash Pal, who guided the making of this series with a conversation full of hope for the future of India. Video/C 8544

The Big Experiment
Does science have the power to change lives? Three of Britain's leading scientists are on a mission to find out. Over the course of six weeks, 19 East End teenagers from one of London's toughest schools are the focus of a ground-breaking social experiment -- to see if their engagement in a series of incredible scientific experiments can change the way they see the world and explode their misconceptions about science. 2004. 42 min. DVD X194 (PAL region 2)

Bigger, Better, Faster

[Bush, George W.] Bush Science
A panel of scientists discusses the politization of science during the Bush administration and looks as such issues as the supression or distortion of scientific findings and the supression by the American government of politically inconvenient science and scientists. They also ask if objectivity in scientific research is possible when most scientific research is funded by government programs. Recorded by Educational Technology Services, University of California, Berkeley on October 12, 2004. 100 min. Video/C MM369

View it with Real Player

James Burke's wonderfully assembled series on the historical interconnections between social, political, cultural, and scientific events and endeavors. 52 min each. 1988. 52 min. each segment.

Connections, Part 1: The Trigger Effect. In Upper Egypt, host James Burke explains how plowing, building, writing, taxation, and astronomy began and how they became interdependent. Man's present dependence on complex technological networks is illustrated with a reconstruction of the New York City power blackout of 1965. The program ends in Kuwait, the nation which has moved from the technology of ancient Egypt to that of the modern world in a single generation. 52 min. DVD 807; Video/C 2602

Connections, Part 2: Death in the Morning. Traces the connection between standardization of precious metals used in coins, the great commercial center and library built by Alexander the Great, development of the compass, and creation of the atomic bomb. 52 min. DVD 807; Video/C 2603

Connections, Part 3: Distant Voices. Traces the connection between medieval advances in the science of warfare, the discovery of large silver deposits in Czechoslovakia, the discovery of natural laws, and the invention of modern telecommunications. 52 min. DVD 808; Video/C 2604

Connections, Part 4: Faith in Numbers. Shows how such inventions as the water mill, carillon, jacquard loom, and a global communications network were influenced by each other and by logic, genius, chance, and unforeseen events. Also deals with the inventions and events which gave rise to the printing press. 52 min. DVD 808; Video/C 2605

Connections, Part 5: The Wheel of Fortune. Traces the connection between astrology, ancient Greek medical manuscripts, the need for precise measuring devices, and the invention of such things as the telescope, forged steel, and interchangeable machine parts. 52 min. DVD 809; Video/C 2606

Connections, Part 6: Thunder in the Skies. Details many of the changes in building construction and energy usage which occurred when the climate of Europe changed dramatically in the 13th century. He shows how the scarcity of firewood contributed to the invention of the steam engine, which was the predecessor of gasoline-powered engines used today. 52 min. DVD 809; Video/C 2607

Connections, Part 7: The Long Chain. Traces the connection between mercantile competition between the British and Dutch in the 17th century, the development of a coal-tar pitch to protect ship hulls, and the creation of waterproofed clothing, gaslight lamps, and nylon. 52 min. DVD 810; Video/C 2608

Connections, Part 8: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry. Traces the connection between military arms used during the time of Charles the Bold, canning, refrigeration, and modern space rockets. 52 min. DVD 810; Video/C 2609

Connections, Part 9: Countdown. Traces the discoveries and inventions which gave rise to the motion picture. Poses the question of whether we have become trapped by our own technology due to the power of the mass media. 52 min. DVD 811; Video/C 2610

Connections, Part 10: Yesterday, Tomorrow, and You. Presents essential moments from the previous programs in the series in order to illustrate common factors that make for change at different times and in different places. Also looks at the extent to which people are becoming increasingly incapable of understanding complex changes in the modern world. Points out a need for a radical change in the availability and use of information in the future. 52 min. DVD 811; Video/C 2611

Connections 2.
25 min each.

Revolutions (#1). Explores the work of inventor, James Watt and his affect on the industrial revolution, which is then linked to the invention of steam power, paper copiers, matches, gas lighting, the telephone, television, osciloscope, the Apollo Space flight, the discovery of carborundum and its role in the development of radiography and the discovery of DNA and genetic engineering. Video/C 3318

Sentimental Journeys (#2). Explores inventions and discoveries which contributed to the development of map making. Topics included are Sigmund Freud, shock treatment therapy, prisons, color dyes, phrenology, early theories of criminal behavior, the discovery of brain cells, chemotherapy, spectroscopy, the bunsen burner, telescopes and surveying. Video/C 3319

Getting It Together (#3). Examines the various facets of a SWAT team mission ranging from artillery used to air rescue, from aspirin to anesthesia to computers, and the role various inventions and industries played in the development of technologies used by emergency response teams. Video/C 3320

Whodunit? (#4). Explores discoveries which led ultimately to the use of fingerprinting to solve criminal cases. Along the way we examine the role of copper in canon production, Emperor Charles V's debts, the Spanish Armada's battle with England, the history of glassmaking, mirrors, the sextant used for navigation and map making, the theories of Charles Darwin, and the founder of eugenics, Francis Galton, upon which Hitler based his political theories. Video/C 3321

Something for Nothing (#5). This episode begins with the development of the barometer after the discovery of vacuum space, then moves onto weather forecasting, a Cholera epidemic in England, sewage problems, the development of indoor plumbing, the development of compressed air, air brakes, power generators, electricity and the gyroscope. Video/C 3322
Echoes of the Past (#6). This episode ponders the secrets of the universe by making connections between the Japanese tea ceremony, porcelain, Florentine architecture, Freemasons, secret codes used in warfare, radio-telephones, and radio astronomy. Video/C 3323

Photo Finish (#7). This episode uses the photographs to be taken of the Le Mans race winner as a backdrop to explore the interconnections between the development of photography, aerodynamics, celluloid, relativity, sound motion pictures, the timber industry, gaslight, creosote, the rubber industry, zeplins, and gasoline engines. Video/C 3324

Separate Ways (#8). This episode follows two trails that begin with the split over slavery in the 18th century and come together again in the technology which resulted in the development of atomic weapons. Our route features the development of wire, canned foods, cadmium, the minting of coins, mass spectronomy and finally the Manhattan Project. Video/C 3325

High Time (#9). This episode examines the circuitous connection between the development of polyethylene and Big Bend, the clock atop the English House of Commons. Also explored are the development of radar, fatty acids, soap, color dyes, impressionist paintings, tapestries, lackerwork, the Dutch-East India Company, whaling, printing and the development of the telescope. Video/C 3326

Deja Vu (#10). In this episode Burke examines how history repeats itself by exploring links between Pizzaro and his conquest of the Incas, stock markets in Belgium, pirates, the development of army drill, the work of geographer, Alexander Humboldt, and the philosophy undergirding Nazism. Video/C 3327

Day the Universe Changed.
Hosted by James Burke. 50-60 min ea.

It Started with the Greeks (#1). Explains how the questioning, rational attitude of the ancient Greeks has continued through the centuries in the West and has led to constantly changing knowledge and discovery, thus creating conflict between these changes and inherently conservative institutions. Also discusses the thesis of the series that particularly important developments in the history of Western thought have produced corresponding changes in who we are. DVD X6643; Video/C 997

In the Light of the Above.
The bitter conflict between reason and faith that followed the Crusader's invasion of Spain in the 11th century is studied. The time when Christian Europe recaptured from the Arabs a treasure of Greek, Roman, and Arab scientific knowledge. DVD X6643; Video/C 997:2
Point of View
Looks at the astonishing changes that developed out of new discoveries of perspective geometry, new architectural techniques, and the ability to map the world and cross oceans. Also explores how knowledge led to a new individualism. DVD X6644; Video/C 997:3
Matter of Fact.
The medieval world which relied largely on memorized knowledge and the spoken word was transformed by Gutenberg's discovery of the printing press. This new knowledge is examined and connections are drawn to subsequent revolutions in Western thought. DVD X6644; Video/C 997:4
Infinitely Reasonable.
This program explains how from 1550 and forward science began to undermine the Church-sanctioned Aristotelian doctrine of the universe, in which the Sun and all the planets revolved around the Earth. In its place, was established the model to which we adhere today of a clockwork universe, governed by discoverable laws of math and physics. DVD X6645; Video/C 997:5
Credit Where it is Due.
This program examines the reasons for and the effects of the Industrial Revolution. Shows how growing wealth, coupled with innovations in business and credit, created a new industrial society. DVD X6645; Video/C 997:6
What the Doctor Ordered.
This program looks at the rise of modern medicine and its surprising relationship with the invention of statistics, which doctors used to validate the efficacy of diagnoses and treatments. It examines how bacteriology put the patient on a microscope slide and brought about a world in which even healthy human beings were reduced to statistics. DVD X6646; Video/C 997:7
Fit to Rule
This program examines the mid-nineteenth century emergence of the theory of evolution and its affects. It reveals how Darwin's writings undermined the concept of an orderly, unchanging universe and the belief in the biblical theory of creation. DVD X6646; Video/C 997:8
Making Waves
Examines the revolution of physics through time. As scientists in 1800 investigated the new electric battery, their common sense Newtonian world began to fall apart. A new science slowly evolved from pioneers from Faraday to Einstein. DVD X6647; Video/C 997:9
World Without End
The final program reviews the entire series, recalling the many systems of belief which have been discarded as the discovery of new knowledge rendered them apparently invalid. DVD X6647; Video/C 997:10

Chet Raymo
Writer and naturalist Chet Raymo teaches physics and astronomy at Stonehill College in Massachusetts and writes a science column for the Boston Globe. Here Mr. Raymo reads from his works followed by an interview with author Scott Russell Sanders. Recorded on April 26, 2000. 60 min. Video/C 9077

Do Scientists Cheat? (Nova )
Explores fraudulent practices in scientific research. Looks at fraud both from the ethical aspects and the practical results. Uses actual proven cases to address the issues. 58 min. DVD X1387 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 2135

Ethics and scientific research
Part of a course designed to develop reasoning skills and ethical thinking processes. This film presents a discussion of ethics in the scientific research community. c1993. 29 min. Video/C 7618

The Future is Wild.

The Future is Wild: 1: 5 Million Years - Ice World Welcome to the future -- Return of the ice -- The vanished sea -- Prairies of Amazonia -- Cold Kansas desert. Presenters, Bruce Tiffney, Stephen Palumbi, Mike Linley, Philip Currie, Richard Fortey. Hit the evolutionary fast-forward button in this 3-part series with an international team of eminent scientist and expert computer animators who have joined together to deliver an exhilarating vision of life to come. Part 1: In 5 million years, the Earth is in the grip of an intense Ice Age, covering much of the world with ice as well as bleak, windswept tundras and cold, windy deserts. The human race and most animals of today have not survived, but new creatures have evolved. 126 min. DVD 7664

The Future is Wild, 2: 2,100 million years - Hot House World Waterland -- Flooded World -- Tropical Antarctica -- The Great Plateau. Presenters, Bruce Tiffney, Stephen Palumbi, Mike Linley, Jeremy Rayner, Richard Fortey, Stephen Harris. Hit the evolutionary fast-forward button in this 3-part series with an international team of eminent scientist and expert computer animators who have joined together to deliver an exhilarating vision of life to come. Part 2: Scientists predict that in 100 million years life will continue to grow stranger and stranger. As the temperature rises the world has become a hot humid place where millions of new species have evolved and life has become a battlefield. 101 min. DVD 7665

The Future is Wild, 2: 200 Million Years - New World The Endless Desert -- The Global Ocean -- Graveland Desert -- The Tentacled Forest. Hit the evolutionary fast-forward button in this 3-part series with an international team of eminent scientist and expert computer animators who have joined together to deliver an exhilarating vision of life to come. Part 3: After increased volcanic activity and a major asteroid collision lead to global disaster, nearly 95 percent of life on Earth is wiped out. But, just as life proved resilient in the past, today's scientists believe that the Earth will recover from near-extinction. 101 min. DVD 7666

[Glenn] Seaborg Tapes.
Contents: Tape 1. Seaborg in his office. Interview with Seaborg on his view of the role of education in science (60 min.) -- Tape 2. Interview (cont.) -- Interview with students concerning the history and future of nuclear power. Historical photos of Seaborg and his career (60 min.) -- Tape 3. Interview with Seaborg concerning the future of chemical science and nuclear energy (60 (cont'd) min.). -- Tape 4. Interview (cont.). Lecture to University of California, Berkeley students on transuranium elements (60 min.) -- Tape 5. Lecture (cont.). Visit to Seaborg's laboratory at UCB where Plutonium was discovered. Historical photographs of his work (60 min.) -- Tape 6. Shots of his office and environment on campus (30 min.).

Candid and relaxed interviews with Nobel prize winning chemist, Glenn Seaborg, including historical photographs of his achievements and lectures by Seaborg. He discusses his work with atomic fission, the discovery of the transuranium elements, the revision of the periodic table and his vision for the future of chemical science, physics and nuclear power. Video/C 4900

History of Aviation
Newsreel clips and archival film footage illustrate the history of flying from the Wright Brothers' Kitty Hawk flight in 1903 to 1937. Highlights include the first parachute jump, early bombers and aircraft carriers, footage of the 1931 giant flying boat, the China Clipper and auto-gyro flying automobile. 1999. 32 min. Video/C MM1242

How Good is Soviet Science? (Nova ).
Discusses the fact that although the Soviet Union has some of the world's best scientific research institutes, they lag behind in technology. 58 min. Video/C 1240

Imagination and Change: Science in the Next Millennium with Stephen Hawking.
Professor Hawking draws on his deep understanding of the laws of science and their effect on human life to lead a discussion on how scientific and technological advancements will shape and be shaped by human knowledge. Includes remarks by President Clinton and questions from the audience. March 6, 1998. 71 min. Video/C 9764

The Invisible World.
A documentary which examines the universe of shapes, movements, and lives that exist beyond the limited range of human vision by using highly specialized cameras, imaging devices, and electron microscopes. 3/4" UMATIC 59 min. Video/C 117

Islamic Knowledge (World of Islam ; 5).
Describes how Islamic knowledge made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy, physics, medicine, and engineering. 30 min. Video/C 2511

Knowledge or Certainty (Ascent of Man ; 11).
Considers the moral dilemma which confronts today's scientists by contrasting humanist traditions with the inhumanities of the Nazis, the harnessing of nuclear energy with the development of the atomic bomb. Covers the work of Karl Gauss, Max Born, Werner Heisenberg and Leo Szilard leading up to the atomic bomb. 52 min. Video/C 172

Louis Pasteur Proves Germs Cause Disease.
A discussion of Pasteur and the impact his work had on humanity through a field trip to many of the places where he discovered that germs cause disease. Also provides a brief history of microbiology through following Pasteur's career. 1994. 30 min. Video/C 5013

Marie Curie Finds Radium and Radioactivity.
A field trip to Paris to visit the laboratory of Marie Curie explains the personal story of how she and her husband, Pierre, discovered the new element radium and how Marie Curie coined the word "radioactivity" to describe the strange behavior of these newly discovered atoms. 1994. 24 min. Video/C 5014

The Nobel Tradition at Berkeley
Reviews Nobel prize winners on the Berkeley, UCB campus. 1985. Video/C 2303

Explores the legacy of three 19th century visionaries interested in making humans more efficient and productive. Jeremy Bentham, espoused the philosophy of utilitarianism; Charles Babbage, created the design for the analytical engine, a precursor to the modern computer; Francis Galton devoted his life to the study of genetics to identify and eliminate "undesirable" tendecies, the idea behind the eugenics movement. c2000. 53 min. Video/C 8878

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

Palace of Delights (Nova)
A look at San Francisco's science museum, The Exploratorium. 58 min. Video/C 444

The Philosophy of Science.
Hilary Putnam examines current philosophical thought that dismisses the primacy and infallibility of mathematical logic and the scientific method. Modern thinkers, such as Einstein, are credited with introducing interpretive logic into their scientific theories. 46 min. DVD 2103

Produced by the office of Charles and Ray Eames for IBM. Dealing with scale, proportion and dimension, the film moves in real time over a course of 40 powers of ten, from the cosmic distances of the universe to the heart of the atom. Some techniques used are classical and radio astronomy; large-format aerial, mapping, and satellite photography; X-ray diffraction analysis; and models. 9 min. Video/C 1475

The Powers of the Universe with Brian Swimme
Presents a "global-centric perspective" on how contemporary science could enable people to shift their views of the universe and themselves and potentially improve human relationships. c2004. 530 min. DVD 5424

Private Universe Project.
A 7 part teleconference of science educators which examines how to design a classroom curriculum for difficult concepts in science. Instructors, using the theme of the particle nature of matter, examine student perceptions of fundamental concepts in science. Some themes examined are problems with models of non-observable phenomena and the student's ability to handle abstract issues. 120 min. ea. Video/C 3570-3573

Race to Catch a Buckyball. (NOVA)
Describes the research leading to the discovery of a new form of pure carbon, C60, which has the potential to revolutionize science. 60 min. Video/C 4849

Science and Gender with Evelyn Fox Keller (World of Ideas with Bill Moyers).
Evelyn Fox Keller, theoretical physicist and professor of rhetoric at the University of California, Berkeley, discusses with Bill Moyers language as a carrier of ideology and the role of gender in scientific ideologies. 28 min. DVD 4853 [preservation copy]; also VHS Video/C 1855

Science and the English Enlightenment.
Talks about the relations between the way of life of the eighteenth century English elite and the place occupied by the science in polite culture. Scientific instruments are examined in the context of music, architecture, painting and other aspects of eighteenth century life. 1982. 3/4" UMATIC. (NRLF #: B 3 969 315) Video/C 515

Science on the Cross.
Program concerning and ageless dilemma between religion and science. Creationists, scientific creationists and evolutionists express their views and beliefs concerning origins of life and other related matter. 3/4" UMATIC. 1982. 60 min. Video/C 454

The Shape of Things.
Employs photomicroscopy, computer animation and time-lapse photography to explore the endlessly inventive patterns and shapes that appear in nature. Emphasizes the orderliness and beauty of eggshells, ice, the eyes of the horsefly, snowflakes, snakes, and many other natural objects in which patterns are apparent. Originally presented as a segment on the PBS program Nova. c1985 60 min.Video/C 9930

The Soul of Science.
An audiovisual history of scientific vision from Anaximander to Einstein. 4 tapes. 3/4" in. UMATIC. (NRLF #'s: B 3 969 243,244,245,314) Video/C 449

The Strange New Science of Chaos (Nova ).
Uses live action and animation to discuss examples of naturally occurring phenomena which can be explained and/or predicted by this new scientific approach. Video/C 1449


Video Encyclopedia of Science, Nature & Ecology
A visual encyclopedia with color coded indexing system for easy access to information on science, nature and ecology.

Vol. 1: Acids through Evolution. Contents: Acids, Air, Animals, Antibiotics, Atmopsphere, Atoms, - acteria, Breathing, Carbon, Cells, Chemicals, Colour, Crystals, Ecology, Electricity, Electronics, Elements, Energy, Evolution. 73 min. Video/C 3863:1

Vol. 2: Fire through Metals. Contents: Fire, Flight, Floating, Food chain, Friction, Fuel, Gases, Gravity, Greenhouse effect, Growth, Heat, -Holograms, Lasers, Lenses, Light, Liquids, Living things, Machines, Magnets, Metals. 68 min. Video/C 3863:2

Vol.3: Nuclear through X-rays Contents: Nuclear power, Oil, Oxygen, Ozone, Plants, Plastics, -Pollution, Power, Pressure, Radar, Radiation, Radio, Salt, Senses, Sound, Temperature, Time, Vacuums, Water, X-rays. 70 min. Video/C 3863:3

The Way Things Go (Der lauf der dinge)
Sometimes called "the merry pranksters of contemporary art," Swiss artists Peter Fischli and David Weiss have built, inside a warehouse, an enormous precarious structure 100 feet long made of common household items -- tea kettles, tires, shoes, balloons, wooden ramps. etc. Then they create a spectacular self-destructing performance which applies the principles of cause and effect, gravity, chemistry, water, gas propulsion and vector propagation to produce the chain reaction. c1987. 30 min. DVD 1335

The Wizard Who Spat on the Floor: Thomas Alva Edison.
Examines the life and work of the American inventor Thomas Alva Edison. Shows some of Edison's many technical inventions, such as the light bulb, fluoroscope, and the phonograph, and traces Edison's work in his last years in which his experimentation proved to be less successful. 1974. 60 min. Video/C 977

Women in Science.
The first segment takes a brief look at the history of women in science including the work of Herschel, Lavoisier, Mitchell, Curie, Meitner, Franklin, and Yalow. The second segment examines current opportunities for women in science and includes interviews with six outstanding young women scientists. Interviewed: Sally Ride (austronaut), Carol Baker (microbiologist), Emma Earl (computer specialist), Kate Kykema (midwife), Regina Murphy (chemical engineer), Breand Faison (microbiologist). 1993. 42 min. Video/C 5011

Wondering About Things.
Documentary on the potential uses and abuses of scientific research. Several scientists and artists express their concerns that man's insatiable scientific curiosity be tempered with a good measure of social responsibility. 1971. 3/4" UMATIC. Video/C 671

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Applied Science & Technology:

What Happened to the Hindenburg?
Why did the great airship Hindenburg explode over Lakehurst, New Jersey in 1937? The ignition of hydrogen gas has been the accepted cause of the disaster for over 60 years. Retired NASA scientist and hydrogen specialist Addison Bain sets out on a personal quest of theorizing and experimentation to prove the Hindenburg's real flaw was only skin deep. 2000. 60 min. Video/C MM254

Applied Science & Technology:
Electrical Engineering/Computer Science

Breaking the Code.
A Dramatization of the life of Alan Turing, British mathematical genius and designer of the computer that broke the German Enigma code during World War II, whose admittance to homosexuality at a time when it was illegal presented problems for him, for his family, for his colleagues, and for the State's preoccupation with national security. Originally shown on the television program Mobil masterpiece theatre. Based on the play of the same title by Hugh Whitemore, and on the book, Alan Turing: The Enigma, by Andrew Hodges (QA29.T8 H63 1983 Main Stack, Astr/Math, Moffitt) Originally broadcast as an episode of the PBS television series, Mobil masterpiece Theatre. 90 min. Video/C 999:1822

CAUSE for Discussion: An Exploration of the Impact of the Internet on Higher Education.
Discussants: Michael J. Emmi (Systems & Computer Technology Corp.), Stephen P. Gardner (Data General), Nancy M. Cline (Pennsylvania State University), Louise Velazquez (Oracle Corp.). A panel of experts discusses the impact of the information syperhighway on university instruction. Topics discussed are: Improved quality of education, reaching larger number of students, new marketing opportunities for universities, the breakdown in the boundaries of time and place and the evolution of ideas at an accelerated pace, digital libraries which provide access to information irregardless of place or time, increased collaboration between college instructors and researchers and continued professional education. 53 min. Video/C 3591

Computers, Spies and Private Lives (Nova ).
Discusses the computers which are gathering information on individuals' finances, politics, and tastes and are threatening privacy. Tells about nationwide data banks whose codes can be broken by computer thieves and how a system of "smart cards" containing computer codes may overcome the danger. Recorded at CAUSE 94, November 30, 1994, Orlando, Florida. 58 min. 3/4" UMATIC. Video/C 397

Cyber War!

A Discussion of Object Technologies (1994).
Panel: Steve Jobs (NeXT Computer, Inc.), Bill Joy (Sun Microsystems), Chris Stone (Object Management Group), Bud Tribble (SunSoft, Inc.). Host: John Gage (Sun Microsystems). In this teleconference a panel of industry experts takes a look at Object Oriented Software Development, emerging new technologies that will enable creation of reusable software components that can be distributed and integrated into applications across the network and what the future holds in store for this promising technology. Presentation also features alive demonstration of object technology. 90 min. Video/C 3334

Giant Brains.
This program tells the story of the birth of computers, such as the ENIAC, the most complicated electronic machine ever built, and of the men and women who assisted in that birth: Charles Babbage, Alan Turing, Herman Goldstine, John Mauchly, Ada Lovelace and J. Presper Eckert. Video/C 2452

Global Quest: The Internet in the Classroom
Tells how tapping into the Internet, the world's largest computer network, will benefit educators and students. Teachers and students describe experiences using the Internet, and educators and others discuss how the Internet fits into the changing classroom. Produced by: Imaging Technology Branch Ames Research Center. Accompanies the book: The Educator's Internet Companion by Gregory Giagnocavo ( LB1044.87 .E37 1996 Educ/Psych). 11 min. Video/C 4364

The Internet has become home to confidential information from virtually every nation in the world. But how safe is that information if computer-literate hackers can break into top-security computer systems? This program examines the role of hackers and reveals how their exploits highlight the profound insecurities of the Internet and the software that drives it. [2001] 60 min. Video/C 7808

Hackers: Wizards of the Electronic (1985).
A group of people who used to haunt the computer rooms of universities, waiting for a chance to work or play with the huge machine, tell how they influenced the development of modern personal computers, show some of the latest technological advances, and discuss the ethics of software availability. 27 min. Video/C 1203

High Tech, Dream or Nightmare? (1984).
Host Walter Cronkite explores the impact of advanced microchip technology on the labor force in the United States. Discusses unemployment, the obsolescence of worker skills, and low wages. 3/4" UMATIC. 1984. 49 min. Video/C 873

Hi Tech Families.
Presents a look at the impact of technology in the late 20th century on representative families who live and work in the Silicon Valley of California where computers and scientific technology are the main product. 29 min. Video/C 2627

Historic Information Age Films
Contents: Information machine / produced by International Business Machines ; written and directed by Charles and Ray Eames ; music, Elmer Bernstein (1958, 10 min.) -- Logic by machine / National Educational Television ; produced, written and directed by Richard Moore ; music, Morton Subotnick (1960's, 29 min.) Presents two vintage information age technology and science films from the early days of computers examining computer technology of the day, thick with propaganda about how computers make everything easier. Information machine: An animated film that places the computer in historical perspective. Shows how creative people use the computers to help define and solve problems. Produced for the IBM exhibit at the Brussels World Fair. Logic by machine: Traces man's use of machines and the logic involved in programming computers. Speculates on the use of computers for the future. 39 min. DVD X50

How Computers Have Changed the Way I Teach. (AMS-MAA joint lecture series ).
In this lecture, John G.Kemeny (one of the developers of BASIC computer language) says that some subjects no longer need to be taught because of computers, and introduces the True Basic language as a teaching tool. In this presentation he also explores ways in which computers can be utilized in the mathematics classroom to increase understanding and to stimulate students'interest. He discusses which mathematical topics should be taught in the age of computers, explains his philosophy of using computers to teach and then illustrates with a number of concrete examples. Lecture delivered in Atlanta, Georgia in January, 1988. 58 min.Video/C 2767

The Information Highway.
Contents: [v. 1] Definitions and issues (90 min.) -- [v. 2] Security, commerce and democracy. Performer: Barbara Simons. Laura Breeden (FARNET), David Farber (Univ. of Penn.), Michael Liebhold (Times-Mirror Co.), Robert Lucky (Bellcore), Marc Rotenberg (Georgetown Univ.), Fred Weingarten (Computing Research Assoc.).An American Association for the Advancement of Science and Association of Computing Machinery blue ribbon panel explores the most urgent issues concerning the National Information Infrastructure, Internet, Global Internet, and what they have in commmon - to include cost/funding, information rights (privacy, freedom of speech, access to public information, etc); and public application such as education, research, libraries, public health and government agencies/services; issues also include the controversial clipper chip, pornography, social and constitutional concerns. 163 min. Video/C 3612

[Internet Computer Network].
Professor Howard Besser (School of Library and Information Studies, UCB), presenter ; Paul Peters, lecturer. Paul Peters, founder of the Coalition for NetworkedInformation, speaks on the Internet computer network. He surveys the current features of Internet and introduces areas where he feels fundamental shifts in thinking and design are possible by creators and users of network information sources. Video/C 2960

Internet Informational Tools for Classes.
Presenters: Lawrence A. Rowe, Paul Manley. A presentation demonstrating how Telnet can be utilized as an educational tool for classroom use to augment university lectures. Lawrence A. Rowe, UCB professor of electrical engineering and computer science, shows examples from his classes of applications from Telnet such as e-mail, news groups, mosaic and World Wide Web. 87 min. Video/C 3492

Internet World Live.
Discussants: Brewster Kahle (WAIS), Tony Rutkowski (Internet Society), Andrew Fran (Ogilvy & Mather), Dudley Howe (Digital Equip. Corp.), Paul Bergevin (Edelman Public Relations), Jeffrey Dearth (Electronic Newsstand), Laura Fillmore (Online Bookstore), Jayne Levin (Netweek, Inc.), Ken Bass (Venable Law Firm), Larry Nixon (Nixon Law firm), Joegh Bullock (Icon Byte Bar & Grill, San Francisco), Allan Frank (KPMG Enabling Tech.), Cathy Medich (Commercenet), Paul Mauritz (SSDS), David Blumberg (Checkpoint Software), Mark Pesce (Labyrinth Group), David Levine (HuskyLabs), Carl Malamud (Internet talk radio), Brian Johnson (Internet guide). 60 min. Video/C 3594

Discusses the hidden crisis of digital information. Will the information stored electronically still be accessible in the future? Will humans twenty, fifty, one hundred years from now have access to the electronically recorded history of our time? Surveys what has happened to other forms of information storage such as reel to reel, magnetic tapes and other obsolete formats. c1997. 30 min. Video/C 5391

Inventing the Future.
This program covers the work of the early pioneers in computer science, the invention of programming languages, and the hardware revolution, first to transistors, and later to integrated circuits, that made computers smaller and cheaper and ultimately led to personal computers. 58 min. Video/C 2453

The KGB, The Computer and Me (Nova )
Astronomer-turned computer scientist, Clifford Stoll traced a 75-cent error to an international computer espionage ring by using the scientific method. Based on a true story by Cliff Stoll in his book: The Cuckoo's egg: tracking a spy through the maze of computer espionage. 58 min. DVD X1395 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 2137

Life on the Internet
13 part series; 27 minutes each. Accompanying guide under call number: VIDEO/C 5895-5920 GUIDE AVMC.

Digital Doctors. Commentary: Dr. Chris Soder, Dr. Ivan Goldberg, Abbie Offman, Kevin Hughes, Peter Sultan, Benjamin Bailey. The medical profession has discovered the Internet as a powerful tool to speed diagnosis and exchange treatment plans. One doctor has even discovered a whole new condition, Internet Addictive Disorder--what can happen if one spends too much time on the Internet. Video/C 5908
HollyNet. Commentary: Josh Greer (Universal Pictures), Paul Grand (Digital Planet). Examines how the entertainment industry has begun to explore and exploit the marketing potential of the Internet and forecasts the future when movies and television shows will be piped through the Internet. Video/C 5909
Next Stop, the Future. Commentary: James Gosling (Sun Microsystems), Jim Clark (Silicon Graphics), Robert Kahn (Corp. for Nat. Research Initiatives). The future of the Internet points to its continued growth in practical usefulness. It will eventually become a ubiquitous fixture in our normal lives, quite possibly as common a household utility as the telephone. Examines the work of computer programmers who are inventing the technology that allows computers to talk to each other, changing the future of life, on the Internet. Video/C 5910
Cyber Students. Richard Weber, Misha Malakhov (Polar Bridge Exp.), Bonnie Bedford (Homeschool educator), Michael Roberts, (Educom), Elaine Fortune (Librarian). In education the impetus for access to the Internet has come from the grass roots up--not from the top down. This film examines schools, educators, librarians, homeschoolers and parents who are taking the lead in introducing the Internet to students. As an example of "real time" instruction it follows the Polar Bridge Expedition of 1988 in which students daily tracked the experiences and successes of the ski team on their journey to the North Pole. Video/C 5911
Songs from Cyberspace. Commentary: Brent Marcus, Eric Sugg (Virtual Radio), Rob Glaser (RealAudio, Progressive Networks, Inc.). In cyberspace new audio Net technologies promise to bring the world's chorus to all. With a click of the mouse, one can tune into radio stations on other continents and go to archives for samples of music from all walks of life. This film examines the new audio technologies now in use on the Internet by profiling the development of the websites Virtual Radio and RealAudio. Video/C 5912
Internauts. Commentary: James Pitkow, Colleen Kehoe, Susan Estrada. Profiles the work of demographers who conduct Web surveys to find out who is actually using the World Wide Web and and the changing character of the Web population. The demographics of the Internet are important not only because they give numbers, but because they give pictures of people--for it is only through learning the changing habits of people that Web development can be traced. As more people join cyberspace communities, the more important it will be to know what type of neighborhood they're moving into and what it is that the Net can provide. Video/C 5913
Net Profits. Commentary: David Filo, Herry Yang (Yahoo), Rosalind Resnick, Mark Manasse (Millicent). Online sales are expected to reach $1 billion by the end of 1995. Out of the thousands of hopeful "cyberpreneurs", who will make it, and how will they tailor their products, services and thinking to the Internet? This film profiles the two young developers who created the search engine Yahoo, Rosalind Resnick who produces a subscription newsletter on the Net and Mark Manasee's Millicent system, a major breakthrough in how people pay for tiny bits of information with tiny bits of money that could add up to millions. Video/C 5914
Inter-Networking. Commentary: David Lawrence (Usenet), Glen Foster (comedian), Isabel Redondo, Tom Truscott (Usenet). Newsgroups are the town square of the Internet; a place where literally millions of people gather to debate, preach, get information or just leave a group message for anyone who cares about the same subject. This film examines Usenet, a collection of network newsgroups, and the men who developed it. It also visits with a Canadian comedian who scours the newsgroup neighborhoods in search of material and the experiences of a young woman who found herself being harassed and stalked by on-line acquaintances she had come to think of as friends. Video/C 5915
Electric Ink. Commentary: Carey Earle, Dan Pelson, Thomas Livaccari (Word), Arthur Bebak, Sun Ming Lieu (Netsurfer Digest), Peter Frishauf (Medscape). In the fiercely competitive world of magazine publishing, only the smart and strong survive. So to start a magazine that is not only competing with traditional markets, but trying to survive exclusively in cyberspace, is only for those who like living on the edge of life on the Internet. This film profiles the publishers of three electronic serials as it takes a look at the challenges of the online publishing industry. Video/C 5916
Cyber Secrets Commentary: Philip Zimmermann (PGP). Discusses privacy and law enforcement issues on the Internet. Takes a specific look at Phil Zimmermann who developed cryptography called Pretty Good Privacy, which can keep e-mail secret. Everybody it seems, including U.S. Customs, The National Security Agency, the Justice Department and the FBI are concerned. Governmental agencies fear that in the wrong hands this cryptography could be a serious weapon while Zimmermann sees it as part of his constitutional right to privacy. Video/C 5917
Electric Mail. Commentary: Steven Dorner (Eudora), Virginia Shea, Tonya Engst, Adam C. Engst (TidBITS). Describes how electronic mail has changed the way people live and work. Anyone with a basic desktop computer and a modem can now send and receive messages to and from an enormous worldwide network. Examines the development of the e-mail enabling software known as Eudora created by Steve Dorner, the work of Virginia Shea and her guide to proper manners on the Internet and the e-mail newsletter TidBITS developed by Adam and Tonya Engst, which goes out weekly to thousands through Email and Internet news groups. Video/C 5918
Spiritual Surfers. Commentary: Eugene Clark (CICI), James Mulholland (CICI), Charles Henderson (First Church of Cyberspace), Ben Pollack (First Church of Cyberspace). The Internet offers a wide variety of options for those embarked on spiritual quests. This film examines the Catholic Information Center on the Internet and two sites both called the First Church of Cyberspace, one Presbyterian and the other a creation of a recently developed non-traditional religion. Video/C 5919
Digital Dollars. (Electronic Cash.) Commentary: Warren Eugene (Internet Casino), David Chaum (DigiCash), Stan Morris (U.S. Dept. of Treasury. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network), Peter Granoff (Virtual Vineyards). Examines the potential use of the Internet in digital cash transactions. It looks at the cyberpreneur Warren Eugene and his Intenet Casino, examines David Chaum's work as a crypographer and Internet visionary, the founder of DigiCash, which specializes in electronic commerce. Stan Morris examines the potential problems when major criminal elements begin using E-cash to launder and hide illicit funds. And in the purely retail corners of the Net Peter Granoff of Virtual Vineyards is patiently waiting for us to open our wallets to the wired world. Video/C 5920

Life on the Internet 2.0

Finding Things. Commentary: Michael Mauldin (Lycos), Alan Emtage (Bunyip). The Internet gives access to an overwhelming amount of information, but how do you find what you're looking for? This question plagues the minds of the artificial intelligence experts who create Internet search engines. Two search engineers explain their approaches to finding the "digital needle" in the ever-expanding "hyertext haystack. Video/C 5895
Coming Attractions. Commentary: Sheri Herman (American Cybercast), Carl Steadman, Joey Anuff (Suck), Tod Machover (Brain opera). Looks at "The Spot", an online soap opera produced by American Cybercast; Internet culture critics Carl Steadman and Joey Anuff's online magazine "Suck;" and Tod Machover's interactive "Brain Opera" which connects musical performances with contributions from online participants. Video/C 5896
Cyber Gourmet. Commentary: Paolo Monti, Rob Greenhow, Maria Lutz, Betsy Couch. On the Internet, people can now sample the world's cuisine, calorie-free. Both accomplished and would-be cooks serve up a full menu of food and recipes--from a restaurant on the Italian Riviera to a box of designer chocolates. Video/C 5897
Young, Smart and On-Line. Commentary: Tom Williams, Benjamin Carson, Monika Bough. The younger generation is the first to grow up with the Internet--as their predecessors grew up with television. The Internet will shape their lives and they, in turn, will shape the Internet. From the boardrooms of high-tech corporations to an island off the coast of Washington State to the back streets of East Palo Alto, Calif., a new generation of kids is already creating life on the Internet. Video/C 5898
Net Work. Commentary: Ken Morrill, Einar Baragson (SmartNet). Profiles a man whose Internet-based resume allowed him to land a high-tech job with minimal experience; a former fisherman who created a thriving living room-based Internet service in Iceland; and JobTrak, a California job clearinghouse for university students. Video/C 5899
Art on the Net. Commentary: Joan Sullivan, Donna Rose. Five million tourists a year visit the Louvre in Paris. Double that number visit the Louvre site on the Internet and other sites such as the Guggenheim Museum. The art world has discovered that cyberspace is changing the way art is seen, bought, and sold. A sculptur exhibits her work on the Internet, a broker in a small town buys and sells around the world, while major art museums prepare for a whole new concept in viewing art. Video/C 5900
Searching for a Cure. Commentary: Stephanie St. Pierre, Dr. John E. Sulston, Dr. Robert Waterston. The Human Genome Project, a research effort to locate and chemically identify the genes of human chromosomes, is "hosted" by the Internet. Scientists put gene sequencing information on the Net, allowing access to other scientists around the world. Meanwhile, the mother of a baby with a rare genetic disorder uses the Net to find professionals, information, and support from other parents. Video/C 5901
Invisible Net. Commentary: Reid Simmons, Mark Weiser, Roy Want. Looks at the how the Internet is being used in combination with robotics and ubiquitous computing, focusing on the Xavier project at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute and Mark Weiser's research at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center. These leading minds are already seeing the day when the Net is so ubiquitous it's virtually unnoticed. Video/C 5902
Virtual Neighbors. Commentary: Pavel Curtis (PARC), Sherry Turkle. New technologies create communities that can last for seconds or years. Now new Internet video conferencing technology can eliminate online anonymity, possibly ushering in an era in which co-workers, friends and total strangers can enter each others' worlds with the click of a mouse. This segment discusses chat rooms, Internet Relay Chat (IRCs), Multi User Domains (MUDs) and online chat groups like MOOs. Includes comments from MIT clinical psychologist and author Sherry Turkle. Video/C 5903
Copyright. Commentary: Sean Shepard, David G. Post. Copyright is one of the most contentious issues on the Internet. Can current media copyright rules be transferred to the Internet, or is this a brand new ball game? Management of the Indiana Pacers tries to shut down a fan website while the National Hockey League charges into hyperspace to capture a larger audience before the laws that might affect them are formulated. Who owns what, who has what rights, and who decides? The next big wave of what goes on the Internet hangs in the balance until these kinds of issues are resolved. Video/C 5904
Finding People. Commentary: Bonnie Borchert, Naveen Jain, Alan Emtage. Discusses the possibilities and limitations of resources for finding people on the Internet and looks at some companies which have begun creating all-inclusive directories of individual users in an attempt to build more comprehensive finding aids for individual persons. It also profiles the story of one young woman who was adopted as an infant as she uses the Internet to search for her biological parents. Video/C 5905
Cyber Stocks. Commentary: Andrew D. Klein, Steve Wallman (SEC). A high-powered corporate lawyer wanted to start a business - all he needed was a few million dollars. So he went to the Internet. Now there's Wall Street in cyberspace. And just like the real thing, the financial playing fields of the Internet have brought out con men, promoters, and get-rich-quick artists. Even the Securities and Exchange Commission is adapting to the new financial realities of life on the Internet. Video/C 5906
Net Safe. (Business Security.) Commentary: Susan Goeldner (Fed Ex), Tom Longstaff (CERT), Steve Crocker (Cybercash). One of the biggest challenges of life on the Internet is security. Businesses and individuals need to know how to protect their interests: that e-mail senders are who they say they are, that information coming and going is reliable, and that company secrets are not revealed. And just how safe is it to send cash or credit cards over the network? Video/C 5907

The Machine That Changed the World.
5 part series. 58 min each part. Series on the history, nature, and future of computers and computing. 1992.

The Paperback Computer. This program shows how room-sized computers evolved into desktop machines easy enough for a child to use. It covers the Apple story, the development of microprocessors, and the innovative work of Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Michael Markkula. Video/C 2454
The Thinking Machine. This program is devoted to artificial intelligence, and what computer scientists, psychologists and philosophers have learned about human intelligence in the process of trying to teach computers to "think." It includes information provided by Marvin Minsky, one of the pioneers of artficial intelligence at MIT. Video/C 2455
The World at your Fingertips. This program looks at the social revolution wrought by computers, and at what price: the disappearance of place as an attribute, the loss of privacy, the pollution of information - and the transmission, sharing and replication of polluted information; and the near-catastrophies that can occur when (as happened in the October 1987 stock market plunge) computer networks take on a life of their own. Video/C 2456

Mechnanical Love
Tells the personal stories of people who in different ways enjoy a close relationship with a robot. Explaining the differences between a "humanoid" (a robot in the shape of a human being), an "android" (a robot that looks and moves like a human) and a "geminoid" (a copy of an actual human being), the film takes us from the high temple of robot technology, Tokyo, Japan, to Braunschweig in Germany, to Italy and back to Copenhagen in Denmark. This world tour highlights the human need for love and our craving to be loved by others, while examining the cultural differences in how we accept emotional robots in the East and the West. A film by Phie Ambo. 2007. 52 min. DVD X2320

Description from Icarus Films catalog

Meeting the Year 2000 Computer Challenge: Schools, Colleges and the Millennium Bug
Secretary Riley and Koskinen, Chair of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, discuss how schools and colleges across the country are meeting the Y2K computer challenge. Several school officials who are working to make their computer systems Year 2000-compliant discuss their experiences. U.S. Department of Education. 1998. 119 min. Video/C 6011

Miniature Miracle: The Computer Chip (1985).
3/4" UMATIC. 60 min. Video/C 1040

MIT Media Laboratory.
Discusses the research being conducted in media technologies and its educational implications at the Media Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Video/D 17

Nerds 2.0.1: A Brief History of the Internet. 60 min. each installment. 1998.

Networking the Nerds. Examines how the seeds of the Internet were planted by Sputnik. In a reaction to Russia's leap ahead in technology, the Pentagon developed a new agency called ARPA. ARPAnet was created to connect computer researchers at universities across the nation. In nine months flat, the technology was invented, built and installed. Video/C 5687
Wiring the World. This second episode examines the advent of the PC and the need to connect them all to a network. But first someone had to figure out how to do it. That guy was Bob Metcalfe, founder of 3Com. As the market for networking evolved the battle began in earnest; 3Com, Sun, Novell, Cisco and Microsoft entered the market creating a civil war and billion-dollar partnerships. Video/C 5688
Connecting the Suits. In this final episode we visit Excite, a typical Silicon Valley entrepreneurial adventure. Then we unlock the making of the World Wide Web, created by Tim Berners-Lee in Geneva, who made "http://www" the star it is today. While the World Wide Web was making the Internet available to more people, it still wasn't a friendly experience. Netscape and Microsoft changed all that so the Internet has become a 24-hour a day medium where people can do business, chat and go shopping. Video/C 5689

Plug & Pray
Takes a journey into the world of artificial intelligence -- a field of study where computer technology, robotics, biology, neuroscience, and developmental psychology converge --exploring not only the latest advancements and developments, but the ethical and philosophical questions raised along the way. Features interviews with scientists, engineers and established experts in this field, including American inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil and former MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum, a pioneer in the field of AI who has since become one of its harshest critics. A film by Jens Schanze and Judith Malek-Mahdavi. Dist.: Cinema Guild. 91 min. 2009. DVD X5752

Roadkill on the Information Highway.
Dr. Myhrvold discusses the technological changes on the horizon resulting from exponential improvements in VLSI technology, increasingly sophisticated software, and high-speed networks. He posits that these changes will be significantly more far-reaching than those of the PC revolution. The changes will be driven by two fundamental technologies, computing and digital networking and will dramatically alter communications and networking as we know them today. 1994. 75 min. Video/C 4714

Staking a Claim in Cyberspace.
Describes the converging technologies of computers, telephone and interactive TV and examines the question: who is going to build and control the new Information Highway? Presented are the voices and ideas of media advocates and community organizers working to ensure that communication is accessible and functional for all. 31 min. Video/C 3643

Steven P. Jobs Presentation Highlights.
Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, California, 18 September, 1990. Steven Jobs introduces new products for the NeXT computer. 22 min. Video/C 2004

Tesla, a contemporary of Thomas Edison and Guglielmo Marconi, is seldom credited with inventions which impact technology the world benefits from today. Often remembered as more of an eccentric cult figure than an electrical engineering genius, Tesla's surprising inventions are revealed through his autobiographical and scientific writings. Based on the book "Tesla, master of lightning" by Margaret Cheney & Robert Uth. Produced/directed by Robert Uth. 2000. 90 min. DVD X7482

Thor : An Object-oriented Database System.
A lecture by Barbara Liskov (MIT) in which she expounds upon Thor, a new object-oriented database system, which is intended to be used in heterogeneous distributed systems to allow programs written in different programming languages to share objects in a convenient manner. Thor combines the advantages of the object-oriented approach with those of relational databases: users can store and manipulate objects that capture the semantics of their applications and can also access objects via queries. 56 min. Video/C 3546

Top Secret Rosies: The Female Computers of World War II

Triumph of the Nerds..

Part I: Impressing Their Friends. Covers the pioneering years of the PC revolution during the mid-1970's in Silicon Valley. Includes the Altair 8800, the Homebrew Computer Club, the West Coast Computer Faire and hippie culture, nerds and hobbyists. Steve Wozniak eventually spawns Apple II, while Steve Jobs, at 25, becomes worth $100 million. 51 min. Video/C 4565

Part 2: Riding the Bear. Explains how the PC industry came of age in the 1980s. Includes interviews with Bill Gates of Microsoft, IBM's decision to "buy, not build" PC technology, the introduction of IBM's PC into the U.S. Market followed rapidly by clones, the shaky co-operation between Microsoft and IBM and their eventual split, IBM's launch of OS/2 and Bill Gate's Microsoft firm introduces Windows. 51 min. Video/C 4566

Part 3: Great Artists Steal. Examines the changes in the PC industry during the 1990s and their impact on the future. Includes the introduction of Windows 95, the biggest global product launch ever, satellite links and Xerox PARC, the user friendly technology adopted by Steve Jobs for Macintosh. Looks at the struggle to make PCs more friendly with Graphical User Interface and the advent and impact of the Internet. 51 min. Video/C 4567 p

The Video Guide to the Internet.
Describes Internet history, uses and tools, including discussion of E-mail, USENET Netnews, Telnet, FTP, Gopher, WAIS, World Wide Network. Describes how to locate and download Internet resources. Presents detailed on-screen examples of how to access the Internet. 45 min. Video/C 3461

Virtual Equality. (Digital Divide)
A documentary film examining the urgent need in inner cities for technology-centered education through home computer access, community technology centers, and schools -- properly funded and staffed. Also discussed is the use of computers as tools for higher education as opposed to merely being used as drill masters. 1999. 57 min. Video/C 6208

Virtual Friends (Glass Kungle: Surviving the City.)
Investigates the new interactive society model in which physical neighborhoods connected by proximity have been displaced by virtual neighborhoods linked by technology. Topics discussed include the intimate anonymity of the Internet, the use of emoticons in e-mail, the growing importance of telecommunications and the relationship category defined as "familiar strangers." 1996. 25 min. Video/C 8127

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Applied Science & Technology:
Engineering/Materials Science

The Bridge that Spanned the World.
Professor Hughes traces the history of the first cast-iron bridge that was built two hundred years ago across the river Severn in Telford, England. Points out its role as symbol of the Iron Revolution. Explains various methods for producing iron that were later developed in England and in Pennsylvania. 58 min. DVD X1396 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 203

Chernobyl: Chronicle of Difficult Weeks (Glasnost Film Festival).
This film crew was the first in the disaster zone following the meltdown of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in1986. They shot continuously for more than three months. Portions of the film are exposed with white blotches--a radiation leakage. 53 min. Video/C 1593

Chernobyl: The Taste of Wormwood.
A Japanese documentary about the Chernobyl nuclear disaster which includes on-site photography of the blast site and of people and areas affected. Also included are interviews with victims, bystanders, medical personnel who treated burn victims, physicists, and politicians. 52 min. Video/C 1048

The Day the Earth Shook (NOVA)
Earthquakes strike with little or no warning, unleashing phenomenally destructive power. But must they always cause disaster for the people and places in their paths? NOVA visits the epicenter of two major earthquakes to look for the answers, and compares the Northridge, California, earthquake of January 17, 1994, with the Kobe, Japan, earthquake of January 17, 1995. The two earthquakes were of the same magnitude, but casualties in Japan were ten times higher. 1996. 60 min. Video/C 5674

Engineering Disasters (Modern Marvels)
The 20th century -- Kansas City Hyatt -- Teton Dam -- Fear of flying -- Aluminum -- Flight 800 -- Heartbreak -- The Hubble -- Industrial disasters -- The worst of the worst.

A look at some of the worst tragedies in human history-- disasters that have claimed the lives of hundreds of people in one fell swoop and that might have been prevented. Covers the period from ancient times to the present day in order to tell the stories of these calamities. Includes stories from survivors of plane crashes and industrial accidents. Attempts to analyze what went wrong in events such as the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Includes computer animation to illustrate the anatomy of some of the disasters. 1999. 50 min. Video/C 8583

More Engineering Disasters (Modern Marvels)
Contents: The rockets -- The chauchat, 1917 -- USS Thresher, 1963 -- Liberty ships, 1943-1945 -- Andrea Doria, 1956 -- Hartford Civic Center, 1978 -- St. Francis Dam, 1928 - Contents: The rockets -- The chauchat, 1917 -- USS Thresher, 1963 -- Liberty ships, 1943-1945 -- Andrea Doria, 1956 -- Hartford Civic Center, 1978 -- St. Francis Dam, 1928 -Explores notable disasters caused by poor planning, negligence, or innovative strategies that didn't work and searches for clues as to what happened, illustrating theories and processes with animated computer graphics. Includes discussions with experts and footage and photos of the events or the aftermath. Originally broadcast in 1998 as a segement of the History Channel program Modern marvels. 50 min. Video/C 8614

Ethics and Engineering
Part of a course designed to develop reasoning skills and ethical thinking processes. This program features an interview with Roger Boisjoly, former engineer for Morton Thiokol, Inc. The ethics of whistle blowing pertaining to the Challenger space shuttle disaster are discussed. c1993. 28 min. Video/C 7619

Golden Gate Bridge
The story of engineer Joseph Strauss' mission to bring the Golden Gate Bridge into existence. He spent thirteen years arguing with politicians and opponents, before he could even break ground. This film explores the building of the spectacular bridge which has since been called one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Originally released as a segment of The American experience. 2004. 60 min. DVD 3420

The Making of Ancient Iron
Examines the issues and social impact of large scale, early iron production using the experimental archaeology project, Smelt 1991 as a thematic focus. The aim of the project was to build a working Burgenland furnace, a type used during the late Iron Age. 1991. 40 min. Video/C MM792

Meltdown at Three Mile Island
Discusses the events of March 28, 1979, when a reactor at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, overheated. Employs news footage and first-person interviews in relating the 1999. 60 min. Video/C 6648

What exactly is nanotechnology? How does it work? And how might it benefit-or endanger-humankind? This program considers those and other questions as it addresses a range of topics such as nanoscale units of measurement, the special properties of nanoparticles, the gecko and lotus effects, carbon nanotubes, surface energy, and hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. Special sections on the use of lasers in nanotechnology and issues raised by nanotechnology are included, along with short interviews on various aspects of nanotechnology, like nanoscale chemical analysis and careers in the nanotechnology field. Dist.: Films Media Group. c2007. 26 min. DVD X2955

Oakland Earthquake Damage, 10/26/89
Depicts earthquake damage in the city of Oakland, California on October 26, 1989. Filmed on October 26, 1989. 32 min. DVD X1385 [preservation copy]; Video/C 1433

Out of the Fiery Furnace
1983. 60 min. each installment

From Stone to Bronze. The program traces use of metals from the Stone Age through the Bronze Age. It visits Jaipur, India, goes on to the Sinai Desert and also examines recent archeological findings in Thailand. Video/C 927

Swords and Plowshares. Episode tracing the collapse of the Bronze Age and the rise of a new metal - iron. From the ruins of the Hittite capital at Hattusa to the Roman mining operations at Rio Tinto in Spain, the program shows how the dominance of iron shifted the center of Western civilization from the Middle East to the Mediterranean. Video/C 928

Shining Conquests. The program focuses on the remarkable influence that the hunger for precious metals, particularly gold, has had on human history. It begins at the Golden Horn at Istanbul, with the legend of the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece, and ends with the Gold Rushes that spurred exploration of the new World, and that helped create Australia. Video/C 929

The Revolution of Necessity. The program focuses on the industrial revolution in Great Britain. It begins with Europe's first energy crisis, a shortage of wood in the 17th century because Europe's forests had been devastated to fire the furnaces of the Middle Ages. The resulting search for new energy sources turned England to the use of coal and coke, and this led to invention of the steam engine and the railroad. These two inventions transformed industrial society. The symbol of the era was steel - the Eiffel Tower. Video/C 930

Into the Machine Age. Program focuses on the American Industrial Revolution, a new way of doing things that affected daily life in almost every Western country. It traces the exploitation of the New World's mineral riches and shows how the Sault Sainte Marie Canal brought the iron deposits of the midwest together with the coal deposits of the east to form the industrial heartland of America in places like Pittsburgh. Video/C 931

From Alchemy to Atom. This program looks at the results of our ongoing speculation about the nature of metals from medieval alchemists to Marie Curie. It also traces the development of a new science - geology and explains how the curiosity about metals led Pierre and Marie Curie to investigate the nature of the atom. Video/C 932

The Age of Metals, Can It Last? The final program explores questions of today: Will society accept the environmental penalties of increased metal-winning? Are there enough metals left on earth for all who want them? What will we do for energy? It also looks at specific examples of the environmental impact of mining, the recycling of metals, and new methods of exploration. Video/C 933

Quake of '89: A Video Chronicle.
Presented by KRON-TV Channel 4, San Francisco. Shows actual footage from the October 17th, 1989 earthquake and recovery of affected counties as filmed by KRON-TV Channel 4, San Francisco. Includes "Quakeproofing your home and family. 60 min. DVD X1384 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 1651

Robot Revolution? (Nova )
Examines the role of computer driven automation in U.S. manufacturing. Also examines this new technology's growth potential, cost factors, impact on employees, and future applications. 59 min. Video/C 1195

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse.
Describes the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge on November 7, 1940 and provides an explanation for the large amplitude resonance vibration of the bridge, the nodal line on the surface of the roadway, and the total collapse. Includes suggestions to prevent future bridge disasters. 3 min. Video/C 3795

Testing Water ... and Ethics
Based on an actual situation, this film depicts an ethical problem in engineering within an organizational setting. It demonstrates how an engineering firm balanced its responsibilities to the profession, to its client, to society and to its engineers in finding an ethically acceptable solution to a design problem. 1998. 29 min. Video/C 7594

The Truesteel Affair
Looks at the dilemma faced by a young engineer whose loyalties to family, employer, and fellow workers come into conflict with his professional judgement. Examines the problem of whether it is right to just do your job and leave the decisions to management or whether workers have a duty to blow the whistle when they know that something is not being done properly. 1984. 24 min. Video/C 7595

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