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In "Jurassic Park," scientists brought back dinosaurs using preserved DNA. At the time, this was all in the realm of science fiction, but this video segment talks to scientists who think they are getting closer to the ability to bring back extinct species. Can it be done, and if so, should it be done?
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Today Darwin would be surprised by the tourist mecca Galapagos has become; 200,000 visitors a year, 40,000 permanent residents. The impact on the most unique collection of endemic wildlife in the world has been heavy; too many people bringing too many of their ways (and invasive species) from the outside world threatening the future of this one-of-a-kind place. What would Darwin think of how Galapagos has evolved in the twenty-first century?
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In this program a student explores biodiversity with the help of academic experts, and learns why all parts of an ecosystem are important-even the mosquitoes. Focusing on biodiversity in Australia, the video examines the negative impact of European farming techniques on the continent's fragile natural environments; it also looks at Australia's high rate of mammal extinction and prevalence of invasive species as areas of concern to environmentalists....
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Invasion of the Giant Tortoises explores the controversial introduction of a non-native species to the African island of Mauritius. Once home to the dodo, Mauritius was teeming with giant tortoises until the arrival of man. The introduction of predators and habitat loss doomed these majestic creatures to extinction. Now biologists have embarked on a radical plan: to replace the extinct Mauritian tortoise with a close relative: the giant tortoise from...
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Called both a "Doomsday Vault" and a library of life, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a collection of the seeds of thousands of different plant species, held in frozen reserve against the eventuality of ecological disaster or other means of crop extinction. This program spotlights scientists who are working with the Svalbard team to preserve Earth's biodiversity, along with some potential recipients of that endeavor - Kenyan farmers affected by...
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Scientists in Kenya's Rift Valley are taking part in a complicated and protracted global fight against Ug99, a fungal disease, also known as wheat rust, that could destroy 80 percent of all known wheat varieties. NewsHour special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports as part of the Under-Told Stories Project. Origina?
11) Invasive Species
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It's war in many ecosystems around the world as invasive and native species battle for supremacy. Facing the increased exchange of ship ballast water among worldwide ports, biologists are grappling with a rate and scale of alien takeovers unprecedented in history. In this science bulletin, will see the mussels and crayfish that are stressing the vast freshwater network of the Great Lakes region as they learn what researchers are doing to give native...
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Called "Absolutely brilliant!" by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, this documentary tracks the war being waged by entomologists, ecologists, government officials, and private citizens against the Asian longhorned beetle - a nonnative species of insect that could destroy one third of America's trees. In addition to illustrating how these beetles do their damage, Bugged stresses the vigilance and cooperation needed to identify...
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Since 2002 Indian agriculturalists have replaced almost all of their native seeds with genetically modified varieties due to intense campaigning by biotechnology giant Monsanto. Monsanto's proprietary BT cotton now occupies 90 percent of India's crop lands, having been sold with the understanding that it would improve yields and cut farmers' costs. But critics are questioning Monsanto's claims, and the farmers themselves report problems-their plants...
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The harsh conditions of life at sea make commercial fishing one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) researches the nation's fisheries to help ensure humans can continue to enjoy fish as one of the Earth's most important renewable resources.
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"In order to stave off the mass extinction of species, including our own, we must move swiftly to preserve the biodiversity of our planet, says Edward O. Wilson in his most impassioned book to date. Half-Earth argues that the situation facing us is too large to be solved piecemeal and proposes a solution commensurate with the magnitude of the problem: dedicate fully half the surface of the Earth to nature."--Amazon.
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Having emptied the European seas of fish, industrial fishing trawlers are now targeting Africa. In places like Senegal, where the sea is the nation's main resource, the EU's fishing policies are devastating the country. Unable to compete with this "European Invasion," Senegalese fishermen are being driven out of business. It's estimated that within ten years, there will be no more fish in Senegal's waters. Journalist Charles Clover says, "The last...