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"Why cracking the code of human conception took centuries of wild theories, misogynist blunders, and ludicrous mistakes. Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that the origins of life were a colossal mystery. The Seeds of Life is the remarkable and rollicking story of how a series of blundering geniuses and brilliant amateurs struggled for two...
8) A New life
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This program looks at the events that lead from the fertilized cell to a human baby. Using film of living fetuses in the womb, it explains how the familiar human shape is "sculpted" out of the basic cell mass, what controls the timing of the various stages of fetal development, and what life is like for a fetus.
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This program examines some of the issues raised by the potential uses and misuses of genetic technology. The program demonstrates the techniques of both ultrasound scanning and amniocentesis as well as explains genetic manipulation techniques and the potential applications of the knowledge gained from the human genome project. The program provides a complete introduction to the following topics: Structure and function of DNA; Social, economic, and...
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During her eight weeks of life, Leaney Lavea-born prematurely and with medically insurmountable abnormalities-was dependent on machines to live. But were these machines prolonging her life, or were they merely delaying her death? This deeply moving program explores the ethical dilemma surrounding a case that began in a hospital and ended up in court. Interviews with Baby L's parents, the attending physician, the Laveas' legal counsel, and others trace...
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This program traces the development of a human being from conception to full-term fetus, with a focus on the functions of the male and female reproductive systems. The three stages of development in the womb-pre-embryonic, embryonic, and fetal, generated by the mechanisms of division, differentiation, morphogenesis, patterning, and growth-are illustrated, after which there is a close examination of male and female puberty-the maturation of the reproductive...
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This, the first of four programs on reproduction and birth, looks at how the male and female bodies are prepared for their task of increasing the human race. The program shows the characteristics of sperm and ova and how each contains a partial blueprint for the future offspring. The mechanism of cell division is shown through exceptional microphotography, and the mechanisms of heredity are carefully described.
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Some of the most fascinating research in genetics today involves mutagens-physical, chemical, and biological agents capable of altering the structure of DNA. This program looks at the characteristics and behavior of mutagens and shows how they are prevalent in the world around us-for example, in the form of UV radiation, cosmic rays, and some radioactive isotopes, as well as synthetic chemicals and natural mutagens that may arise during the metabolism...
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All forms of life, from the simple to the highly complex, possess not only the ability but the instinct to reproduce. This program gives an introduction to the basic biological concepts involved with sexual and asexual reproduction. Starting at the cellular level, the video distinguishes between reproduction that occurs sexually, in an exchange of genetic material between two organisms, and asexually, in which organisms produce offspring with a genetic...
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When a baby is hospitalized with a life-or-death illness, parents place their trust in the doctors, nurses, and other specialists of the neonatal intensive care unit. This program blends the intimate and the informative to examine both the technological and the human aspects of infant critical care. Case studies featuring footage of the birth of the Faul twins, one of whom was diagnosed in utero with a potentially life-threatening cyst; Baby Eddie's...
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Born too soon and too small, premature newborns present doctors with some of the toughest medical and ethical challenges today. This program takes a deeply personal look at the emotional odysseys of two families, as specialized medical teams do all they can to save their babies. The emergency C-section to deliver Baby Jada, born twelve weeks early, and an operation to close a hole in Baby Neil's heart are captured on film, as well as interviews with...
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Shot by two filmmakers over fifteen years, this Arctic footage tells the story of a polar bear cub and a walrus pup as they come of age in a melting kingdom. In Australia, the notorious fireweed is threatening the natural habitat of Moreton Bay's endangered green turtles. With the help of Crittercam, researchers explore options for protecting these ancient creatures. Climate change threatens a precious commodity of Hawaii's big island - the Kona coffee...
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Inviting viewers into a rarely seen underground world, this program illustrates recent developments in the study of Africa's naked mole rat and its system of subterranean colonization. With an overview of the species' eusocial behavior-which includes allegiance to a queen, drawing comparisons to many insect communities-the video describes an innovative approach to capturing the naked mole rat that enables close study, a vast improvement over previous...