Tonight on ABC1at 7:30:

Plants are a silent power that have shaped the Earth, creating our atmosphere and driving the evolution of every single animal in the world – including us. This fascinating three-part series offers a totally new perspective on our planet’s history. Narrated and starring Professor Iain Stewart, How to Grow a Planet is a visual feast offering a stunning new perspective on Earth science.

We might think humans are the most powerful living thing on Earth, but it’s plants that time and again have set the agenda for life. All animals rely on plants for their survival. This is not an accident – they are the most powerful evolutionary force on Earth. Plants enabled amphibians to leave the water, they had a hand in the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, and they ensured the ultimate triumph of insects, mammals, birds and even us humans – all for their own benefit. Plants have only ever had one goal, the domination of the planet.

In episode one, Professor Stewart takes a look at how plants created the world – creating the oxygen we breathe, the soil we walk on and deciding which animals live and die. Episode two, he delves into the world of flowers and explains how after the dinosaurs were wiped out, it was flowering plants which inherited the Earth. In the final episode, he takes a close look at the most powerful plant in our planet’s history; grass.

Epic in scale, cinematic in style, this landmark series utilises the latest state-of-the-art photographic techniques from time- lapse to high speed and innovative CGI, How to Grow a Planet travels right into the inner world of plants and sees life on our planet from a new and stunning perspective.

Bubble Car said:

Tonight on ABC1at 7:30:

Epic in scale, cinematic in style, this landmark series utilises the latest state-of-the-art photographic techniques from time- lapse to high speed and innovative CGI, How to Grow a Planet travels right into the inner world of plants and sees life on our planet from a new and stunning perspective.

If I’d ever been able to afford the equipment.. I would have made this documentary at least 40 years ago, my way.

Very good series, highly recommended.

Success!

Pulling the whole TV/stand setup out from its alcove, and thoroughly inspecting it all, revealed just what I needed – an extra set of AV input sockets hidden away on the side of the tellybox. Much plugging and unplugging and replugging later, I am now able to watch and record television again, without having to disconnect the all-regions DVD player.

>>Success!

Praise the Lord.

If I’d ever been able to afford the equipment.. I would have made this documentary at least 40 years ago, my way.

Frank?

geologist inna box – !!!!!!

woot!!

Nothing to do with Mars space travel !

Two interesting docos on at 7.30pm tonight:

How to Grow a Planet (2012) (G)
7:31pm – 8:34pm (63 minutes)
ABC1 Victoria
Plants have been the most powerful evolutionary force on Earth. Discover how plants, flowers and grasses have created and shaped the world we live in today, in the three-part series, How to Grow a Planet.

Dino Gangs (2011) (PG)
7:30pm – 8:30pm (60 minutes)
SBS ONE Melbourne
For many years, scientists concluded that tyrannosaurs were solitary hunters because their skeletons were found alone. But world tyrannosaur expert Dr Phil Currie believes we don’t know these creatures at all. He is convinced they were more intelligent and more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. He believes that far from being dull-witted, solitary creatures, they were more complex pack animals who lived and hunted in gangs. He sets out for the Gobi and Kalahari deserts to prove his theory

I misread the subject as ‘How To Grow A Plant – Life From Light’ and it still made sense.

Witty Rejoinder said:

For many years, scientists concluded that tyrannosaurs were solitary hunters because their skeletons were found alone.

Sounds like a crappy conclusion from that evidence to me.

I don’t know why but I am finding the Scottish accent of this guy hosting the ‘How to Grow a Planet’ show very distracting.

Witty Rejoinder said:

I don’t know why but I am finding the Scottish accent of this guy hosting the ‘How to Grow a Planet’ show very distracting.

As an aside I recall reading many moons ago that for many people and across many different cultures and demographics. a Scottish or Irish accent meant reliability and surety.

Witty Rejoinder said:

I don’t know why but I am finding the Scottish accent of this guy hosting the ‘How to Grow a Planet’ show very distracting.

wehn we travel to Mars inna box full of plants, we’re all going to adopt a Scottish accent so we can say:

“I canne change the laws of photosynthesis, Cap’t”

I hope we all fondled a plant today.

I carressed my trays of little native babies, all waiting for their new home (once the turf has been all dug out).

-r

I was left underwhelmed I’m afraid.

>rish accent meant reliability and surety.

…as a bomb maker :)

Witty Rejoinder said:

I was left underwhelmed I’m afraid.

You’re dead to me :P

they had to cover a lot of ground and it was fine , with soaring, majestic shots from a redwood canopy. They covered in haste some basic ground. What is wrong? I mean , it was solely dedicated to plants? I guess that I knew the background and fill in bits.

shrugs

I was visiting thrombolites during the week and I was moved, but I dunno what you may have seen them as – umimpressive muddy, lumpy rocks…

neomyrtus_ said:

You’re dead to me :P

Probably my favourite David Attenborough doco is ‘The Private Life of Plants’ so it wasn’t the subject matter. I just found the presenter annoying and the show a bit gimmicky.

oh darl.. there can only be one Attenborough and that was a long series on plants in another age, and we all love him dearly (he’s covered vast areas – I’ve worked in areas filmed in PLoP and I squeel when I see them in that series)..

but other presenters can still cover botanical areas ..

it’s not all giant killer sharks and foxtel….

neomyrtus_ said:

oh darl.. there can only be one Attenborough and that was a long series on plants in another age, and we all love him dearly (he’s covered vast areas – I’ve worked in areas filmed in PLoP and I squeel when I see them in that series)..

but other presenters can still cover botanical areas ..

it’s not all giant killer sharks and foxtel….

how many words does it take to say, love your work?

Haven’t seen it yet, apart from the last minute, when I was checking if it had actually taped. And that was a pretty spectacular scene, with the Scottish fellow right at the top of an enormous tree somewhere.

I suspect I’ll be thoroughly enjoying this, when it’s time to watch it :)

Tucking into it now and very much liking it so far. But I was impressed by his How Earth Made Us series, too. I think Witty just needs a bit more exposure to northern accents :)

Verdict: excellent.