I have been a fan of Public Television since the 1970s. Each week Harry and I religiously watch Nova and American Experience on PBS. I enjoy these programs so much although they can make you feel pretty ignorant. Nova documents many of the most amazingly complicated and wonderful things that are going on in the world of science today. American Experience makes it clear how much American history I either don't remember or probably never knew in the first place. The Brit I live with knows more American history than I do (because one of his wives got so tired of questions she couldn't answer that she bought him The Oxford Companion to American History: now, alas, sadly out of date).
The origins of Nova were, as with many television shows here in the States, as a British series back in the seventies. My love of Nova I attribute to my father. One of my earliest happy memories was standing with him out in our backyard when I was about four as he explained the constellations and planets to me. Back in those days you could see many more stars in the city than you can today. I remember feeling awestruck at the beauty and immensity of it all. Nova's many programs on the cosmos bring back those feelings of wonder I remember experiencing as a child.
The origins of Nova were, as with many television shows here in the States, as a British series back in the seventies. My love of Nova I attribute to my father. One of my earliest happy memories was standing with him out in our backyard when I was about four as he explained the constellations and planets to me. Back in those days you could see many more stars in the city than you can today. I remember feeling awestruck at the beauty and immensity of it all. Nova's many programs on the cosmos bring back those feelings of wonder I remember experiencing as a child.
Each month my Dad would go to the drugstore a few blocks from our house and buy the latest Scientific American magazine. He read it cover to cover, and I remember paging through it as a child, looking at the wonderful photographs and wondering how anyone could understand what they were writing about in this magazine. Well, for me, that never changed: I was not destined to become a scientist. My last effective science class was 10th grade biology, since I failed college geology; but my love of science has never failed. Now, as I watch the men and women scientists on Nova, I am awestruck at their brilliant minds and grateful for the good things they do for the world.
In school I hated the way history was taught. I loved to read historical biographies but I hated history textbooks. Today there is more of a focus in schools on studying history through original source materials, novels, biographies, autobiographies and film. Like many people, I watched many years ago the Ken Burns series on the Civil War on PBS. I was shocked at how little I knew about that fascinating and horrific period of our history. American Experience has beautifully crafted programs on all the eras and personalities of American History (not Sara Palin so far, however, and I have yet to let her guide me through Alaska). Now when I watch the programs, I just relax, accept my ignorance, and learn something.
In school I hated the way history was taught. I loved to read historical biographies but I hated history textbooks. Today there is more of a focus in schools on studying history through original source materials, novels, biographies, autobiographies and film. Like many people, I watched many years ago the Ken Burns series on the Civil War on PBS. I was shocked at how little I knew about that fascinating and horrific period of our history. American Experience has beautifully crafted programs on all the eras and personalities of American History (not Sara Palin so far, however, and I have yet to let her guide me through Alaska). Now when I watch the programs, I just relax, accept my ignorance, and learn something.
The NOVA Science Now series, now airing, examines, among other things, whether technology can defeat global warming or whether it is too late. In other words, can the technology that created these world-changing and potentially world-ending problems now solve them? American Experience covers all eras and personalities in American history. Recently we watched excellent programs on Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. Both series have won countless awards, including scores of Emmys.
I recently learned that both series have teacher web sites that include free digital libraries, video and audio segments, primary source materials, teacher guides to episodes, maps, galleries etc,. etc. School history classes never need be boring again!
In our current era of complex and volatile politics, it cannot hurt to know a little more history, because, as we all know, history tends to repeat itself. A couple of weeks ago I listened as an American politician who hopes to run as the Republican candidate for president pontificated on Egypt. It was very clear that world history was not this politician's strong suit. Historical ignorance can be a dangerous thing in a politician.
As carbon dioxide continues to spew out into our atmosphere, it is comforting to think that there may be hope that technology can save the planet for future generations. In the future we may be looking more to the scientists and social scientists, rather than to the politicians, to keep our planet viable for future generations.
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