Earth From Space

Filmmaker Iain Riddick's PBS-aired NOVA documentary benefits from the fact that our delicate home planet is surrounded by so many technologically sophisticated satellites that we are now literally able to see Earth—in its entirety—as a living, breathing array of interrelated systems that is driven, primarily, by the heat of the sun. Translating this data into state-of-the-art, computer-generated animation, Earth From Space depicts a dynamic planet in a perpetual state of flux, demonstrating (for example) how a dust storm in the Sahara Desert can fertilize the Amazon rainforest, or how the heat in swirling funnels of water vapor can drive storm clouds miles high, which allows the Earth's rotation to spin them into giant, potentially deadly hurricanes. In collaboration with NASA scientists (many appearing here as interviewees), this documentary surveys the surveyors, focusing on several satellites and their specific functions, including NASA's flagship satellite, Aqua, which orbits Earth's poles and monitors water vapor, looking for the tell-tale “hook” in clouds that signals the birth of a hurricane. Other satellites specialize in studying different sections of the visual and non-visual spectrum of light: x-rays, microwaves, etc., each calibrated to provide a broader understanding of natural forces like the annual “bloom” of plankton along the Amazon delta, which generates a striking majority of the planet's oxygen. From an astronaut's viewpoint, we see lightning striking everywhere—40 times per second—creating nitrates vital to the replenishing of forests. Abundant proof of global warming is also examined here (most alarmingly, the shrinking polar ice caps), underlining the urgent need to maintain these satellites on an ongoing basis. In the aggregate, they give us the information we need to prepare for our future and care for our planet. A visually dazzling (especially the Blu-ray version) and thought-provoking film, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)