Where Did We Come From?

Astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts this episode from the PBS-aired NOVA ScienceNOW series, offering an informative and entertaining look at a few of life's Big Questions. In Part 1, “Revealing the Origins of Life,” Tyson visits a meteor field in Arizona, seeking Earth's “birth certificate” embedded in ancient rocks, while also hoping to discern what these celestial intruders tell us about the Big Bang. The second segment, “Origins of the Solar System,” illustrates how scientists have employed chemical evidence and computer simulations to demonstrate how our sun and its planets may have formed. The fascinating third chapter, “Lice and Human Evolution,” describes humankind's place on the “tree of life,” showing how the lowly head louse—an unwelcome companion that's been feasting on human blood for centuries—adapts along with humans, which in turn helps us pinpoint the key moment when our species began shedding thick body hair. The final episode offers a profile of André Fenton of SUNY Downstate, whose work on memory—how it contributes to our identity, and whether we might be able to “reboot” our minds (perhaps even altering or erasing memories)—may have important implications for, among other areas, the study of dementia and Alzheimer's. Not so much a focused documentary series as an anthology of loosely related episodes, the content here is lively, entertaining, and illuminated by cutting-edge scientific research. But given the scattershot nature of the compilation, this is a strong optional purchase, at best. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)