A two-part NOVA-aired special, Absolute Zero combines history and contemporary science to present an intriguing study of humankind's quest for “the ultimate freezing point.” Part one, “The Conquest of Cold,” explores the history of refrigeration, from the discovery of the concept by chemist Michael Faraday (1791-1867) to the rise of the ice-export industry and the advent of air conditioning. All in all, it's an engaging chronicle of invention and ingenuity, with advances in refrigeration running parallel to the Industrial Revolution, and also leading to the popularity of shaved ice, “sno-cones,” and ice cream. Part two, “The Race for Absolute Zero,” is devoted to the heated competition (pardon the pun) between Scottish researcher Sir James Dewar and Dutch physicist Heike Onnes, who advanced cold science to the point where oxygen and hydrogen turn liquid. Contemporary scientists are continuing to push toward ever-colder temperatures, striving for absolute zero (-273 degrees Celsius, or -459.67 degrees Fahrenheit), which could result in potentially revolutionary applications in superconductivity, super-fast computing, and other unimagined new technologies. Scientists are also working on related mysteries, such as the puzzling properties of the Bose-Einstein condensate, a “superfluid” so close to absolute zero that it's neither solid, liquid, nor gas. Combining interviews, computer graphics, and archival footage, Absolute Zero is an informative and entertaining documentary. DVD extras include printable materials for educators. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)
Absolute Zero
(2007) 109 min. DVD: $24.95. WGBH Boston Video. PPR. Closed captioned. ISBN: 978-1-59375-819-6. Volume 23, Issue 5
Absolute Zero
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