Sunday, November 1, 2009 | Science : Evolution and Biology | print version

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Charles Darwin's Brave New World: A Dangerous Idea

Trailer - YouTube NewOnABCTV (Austrailia)

Thanks to David for the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJTPkDYnYPs&feature=player_embedded#

Featuring a superb cast and commentators including David Suzuki, Richard Dawkins, Jared Diamond and Iain McCalman, this is the story of how four young voyagers changed our world forever. The epic adventures of Charles Darwin, Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley and Alfred Russel Wallace would revolutionise science, turn society on its head and give birth to an extraordinary theory.

Posted: Sunday, November 1, 2009 | Permalink

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1. Comment #428716 by Jos Gibbons on November 1, 2009 at 4:47 pm

They obviously only had time to show one of their commentators in the commercial. I'#m glad it was RD because I've grown so attached to him through familiarity; but, when I'm left to ponder *why* they chose him, I realise a few things. Firstly, even if they were looking for "the best" (whatever that means), I bet the rest will be great in their own ways as well. Secondly, if it's because he is famous - or infamous - for certain things, it wouldn't be the first time (or the hundredth). Thirdly, I'm so glad they didn't try describing him during the commercial itself (although I bet the same footage's appearance in the programme will have something written on the bottom, or if not that scene then whichever one introduces him). Well, whatever was going on here, this is going to be great! I'm especially pleased to see it airs in the UK within a few weeks, not just in the USA.

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2. Comment #428717 by huyzer on November 1, 2009 at 4:47 pm

This looks really good. But what is the schedule for U.S. release?

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3. Comment #428720 by Jos Gibbons on November 1, 2009 at 4:50 pm

Comment #428717 by huyzer

Look at the final frame for its list.

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4. Comment #428724 by huyzer on November 1, 2009 at 5:04 pm

Hello Jos Gibbons, (Comment #428720)

I did see that. Maybe I'm confused on interpreting that, but I only see Australia, Canada, and UK (ZDF.. Germany?) times, not U.S.

Take care,
huyzer

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5. Comment #428725 by TIKI AL on November 1, 2009 at 5:10 pm

I can't find a US showing, but here is an extended trailer with Richard in it twice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5L65KgrTag

Perhaps a potential godbot riot is keeping us from seeing it here in Jebusland.

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6. Comment #428727 by Parapraxis on November 1, 2009 at 5:20 pm

Part one tonight on CBC!
Fantastic.
I'll probably get it via bittorrent.

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7. Comment #428728 by SaintStephen on November 1, 2009 at 5:21 pm

Most excellent.

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8. Comment #428729 by Jos Gibbons on November 1, 2009 at 5:29 pm

Wait ... there isn't a US showing? My goodness, I hadn't noticed that. This is "Creation" all over again. It's scandalous. (Unless they simply haven't chosen dates yet. But they'd better get round to it!)

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9. Comment #428732 by Fuzzy Duck on November 1, 2009 at 5:55 pm

Definitely looking forward to this!

Kevin

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10. Comment #428735 by Mark Jones on November 1, 2009 at 6:30 pm

This does look good.

Coincidentally I was wondering about a BBC series from my youth that I recall with much affection - The Voyage of Charles Darwin. I'm puzzled they haven't repeated it this year. There's one or two bits on Youtube, so folk can get a flavour of it, if they fancy - here. (Starts at part 2 of the first chapter because part 1 doesn't work for some reason)

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11. Comment #428746 by Mbee on November 1, 2009 at 7:49 pm

I managed to watch the trailer once - then YouTube said it was down for service. Coincidence?

OK, now it's back - just watched the extended trailer.
Wonderful - when do we get to see this in the US? (Stream anyone?) We're still waiting for the 'Creation' movie!

Not sure if I like the effects of the hand and child morphing into something else. I understand what this is representing but it will only give more fuel to the cretinists idea that this is what happens in evolution.

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12. Comment #428752 by bachfiend on November 1, 2009 at 8:21 pm

Is this based on Iain McCalman's book "Darwin's Armada"? It's one of the books I have got on my shelf (or rather in my Kindle) to read. It deals with the same list of voyagers.

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13. Comment #428779 by kev_s on November 1, 2009 at 9:47 pm

Check out the links to the Darwin Award Contender clips which appear listed at the bottom when the video above finishes.

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14. Comment #428781 by InYourFaceNewYorker on November 1, 2009 at 9:52 pm

I hope somebody caps this and puts it on YouTube, because I don't see anything there about it being shown in the United States.

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15. Comment #428789 by kaiserkriss on November 1, 2009 at 10:21 pm

I look forward to watching this tonight even if that hypocrite David Suzuki had something to do with it. jcw

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16. Comment #428800 by foxfire on November 1, 2009 at 11:31 pm

@ Tiki Al #428725

Perhaps a potential godbot riot is keeping us from seeing it here in Jebusland.

Yeah, hoards of angry tea-baggers lead by Bill Donohue waving Glenn Beck's latest would descend upon any network that dared to air the program. Oh well, Maybe PBS will show it someday.

Meanwhile, back @ the ranch, every other program on the Discovery, History and History Intentional channels focuses on Nostradamus, Ghosts or UFOs.

It would be nice if the woo could be limited to Thriller, Syfi and Fox News.

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17. Comment #428810 by beelzebub on November 2, 2009 at 12:07 am

It's so sad that American providers are so in the thrall of the religious right! Anything that departs from the lowest-common-denominator is ignored - too many ignoramuses might get upset at the intrusion of reality!!!
This gets me mad... Grrrr...
Thank goodness (nearly said 'Thank God :-) ) for the 'Old World' of Europe!

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18. Comment #428812 by Fizzle on November 2, 2009 at 12:12 am

Why is Suzuki a hypocrite?

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19. Comment #428813 by Fizzle on November 2, 2009 at 12:16 am

Oh, and check out the promos for the show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQvEtEuhnNk&feature=channel

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20. Comment #428819 by beelzebub on November 2, 2009 at 12:30 am

Fizzle
- Suzuki? you've lost me there - no comments from a 'Suzuki'
Why is he/she a hypocrite?

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21. Comment #428826 by Frankus1122 on November 2, 2009 at 12:51 am

I think the comment about David Suzuki refers to Comment #428789 by kaiserkriss.

If the 'hypocrite' is in reference to the fact that he jets around the world while admonishing others to reduce their carbon emissions, I have heard him speak about this subject. He is aware of the problem and does what he can to alleviate the problem.

Speaking for me, I think sometimes you have to add a bit of fuel to the fire to help put it out.

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22. Comment #428831 by beelzebub on November 2, 2009 at 1:22 am

Ah, I see - or not :-)
I am not aware of this Suzuki you speak of...
Perhaps we should all stop breathing, eh?
If he 'expels' a million tons of carbon, in order to convince nations to prevent billions of tons of emissions of carbon, is he still wrong?
Dunno?

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23. Comment #428833 by kaiserkriss on November 2, 2009 at 1:26 am

Fizzle:

Frankus makes my point.. Thanks Frankus! Remember though he only addressed it after it was pointed out to him his jet setting life style was counter productive to his message.

In this day and age of instant communication "jetting" around is becoming more and more irrelevant, even in business. jcw

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24. Comment #428839 by forestsoul on November 2, 2009 at 2:20 am

Here's the Canadian link to the series:

http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/natureofthings/2009/darwin/index.html

Lots of interesting videos and info.

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25. Comment #428870 by Rodger T on November 2, 2009 at 7:39 am

24. Comment #428839 by forestsoul

That is a most excellent link,thank you for that.

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26. Comment #428884 by bachfiend on November 2, 2009 at 10:15 am

The series is based on Iain McCalman's "Darwin's Armada". I have started to read it this morning, and so far, it's very good. I'm on the section on Joseph Hooker and his voyage on the Erebus (with the Terror), both ships being famous for their loss on the ill-fated John Franklin expedition to find the North-West Passage in 1846.

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27. Comment #428888 by stevem on November 2, 2009 at 11:05 am

Say what you want about David Suzuki. I have heard him speak several times. There is no doubting his sincerity & passion. As creationist take shots at RD, Climate Change deniers take shots at him.

For those outside of Canada, he has been beating the environmental drum for decades. This makes him a bit of lightning rod for people who don't want to face the realities of our environmental situation.

He rails against our societies over consumption and the fact that a finite biosphere cannot support it indefinitely. He argues that we are using up the environmental "capital" of our children and grandchildren instead of living of the "interest" as we should.

He has also been an ardent promoter of science in Canada and to me, is our version of David Attenborough. He has a PhD in Genetics and was a University Professor.

I linked to a couple of articles that I thought might be of interest to people here. They are part of a weekly "Science Matters" column that he writes.

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/about_us/Dr_David_Suzuki/Article_Archives/weekly01200601.asp

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/about_us/Dr_David_Suzuki/Article_Archives/weekly06270801.asp

He is also an Atheist, which of course, is always a plus.

Sorry for the long post. Just like we get irritated when we constantly hear the "strident atheist" applied to RD, I get irritated when I hear David Suzuki called a hypocrite. This is always a fallback when someone wants to ignore the content of his message. Sound familiar?

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28. Comment #428898 by stevem on November 2, 2009 at 12:18 pm

I watched the 1st part last night on "The Nature of Things with David Suzuki". I thought it was well done. It went into detail about his voyage and how the pieces of the puzzle fell into place gradually. RD along with Jerry Coyne and Janet Browne were all good. I learned many new things about his story. Looking forward to parts 2 & 3.

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29. Comment #428906 by Azven on November 2, 2009 at 1:18 pm

Who are the other three young voyagers ?

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30. Comment #428909 by Fizzle on November 2, 2009 at 2:03 pm

Yes, I was referring to kaiserkriss' comment. Sorry for not being clear.

And thanks for clearing it up.

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31. Comment #428935 by rod-the-farmer on November 2, 2009 at 5:08 pm

David Suzuki was the one with the scraggly beard in the long trailer.

As for U.S. showing, from my understanding, those who live in cities close to the border can get Canadian channels. I know I have seen Canadian TV when staying at a hotel in Detroit.

If all else fails, I live about 75 miles from Detroit. Anyone wishing to come watch it on a big screen TV is welcome. RSVP. BYOB.

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32. Comment #428940 by kaiserkriss on November 2, 2009 at 5:29 pm

stevem:

Please don't arbitrarily put me in the climate change denier camp without even knowing my position.

All I wanted to suggest that Mr. Suzuki put his money where is mouth is. No doubt in my mind he is brilliant , but he just reminds me of a cult leader who expects his followers to obey the rules and he gets to flaunt them jcw

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33. Comment #428952 by PERSON on November 2, 2009 at 5:51 pm

"don't arbitrarily put me in the climate change denier camp"
It was hardly arbitrary.

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34. Comment #428953 by stevem on November 2, 2009 at 5:55 pm

Kaiserkriss:

Point taken. That might not be stance in your case, but is something I have observed in the past. Some people would see some imperfection in the person as an excuse not to listen to the ideas. My wife's boss ranted to her after we went to hear him speak "Oh yeah, I heard he drives a Hummer, he's so full of crap".

Similar to C Hitchens point on Socrates, it is only the ideas that matter. He doesn't care if Socrates truly existed. In Suzuki's case, it doesn't matter to me if he is not a perfect human being (Who is?). His arguments and ideas are strong regardless IMO.

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35. Comment #428959 by Sciros on November 2, 2009 at 6:08 pm

My wife's boss ranted to her after we went to hear him speak "Oh yeah, I heard he drives a Hummer, he's so full of crap".

I know exactly what you're talking about. It really pisses me off when people expect me to make excuses for driving my car (XTerra) -- I even had a good buddy try and give me shit about it the other day. Seriously it just makes me want to run their car over with mine. I bet if I had a BMW M3 (worse fuel economy) they wouldn't even think twice about it.

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36. Comment #428990 by zane9 on November 2, 2009 at 7:08 pm

I'm looking forward to watching this! For some of us living here in Canada who have even a slightly critical view of the cult of celebrities...David Suzuki has gone beyond celebrity status into "sainthood". He is beyond criticism. If one in Canada dares to even quietly mutter a question or two about the scientific underpinnings of the theory of human-induced global climate change, beware the wrath. Suzuki is invoked as the unimpeachable source, and one is in trouble. A little too totalitarian for my liking.

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37. Comment #429034 by stevem on November 2, 2009 at 8:32 pm

The CBC website has the 1st episode available.

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/The_Nature_of_Things/ID=1316757054

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38. Comment #429087 by Jos Gibbons on November 2, 2009 at 10:22 pm

An extended trailer is now available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5L65KgrTag

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39. Comment #429369 by glenister_m on November 4, 2009 at 5:08 am

Much as I enjoy these programs, as a science teacher they end up having limited use in class. No matter how good a science show is, you can't show a 3 hour program in high school and expect the kids to sit through it nor cover all the other material you have to cover in a course. It's a shame, because there is some great stuff out there that I would love the kids to see, but the 1 hour format (eg. NOVA, Day the Universe Changed, some of the Connections series, etc.) is just too long.

Bill Nye had it right with the 1/2 hour show.

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40. Comment #429375 by zombieisland on November 4, 2009 at 6:25 am