Antarctica crossing begins

After months of preparation two Australians , James Castrission and Justin Jones (Cas and Jonesy) have arrived in Antarctica to begin their next adventure, to be the first to walk from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole  and back without assistance.  Others have tried, all have failed. Will Cas & Jonesy pull of the seemingly impossible? We will know soon enough. Follow their journey here.

Boris Karloff's Frankenstein

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present, as additional Halloween feature videos, the 1931 horror film classic Frankenstein staring the horror film actor Boris Karloff and a 1957 interview with the legendary actor himself on the television series ‘This is your Life’.

The Real Dracula

Today on Discovery Enterprise we would like to wish our dear readers all over the world a Happy Halloween and frightful and delightful night of terror.

For our ghoulish holiday offering we come face to face with the real Count Dracula in two wonderful documentaries features and the classic horror motion pictures Nosferatu (1922) and Dracula (1931) staring Bela Lugosi in the title role.

Invaders from Mars and Beyond

Today marks the seventy third anniversary of   Orson Welles’ infamous 1938 Radio broadcast that panicked America. In order to commemorate this anniversary and wish our dear readers a Happy Halloween we would like to offer you a very special  triple treat of panic and mayhem.

Our first treat for you today is a documentary entitled ‘Invasion from Mars’ produced by the BBC’s Open University Productions that examines the root causes of the panic and hysteria engendered by the Mercury theatre’s dramatisation of H.G. Well’ tale of the alien invasion.

Our second and third video features for today are two documentaries that recently aired that take a scientific look the possible motivations behind an alien invasion of our world and how humanity may hope to defend itself. 

To the Bottom of the Ocean - NASA's Other 1969 Mission of Discovery

Instruments mounted on the Grumman/Piccard PX-15. The Ben Franklin

Today the Atlantic Monthly posted this very interesting feature concerning NASA’s other great mission of discovery, the forgotten mission of the Ben Franklin to explore the Earth’s last great frontier – the ocean and the mighty Gulf Stream.

"Timing is everything. In the summer of 1969, within one day of each other, two courageous crews set out to explore new frontiers. Both were NASA missions of pure discovery. One would go to the Sea of Tranquility, the other to the massive eastern boundary current known as the Gulf Stream. "

 ~ From Sea to Shining Sea

The Secret of Nikola Tesla

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present a Yugoslav motion picture concerning the life and times of Nikola Tesla produced in 1980 directed by Krsto Papić and starring Petar Božović as the title character.

 

Long shrouded in secrecy, the life of Nikola Tesla is artfully illuminated in this fascinating film. His achievements led to the discovery of radio and television as well as the development of the first hydroelectric dam, remote control, radar tracking for the military, x-ray and the manipulation of matter and energy. His discoveries are also the basis for the emerging science of free energy. 

Ancient Inventions ~ Sex and Love

At the risk of just being a tad risqué, today on Discovery Enterprise we  present a documentary concerning humankind’s favourite past times – Sex and love.

The second instalment of Terry Jones’ acclaimed documentary series Ancient Inventions explorers our ancient obsession “with inventing new ways of looking good and turning each other on”,  amongst other things.

Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest

Today on Discovery Enterprise we join the legendary Indiana Jones on the ultimate quest to understand our ancient past through the science of archaeology.

Throughout history there have been legendary artifacts that have captured the imagination of adventurers everywhere. While belief in their existence seems to fly in the face of reason and science, there have been those who have devoted their lives to their discovery. One man has looked for some of these remarkable treasures. 

Longitude

Today on Discovery Enterprise we are proud to present a docudrama staring Michael Gambon (as John Harrison)  and Jeremy Irons (as Rupert Gould) based on Dava Sobel's best selling book – Longitude.   

In the early 18th century, John Harrison struggles to build practical marine chronometer for determining longitude (east/west position) at sea. 

Finding Life Beyond Earth

Join us today on Discovery Enterprise as we embark on a spectacular journey to the distant reaches of our solar system to discover where forms of life may lie hidden and waiting to be discovered.

Combining the latest telescope images with dazzling CGI animation, this documentary immerses the audience in the sights and sounds of alien worlds, while top astrobiologists explain how these places are changing how we think about the potential for life in our solar system. 

Faster Than the Speed of Light

Particle physicists detect neutrinos travelling faster than light, a feat forbidden by Einstein's theory of special relativity or so it seems.

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present a documentary that looks at the implications of this alleged discovery. 

Einstein's Universe

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present the highly acclaimed documentary Einstein’s Universe based on Nigel Calder’s book of the same name that aired back in 1979.

The book and associated PBS/BBC documentary were produced to commemorate the centenary of Albert Einstein’s (March 14, 1879 – April 18, 1955) birth.

Lost in the Amazon - Colonel Percy Fawcett

Today in Discovery Enterprise we present the acclaimed PBS documentary ‘Secrets of the Dead’ and go in search of the British explorer Colonel Percy Fawcett and fabulous lost City of Z.

In 1925 the British explorer Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett plunged into the Amazon forest in search of a lost civilization he had named the City of Z. He and the rest of his entourage were never seen again. 

Inside Secret Government Warehouses

Alien body parts, powerful religious artifacts, the wreckage of a crashed flying saucer, what exactly is the United States Government keeping hidden from us in its secret government warehouses?

Inspired by SyFy Channel’s hit series Warehouse 13, NBC News award-winning journalist Lester Holt goes on a global expedition to uncover the truth behind the world’s top secret, mysterious warehouses where super-classified objects are kept.

In Inside Secret Government Warehouses: Shocking Revelations, Holt capitalizes on exclusive access to restricted sites, traveling from Area 51 in Nevada to deep inside the Vatican secret archives – the centerpiece of Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons – interviewing informants, Washington decision-makers, former top military personnel and leading experts.

Cave Divers and Risk

Diving the tank Cave Mt Gambier Australia. courtesy Liz Rogers www.cavediving.net.au

The recent deaths of two cave divers in Australia has brought into focus the risks divers face.  Some people are questioning their sport. I think people need to remember what diving really is. I never  regarded SCUBA diving as a sport, it may be a physical activity but it not really competitive like say, tennis or football. Its exploration. 

Human Planet - Oceans: Into the Blue

 

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present the first episode of a breathtaking documentary series entitled the Human Planet.

Human Planet is an eight part British television documentary series produced by the BBC with co-production from Discovery and BBC Worldwide.

Uniquely in the animal kingdom, humans have managed to adapt and thrive in every environment on Earth. Each episode takes you to the extremes of our planet: The mountains, arctic, deserts, oceans, jungles, grasslands, rivers and even the urban jungle. Here you will meet people who survive by building complex, exciting and often mutually beneficial relationships with their animal neighbours and the hostile elements of the natural world.

Human Planet crews have filmed in around 80 locations, bringing you many stories that have never been told on television before. The team has trekked with HD cameras and state of the art gear to film from the air, from the ground and underwater. The result: a “cinematic experience” created by world-class natural history and documentary camera crews and programme makers.

Ancient Inventions - City Life

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present a BBC documentary mini series released in 1998 and hosted by ex-Monty Python member Terry Jones entitled Ancient Inventions.

Ancient Inventions looked at the great inventions of the ancient world that shaped that helped shape today’s world.  The series is divided into three episodes, namely City Life, Sex and Love, and War and Conflicts.

In this first instalment of Ancient inventions we look at the innovations and inventions that made living in a modern metropolis possible. Terry Jones explores such important topics as water transport, concrete, and city grids,  the major and fundamental infrastructure of a city, ancient or modern, which could provide for its subsequent growth. 

Black Hole Odyssey

Today on Discovery Enterprise we join Dr Michio Kaku for another exciting instalment of Sci Fi Science which will take us on an odyssey into the belly of the ultimate gravitational beast – a Supermassive galactic black hole.

In science fiction, the most destructive force in the entire universe is also the key to travelling to a whole host of mind-blowing destinations. 

History of the World in Two Hours

Today on Discovery Enterprise we voyage back in time some 13.7 Billion Years to tell the epic story of our World and humankind, from the Big Bang that forged our Cosmos till the present day in just two hours.

Well in actual fact, we are going to do it in just one hour, twenty seven minutes and fifty seven seconds. Approximately a half hour of commercials were removed to enhance your viewing pleasure.

Death Stars

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present the third episode of a new series that has recently begun airing on the Science Channel entitled “Phil Plait’s Bad Universe” hosted by noted Astronomer and skeptic, Phil Plait, who runs the website BadAstronomy.com.

The death of a star is one of the most violent forces in the universe capable of causing huge planetary damage. Phil will explore what happens when a dying star becomes a Supernova or worse yet, a much deadlier Hypernova, and if the Earth is at risk.

Ghosts of the Black Sea with Dr. Robert Ballard

Today on Discovery Enterprise we join Dr. Robert Ballard on another exciting expedition to the Black Sea to excavate two shipwrecks for the first time ever, including one of the most pristine, ancient vessels ever found. 

Ancient Warfare

The Helepolis

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present another exciting episode of the acclaimed documentary series Ancient Discoveries that explores the science and technology of classical antiquity.

The Quest for Noah's Flood

Today on Discovery Enterprise we join famed oceanographer, explorer and Titanic discoverer, Dr. Robert Ballard, as he embarks on a fascinating voyage to the Black Sea, where history mingles with age-old tales of a catastrophic flood to solve an ancient mystery that will take us on a quest to uncover the true story behind Noah’s flood.

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon with the Men Who Were There

Only twelve men have walked on the moon. You're next! Today on Discovery Enterprise we join these intrepid men on an incredible odyssey to our nearest neighbor in space.

X Prizes for Exploration

This is great news! The X Prize Foundation has received nine million dollars from Shell so it can offer prizes for exploration. What exactly for remains to be seen but they will be for the exploration of Earth, Space and the Oceans. Lets hope there will be something for undersea habitats.



PLAYA VISTA, CA / NEW YORK CITY (October 06, 2011) — The X PRIZE Foundation, the leading nonprofit organization solving the world’s Grand Challenges by creating and managing large-scale, global incentivized competitions, today announced Shell as the exclusive presenting sponsor of the X PRIZE Exploration Prize Group, which aims to foster innovation through exploration to improve life on Earth. During the three-year, nine million dollar sponsorship, the X PRIZE Foundation will address these objectives through its incentive prize model to stimulate innovation, competition and collaboration at the frontiers of space, our earth and its oceans.


“Shell has long been on the cutting edge of innovation, and we are proud to bring them into the X PRIZE family, supporting a prize group that advances innovation, exploration and tomorrow’s discoveries,” said Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation. “We are closely aligned in our goals to motivate and inspire brilliant innovators from all disciplines to leverage their intellectual capital to explore new frontiers that could result in significant global achievements.”

“Continuous innovation and pioneering spirit is part of Shell’s DNA. As a technology leader in energy, we constantly drive new solutions responding to the global energy challenge,” said Gerald Schotman, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, Innovation, Research & Development, Royal Dutch Shell. “We are delighted to support the X PRIZE Foundation’s Exploration Prize Group and look forward to the exciting discoveries that come from the next generation of incentivized competitions.”.................

The H.L. Hunley - Secret Weapon of the Confederacy

The H.L. Hunley

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present a documentary about the first submarine to successfully sink an enemy ship during the American Civil War.  This is the story of the H.L. Hunley, its brave crew and how they met their demise.

Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present a short Australian animated film inspired by the fantasy writings of Edgar Alan Poe and the science fiction of Jules Verne.

The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello is a series of short animated films  set in a world styled after mid-Victorian England with Steampunk style, iron dirigibles and steam powered computers, where giant mechanical airships are the main mode of transport. The characters are animated in the style of Wayang (Indonesian shadow puppets) best described as silhouettes. The visual style of the characters is similar to that used by the 1926 film The Adventures of Prince Achmed (one of the oldest-surviving animated feature films).

Earth Under Water

Today on Discovery Enterprise we explore one of the major catastrophic scenarios predicted by climate change models – Rising sea levels.

Through cutting-edge CGI, this National Geographic documentary explores the potential effects of sea level rise on our civilization over the next few centuries. 

Ancient Special Forces

Today on Discovery Enterprise we present another exciting episode of the acclaimed documentary series Ancient Discoveries which explores the elite military tactical teams of classical antiquity, trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional military units cannot perform.

City Under The Sea

It gives us great pleasure to finally post, in its entirety, an episode of the acclaimed documentary series Naked Science entitled “City Under the Sea” which premiered Thursday, November 11, 2010 on the National Geographic Channel. This documentary featured our good friend, mentor and co-blogger Dennis Chamberland and the Atlantica Expeditions, First Undersea Colony Project.

Cosmic Fury

Today on Discovery Enterprise we take another exciting odyssey through the Known Universe and examine the explosive geological forces that have shaped our world and the other planets and moons of our solar system. Be prepared to witness nature unleash her Cosmic Fury.