Understanding Weather: Why Weather Changes

Nada Espe(a)cial(es)

Living Worlds(en)

What forms might life take in the Solar System and beyond? In the Academy's newest original planetarium show, see how a deeper understanding of Earth might help us locate other living worlds, light years away.

Identity(en)

Complete strangers stranded at a remote desert motel during a raging storm soon find themselves the target of a deranged murderer. As their numbers thin out, the travelers begin to turn on each other, as each tries to figure out who the killer is.

Mount Fuji – The Movement of Clouds(ja)

In 1927, meteorologist Masanao Abe (1891-1966) established the Abe Cloud Air Current Research Observatory on the heights of Gotemba in Shizuoka Prefecture. Until 1942, through his contributions to research magazines and publications, he worked on elucidating the formation process of clouds above Mount Fuji. He left a colossal archive representative of modern meteorology, including pictorial records of every kind-- this one an early success, artistically.

Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution(en)

The 1977 discovery of RNA splicing by Dr. Phillip A. Sharp, Kentucky farm boy turned Nobel-prize winning scientist, set the stage for a revolution in molecular biology, enabling research into a new class of medicines predicated on recombinant DNA techniques ranging from the development of synthetic insulin and human growth hormone to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Plastic People(en)

Are we becoming Plastic People? Our ground-breaking feature documentary investigates our addiction to plastic and the growing threat of microplastics on human health. Almost every bit of plastic ever made ends up ground down into "microplastics". These microscopic particles drift in the air, float in the water and sit in the soil. And now, leading scientists are finding them in our bodies: organs, blood, brain tissue and even the placentas of new mothers. What is the impact of these invisible invaders on our health? Ziya Tong, author and science journalist, makes it personal by visiting leading scientists and undergoing experiments in her home, on her food, and on her body.

Die Sonne(de)

The sun is the miracle that makes everything possible - but also the greatest danger. For the first time, a feature-length documentary is dedicated to the search for the significance of our home star for mankind, science and nature. Thanks to the researchers from the American space agency NASA, who work at the Canary Islands observatories in the hottest and coldest places on the planet.

Le mystère des reines guerrières d'assyrie(fr)

Lucky Numbers(en)

Russ Richards is a TV weatherman and local celebrity on the verge of losing his shirt. Desperate to escape financial ruin, he schemes with Crystal the TV station's lotto ball girl to rig the state lottery drawing. The numbers come up right, but everything else goes wrong as the plan starts to unravel and the game turns rough.

Microcosmos(fr)

A documentary of insect life in meadows and ponds, using incredible close-ups, slow motion, and time-lapse photography. It includes bees collecting nectar, ladybugs eating mites, snails mating, spiders wrapping their catch, a scarab beetle relentlessly pushing its ball of dung uphill, endless lines of caterpillars, an underwater spider creating an air bubble to live in, and a mosquito hatching.

Hermann Heinzel Ornithologist(fr)

Portrait of Hermann Heinzel.

L.A. Story(en)

With the help of a talking freeway billboard, a "wacky weatherman" tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter, who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early-90s Los Angeles.

The Perfect Storm(en)

In October 1991, a confluence of weather conditions combined to form a killer storm in the North Atlantic. Caught in the storm was the sword-fishing boat Andrea Gail.

Deep Impact(en)

A seven-mile-wide space rock is hurtling toward Earth, threatening to obliterate the planet. Now, it's up to the president of the United States to save the world. He appoints a tough-as-nails veteran astronaut to lead a joint American-Russian crew into space to destroy the comet before impact. Meanwhile, an enterprising reporter uses her smarts to uncover the scoop of the century.

About Fallout(en)

Discusses the physics, effects and defense against nuclear fallout. Describes the phenomena of natural radiation and the dangers of fallout. Explains the value of time, distance and mass in weakening the effect of residual radiation. Examines the effects of radiation on the body, food and water. Underscores adequate shelter and prescribed decontamination measures.

Understanding Weather: Winds(en)

The film follows a character named Wesley as he trains to become an agent with the Weather Bureau of Investigation (WBI). Throughout his training, Wesley learns about wind, its invisibility, and how it is influenced by temperature differences and geographical features. He observes the effects of wind in both urban and rural settings, learns about jet streams, and discovers the significance of uneven heating by the sun. The film concludes with Wesley summarizing his lessons about wind systems and their patterns while expressing his preference for land over water.

Understanding Weather: Storms(en)

The film features a character named Wesley, who is training to become an agent with the Weather Bureau of Investigation (WBI). Throughout the film, Wesley experiences various weather phenomena, including hurricanes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes. He learns about the formation and characteristics of these storms, including how hurricanes develop over warm ocean waters and how tornadoes form within thunderstorms. The film emphasizes the importance of understanding weather patterns and staying safe during severe weather events.

An Alphabet of Weather(en)

An educational film that introduces children to the various elements of weather using the letters of the alphabet. Each letter represents a weather-related concept, such as air, clouds, temperature, and storms, providing a fun and engaging way to learn about the atmosphere and its changes. The film highlights the importance of weather in daily life and the roles of meteorologists in predicting it

Biomes: Tundra(en)

Discusses the tundra biome, highlighting its extreme climate characterized by low temperatures and a short growing season. It describes the unique adaptations of tundra wildlife, such as the muskox and arctic fox, which thrive in harsh conditions. The seasonal changes in the tundra are explored, detailing the brief summer when plant life flourishes and animals migrate to take advantage of the abundant food supply. As summer ends, the tundra prepares for the long, cold winter, leading to a decline in wildlife activity and the migration of many species.

The Magical World of Moss(fr)

They have no roots, no seeds, no flowers, but mosses show immense survival capacities and can suspend their biological activity for long periods. Today, researchers are exploring the exceptional resistance of these archaic organisms. British ecologists have even resurrected a "zombie" moss that has been trapped in the permafrost for 1,500 years. Associated with decay and disliked in Europe, mosses are deified in Japan. With 25,000 species worldwide, bryophytes - their scientific name - are the seat of real ecosystems, and can develop in inhospitable landscapes, through an extravagant reproduction cycle.