SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN FRONTIERS: CREATURES OF THE DEEP (TV)
Summary
One in this series of science documentaries hosted by Alan Alda. This episode focuses on marine animals. In the first segment, "Shark Trackers," Alda accompanies Kim Holland and his team of graduate students as they catch and tag tiger sharks in an attempt to discern their migratory patterns. Holland hopes that this information will allow researchers to determine the probable effectiveness of shark control in the waters surrounding Hawaii. Toward the end of the segment, graduate student Chris Lowe talks about his interest in hammerhead sharks and refers to their efficiency as swimmers. In the next segment, "Hidden Depths," Alda takes a look at the creatures that inhabit the deepest parts of the ocean. Onboard the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Point Lobos research vessel, Bruce Robison gives Alda a video tour of the deep, as a robotic submarine takes pictures of the dozens of new species that Robison has discovered during his six years of research.
And in segment three, "Shell Game," Alda speaks with professor Gary Vermeij about his interest in the evolution of mollusks. Vermeij, who has been blind since the age of three, uses his sense of touch to learn things about these marine animals that many other scientists never notice. Alda and Vermeij look at the way that mollusk shells have changed over time; these changes have helped the mollusk to ward off the deadly claws and teeth of predators. In "Spineless but Smart," Alda and Italian biologist Graziano Fiorito look at the way octopuses, who are primarily solitary hunters, can learn new hunting techniques through observation of other octopuses. And in the final segment, "Whale Warning," Alda introduces a team of scientists from Memorial University of Newfoundland who are working to keep humpback whales from getting tangled in the nets of cod fisherman in the Grand Banks. Sean Todd, one of the scientists at the university, questions why the whales get caught in the cod nets but don't get caught in the nets for smaller fish such as capelin. Todd discovers that capelin nets make a louder sound under water since the mesh is finer. With the help of teammate Jon Lien, fisherman Ken King, and Darleen Ketten of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Institute, Todd works to discover the best method of fitting the nets with alarms that will provide the whales with a warning.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Alan Alda.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: February 7, 1996
- RUNNING TIME: 0:56:50
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:61910
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries; Science/Nature
- SUBJECT HEADING: Humpback whale; Mollusks - Evolution; Octopus; Sharks
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1990-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Graham Chedd … Executive Producer, Director, Writer
- John Angier … Executive Producer, Director, Writer
- David M. Huntley … Producer, Director, Writer
- Marc Etkind … Producer, Director, Writer
- Bonnie Waltch … Producer, Director, Writer
- Laura DeBonis … Associate Producer
- Kathryn Bush … Associate Producer
- George Christopher … Associate Producer
- David Grimes … Music by
- Randy Roos … Music by
- Alan Alda … Host
- Graziano Fiorito
- Kim Holland
- Darleen Ketten
- Ken King
- Jon Lien
- Chris Lowe
- Bruce Robison
- Sean Todd
- Gary Vermeij