In Communism vs. Capitalism During the Cold War Years, host Andrew Marr describes the post-World War II world, in which the United States and Soviet Union were in competition, as each country sought supremacy. While the U.S. capitalized on economic prosperity, space exploration and the arms race defined the Cold War era. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In Codename NSC 68, historian Lucy Worsley discovers that the purpose of this top-secret report was to set America's new defense strategy during the Cold War. It justified the spending of $47 billion to defend America and the rest of the world from Russian dominance. The reality was that the Soviet economy had been destroyed in World War II, and it did not have the capability to fight against America. This video is excerpted from BBC's American History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley, in which Worsley reveals the myths and manipulations behind American history.
In Neil Armstrong's Giant Leap, host Dermot O'Leary explores the incredible journey to the Moon made by Neil Armstrong. Against the backdrop of the Cold War and an arms race that propelled space exploration, Armstrong's historic lunar landing reshaped humanity's perspective of our place in the Universe. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In The Theory of a Supercontinent and the Cold War Discovery That Proved It, narrator Michael Mosley shares how German meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed a radical new theory — that all of the continents had once fit together as one supercontinent that he called Pangaea. It wasn’t until the Cold War that the oceans were mapped, and scientists discovered the interlocking plates of the seafloor that could provide evidence for Wegener’s theory. This video is excerpted from BBC's The Story of Science, in which Michael Mosley takes an informative and ambitious journey exploring how the evolution of scientific understanding is intimately interwoven with society's historical path.
In How the Walrus Stays Warm in Cold Waters, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how walruses conserve heat and how an annual visit to land helps them with body regulation. Learn how their color changes from sea to land. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In How Blubber Keeps Whales Warm, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod shows how the blubber of different types of whales is uniquely suited to keep them warm in cold ocean waters. Discover the specific adaptations of three whale species: the minke, humpback, and bowhead, and how their blubber thickness correlates with the cold environments they inhabit. Understand the importance of these adaptations in whale survival and how blubber functions as both an insulator and an energy store. This video is excerpted from Secrets of Skin, a documentary series exploring the natural history of the body’s largest organ.
In How Snakes Keep Warm in the Cold, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how red-sided garter snakes survive -40°F (40°C) temperatures during winter as they hibernate underground. Watch as 10,000 males slowly wake up and pile on top of each other for warmth. The race is on for the males to find a mate, but one sneaky snake has a trick up his scales — he pretends to be a female to get warmed up by the others! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
In Spring in the Arctic Is a Changing Ice World, narrator Sir David Attenborough highlights the changing ice world as the Arctic transitions from winter to spring. While many birds migrate south for warmth, eider ducks endure the extreme cold, relying on a rare opening in the ice called a "polynya" for survival. These ducks dive beneath the ice to feed on mussel beds, but they must act quickly before the powerful ocean currents return. Meanwhile, the availability of food in these polynyas attracts predators, adding another challenge to survival in this harsh environment. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Atacama Desert: A Secret Water Supply, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores The Atacama, the driest desert in the world. Learn about the guanaco that live there and the desert mist, created when cold water from the ocean cools the moist, warm air above it. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Twisters in the Great Plains, learn how when warm air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cold air from the Arctic, it results in tornadoes that spin at speeds of over 300 miles an hour. Over a thousand tornadoes touch down in the Great Plains each year. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In Communism vs. Capitalism During the Cold War Years, host Andrew Marr describes the post-World War II world, in which the United States and Soviet Union were in competition, as each country sought supremacy. While the U.S. capitalized on economic prosperity, space exploration and the arms race defined the Cold War era. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In Codename NSC 68, historian Lucy Worsley discovers that the purpose of this top-secret report was to set America's new defense strategy during the Cold War. It justified the spending of $47 billion to defend America and the rest of the world from Russian dominance. The reality was that the Soviet economy had been destroyed in World War II, and it did not have the capability to fight against America. This video is excerpted from BBC's American History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley, in which Worsley reveals the myths and manipulations behind American history.
In Neil Armstrong's Giant Leap, host Dermot O'Leary explores the incredible journey to the Moon made by Neil Armstrong. Against the backdrop of the Cold War and an arms race that propelled space exploration, Armstrong's historic lunar landing reshaped humanity's perspective of our place in the Universe. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In The Theory of a Supercontinent and the Cold War Discovery That Proved It, narrator Michael Mosley shares how German meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed a radical new theory — that all of the continents had once fit together as one supercontinent that he called Pangaea. It wasn’t until the Cold War that the oceans were mapped, and scientists discovered the interlocking plates of the seafloor that could provide evidence for Wegener’s theory. This video is excerpted from BBC's The Story of Science, in which Michael Mosley takes an informative and ambitious journey exploring how the evolution of scientific understanding is intimately interwoven with society's historical path.
In How the Walrus Stays Warm in Cold Waters, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how walruses conserve heat and how an annual visit to land helps them with body regulation. Learn how their color changes from sea to land. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In How Blubber Keeps Whales Warm, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod shows how the blubber of different types of whales is uniquely suited to keep them warm in cold ocean waters. Discover the specific adaptations of three whale species: the minke, humpback, and bowhead, and how their blubber thickness correlates with the cold environments they inhabit. Understand the importance of these adaptations in whale survival and how blubber functions as both an insulator and an energy store. This video is excerpted from Secrets of Skin, a documentary series exploring the natural history of the body’s largest organ.
In How Snakes Keep Warm in the Cold, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how red-sided garter snakes survive -40°F (40°C) temperatures during winter as they hibernate underground. Watch as 10,000 males slowly wake up and pile on top of each other for warmth. The race is on for the males to find a mate, but one sneaky snake has a trick up his scales — he pretends to be a female to get warmed up by the others! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
In Spring in the Arctic Is a Changing Ice World, narrator Sir David Attenborough highlights the changing ice world as the Arctic transitions from winter to spring. While many birds migrate south for warmth, eider ducks endure the extreme cold, relying on a rare opening in the ice called a "polynya" for survival. These ducks dive beneath the ice to feed on mussel beds, but they must act quickly before the powerful ocean currents return. Meanwhile, the availability of food in these polynyas attracts predators, adding another challenge to survival in this harsh environment. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Atacama Desert: A Secret Water Supply, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores The Atacama, the driest desert in the world. Learn about the guanaco that live there and the desert mist, created when cold water from the ocean cools the moist, warm air above it. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Twisters in the Great Plains, learn how when warm air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cold air from the Arctic, it results in tornadoes that spin at speeds of over 300 miles an hour. Over a thousand tornadoes touch down in the Great Plains each year. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.