UK TV Alert: “How to Grow a Planet”

This looks like a real gem, its on tonight on BBC 2 at 8pm … (sorry non UK folks, but hopefully you will get access at some point, so it will be worth watching out for)

Its a 3 part series by Professor Iain Stewart, in which the BBC description reads …

In this first episode Iain journeys from the spectacular caves of Vietnam to the remote deserts of Africa. He sees how plants first harnessed light from the sun and created our life-giving atmosphere. He uncovers the epic battle between the dinosaurs and the tallest trees on the planet. And, using remarkable imagery, he shows plants breathing – and for the first time talking to each other.

So basically, he is doing the Brian Cox thing of popping up in interesting places as he explains it all for us. I’ve seen him do other stuff very well, he is a great communicator and like Brian, bubbles over with  passion for the topic at hand. This is a bloke who loves what he does and clearly is delighted to share that passion with us all.

Curious? … well you can see some clips here … but if in the UK, then check it out tonight (BBC 2 at 9pm) … and no they don’t pay me to plug this.

Background on the good prof …

  • He is a Scottish geologist.
  • Professor of Geoscience Communication at the University of Plymouth,
  • He has presented a number of television and radio series, such as
    • Journeys From the Centre of the Earth
    • Earth: The Power of the Planet
    • Hot Rocks
    • 10 Things You Didn’t Know About…
    • The Climate Wars
    • How Earth Made Us
    • and now this new series … How to Grow a Planet.

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