The seventh episode of National Geographic’s ORIGINS is about exploration and going into the unknown.
National Geographic Channel ORIGINS: The Journey of Humankind
Jason Silva, narrator
National Geographic/ Asylum Entertainment
Each episode is 50 minutes in length
8 Episodes in this series
Episode Seven shown April 24, 2017
Exploration
“Our Drive To Boldly Go...” and does that phrase sound familiar? (hint---Captain Kirk, where are you...) The seventh episode of National Geographic’s ORIGINS is about exploration and going into the unknown. A child is exploring when it is taken from a crib and placed on the floor to move and crawl. As a species, man goes just about anywhere and the word “exploring” seems to be part of his gene set.
Marie Tharp is a famous oceanographer and we see what she had to fight against to get her views known. Tharp mapped the ocean floor and became aware of seismic activity there, because she thought this was something unusual. The area at the ocean bottom wouldn't be just flat, but may have hills and valleys. Tharp scoured maps, maps and then more maps (plus being laughed at). Jacques Cousteau of ocean fame, (he invented the aqua lung) was determined to prove her wrong. Guess what, he had to say she was right, because there in front of him were films from his own equipment that showed an entirely new world 10,000 or more feet below, with creatures who lived without eyes and vents that spewed forth warm water. How ingenious this earth is and with a quote from the episode, we “...explore for the journey itself...”
Explorations have taken placed for thousands of years. In the Pacific Ocean, the Polynesian canoe travelers went from island to island (and just how did those large heads get placed on Easter Island?) seeking new homes. On the other side of the world, Norse men (Vikings to some) traveled the Northern waters of the world seeking new places to live. In both parts of the world, these travelers were without shelter on their boats. Try that for weeks at a time.
In other words, if there is a hill, we must climb over it, or a river, swim through it. Man looks at obstacles as challenges and keeps on going. Even though there is much to explore beyond this planet in the galaxy, under foot and to the center of the earth, is still another region. What if the Earth was really hollow? Can we harness the energy of magma? What lies beyond, is soon here and then there appears another beyond. Forward march, whether straight up or straight down.
Direction, cinematography and music are excellent.
ORIGINS: The Journal of Humankind is produced by Asylum Entertainment for National Geographic. The series will run on television in 171 countries and 43 languages that will see and hear it. The eight episodes are “Fire” (March 6, 2017), “Medicine” (March 13, 2017) “Money” (March 20, 2017, ) “Communication” (March 27, 2017), “War” (April 10, 2017), “Shelter” (April 17, 2017), “Exploration” (April 24, 2017) and “Transportation” (May 1, 2017.) Special effects are by John Boswell (also known as Melodysheep.) For more information see www.nationalgrographic.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, Linkedin and Pinterest.
Copyright 2017 Marie Asner
