Put The Pedal To The Metal
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
The Final Episode Number Eight shown May 1, 2017
Transportation
ORIGINS has come to an end and the last episode concerns Transportation. Previous episodes of Fire, Medicine, Money, Communication, War, Shelter and Exploration would not be accomplished if we could not go to another region and speak of it. So, in the end, going somewhere---anywhere---is the ultimate goal. That Sunday afternoon drive with your grandparents, just to get out of the house before the Monday workday, brings this to mind.
In this episode, the comment, “...he who puts his hand to stop the wheel of history will get it crushed...” is apt. Narrator Jason Silva, speaks of transportation going from feet to horses, wheels, steam engines and eventually the jet plane. Modes of transportation become “our exoskeleton” and if we have freedom of movement, we have freedom of mind (always keep your eyes on the road ahead, though.)
We know of trains (on the ground and below), bicycles, automobiles and planes. There is another, though, and used to be called a dirigible (remember the famous Hindenberg disaster?) and now called an air ship. Forget the oval shaped dirigible, this one is almost round, the size of two small dirigibles, can land just about anywhere and doesn't need a road. What? No roads? For future population growth, think of the space that could be used from all those roads. Food for thought. Another thought, is that this “air ship” in experimental mode, could have been mistaken for a UFO, which, science fiction fans may wonder about, and is hypothetically yet another mode of transportation. After all, with movement comes freedom of mind.
The invention of the bicycle certainly helped school children when parents could not drive them to school. The early women’s movement of the 19th century, was helped, also, by having transportation to meetings without male assistance. Independence could be celebrated other than on July 4.
In summary, ORIGINS has come to an end, and what I have learned is that if you have an idea, full speed ahead, no matter what your method of conveyance.
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
