David Suzuki explores biophilia — the innate, hereditary need of human…
The Sacred Balance - The Fire of Creation
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
All life on Earth is forged in the furnace of the sun. This vast energy source, one million times larger than Earth, bathes us, from a distance of 93 million miles, in life-giving rays.
THE FIRE OF CREATION begins with the sun filling the sky, bursting into the star-pricked blackness of space with a pyrotechnic spectacle of shifting, scorching images.
This, Southern California cosmologist Brian Swimme tells David Suzuki and his grandson Tamo, is the way the cosmos began: in a single Big Bang, approximately 13 billion years ago, matter coalesced, and the stars turned on.
Swimme considers each day's dawn as a cosmic act of generosity — a vast giveaway of energy. We are all children of the sun, accumulating cosmic energies, transforming them into matter. Throughout the ages human beings have revered this sacred flame. As David discovers on this journey, the findings of science amplify that reverence.
With cosmologist Brian Swimme, and anthropologist Stephen Lansing.
'THE SACRED BALANCE is a spiritual, holistic and almost poetic take on the science of the planet...it launch[es] the viewer's mind into a different space.' Liane Faulder, The Edmonton Journal
'Suzuki's talent has always been to take broad scientific topics and decipher and deliver them to viewers in plain, accessible terms. He's very good at it...while there's much to digest in this series, his tone is always patient and pragmatic' Andrew Ryan, The Globe and Mail
'The Sacred Balance is a challenge to all who watch it, a cornucopia of amazing comments and predictions. It's designed to make you think.' Jim Bawden, Toronto Star, Starweek Magazine
'Stunning cinematography and state of the art computer graphics' Andrea Nemetz, Halifax Chronicle Herald
'An enthralling, beautifully shot series...It's one of the most important and engrossing programs you'll see all year... [it] might very well go down as the crowning achievement in the career of David Suzuki.' Basem Boshra, The Montreal Gazette
'A timeless piece, brilliantly conceived and executed, and an example of science and environment exposition at its best.' E.O.Wilson, Harvard University
'Strikingly beautiful and sometimes even profound...[it] becomes increasingly affecting as it piles up scientific research with remarkable dexterity.' Tony Atherston, The Ottawa Citizen
'Recommended' Educational Media Reviews Online
'[A] captivating examination of how the Earth's systems interact and depend on one another...Approaching the subject from a wide variety of cultural and philisophical viewpoints, Suzuki makes the point that we are a vital part of this 'web of life, ' and challenges viewers to feel that connection and then change the way we act towards our planet.' Teacher Librarian
'Features stunning visuals and is unique in providing a multicultural perspective and philosophical points of view not usually studied with science.' School Library Journal
Citation
Main credits
Metivier, Michelle (film director)
McConnell, Amanda (screenwriter)
Other credits
Directors of photography, Neville Ottey, Brian Rougeau, Richard Stringer; editor, Michael Fuller; music composed by John Welsman.
Distributor subjects
Agriculture; Anthropology; Asian Studies; Astronomy; Ecology; Energy; Environmental Ethics; Forests and Rainforests; Humanities; Indigenous Peoples; Philosophy; Religion; Renewable Energy; Science, Technology, SocietyKeywords
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It\'s dark there are no familiar landmarks.
00:00:14.660 --> 00:00:18.809
Lost tonight.
00:00:18.810 --> 00:00:24.310
My grandson Thomas and I are going
to find out where we really are.
00:00:28.370 --> 00:00:34.394
Since time began humans have
looked up into the wondered.
00:00:34.395 --> 00:00:37.390
Where did it come from.
00:01:18.070 --> 00:01:20.490
Okay
00:01:23.740 --> 00:01:26.220
the
00:01:50.770 --> 00:01:52.219
tomato
00:01:52.220 --> 00:01:52.580
and I
00:01:52.581 --> 00:01:57.244
have come to Southern California
to lead a remarkable scientist.
00:01:57.245 --> 00:02:01.020
Cosmologist Brian Swimme.
00:02:02.380 --> 00:02:06.634
He brought us up to a
telescope to look for the
00:02:06.635 --> 00:02:10.204
The universe and our place in it
00:02:10.205 --> 00:02:15.199
telescopes to me are an image of what it means
to be human and that might sound strange.
00:02:15.200 --> 00:02:19.489
But if you think about how
much intelligence how much
00:02:19.490 --> 00:02:26.554
work how much effort had to go
into the making of a telescope.
00:02:26.555 --> 00:02:32.884
You\'d have to say that all 50 thousand
or a 100 thousand years of Homo sapiens.
00:02:32.885 --> 00:02:35.689
All of that was required
to assemble something.
00:02:35.690 --> 00:02:38.219
So advanced as a telescope
00:02:47.230 --> 00:02:51.079
Galaxies send their light here.
00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:56.509
That light had been present every
day of the entire human journey.
00:02:56.510 --> 00:03:03.559
That took all of this millennia of development
simply to awaken to what is here.
00:03:03.560 --> 00:03:05.070
Now.
00:03:12.250 --> 00:03:14.599
What\'s here now
00:03:14.600 --> 00:03:19.950
all around us the beauty of
diversity of life on Earth
00:03:22.060 --> 00:03:28.819
All this diversity Brian told us comes
from the first moment of creation.
00:03:28.820 --> 00:03:35.580
A single unbelievably intense pulse
of energy that the Big Bang.
00:03:51.970 --> 00:03:57.094
As we understand it now
universe flares into existence
00:03:57.095 --> 00:04:02.044
around 13 billion years ago
as the concentration of a
00:04:02.045 --> 00:04:09.750
trillions and trillions of degrees hot and
then quickly develops into the first atoms.
00:04:12.670 --> 00:04:16.939
And then suddenly the moment
comes when these atoms can join
00:04:16.940 --> 00:04:21.570
together to form the
galaxies and the stars.
00:04:24.430 --> 00:04:31.894
And the stars developing in their core all
of the other elements in the universe.
00:04:31.895 --> 00:04:36.780
These elements system of star systems.
00:04:44.170 --> 00:04:51.480
Then life began on planet Earth in
a process that continues today.
00:04:52.330 --> 00:04:55.609
It\'s a truly amazing story.
00:04:55.610 --> 00:05:01.474
That moment of creation is still
unfolding everywhere around us.
00:05:01.475 --> 00:05:06.469
I always look for ways in which I can
connect with the larger story one of them
00:05:06.470 --> 00:05:08.460
for me as dawn.
00:05:22.090 --> 00:05:24.900
Here it comes
00:05:26.260 --> 00:05:30.004
in that moment just for a brief second.
00:05:30.005 --> 00:05:36.930
Every member that I am a member of
Earth community going around a star.
00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:40.950
One star among two hundred million.
00:05:41.080 --> 00:05:44.824
Ninety three million
miles and Y has to come.
00:05:44.825 --> 00:05:48.420
Already were being harmed by it.
00:05:50.050 --> 00:05:57.079
And what\'s amazing to think about the sun
being a million times as huge as the Earth is
00:05:57.080 --> 00:06:04.470
just this vast fire that enables
all of life to take place here.
00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:08.629
So one way to think about
00:06:08.630 --> 00:06:16.069
every time you see it at dawn is to think
of it as an act of cosmic generosity.
00:06:16.070 --> 00:06:19.620
Is this fast giveaway of energy.
00:06:30.130 --> 00:06:38.130
The sun provides the energy for all life death
decay and rebirth everywhere on the planet
00:06:51.790 --> 00:06:57.660
Everything lives Brian
told us by eating the sun.
00:07:00.310 --> 00:07:02.914
Id like you bake and Brian.
00:07:02.915 --> 00:07:05.254
I like a crisp Good.
00:07:05.255 --> 00:07:08.790
Good morning. I am hungry.
00:07:11.440 --> 00:07:14.989
Now there\'s something really
primordial about a fire.
00:07:14.990 --> 00:07:18.229
Isn\'t there Brian I\'ve always
been amazed by fire and I just
00:07:18.230 --> 00:07:23.044
think on every culture
had a way of relating to
00:07:23.045 --> 00:07:27.739
the mystery of fire and all
of them are interesting but
00:07:27.740 --> 00:07:33.184
the one science brings is the fire here
that\'s burning is actually the sun
00:07:33.185 --> 00:07:39.484
So this is literally the sun\'s energy
through the power photosynthesis.
00:07:39.485 --> 00:07:42.904
There\'s almost nothing more
important or more wonderful.
00:07:42.905 --> 00:07:47.209
Right here we\'re seeing the
energy that was carefully
00:07:47.210 --> 00:07:52.504
folded into the tree mean
released as this fire.
00:07:52.505 --> 00:07:57.769
And then the amazing thing is that this is
our moment for entering into this flow of
00:07:57.770 --> 00:08:02.974
energy because right there in the in
the eggs is the energy from the sun.
00:08:02.975 --> 00:08:09.019
So starting like sunlight gives
energy to the leaves which goes into
00:08:09.020 --> 00:08:15.454
the tree which we chopped down and
burned to make our fire cooks
00:08:15.455 --> 00:08:16.954
the edge between eat.
00:08:16.955 --> 00:08:23.224
So all humans have a bit of some excels.
00:08:23.225 --> 00:08:29.224
And is that what gives energy to us that\'s
exactly what gives energy curves precisely.
00:08:29.225 --> 00:08:32.730
Let\'s get some energy into
your body or your home before.
00:09:03.670 --> 00:09:10.680
The sun is in us released in ourselves
by a process of combustion.
00:09:13.540 --> 00:09:18.514
It\'s the energy of creation
taken up as sunlight.
00:09:18.515 --> 00:09:21.000
Released does fire.
00:09:28.750 --> 00:09:33.094
Fired. It\'s an overwhelming force.
00:09:33.095 --> 00:09:40.849
One we\'ve learned to dread know
what fire can do once it takes hold
00:09:40.850 --> 00:09:44.809
Every year the conflagrations rage
00:09:44.810 --> 00:09:50.119
thousands of hectares of forest
consumers communities destroyed.
00:09:50.120 --> 00:09:57.319
Lives lost as fire grew from 600 acres to over
50 thousand acres a just about four hours.
00:09:57.320 --> 00:10:01.339
Firefighters have not been able to get
out ahead of it by it\'s moving too fast.
00:10:01.340 --> 00:10:03.844
It\'s very dangerous to get out of it.
00:10:03.845 --> 00:10:10.920
How can this be a creative force
part of the planets cycle of life.
00:10:11.560 --> 00:10:17.209
My objectives of this burn this block
has not had the course Thorburn
00:10:17.210 --> 00:10:22.429
and at least two I went to Arizona to
learn what fire has to do with life
00:10:22.430 --> 00:10:26.374
If we get several spots crossed the
line will probably suspend ignition.
00:10:26.375 --> 00:10:30.514
And put in a hand law even
pine is a historian of fired.
00:10:30.515 --> 00:10:33.450
He\'s the first one I\'ve ever met.
00:10:33.730 --> 00:10:39.030
He took me into a forest
as it was said a light.
00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:45.049
It\'s called a controlled burn.
00:10:45.050 --> 00:10:47.389
A pretty unnerving site.
00:10:47.390 --> 00:10:51.364
I\'m used to people stopping
fires not starting them.
00:10:51.365 --> 00:10:53.464
But Stephen Pyne told me.
00:10:53.465 --> 00:10:56.734
This is fires natural habitat.
00:10:56.735 --> 00:11:03.979
Pretty hot flame here f. So when you
look at it like this it looks like it\'s
00:11:03.980 --> 00:11:05.419
causing a lot of damage.
00:11:05.420 --> 00:11:10.579
I\'m what\'ll be the long-term
consequences of this is fine.
00:11:10.580 --> 00:11:15.049
While it is damaging but
temporarily it\'s part of
00:11:15.050 --> 00:11:20.449
the creative destruction if you
will allow them nature\'s economy.
00:11:20.450 --> 00:11:24.739
Over the centuries he
said naturally occurring
00:11:24.740 --> 00:11:29.269
fires shape this forest
and kept it healthy.
00:11:29.270 --> 00:11:37.200
Wildfires racing through the grasses bending
the saplings barely scorching the trees.
00:11:38.260 --> 00:11:43.204
Without regular fires the
forest becomes a tinderbox.
00:11:43.205 --> 00:11:45.859
It may burn to the ground
00:11:45.860 --> 00:11:49.879
It\'s freeing up a lot of nutrients
that are stuck in these logs.
00:11:49.880 --> 00:11:53.359
There\'s not much to decompose it
in an arid climate like this.
00:11:53.360 --> 00:12:01.360
A lot of critical ingredients and chemicals
have to be afraid shakes and bakes to promote
00:12:02.210 --> 00:12:05.149
some species and drives off others
00:12:05.150 --> 00:12:12.829
temporarily takes apart the living
world so that you life can appear.
00:12:12.830 --> 00:12:19.219
Stephen Pyne believes we humans have
a very special part in this cycle.
00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:22.954
People or really poorly endowed creature.
00:12:22.955 --> 00:12:24.589
I mean we\'re not for fixes big.
00:12:24.590 --> 00:12:28.364
We\'re not fast with core sense of
vision smell all these things.
00:12:28.365 --> 00:12:30.549
But then we acquire fire.
00:12:30.550 --> 00:12:33.444
And suddenly we become very powerful.
00:12:33.445 --> 00:12:35.394
Perhaps too powerful.
00:12:35.395 --> 00:12:41.514
We have control over a really fundamental
property of ecosystems and indeed life.
00:12:41.515 --> 00:12:44.799
This is who we are as a creature
where the fire creature
00:12:44.800 --> 00:12:48.594
other animals knock over trees
and dig holes in the ground Han.
00:12:48.595 --> 00:12:51.770
What were the creature
that manipulates fire
00:12:55.320 --> 00:13:03.320
over the millennia he told me fire gave
us safety to heart even culture itself.
00:13:04.615 --> 00:13:07.554
And we treated it with respect.
00:13:07.555 --> 00:13:10.244
Tending the sacred flame
00:13:10.245 --> 00:13:15.289
But about 200 years ago we
shut fire up and put it to
00:13:15.290 --> 00:13:19.999
work with furnaces and
internal combustion engines.
00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:23.070
We built the modern world.
00:13:29.590 --> 00:13:33.694
Know we\'ve lost touch with
the sources of power.
00:13:33.695 --> 00:13:38.400
We think energy comes from
a pump instead of the Sun.
00:13:39.790 --> 00:13:45.829
We\'re still fire creatures never
more so but were not part of
00:13:45.830 --> 00:13:52.999
any process of renewal. Every night
00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:56.164
The industrial world reveals its excesses.
00:13:56.165 --> 00:14:01.429
Burning off the planet stores of
energy lighting up the night.
00:14:01.430 --> 00:14:08.074
Stephen Pyne believes we\'ve forgotten
our role as keepers of the flame.
00:14:08.075 --> 00:14:11.089
We had certain knowledge about how fire
00:14:11.090 --> 00:14:14.269
worked in the world because we
used it all the time and we
00:14:14.270 --> 00:14:17.029
had certain rules and
rituals for guiding how
00:14:17.030 --> 00:14:20.284
we use it when it was good
when it was inappropriate.
00:14:20.285 --> 00:14:23.149
But with industrial combustion
that seems to have gone.
00:14:23.150 --> 00:14:25.714
We don\'t have we don\'t have those guides.
00:14:25.715 --> 00:14:27.199
We don\'t have those codes.
00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:31.320
We don\'t have an understanding of
how that interacts ecologically.
00:14:36.070 --> 00:14:42.274
I would say basically that the planet now has
too much combustion and not enough fire.
00:14:42.275 --> 00:14:44.389
If we\'ve got added balance now with
00:14:44.390 --> 00:14:50.809
the industrial combustion where do we have to
go in and what\'s the future for for fire in
00:14:50.810 --> 00:14:53.958
a future of fire that part
of it is simply to recover
00:14:53.959 --> 00:14:57.529
our lost understanding
of what fire means in
00:14:57.530 --> 00:15:01.219
the world and what our
particular role should
00:15:01.220 --> 00:15:06.360
be in managing it recover our
senses as real fire creatures.
00:15:06.550 --> 00:15:12.900
Fire creatures playing our part
in the planet\'s energy Webb.
00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:17.689
Was burned on a spring that\'s already
come back the grasses thrive on it.
00:15:17.690 --> 00:15:20.014
Most of the wildlife that
would feed on the grass
00:15:20.015 --> 00:15:23.749
like succulent fresh growth
that\'s rich in protein.
00:15:23.750 --> 00:15:26.134
That\'s where the nutrients are.
That\'s what\'s eligible.
00:15:26.135 --> 00:15:29.310
The old dead stuff nobody wants data.
00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:33.364
Life death and rebirth.
00:15:33.365 --> 00:15:35.899
The cycle turn by fire.
00:15:35.900 --> 00:15:39.874
Stephen Pyne says we\'re part of that cycle.
00:15:39.875 --> 00:15:42.319
Whether we like it or not.
00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:48.559
And when our ancestors long long ago ceased
fire they made file standard bargain.
00:15:48.560 --> 00:15:51.664
And the control of fire of combustion.
00:15:51.665 --> 00:15:55.579
It\'s really the basis of our
ecological ascendancy for good or
00:15:55.580 --> 00:16:00.094
ill.. And if we use firewall
we create a virtuous cycle
00:16:00.095 --> 00:16:04.924
And if we use it badly we
create a vicious cycle.
00:16:04.925 --> 00:16:07.519
And so it\'s up to us to
sort of reclaimed land
00:16:07.520 --> 00:16:12.240
heritage admit that bargain
and to use it well.
00:16:18.910 --> 00:16:25.324
One group of people other still see
themselves as fired creatures.
00:16:25.325 --> 00:16:32.250
The Aborigines of Australia believed
there the keepers of the sacred delayed
00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:52.999
When I flew into Arnhem
Land a vast territory and
00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:58.140
Northern Australia the whole
continent seem to be burning.
00:17:05.110 --> 00:17:08.809
Over tens of thousands of years.
00:17:08.810 --> 00:17:12.049
The Aborigines have used
fire stick farming as
00:17:12.050 --> 00:17:15.604
it\'s called to shape the
Australian landscape.
00:17:15.605 --> 00:17:18.304
Burning small patches of woodland.
00:17:18.305 --> 00:17:23.730
They make a mosaic of new grazing
For the animals. They hunt
00:17:25.830 --> 00:17:30.759
Article after I came here to
meet Giovanni le Laura the
00:17:30.760 --> 00:17:35.454
leader of a small group of aborigines
who live in eastern Arnhem Land.
00:17:35.455 --> 00:17:40.580
I wanted to ask him why his
people burden the bush.
00:17:44.190 --> 00:17:51.320
He told me that setting fires is the way
they serve the lamb that feeds them.
00:17:52.830 --> 00:17:57.140
They see it as a sacred trust.
00:17:58.530 --> 00:18:06.530
Australia soil is arid and in fertile
nothing decomposes quickly here. So neutron
00:18:07.335 --> 00:18:10.234
they aren\'t released to feed new growth.
00:18:10.235 --> 00:18:14.490
It takes fire to drive the cycle.
00:18:16.690 --> 00:18:23.490
Aborigines believe they\'re part of
a continuous process of creation.
00:18:25.090 --> 00:18:30.949
Giovanni told me about his people\'s
relationship with the land.
00:18:30.950 --> 00:18:35.239
In a way he said instead
of owning territory
00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:42.750
their own Biot charged with performing
the proper rituals taking proper care.
00:18:49.770 --> 00:18:52.359
What about the light he took me through
00:18:52.360 --> 00:18:56.484
his country and told me a
little of its sacred history.
00:18:56.485 --> 00:19:00.099
Do you have a responsibility
to take care of them land
00:19:00.100 --> 00:19:03.294
or their jobs you have for
you is what do you do
00:19:03.295 --> 00:19:05.529
a big responsibility to move up to
00:19:05.530 --> 00:19:11.469
a LAN and because we were very
important is sacred size.
00:19:11.470 --> 00:19:18.564
The ancestor spirits stingray and sea turtle
still live there in the sacred sites.
00:19:18.565 --> 00:19:20.484
Keeping things going.
00:19:20.485 --> 00:19:24.669
People have to know how to play their part.
00:19:24.670 --> 00:19:26.979
Nominally concert away.
00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:32.000
Now. We\'re still going to charge you
00:19:35.470 --> 00:19:41.884
And you\'re a rich man cost but as long
as you\'ve got the land that\'s right.
00:19:41.885 --> 00:19:46.384
You traditions. Proud of all that enough.
00:19:46.385 --> 00:19:52.080
Because we share haunt
people share their whenever.
00:19:53.380 --> 00:20:01.009
And wherever the corroborate
was the high point of
00:20:01.010 --> 00:20:08.670
my stay with Jabulani the entire community
gathered to share their traditional density.
00:20:09.580 --> 00:20:14.914
First they decorated themselves with clay.
Then they dance
00:20:14.915 --> 00:20:19.620
stories about how people
fit into their work.
00:20:44.620 --> 00:20:52.500
Each dams as a part of a sacred text as
a way of presenting myth and history
00:21:01.750 --> 00:21:08.524
Traditionally have originated see themselves
as caretakers of the world around them.
00:21:08.525 --> 00:21:15.199
Keepers of the flame it\'s an understanding
that\'s under pressure in the modern world.
00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:18.649
But there\'s another strand
to this ancient story I
00:21:18.650 --> 00:21:23.940
discovered which has
lasted 50 thousand years.
00:21:24.760 --> 00:21:28.459
50 thousand E is he\'s a very long time.
00:21:28.460 --> 00:21:30.574
And over that time people have become
00:21:30.575 --> 00:21:33.889
so intimately interwoven
with the nature of Australia
00:21:33.890 --> 00:21:36.409
that they\'re embedded in a way
00:21:36.410 --> 00:21:40.170
that no other people in the world
out I think in their environment.
00:21:48.820 --> 00:21:55.879
Tim Flannery believes that this deep
connection has been a hard one lesson.
00:21:55.880 --> 00:21:59.269
He\'s a biologist from the
South Australia Museum in
00:21:59.270 --> 00:22:04.099
Adelaide who has been exploring
the continents ancient past.
00:22:04.100 --> 00:22:10.099
He took me up in July back hill a
sacred site in Northern Arnhem Land.
00:22:10.100 --> 00:22:13.429
And he took me back through
thousands of years.
00:22:13.430 --> 00:22:15.469
It\'s just covered with feeding.
00:22:15.470 --> 00:22:18.559
There\'s going to be thousands of
individual paintings and I\'ve
00:22:18.560 --> 00:22:21.619
seen a lot of them in America
but never like this.
00:22:21.620 --> 00:22:24.690
This is one of the best sites in Australia.
00:22:29.650 --> 00:22:34.714
Layer after layer laid
down over the millennia.
00:22:34.715 --> 00:22:39.349
The paintings depict the living
world of the Aborigines.
00:22:39.350 --> 00:22:46.054
Tim Flannery told me that Australia was
very different when they first arrived.
00:22:46.055 --> 00:22:49.849
There would have been giant mushroom
appeals to size of rhinoceroses.
00:22:49.850 --> 00:22:52.729
There would have been going as
that wood is seven meters long.
00:22:52.730 --> 00:22:56.659
And you know Komodo dragons sort
of blown up to huge size and
00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:58.849
join turtles to size of VW\'s
00:22:58.850 --> 00:23:01.129
but with horns like cows I mean
it was a pretty bizarre phone.
00:23:01.130 --> 00:23:04.350
I began animals and the missing today.
00:23:07.870 --> 00:23:10.954
50 thousand years ago.
00:23:10.955 --> 00:23:14.044
Rain forests covered much of Australia.
00:23:14.045 --> 00:23:17.854
They cycled water making
clouds and rainfall
00:23:17.855 --> 00:23:22.950
drawing coastal monsoons deep
into the centre of the continent.
00:23:27.550 --> 00:23:34.290
So what happened how did those
stray it changed so much.
00:23:34.930 --> 00:23:39.709
It\'s very hard for us to know in the
fossil record exactly what happened.
00:23:39.710 --> 00:23:43.129
But the hypothesis that I\'ve
developed really is the people
00:23:43.130 --> 00:23:47.040
coming to this continent and
they have a profound impact
00:24:00.390 --> 00:24:05.259
By simply precipitate and extinction
may be a hunting caused extinction.
00:24:05.260 --> 00:24:07.269
Maybe they start changing environments.
00:24:07.270 --> 00:24:09.654
Well it\'s hard to tell at this stage.
00:24:09.655 --> 00:24:12.894
But soon after that all of the
big mass shootings are gone.
00:24:12.895 --> 00:24:16.820
And then he\'s trying vegetation
itself starts to challenge.
00:24:20.520 --> 00:24:23.994
No longer grazed by large mammals.
00:24:23.995 --> 00:24:28.220
The forest became choked
and vulnerable to fire
00:24:29.560 --> 00:24:32.449
There must have been a
period of massive wildfires
00:24:32.450 --> 00:24:34.684
that caused lots of
extinction water damage.
00:24:34.685 --> 00:24:38.119
And after that the most incredible change
of all happens because it looks like
00:24:38.120 --> 00:24:41.449
Australia\'s climate itself
changes and the continent starts
00:24:41.450 --> 00:24:49.069
to really dry out wildfires altered the mix
of vegetation and that changed the climate.
00:24:49.070 --> 00:24:57.070
The arid landscape of modern Australia
was more. Sparse eucalyptus
00:24:58.535 --> 00:25:04.200
Woodland adapted to drought
swept by frequent fires.
00:25:08.830 --> 00:25:12.379
Only slowly I think that
Aboriginal people learned to time
00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:16.054
that fire learned to burn and
fight fire with fire if you want.
00:25:16.055 --> 00:25:20.029
And it\'s that process that eventually
led to fire stick farming with
00:25:20.030 --> 00:25:24.900
a very very careful management of
Australia environments using fire.
00:25:27.370 --> 00:25:30.934
In a sense Aboriginal
people found the landscape
00:25:30.935 --> 00:25:33.979
releasing nutrients when they
wanted to releasing feed for
00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:36.469
the animals I haven\'t heard with
a fire stick rather than with
00:25:36.470 --> 00:25:40.834
a plough but the process is every bit
as intricate as traditional farming
00:25:40.835 --> 00:25:48.720
It was a very very complex thing and a
system that evolved over 50 thousand years.
00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:04.954
Aborigines seems so much
a part of their world.
00:26:04.955 --> 00:26:10.710
I was amazed to discover what a
long hard lesson. It\'s been.
00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:14.569
A lot of people are
shocked by the idea that
00:26:14.570 --> 00:26:18.304
Aboriginal people may have lived
in a destructive way in the past.
00:26:18.305 --> 00:26:22.879
But to me it\'s just part of being human
that that\'s the nature of our species.
00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:28.474
And what I see is 50 thousand years of
careful learning about the environment.
00:26:28.475 --> 00:26:30.859
They\'ll be incredibly
ingenious interactions to
00:26:30.860 --> 00:26:34.324
maintain life in a very very
harsh and difficult environment.
00:26:34.325 --> 00:26:37.800
And that\'s the great triumph
of Aboriginal people to me.
00:27:08.110 --> 00:27:14.760
Fire creatures. Learning how to
live within the cycles of renewal.
00:27:15.370 --> 00:27:18.739
That\'s also part of being human.
00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:21.109
That\'s what they have to teach.
00:27:21.110 --> 00:27:23.670
And we to learn.
00:27:44.530 --> 00:27:47.464
Soil is where the
00:27:47.465 --> 00:27:53.554
Energy cycle comes full circle
and death turns into life.
00:27:53.555 --> 00:27:59.719
The seed stirs in the ashes the
spark in the cell fuels growth.
00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:03.780
The plant reaches for
the furnace in the sky.
00:28:15.580 --> 00:28:21.844
Long ago human beings learned how
to manage the power of the soil.
00:28:21.845 --> 00:28:25.860
We became creatures of the earth.
00:28:35.590 --> 00:28:42.330
Today. 6 billion of us depend
on this thin brown layer.
00:28:57.580 --> 00:29:05.580
Fire and water earth and air
combined into the matrix for growth.
00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:12.499
On the beach in Kelvin
00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:16.009
soil scientist explaining them showed me
00:29:16.010 --> 00:29:20.179
the sacred balance that
continually creates the soil.
00:29:20.180 --> 00:29:28.180
This rock will become soil through
the action of weather wind rain.
00:29:28.265 --> 00:29:35.314
And the microorganisms that grow on Iraq
the bacteria for example growing on this.
00:29:35.315 --> 00:29:37.324
We\'ll break this down.
00:29:37.325 --> 00:29:42.649
The likens the mass will grow on those
bacteria the phosphate fixed by
00:29:42.650 --> 00:29:44.989
those bacteria and break it down into
00:29:44.990 --> 00:29:48.469
the constituent sand silt and
clay that we\'re looking at here.
00:29:48.470 --> 00:29:49.819
The bacteria grow in
00:29:49.820 --> 00:29:54.244
their produce organic matter and on that
the fungi then start to grow contribute
00:29:54.245 --> 00:29:58.129
Danek manner to the material then along
come the protozoa and nematodes and they
00:29:58.130 --> 00:30:02.884
start that process of nutrient
cycling which turns this into soil.
00:30:02.885 --> 00:30:06.604
But that plant looks like it\'s
growing out of solid rock.
00:30:06.605 --> 00:30:11.389
But you had to have a just a little
bit of soil caught in that crevice.
00:30:11.390 --> 00:30:13.849
And then the seed had to
fall in there as well.
00:30:13.850 --> 00:30:17.179
And it\'s the nutrient cycling
in that soil that allows
00:30:17.180 --> 00:30:21.409
that seed to germinate and start to grow
and get the nutrients that it needs
00:30:21.410 --> 00:30:29.410
And those are going to click free barren rock
to mighty forest is a long long journey.
00:30:36.730 --> 00:30:44.220
Place eats away at the raw materials
and binds them into a living food web.
00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:03.559
Millennia must pass
00:31:03.560 --> 00:31:08.599
The soil is ready to support a
forest community like this one.
00:31:08.600 --> 00:31:14.584
So this is a forest soil which I guess
is taken thousands of years to evolve.
00:31:14.585 --> 00:31:18.814
And certainly has we have to
slowly but surely develop this
00:31:18.815 --> 00:31:23.569
from the things we were looking at
on the beach but this isn\'t soil.
00:31:23.570 --> 00:31:25.324
I mean this is stuff coming off the tree.
00:31:25.325 --> 00:31:27.889
That\'s right that\'s the organic
matter that\'s coming down to
00:31:27.890 --> 00:31:31.339
the surface of the soil and the
organisms are going to decompose
00:31:31.340 --> 00:31:33.559
this material turn it into
00:31:33.560 --> 00:31:37.669
the organic matter to build the rest of
that soil structure that we\'re looking at.
00:31:37.670 --> 00:31:42.784
So let\'s take a little bit of a look
in the soils see what we can find.
00:31:42.785 --> 00:31:46.069
This food web in here is just
00:31:46.070 --> 00:31:49.384
More diversity than almost
any place else on earth.
00:31:49.385 --> 00:31:51.769
Soil is where diversity really lies.
00:31:51.770 --> 00:31:55.744
We look above ground and we say ooh look
at all the plant species. Here we go.
00:31:55.745 --> 00:31:58.684
There\'s 1015 different plants in here.
00:31:58.685 --> 00:32:03.304
High diversity doesn\'t have a
candle to what\'s here in the soil.
00:32:03.305 --> 00:32:07.069
We\'re looking at probably
about a 100 miles of
00:32:07.070 --> 00:32:11.539
fungi per gram of soil per
teaspoon of soil in here.
00:32:11.540 --> 00:32:15.529
When we look at one teaspoon of
soil you know and so it\'s like that
00:32:15.530 --> 00:32:19.729
much or looking at 40
thousand species of bacteria.
00:32:19.730 --> 00:32:23.569
We\'re looking at probably 20
thousand species of fungi
00:32:23.570 --> 00:32:27.859
in that wonder species but
individually not individuals.
00:32:27.860 --> 00:32:30.889
Because now when we go to
individuals we\'re looking at
00:32:30.890 --> 00:32:37.009
a 1000 million individual bacteria
split amongst 40 thousand species.
00:32:37.010 --> 00:32:40.159
So it\'s a huge diversity that
I\'m holding right there in
00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:43.579
the body of my hand I would have
to say that\'s a living organism.
00:32:43.580 --> 00:32:44.959
Yeah that\'s alive.
00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:46.399
It\'s a it\'s a community.
00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:49.860
You can sort of think of
this as New York City.
00:33:19.150 --> 00:33:22.609
These trees wouldn\'t be here
without this diversity.
00:33:22.610 --> 00:33:27.964
This food web structure is the only thing
that keeps these trees alive and grind.
00:33:27.965 --> 00:33:33.540
This is the grandest cycling
system that we\'ve ever seen.
00:33:47.110 --> 00:33:52.249
Elaine is much in-demand
helping farmers to maximize
00:33:52.250 --> 00:33:57.000
The health of their soil by
working within the energy web.
00:33:58.270 --> 00:34:02.539
How are things going
actually very well we had
00:34:02.540 --> 00:34:07.399
some good results in this block trying to
address some soil compaction and we\'re
00:34:07.400 --> 00:34:10.969
seeing some good improvements
and soil structure and
00:34:10.970 --> 00:34:16.189
in the aggregate Sinsky vineyards
in California\'s Napa Valley.
00:34:16.190 --> 00:34:19.398
She\'s working with the manager Kurt grace
00:34:19.399 --> 00:34:23.044
to increase productivity
without chemical input.
00:34:23.045 --> 00:34:24.439
Great Earth were learning too.
00:34:24.440 --> 00:34:29.974
And here look at all those organisms in
the structure and the fungus right there.
00:34:29.975 --> 00:34:34.189
You also see some of the campus that we\'ve
been putting on over the last few years too
00:34:34.190 --> 00:34:37.009
Kurt seems to be an awful lot of plant
00:34:37.010 --> 00:34:39.979
growing between the vines here
is at the normal situation.
00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:44.359
Well actually we planted a cover crop
here to help increase organic matter.
00:34:44.360 --> 00:34:48.469
Florida New York or using the farmers
are reducing their dependence on
00:34:48.470 --> 00:34:53.704
chemical pesticides and trying to
breathe life back into the soil.
00:34:53.705 --> 00:34:56.599
Now this is a compost that
you use rights right yeah.
00:34:56.600 --> 00:35:01.579
So when you spread this as this essentially
replacing the fertilizer that you add to
00:35:01.580 --> 00:35:04.549
the field well as not really replacing
00:35:04.550 --> 00:35:08.464
the fertilizer you\'re doing other
things as an addition but the compost.
00:35:08.465 --> 00:35:12.049
So in addition to providing that
nutrient when you when you spray it on
00:35:12.050 --> 00:35:16.609
your fields you\'re in effect
inoculating your orchards with
00:35:16.610 --> 00:35:19.129
Coal communities of creatures that\'s right
00:35:19.130 --> 00:35:22.144
the beneficial things
that you want to improve.
00:35:22.145 --> 00:35:25.909
Soil quality the health of
the soil out and field.
00:35:25.910 --> 00:35:29.629
This is so different from the kind of type
00:35:29.630 --> 00:35:33.139
of farming that I\'m I\'m
used to thinking about now.
00:35:33.140 --> 00:35:38.089
How is it for your people here
to make that transition isn\'t
00:35:38.090 --> 00:35:40.234
it kinda scary to get away from the idea of
00:35:40.235 --> 00:35:42.979
using powerful powerful chemicals
that could do the job.
00:35:42.980 --> 00:35:45.244
Well the way we did it
was an incrementally.
00:35:45.245 --> 00:35:48.484
And because of that
successful upon success.
00:35:48.485 --> 00:35:50.554
And so it was actually a very natural live
00:35:50.555 --> 00:35:53.149
or give us an idea of how
successful you\'ve been.
00:35:53.150 --> 00:35:57.979
Well our productivity
has stayed quite level.
00:35:57.980 --> 00:36:01.549
We\'ve watched flavors
increase in The Grapes.
00:36:01.550 --> 00:36:08.239
Something in winemaking is very important is
to get smaller berries and tighter clusters.
00:36:08.240 --> 00:36:12.304
So that did the scans actually
in part a lot of flavor.
00:36:12.305 --> 00:36:14.584
And we\'ve been able to
successfully do that through
00:36:14.585 --> 00:36:18.390
methods that we\'re using.
Quite successfully.
00:36:20.620 --> 00:36:27.364
It is a paradigm shift from going out there
and killing everything that we don\'t want to
00:36:27.365 --> 00:36:31.399
encouraging supporting all of the
life that we do want so that
00:36:31.400 --> 00:36:35.059
we don\'t use pesticides we don\'t have to
use high levels of inorganic fertilizers
00:36:35.060 --> 00:36:43.060
. Here\'s to the soil and the
organisms that made this possible.
00:36:43.505 --> 00:36:46.350
I\'ll drink to that degree.
00:37:14.170 --> 00:37:17.449
The marriage of sunlight in soil
00:37:17.450 --> 00:37:23.640
Seems nowhere more blessed than on
the island of Bali in Indonesia.
00:37:23.950 --> 00:37:30.750
People here have a deep connection
with the sacred cycles of creation.
00:37:45.700 --> 00:37:49.789
You can see at once that Belize a place of
00:37:49.790 --> 00:37:53.269
ancient and abundant fertility they\'ve been
00:37:53.270 --> 00:37:58.470
growing irrigated rice here
for almost 200 thousand years
00:38:09.220 --> 00:38:16.170
I went to a village called cell B2 to
meet an anthropologist from two saw.
00:38:17.470 --> 00:38:23.389
Steven Lansing has been visiting this
community for more than 20 years.
00:38:23.390 --> 00:38:26.014
He\'s been studying the way people here.
00:38:26.015 --> 00:38:29.314
Define their relationship to the land.
00:38:29.315 --> 00:38:34.849
Ecologists think about ecology as a
science and of course it is a science.
00:38:34.850 --> 00:38:41.689
Bonnie\'s also think about how human ideas
and emotions and how human society
00:38:41.690 --> 00:38:44.959
Is connected to ecology and they
have a way of thinking about that.
00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:47.340
That is utterly fascinating.
00:38:50.170 --> 00:38:57.994
They believe Steven explained that the lens
endless fertility is a gift from the gods.
00:38:57.995 --> 00:39:01.909
As farmers they\'re touching
the sacred source.
00:39:01.910 --> 00:39:05.550
The energy that creates life.
00:39:08.320 --> 00:39:11.779
Water carries the energy.
00:39:11.780 --> 00:39:14.674
Every village has its water temple
00:39:14.675 --> 00:39:18.304
Daily life is linked with the Divine.
00:39:18.305 --> 00:39:21.334
So where does this water
come from steam well
00:39:21.335 --> 00:39:24.469
the Balinese think it comes from the
great Crater Lake amount but to or even
00:39:24.470 --> 00:39:30.484
took me to the water temple et cetera to
to show me the science behind the sacred.
00:39:30.485 --> 00:39:33.019
So when the rains fall they recharge
00:39:33.020 --> 00:39:36.529
the lake and that recharges
the springs valid is dotted
00:39:36.530 --> 00:39:39.289
with just innumerable little
springs like this one
00:39:39.290 --> 00:39:42.544
this is a spring Temple
built to capture that flow.
00:39:42.545 --> 00:39:45.334
The Balinese even call their religion.
00:39:45.335 --> 00:39:49.050
Aga maturity which means the
religion of holy water.
00:39:49.450 --> 00:39:54.619
There are two things that they
notice and revere about water.
00:39:54.620 --> 00:39:56.939
First that it can make things grow
00:39:56.940 --> 00:39:59.859
You need it to make things grow and second
00:39:59.860 --> 00:40:02.649
that it can cleanse it
can wash away pollution.
00:40:02.650 --> 00:40:07.029
So in a place like this and since
where water is first emerging from
00:40:07.030 --> 00:40:12.290
the from the Earth so it\'s clean
pure water can make things grow.
00:40:16.680 --> 00:40:20.184
This is powerful water.
00:40:20.185 --> 00:40:23.679
The Balinese believe that all water
00:40:23.680 --> 00:40:27.489
comes from Lake by tour at the
foot of the sacred mountain.
00:40:27.490 --> 00:40:30.879
The rice goddess Dewey down who lives in
00:40:30.880 --> 00:40:35.930
the lake sending water down
into every field in Bali
00:40:39.220 --> 00:40:42.979
The water passes through
volcanic rock that\'s
00:40:42.980 --> 00:40:46.830
rich in natural fertilizers
such as phosphate.
00:40:47.260 --> 00:40:52.860
That\'s what Stephen showed me
in the water template set b2.
00:40:53.230 --> 00:40:57.469
So David we\'ve been taking water
samples from the spring for
00:40:57.470 --> 00:41:01.594
awhile and the rivers and also
the ocean just looking at
00:41:01.595 --> 00:41:05.059
what are their concentrations
of nutrients that are naturally
00:41:05.060 --> 00:41:09.664
present in the water because it\'s
percolating through the volcanic soil.
00:41:09.665 --> 00:41:13.399
So here with this little spring sample
00:41:13.400 --> 00:41:16.369
I\'ve got a little variation
to do a phosphate tests.
00:41:16.370 --> 00:41:21.794
And a little portable colorimeter.
He\'d tell you how
00:41:21.795 --> 00:41:25.659
He\'s in there yeah basically
as the water changes.
00:41:25.660 --> 00:41:28.239
So you get a reading on the darker
the water basically this\'ll
00:41:28.240 --> 00:41:32.180
turn blue and the darker the blue
the more phosphate in the water.
00:41:34.530 --> 00:41:39.369
Stevens meter shows how
rich the water is in
00:41:39.370 --> 00:41:41.739
the natural fertilizer provided by
00:41:41.740 --> 00:41:45.069
ecosystem of phosphates and
that\'s a very high concentration.
00:41:45.070 --> 00:41:48.729
So what it means is that there
is enough phosphate flowing in
00:41:48.730 --> 00:41:52.509
the irrigation systems to take to
replace whatever the plants take out.
00:41:52.510 --> 00:41:56.454
And because the rivers are flowing and the
irrigation systems are flowing continuously.
00:41:56.455 --> 00:41:58.329
You gotta perfect little
continuous delivery
00:41:58.330 --> 00:42:00.894
system replenishing the
fertilizer in the fields.
00:42:00.895 --> 00:42:04.229
That\'s why you can plant rice
endlessly you know essentially
00:42:04.230 --> 00:42:07.024
century without adding chemicals.
00:42:07.025 --> 00:42:10.789
The Balinese know they\'re part of a light
00:42:10.790 --> 00:42:15.364
creating energy cycle that has
fed them well for centuries.
00:42:15.365 --> 00:42:21.949
But in the seventies the Indonesian
government tried to make a good thing better.
00:42:21.950 --> 00:42:26.824
In 197576 the Green
Revolution had just begun.
00:42:26.825 --> 00:42:30.754
The green revolution means the introduction
of western farming techniques.
00:42:30.755 --> 00:42:33.949
Basically it\'s high-yielding
plants that are designed to
00:42:33.950 --> 00:42:37.984
grow quickly along with chemical
fertilizers and pesticides.
00:42:37.985 --> 00:42:41.344
So this came as a package
to the Balinese farmers.
00:42:41.345 --> 00:42:45.169
The farmers were told in the
interests of national development.
00:42:45.170 --> 00:42:46.429
Take this new rice
00:42:46.430 --> 00:42:49.594
And plant just as fast as you can
if you can get three crops a year
00:42:49.595 --> 00:42:53.239
great some of the old people
said Well the trouble with
00:42:53.240 --> 00:42:58.099
that is according to our traditional
system we we schedule we carefully
00:42:58.100 --> 00:43:00.559
time when the water goes
into the fields and when
00:43:00.560 --> 00:43:04.020
it doesn\'t send it has there
are reasons for that.
00:43:04.870 --> 00:43:12.660
After a couple of years of bumper harvests
those reasons started to become clear.
00:43:17.050 --> 00:43:23.599
Stephen Lansing\'s old friend
why mpeg is a farmer in 72.
00:43:23.600 --> 00:43:27.064
He remembers what it was like 20 years ago.
00:43:27.065 --> 00:43:28.894
When the pests began
00:43:28.895 --> 00:43:33.679
Welcome to Buddha or landing la la e.
00:43:33.680 --> 00:43:38.869
The Green Revolution remedy for pests was
pesticides in memory and you\'re rendering.
00:43:38.870 --> 00:43:41.914
It\'s not just that the farmers
were advised to use pesticides.
00:43:41.915 --> 00:43:43.999
They were forced to use pesticides.
00:43:44.000 --> 00:43:46.399
There there would be punished
by the government if they
00:43:46.400 --> 00:43:48.739
didn\'t because the government would say if
00:43:48.740 --> 00:43:51.499
anybody doesn\'t use pesticides
immediately as soon as
00:43:51.500 --> 00:43:55.500
any sign of customer peer than the
PESTEL spread to other fields.
00:43:56.800 --> 00:44:00.629
So within a year or two even the farmers
00:44:00.630 --> 00:44:04.624
six pumping these pesticides into their
fields couldn\'t kill all the pests.
00:44:04.625 --> 00:44:07.474
The government men began to fly the island
00:44:07.475 --> 00:44:10.894
dropping pesticides from
airplanes and they succeeded
00:44:10.895 --> 00:44:15.420
And there everything lookup with Dian.
00:44:20.500 --> 00:44:22.969
He says that everything
is made by a creator.
00:44:22.970 --> 00:44:25.309
And so by disturbing
00:44:25.310 --> 00:44:28.669
anything by killing anything you\'re
disturbing part of their creation.
00:44:28.670 --> 00:44:29.989
So you need to pay attention to
00:44:29.990 --> 00:44:33.450
the whole picture essentially saying
you have to pay attention old picture.
00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:42.454
And that\'s Steven told me was
the role of the water tempo.
00:44:42.455 --> 00:44:49.350
Looking at the whole picture applying
wisdom accumulated over centuries
00:44:56.230 --> 00:45:01.864
In the middle courtyard of the temple
the farmers gather every month.
00:45:01.865 --> 00:45:07.350
They make decisions in a democratic
assembly on how they\'re going to plant.
00:45:07.450 --> 00:45:14.644
And yeah and then I make I must have
some more agricultural activities
00:45:14.645 --> 00:45:17.794
are coordinated through the temple calendar
00:45:17.795 --> 00:45:22.230
giving spiritual force
to practical knowledge.
00:45:31.120 --> 00:45:34.774
The timetable is sacred
00:45:34.775 --> 00:45:41.370
All the fields are flooded at one\'s
driving out rats and other paths.
00:45:41.560 --> 00:45:48.090
When the harvest is ready the farmers
collaborate to bring it in quickly.
00:45:49.480 --> 00:45:53.584
Ducks glean insects and
grain in the stubble.
00:45:53.585 --> 00:45:55.849
Then the fields are flooded again.
00:45:55.850 --> 00:45:58.860
And there\'s no place for pests.
00:46:05.080 --> 00:46:09.784
As Stephen Lansing explained
it the sacred calendar
00:46:09.785 --> 00:46:14.910
worked within the insect
cycles holding pests at bay
00:46:18.280 --> 00:46:25.430
Once the government understood this they
allowed the water temples to regain control.
00:46:42.220 --> 00:46:50.220
The Island of valley is regaining its place
within the cycles that create and renew life.
00:46:54.190 --> 00:46:59.689
In 72 everyone was preparing
for the biggest festival
00:46:59.690 --> 00:47:07.690
Calendar YN and his extended family
were busy organizing the offerings.
00:47:07.865 --> 00:47:13.350
They\'re giving back to the gods a
portion of what they\'ve received.
00:47:27.220 --> 00:47:32.599
Early next morning YN called
the people to the temple.
00:47:32.600 --> 00:47:40.170
The whole village came wearing their temple
close bringing the fruits of the harvest
00:47:50.140 --> 00:47:57.769
We humans have an extraordinary capacity to
enshrine the knowledge we need for survival.
00:47:57.770 --> 00:48:01.129
We pass it on and we honored.
00:48:01.130 --> 00:48:08.700
It connects us to the process of creation
that continually unfolds around us
00:48:27.220 --> 00:48:29.820
That turns out
00:48:39.250 --> 00:48:40.819
across
00:48:40.820 --> 00:48:45.154
time and space through
thousands of generations.
00:48:45.155 --> 00:48:48.870
We tell ourselves the stories.
00:48:49.960 --> 00:48:53.704
They teach us about life and death.
00:48:53.705 --> 00:48:55.684
About rebirth.
00:48:55.685 --> 00:48:58.980
They teach us where we live.
00:49:09.820 --> 00:49:17.160
Since the very beginning we\'ve been
dancing our place among the stars.
00:49:27.070 --> 00:49:31.009
On that mountain top in California.
00:49:31.010 --> 00:49:37.309
My grandson Tomoko looked out and saw
the fires burning all around us.
00:49:37.310 --> 00:49:42.919
There part of that first great pulse
of energy that created the cosmos.
00:49:42.920 --> 00:49:45.450
And so are we
00:49:49.810 --> 00:49:53.359
It\'s all a matter of perspective.
00:49:53.360 --> 00:49:57.619
That\'s what Brian Swimme
explained to us that night can.
00:49:57.620 --> 00:50:00.829
Now if we look straight up at the
stars here\'s an amazing thing.
00:50:00.830 --> 00:50:04.879
When we look up we think of
the stars is being above us.
00:50:04.880 --> 00:50:06.949
In a certain sense they are.
00:50:06.950 --> 00:50:13.939
But in space there\'s no there\'s no down
really run a planet so round planet.
00:50:13.940 --> 00:50:17.479
So there\'d be no left or right.
00:50:17.480 --> 00:50:18.979
There\'s no left to right.
00:50:18.980 --> 00:50:22.564
There\'s no up or down all depends
on your orientation where you are.
00:50:22.565 --> 00:50:26.419
So for instance even though right
now we think of the stars being up.
00:50:26.420 --> 00:50:28.984
If we on the other side of the planet.
00:50:28.985 --> 00:50:30.964
And we looked at the stars
00:50:30.965 --> 00:50:34.084
You\'d actually be looking down frey.
00:50:34.085 --> 00:50:36.169
So we can actually do that here.
00:50:36.170 --> 00:50:39.619
As you look up you can
use your imagination.
00:50:39.620 --> 00:50:44.209
Imagine we\'re on the other
bottom side of the planet.
00:50:44.210 --> 00:50:46.980
And we\'re looking at the stars.
00:50:53.980 --> 00:50:58.369
We look out and see all the
galaxies are expanding away from
00:50:58.370 --> 00:51:02.764
us but that\'s true no matter
where you are in the universe.
00:51:02.765 --> 00:51:07.309
Every place is right at the
center of that expansion.
00:51:07.310 --> 00:51:09.589
Everything is at the center.
00:51:09.590 --> 00:51:13.164
Everything is at its center
in all of those centers are
00:51:13.165 --> 00:51:21.165
together. The universe is
00:51:21.710 --> 00:51:25.219
a tapestry in which every
event every bean is
00:51:25.220 --> 00:51:30.510
woven into the life and destiny
and reality of every other B.
00:51:38.170 --> 00:51:41.689
That\'s where my journey has brought me.
00:51:41.690 --> 00:51:47.749
Back to the beginning into the
center were not lost at all.
00:51:47.750 --> 00:51:55.750
Where imbedded in the universe burning
like all life with the fire of creation.
00:52:06.160 --> 00:52:09.889
Next time we explore a world of
00:52:09.890 --> 00:52:17.890
human connections are linked to each other
close relatives of all life on Earth.
00:52:21.370 --> 00:52:27.090
We live within the sacred
balance of the cosmos.
00:52:37.060 --> 00:52:39.300
Okay.
00:53:19.270 --> 00:53:21.420
Okay
Distributor: Bullfrog Films
Length: 53 minutes
Date: 2003
Genre: Expository
Language: English
Grade: 10-12, College, Adult
Color/BW:
Closed Captioning: Available
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