The Great Barrier Reef on Discovery Channel

[vaironman]

It's pretty fascinating. New show 2007 names "Fearless Planet". Below is the description from the show:

 

"Will Gadd teams with geologists and marine bioglogists to examine Australia's Great Barrier Reef. INcluded: a 190-foot dive to examine a 12,000-year-old part of the reef. (Documentary)."

 

One fact stands out is the Great Barrier Reef is as large as a half size of Texas state. Impressive.

 

For anyone would like catch this show again:

 

Comcast cable

 

10-11PM EST Wednesday Discovery Channel, Channel 53

9-10PM EST Thursday Science Channel, SCICH, Channel 110

10-11AM EST Friday SCICH

1-2PM EST Saturday SCICH

[bigJPDC]

This show started out with the best illustration of the coral lifecycle I have ever seen, with animation. I was bummed the storm made the HD dish flakey so I had to watch it in SD.

 

Then we got to the global warming part, of course - must have been produced by the same tree huggers who made Plant Earth.

 

There was a section where 'scientists' couldn't figure out how the reef had come back from the devastation brought about by the rising sea levels, and how the reef had moved to its current location from a place that is now covered in 190 feet of water. They even sent in divers who 'risked their lives'.

 

That lunacy makes sense if you view the rising ocean in the Al Gore inspired 25 second video, instead of the 18,000 YEARS it actually took to rise since the ice age. The idea that any organism can't adapt to a seasonal change of millimeters is just lost somewhere I suppose, especially if you want to believe that man is destroying the world and being 'green' is the answer.

 

All of that put me to sleep so I didn't catch the end.

 

lol

 

jp

[dshnarw]

Well, all boring diatribes about tree huggers, Al Gore and the cinematography of the show aside, the show has some darned good pics of the reef and a good rudimentary discussion of the formation of the reef, and it's on again right now if you missed it.

[WallyBackm]

caught the end last night. Those starfish that decimate the reefs are crazy.

[vaironman]

caught the end last night. Those starfish that decimate the reefs are crazy.

 

 

Huge, bigger than our hand and thorns everywhere on their bodies. Try to catch the beginning where they show most of the beautiful reef scenes.

[DaveS]

Huge, bigger than our hand and thorns everywhere on their bodies. Try to catch the beginning where they show most of the beautiful reef scenes.

 

You guys talking about the Crown-of-Thorns star? I spent a week or so diving on the GBR and coral sea. It was fun too see the contrast between all the talk of don't touch, conserve, etc and then they say- "if you see one of these, kill it!"

[extreme_tooth_decay]

You guys talking about the Crown-of-Thorns star? I spent a week or so diving on the GBR and coral sea. It was fun too see the contrast between all the talk of don't touch, conserve, etc and then they say- "if you see one of these, kill it!"

 

 

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that this star is not reef safe

[bigJPDC]

It doesn't get much more evil than that thing.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown-of-thorns_starfish

 

"If accidentally touched or stepped on by humans, the starfish's long spines (which release a neurotoxin) are capable of pricking and stinging, inflicting great pain that can last for hours, as well as nausea and vomiting."

 

Who wants to start tank-raising Humphead Wrasses?