It's not every day that one receives the opportunity to bask in the expanse of the elements, leaving the "Nova" program, "Hunting the Elements," quite a distinctive viewing opportunity. Less of an analysis and more of a breezy overview of periodic table highlights, the program quests to bring the mysteries of science down to an approachable level while remaining challenging enough to provide scholarly types with an invigorating investigation of a habitually studied topic. For someone like me, a science immersion such as this is useful to appreciate the world and all of its functions, though the producers aren't taking any chances. Enter David Pogue, a New York Times technology columnist, consumer advocate, and television host, who's been hired to bring the elements to the masses, employing his spazzy comedic style to lighten the mood as the periodic table chase takes him around the world. Imagining himself Jim Carrey Jr., Pogue is our guide on this particular hunt, taking a bold leap into the backstory of these 118 substances, looking to make sense out of complicated science, using demonstrations, field trips, and punchlines to soften the educational blow, helping viewers get the most out of this academic journey.
The odyssey commences with a study of gold. That elusive yellow element is perhaps the most coveted of the group, taking Pogue to the vast Cortez Mine in Nevada to observe how gold is discovered in our modern age. Turns out, the days of panning and patience are long gone, replaced with microscopic examination, turning tons of dirt into specks of the valuable metal. Through the fire assay process, the bits are bonded into bricks, finally taking on their traditional shape and financial appeal. While it initially appears like an exhaustive process to weed out only a few flakes per truckload, the end result carries extraordinary riches, especially with the world's gold supply dwindling in recent years. The saga of copper brings the host to the New York Mercantile Exchange to analyze the process of selling copper futures, with traders treating the metal with unexpected fervor. The ubiquity of copper is also explored, though the rise of copper theft from suburban homes isn't mentioned -- a surprising omission, considering how the crime plays into a fever for the element. The mixture of tin into copper to create bronze is surveyed at the Verdin Company, a business devoted to the creation of bells, showing Pogue the casting process, which requires strict attention to the blend of elements. The cracked Liberty Bell is used as a prime example of an improperly balanced combination of copper and tin. Off to Cornell University with a chunk of bell in his pocket, Pogue uses the power of a microscope to magnify the metal a hundred million times to research atoms at work. He is sufficiently flabbergasted.
A visit to the lair of author Theo Gray reveals a literal periodic table table, a handmade creation used to educate by turning the elements into a treasure hunt of sorts, with examples hidden underneath wood plates. It's an extraordinary creation, permitting the curious to reach out and feel the true spectrum of the subject. A brief journey into history takes Pogue to St. Petersburg, Russia to investigate the work of Dmitri Mendeleev, the creator of the periodic table, who spent his life trying to expand his original idea through discoveries of new elements. Pogue also takes a moment to untangle the confusion behind the atomic weight scale and sets out to solve the mystery of the Noble Gases. Eventually, the program returns to Gray for some demonstration fun, observing the writer stage chaos with sodium, using its reactive nature to create fireworks with water, while flavoring popcorn with a shot of chlorine.
Pogue is especially tickled to visit the Oxygen Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center in New Mexico, where a team of scientists perfect forensic tech by studying ANFO explosions. High-speed cameras are soon situation to capture the intensity of oxygen detonations, delighting Pogue, who makes a humble request to explode a ceramic clown figure to aid in his childhood fear therapy. The six elements that make up human life (CHNOPS) are dissected with help from chemistry professor Christine Thomas of Brandeis University, who leads Pogue on a trip to the hardware store, collecting necessary items used to fully demonstrate the use of elements in the body. The sequence also contains a staggeringly idiotic urine sample gag, so beware. Moving over to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, the host undergoes a series of rigorous tests to examine his health and gauge elements at work.
Traveling to the Yellowstone National Park, Pogue is offered a window to the past, with volcanic pools containing undisturbed elements for study. At the National Ignition Facility, hydrogen is called into duty to unlock the secrets of sustainable energy through fusion reaction. Silicon is a key component at Corning Glass, where the development of Gorilla Glass has radically changed the industry. And magnets are given a thorough workout at the Ames Laboratory in Iowa, while Pogue also visits a fishery using the power of magnets to create a specialized fishhook that could be capable of cutting down accidental shark deaths, using a natural repellent to dissuade the creatures from approaching bait and netting.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation falls in line with the level of quality seen in previous PBS science BD releases. Colors are fantastic, delivering a real pop when focusing on CG-animated demonstrations of elemental power and atomic make-up, with bright hues making the specifics of power and purpose easily understood. There's also great visual strength with exteriors, detailing vivid blue skies and golden sun illumination. Crispness is satisfactory without being extraordinary. Shadow detail is comfortable, keeping mine visits textured, while rooms filled with equipment and personnel remain fresh and easily surveyed. Banding is present, and there's a minor amount of macroblocking as well. Skintones are accurate.
The 2.0 Dolby Digital mix is basic in design, keeping attention on Pogue's narration and on-camera antics, which are always easily understood, maintaining a firmness that assists in the educational excitement intended. Scoring is mild, rarely generating a presence of its own, supporting the string of visits and demonstrations from afar. Sound effects are pronounced without stepping on the verbal activity, solidifying the specifics of the science without any noticeable distortion.
Perhaps a full appreciation of "Hunting the Elements" is reserved for those able to swallow Pogue's constant shtick, which I found to be grating over the course of two hours. His presence is necessary, rainbow-wigging up the material to keep those with only a fringe appreciation of science interested, but the comedy routines border on the desperate, while most of his punchlines fall flat when bounced off stoic professionals with little use for a sense of humor. The information shared here isn't exhaustive, but it's a satisfactory foundation for further study, creating approachability about the periodic table that's intriguing enough to encourage younger viewers to continue the adventure in school. For that alone, it's worth a look. Just keep an alert finger on the mute button every time you see Pogue begin to breathe heavily and wag his invisible tale when an opportunity to crack wise arises.
Hunting the Elements Blu-ray, News and Updates
No related news posts for Hunting the Elements Blu-ray yet.
