Hidden from the human eye, the wonder of life unfolds in, on and around us with startling beauty and unexpected drama. And now, for the first time, you can enter this unseen world, thanks to the stunning microphotography of Lennart Nilsson. A breakthrough in science and cinematography, The Miracle of Life takes you on an incredible voyage through the human body as a new life beings. See the egg as it is released by the ovary. Follow the sperm through ejaculation and on its perilous journey toward the egg. Watch as the single new cell becomes an embryo, and then a fetus, and finally, a baby, born before your eyes. Next take The Ultimate Journey —another glimpse into the mysteries of life before birth. Here, a close look at the evolving human embryo reveals uncanny links to other species, telling of a shared ancestry that harks back to the dawn of creation. Now venture into The Unknown World, where microscopic critters abound—magnified to monster size. They're hiding in your closet. [+]

Spanning 14 months from February 1965 to early April 1966, this second DVD compilation of the short-lived NBC pop-music series Hullabaloo is fascinating more as an ethereal glimpse of mid-'60s pop trends than a record of enduring music. The majority of these performers (Chad & Jeremy, Leslie Gore, Barry McGuire) were enjoying their relatively brief time in the spotlight, so they're little more than time-capsule curiosities to anyone born after these shows were originally broadcast. The format was so safely mainstream that one "Top Pop" medley segment features guest host Peter Noone (from Herman's Hermits) singing Bob Dylan's "Positively 4th Street," with predictably ludicrous results. But the menu of then-current chart-toppers also includes a generous sampling of the British Invasion (the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, and even Marianne Faithful, with several London-scene reports from Beatles manager Brian Epstein), and bonus track highlights include the Zombies, Junior Walker & the All-Stars, and the Supremes at the start of their meteoric rise. Although many of these acts lip-sync to canned music (you'll notice a lot of unplugged guitars), the sound quality surpasses the video, which was mastered from salvaged black & white kinescopes (sadly, the color videos were destroyed). In addition to the hit-or-miss music menu, the Hullabaloo dancers and popular guests hosts provide a welcomed trip down memory lane, especially when David McCallum ("Ilya Kuryakin" from TV's The Man from U. N. C. L. E. [+]

Travel into space to uncover the mysteries and wonders of our galaxy. Death of a Star witnesses one of the most spectacular events since creation—the supernova. Eclipse of the Century takes you along on the race to view and study celestial splendor. In Rescue Mission in Space, you’ll travel into space for the dramatic space repair of the Hubble Telescope and view the stunning images of space the Hubble now produces. Includes: Death of a Star: Supernovas are as spectacular as they are rare. In early 1987, a giant star exploded in the sky - one of the most violent celestial events since the creation of the universe. The incredibly powerful blast created supernova hysteria—sending small particles through outer space and shock waves through the astrophysics community. NOVA takes you to space and around the globe—from Chile to Japan to Cleveland, Ohio, where supernova "neutrinos" were discovered—for an astounding look at the true meaning of star power. Eclipse of the Century: In Hawaii on July 11, 1991, astronomers and scientists discovered a remarkable opportunity to examine a total eclipse of the sun. Sun, moon and earth would perfectly align, achieving "totality" directly above technologically advanced observatories perched atop Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano. [+]

Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series. Episodes 1-10 on 9 videos.

Author and adventurer David Macaulay hosts this video companion to his four books on the world's most magnificent structures. Join him to explore the history, archaeology, mythology and religion of ancient Egypt, where monarchs built pyramids to preserve their mummified bodies for eternity. Visit the giant castles built by King Edward I during England's legendary campaign to bring Wales into the British empire. Macaulay then presents spectacular location sequences and quality animation celebrating France's most famous cathedrals. Next he takes you to sites throughout the once-great Roman Empire and reveals how the structures were built and used. Ancient cultures and stories of heroic achievements take on new life in this multi-award-winning series.

Sir Jeremy Isaacs is highly deserving of the numerous awards for documentaries he has received: the Royal Television Society's Desmond Davis Award, l'Ordre National du Mérit, an Emmy, and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. His epic, 26-volume The World at War remains unsurpassed as the definitive visual history of World War II. So well known is this series that almost all baby boomers, and even most Gen-Xers, recognize the opening credits set over burning text and the somber black-and-white images of this war's particular horror. World War II was unique in thousands of ways, one of which was the unparalleled scope of the Axis and Allies' visual documentation of their activities. As a result, this war is understood as much through written histories as it is through its powerful images. The Nazis were remarkably thorough in recording even their most abhorrent atrocities-in an impressive amount of color footage. The World at War was one of the first television documentaries to exploit these resources so completely, giving viewers an unbelievable visual guide to the greatest event in the 20th century. This is to say nothing of the excellent, comprehensible narrative. Some highlights include early German and Nazi documentation of Hitler's rise to power through the impending attack on Poland in volume 1; the early British losses in the blitz in the skies over Britain and in North Africa in volume 12; the turning point of the war and Germany's first defeat in volume 13; one of the most fascinating documentaries of life inside Nazi Germany, from Lebensborn to the Hitler Youth, in volume 16; an unromanticized view of the Normandy invasion (unprecedented until Saving Private Ryan) in volume 17; one of the most widely shown introductions to the Holocaust in volume 18; an important look into wartime Japan and its expansion (although early 20th-century history that lead to Japan's role in World War II is superficial) in volume 22; and another widely seen documentary of the Manhattan Project, the Enola Gay, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki in volume 24. The World at War will remain the definitive visual history of World War II, analogous to Edward Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. [+]

This quartet of videos on the teachings of psychic healer Edgar Cayce are a capable combination of history and how-to. The idea is not to worship the "medical clairvoyant" but to learn his principles well enough to put them into practice. With slow, steady pacing, host Mark Thurston seems like Mr. Rogers taking on the spiritual world. Each video is laden with experts, including psychologists, physicians, and lecturers, as well as less mainstream experts-a natural healer, an intuitive parent, a spiritual guidance counselor. Edgar Cayce on Dreams is the easiest to relate to, and perhaps the most mesmerizing (who hasn't wondered what their dreams mean?), brimming with easy-to-understand advice on dream interpretation. Edgar Cayce on Healing explains his beliefs in the power of natural healing, with plenty of lists to help clarify concepts. Edgar Cayce on Practical Spirituality, featuring Cayce's grandson, offers abundant advice on how to live a spiritual life. The host seems a little uncomfortable in Edgar Cayce on Intuition, perhaps because the subject matter, psychic phenomenon, is a little out there, and definitely not for the skeptical. Still, even when tackling telepathic dreams or intuitive diagnosis, the observations always remain easy to follow. [+]

Meet some extraordinary animals around the world—from bugs to bats and more. Includes All-American Bear, Little Creatures Who Run the World, Mystery of the Animal Pathfinders and a 12-page comprehensive teacher's guide.

A rare opportunity to fly in some of the world’s most fascinating airplanes. Aircraft Carrier! reveals the grueling, yet suddenly thrilling, life aboard the USS Independence. Daredevils of the Sky lets you strap in for a ride with America’s greatest stunt pilots. Stunning in-air photography puts you in the pilot’s seat with the U. S. Aerobatic Team. B-29 Frozen in Time joins a grueling expedition to recover this rare plane from the North Pole after 50 years—a trip which tests team members in ways they never imagined. Includes: Aircraft Carrier: "Montana," "Crash," "Rat" and "Conan"—they're four of the "top guns" aboard the USS Independence, a floating airport with 5000 men and one misson: to provide a safe home base for American fighter planes during the Gulf War. By coincidence, NOVA cameras happened to be on board when the Independence was called to military action. What you'll see in this special film captures the intensity, anger and adrenaline of battle like no cameras have ever before. [+]

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama held a series of advanced teachings in the West, several of which have been captured in extensive video collections. The Wisdom of Manjushri is one such video document: the record of three days in May 1998 when His Holiness was joined in New York City by Venerable Master Sheng-yen of the Ch'an lineage to discuss the central Buddhist teachings on wisdom. The Tibetan tradition, a Vajrayan tradition, incorporates tantric practices guided by a Lama along with more analytical meditations. Manjushri, one among the pantheon of tantric meditational deities, is the embodiment of Buddha's wisdom. In the first tape, His Holiness addresses the core understanding of wisdom in Buddhist teaching: the right understanding of emptiness. Emptiness is thoroughly described in the Prajnaparamita Sutra (known in the West as the Heart Sutra, or teaching), but His Holiness goes also to the Four Noble Truths-particularly to the Third Truth of the Cessation of Suffering-for the root of wisdom. In the second tape, His Holiness discusses the three phases of Manjushri's wisdom: (1) Renunciation, or transcendence of suffering; (2) Cultivation of Bodhichitta, or the desire to achieve enlightenment for all sentient beings; (3) Development of the wisdom of emptiness. The second tape also contains a powerful, personal moment for the Dalai Lama. In discussing his own life and struggles as a student of Buddhism, he stresses how difficult it is to achieve a clear understanding of emptiness. Then, pausing, he begins to weep. [+]