Educational Media Reviews Online

This fascinating documentary guides the viewer through the story of our universe, from its birth to the present time. It does this by combining modern science with stories and wisdom from world cultures, exploring cosmic evolution and Earth evolution as a combination of interdependence, creativity, and connection, and asking the question: What role do humans play in the 14 billion-year process, and how do we connect with the intricate web of life?

Along with the documentary, there is a companion 4-DVD set titled Journey of the Universe: Conversations that is a 20-part, 10-hour series including one-on-one interviews with a number of prestigious scientists, historians, and environmentalists. These interviews focus on two areas: the emergence of universe, earth, life and humans; and the emerging earth community. A program summary is included with this set, which has short descriptions of each of the contents of the DVDs and the expert that is being interviewed. At the end of the pamphlet there is reference to “The Earth Charter,” a global ethics statement completed in 2000 that provides a framework for integrating ecology, peace, and justice within a cosmological charter. Although not included in this review, there is a companion book titled Journey of the Universe from Yale University Press. More information on this unique and excellent resource can be found on the film’s web site. I highly recommend these DVDs for any group discussing evolution, the universe, our planet, and human development.