birds

Nicole Le Douarin shares her research on the role of the neural crest in skeletal development. The Q/C (quail/chick) marker system revealed that apart from the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the melanocytes and some endocrine tissues, the NC plays a major role in the construction of the vertebrate head. The entire facial skeleton and part of the skull (frontal, squamosal, parietal bones) are of NC origin together with the connective tissues of the face and ventral part of the neck. The...

West Nile virus entered the United States in 1999 and is now considered a seasonal epidemic that starts in the summer and continues into the fall. First isolated in Uganda in 1937, the virus can cause severe human meningitis or encephalitis in 1% of those infected. In 2007 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported 124 fatalities. The rapid spread of West Nile virus has put local and state mosquito surveillance programs on the front line of public health and disease preparedness. In...

This is a portrait of an ecological study on Flammulated Owls, being conducted in Colorado by Brian Linkhart. The film investigates all aspects of the study: the science, the people, the setting, and the birds themselves. This version is condensed to 15 minutes from the original length of 38 minutes. For the full-length version please contact dakinhenderson@gmail.com.

An overview of the process of photosynthesis and the biology of plants - function, reproduction and life.