Episode
Horizon: Emerging Viruses
Overview
In this report, Horizon follows a group of eminent scientists who believe we have become too complacent about infectious diseases.
Details
- Series
- Horizon
- Season
- Season 28
- Episode
- Episode 17
- Air date
- 1991-05-13
- Runtime
- 60 min
Episode context
Emerging Viruses is Episode 17 in 1991 of Horizon. It aired on 1991-05-13. The runtime is 60 min.
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Episode 16: Colonising Cyberspace
Horizon presents a documentary on how virtual reality can make humans feel as if they are present in the computer simulated artificial world. What is the future of all this powerful, seductive technology?
Episode 18: Camelford - A Bitter Aftertaste
Horizon explores the Camelford disaster, in which aluminium sulphate was accidentally added to drinking water in Cornwall in 1988.
More episodes from this season
Episode 15: Inside Chernobyl's Sarcophagus
Documentary following the clean-up operation at Chernobyl and the elite team of Soviet scientists working in areas of radiation that would be considered lethal in the West, whilst they hunt for missing fuel, uranium and plutonium, anxious that these could cause a second accident.
Episode 19: Of Big Bangs, Stick Men and Galactic Holes
Several astronomers and scientists explore the concepts of "hot/cold dark space" and whether or not the "Big Bang" theory is actually correct, as well as considering the structures of galaxies.
Episode 14: The First Americans
Horizon looks at archaeologist's new theories surrounding the population of the New World over 11,000 years ago
Episode 20: Food For Thought
This story by Horizon looks at the expanding and controversial area of "smart drugs".
Episode 13: Measuring the Roof of the World
Horizon examines the problems and cartography involved in mapping mountains such as Mount Everest. They follow the history of of mapping from those surveys conducted by mountaineering expeditions and early explorers, to modern mapping techniques using planes and satellites. Horizon also considers the startling news that K2 may actually be the world's tallest mountain according to recent satellite calculations.
Episode 21: The Long Road to the West
In this Horizon episode, we look at the problems facing the Carl Zeiss optics company of Jena and other companies in the scientific sector of the former Eastern block countries. Following the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War, harsh economic conditions and the lack of scientific progress over the preceding decades in particular are explored.
Episode 12: The Terracotta Time Machine
This episode of Horizon explores the Natural History Museum and its philosophy, both past and present. We look at some of the recent innovations that have been introduced in the past few years. The recent director of the museum, Dr. Neil Chalmers, justifies his policies, restructuring, and the academics. The scientists, who are adversely affected by the policies, air their own worries and concerns.
Episode 22: Half Hearted About Semi-Skimmed
Horizon examines the social and scientific issues around the cholesterol debate.
Episode 11: Cashing in on Paradise
This Horizon episode considers the pros and cons of "ecotourism" and the effects of tourism on the environment. The coral reefs of areas of Belize are suffering already from the effects tourists coming to the area. Rain forests and ape sanctuary areas employing the local community are also becoming a danger to the delicate environments.
Episode 23: T-Rex Exposed
Considers some of the different theories surrounding the Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur, and other members of the same family, and shows how calculations about size, speed, weight, etc. are made from skeletons, some of them recently discovered in Montana. Scientists also use the latest x-ray/scanning techniques to examine skulls and bones for information.