Natural History of an Alien
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| Natural History of an Alien | |
|---|---|
| Format | Speculative Fiction/Sci-Fi |
| Starring | Various astronomers and scientists |
| Country of origin |  United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 1 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 1 hour with commercials |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Discovery Channel |
| Picture format | Unknown |
| Original airing | 1998 |
Natural History of an Alien also known as "Anatomy of an Alien" in the US was an early Discovery Channel show similar to Alien Planet. This show featured various alien ecosystem projects from the Epona Project to Ringworld. It also featured many notable scientists and science fiction authors such as Dr. Jack Cohen, Derek Briggs, Christopher McKay, David Wynn-Williams, Emily Holton, Peter Cattermole, Brian Aldiss, Sil Read, Wolf Read, Edward Smallwood, Adega Zuidema, Steve Hanly, Kevin Warwick and Dougal Dixon.
Contents |
[edit] Aliens
- Europa Cone Bacteria
- Europa Sea Vent Herbivore
- Europa Sea Vent Carnivore
- Pterapede
- Sputnik Bug
- Splatter Bug
- Heliconian Tree
- Sulfuria Balloon Plant
- Sulfuria Umbrella Worm
- Epona Pagoda Tree
- Epona Spring Croc
- Epona Uther
- Green World Curlywhorl
- Green World Pud
- Green World Armored Quag
[edit] Plot
You are in an intergalactic spaceship named the SS Attenborough run by a little green alien.
[edit] Cambrian Earth
They first arrive on Earth 530 million years ago during the Cambrian period. There they encounter creatures such as the Anomalocaris and Opabinia.
[edit] Mars
They visit Mars and talk about the possibility that early Mars had liquid water and microbial life at one point in time.
[edit] Asteroids
They visit asteroids and talk about the possibility of panspermia seeding solar system with life.
[edit] Europa
They visit Europa and find alien life living deep below the ice near geothermal vents. There they show a basic ecosystem with tube bacteria which grow around the vents, then aquatic herbivores feeding off them and then aquatic carnivores living off the herbivores. The cone bacteria is orange in color and reaches from the vent all the way up to the top of the ice sheet. The herbivores are torpedo shaped and have bioluminescent marks on each side. The Carnivores are also torpedo shaped and use echolocation to find the herbivores.
[edit] High Gravity Planet
They visit a high gravity planet they encounter many insect-like aliens who have adapted to 15 times Earth's gravity. High gravity means thicker atmosphere and easier flight. The "Pterapede" was an example of flight with smaller wings. It also goes underwater to shed its exoskeleton where gravity has less effect on it. It has lungs on the tip of its tail and legs straight under its body.
The "Sputnik Bug" is another inhabitant of this planet. It has many spines all over its body and rolls up into a ball. Tis allows it to safely roll down the many sand dunes. However the "Splatter Bug" is an evolutionary dead end and when it falls of dune with its soft body it dies in a big splat.
[edit] Heliconia
They visit the science fiction world of "Heliconia" which was created Brian Aldiss. Its a binary system and they show how life can adapt to having 2 suns. One more notable species was a tree which looked like a stump. It would open up its top and bloom during the warmer periods and then stay dormant during the cold periods.
[edit] Sulfuria
They visit the science fiction world of "Sulfuria" which was created Dougal Dixon. It is a sulfur rich world with strange "balloon plant" which are tethered to the surface via a huge stalk. When the balloon plants rub up against each other they share genetic material and make baby balloons. These in turns bud off and grow.
Tiny "umbrella worms" take oxygen from the balloon plant and then parachutes down to the bottom. There they eat the roots of the balloon plant. Once fatten up they make their epic journey back up the stalk of the balloon planet to mate.
[edit] Epona
The visit Epona an imaginary ecosystem created by group scientists and science fiction writers called The Epona Project. On this elaborate ecosystem are species such as "Pagoda Tree", "Spring Croc" and "Uther". Pagoda trees have large blue circular leaves which can move out of the way of herbivores. The uthers are a strange four winged flying fish creature which uses a chemical called "boost" which is a combination of hydrogen peroxide and ethanol. This allows the uthers encredable stamina.
[edit] Green World
They visit the science fiction world of "Green World" which was created by Dougal Dixon. It is an Earth-like planet filled with lush rainforests. Some of the more notable species include the "Curlywhorl", "Pud" and "Armored Quag". All of these species originate from starfish-like ancestors with radial symmetry but now have evolved into bilateral symmetry.
[edit] Artificial Life
The ship encounters an artificial lifeforms from a robotic cube ship. It uses solar panels to gather energy and mines asteroids to get resources to grow. It even sends down a probe to "Green World" explore it. One such probe looked like a metal centipede in appearance.
[edit] External links
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