The Times Editor may take a break, but I don't!! This week's shows include gunpowder chemistry, deadly fish, daredevils, and how they made the Statue of Liberty and the Wizard of Oz. Not at the same time, of course, lol!

Friday, June 29

"Tampering With Nature" (ABC, 10-11 p.m. ET/PT) In this documentary reporter John Stossel asks kids if they are frightened by the way their teachers present environmental science topics such as global warming, genetic engineering, solar power, nuclear power and human cloning. The program also describes a last minute effort by parents of some of the 8 and 10 year old kids who were filmed to cut what their children said out of the show. Everybody involved with this show, adults and kids, seems to think everybody else is being un-scientific in their thinking about the environment. Watch the show, form your own opinion and let Whyville know what you think!

Saturday, June 30

"Science And Technology Week" (CNN, 1:30-2 p.m. ET, 10:30- 11 a.m. PT) If you have ever wondered how they decide when, or if, a species is "endangered", watch the report in this newsmagazine. It's about the annual count of the California sea otter population. But even if you don't care about census methodology, you'll enjoy the show anyway because otters are the cutest things ever.

Sunday, July 1

"The DuPont Dynasty" (5-6 p.m. ET/PT) This is a documentary about gunpowder chemistry and the spin-off industries that emerged from it. The family that's controlled much of this branch of science -- from the time of George Washington's armies to the Gulf War -- made a fortune in the chemical business and is now trying to figure out ways, through recycling technology and energy conservation, to do its business in an environmentally friendly way.

"Stings, Fangs and Spines" (Discovery Channel, 10-11 p.m. ET/PT) This is a documentary about deadly species of fish, lizards and snakes, and how scientists are using these animals' poisons to treat human diseases.

Monday, July 2

"Chasing the Sun" (PBS, 9-10 p.m. ET/PT) This is the initial episode of a 4-part documentary series about pioneers of flight technology and the airline business. One of the people introduced this first show, which focuses on daredevil fliers, is Harriet Quimby, the first American woman to get a pilot's license. The other shows in the mini-series are about early transoceanic flight on July 9. Then comes jet propulsion and supersonic flight on July 16, and finally the business of air travel and the business of making jetliners on July 23. (The real topic of this series is the fierce competition among designers, pilots and everyone else involved.) Image courtesy of KCET/Hollywood.

"Fireworks: An Explosive Story" (Discovery Channel, 9-10 p.m. ET/PT) Despite the cutesy title, this documentary is a solid report about the evolution of pyrotechnic science (that should have been the name of the show) over the centuries. You'll also see some rather huge, strange modern fireworks displays being made and set off.

"48 Hours: Something Wild" (CBS, 10-11 p.m. ET/PT) Do you think your pet has a high I.Q., or any I.Q at all? This is a documentary report about new studies of animal intelligence.

Tuesday, July 3

"America's Stonehenge" (History Channel, 8-9 p.m.) This astronomy and archeology documentary about prehistoric sites in New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts examines how various 4,000 year old tunnels and stone monoliths discovered there are apparently aligned to solar and lunar events such as the solstice.

"Science Times" (National Geographic Channel, 9-10 p.m. ET, 6-7 p.m. PT) This new science-news series, produced by the National Geographic Channel and New York Times Television, presents 3 stories each week about discoveries in science, medicine and technology. This episode includes a report on tracking, predicting and fighting major forest fires, a profile of a marine biologist fighting the fishing industry interests that threaten to deplete the oceans' of many types of fish, and a report about a biologist who used ultralight planes to lead captive-bred cranes on a migration to establish new breeding colonies.

"The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz: 50 Years Of Magic" (Turner Classic Movies, 10-11 p.m. ET, 7-8 p.m. PT) This documentary lets you do exactly what you're not supposed to do. Remember the famous scene in the movie where Dorothy is told, "Don't look at the man behind the curtain!" Well, here's a look behind the scenes at the movie studio, exposing all the technical gimmicks that the film makers used to create Oz. You'll even see some tricks that were left out of the movie because they were maybe too scary for kids. See if you agree. This documentary is available in some video stores.

Wednesday, July 4

"Statue Of Liberty" (The Learning Channel, 7- 8 p.m. ET/PT) This documentary uses computer-generated animation to explain the complex engineering that went into the making of the famous 151 ft. high statue. Its iron interior frame was designed by Gustave Eiffel (famous for his tower in Paris) and the copper outside was designed by Frederic Bartholdi (who made Liberty look like his girlfriend).

Thursday, July 5

"Ship Of Gold" (History Channel, 8-9 p.m. ET/PT) This is a documentary about modern underwater exploration technology used for finding sunken treasure -- in this case 21 tons of gold lost during America's worst peacetime sea disaster when a ship returning from the California goldfields in 1857 went down off North Carolina with 400 people aboard.