Giraffes

Physique, habitat, socialization

The giraffe is a superlative mammal. It is considered the largest land mammal, has a neck up to two meters long and the pattern of its fur is as unique as the fingerprint of a human.

Jane Goodall

Biography and life's work

Jane Goodall is considered a pioneer among behavioral scientists in the world of chimpanzees.

Seals

Species, occurrence, behaviour

Seals belong to the group of water-living mammals. Unlike whales and manatees, which have completely switched to aquatic life, seals lead a life both in the water and on land. This makes these animals special.

Skin

Structure and function

It is essential for survival. It can cool the body, but must be protected from the cold as well as the sun. It changes with age. We are talking about the skin.

Genetic Code Sun

Deciphering the Code of Life

Life on Earth assumes a large variety of shapes. There is plant life and animal life. Protozoa live alongside human beings, ants alongside fish and elephants, a blowball alongside a cactus.

Joints

Structure and Function

To begin with, we distinguish between so-called “real“ and “fake” joints.

Conditioning

Pavlovian Dog and Skinner-box

The theory of classical conditioning is one of several learning theories which explains how behaviours can result from stimulation without, however, taking into consideration the processes in the brain (black box).

Invertebrates

Snails, Worms, Insects and Spiders

The term “invertebrates” was coined by the French zoologist and botanist Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck in the early 19th century. He was the first to address the classification of the then so-called “lower animals” and divided them into different categories and classes.

Starling

Bird of the Year

In general, male and female starlings look very much alike. In spring, starlings assume their nuptial plumage, in autumn, after moulting, they wear their eclipse plumage.

Bean

Structure, Distribution and Use

The word bean refers to both the seeds and the pods surrounding them and often even the whole bean plant. It is not easy to get an overview of the different types of bean plants. Their variety is due to, among other things, their different origins.

Bones

Structure and Function

Enzymes

Chemical Reactions

Almost every biochemical reaction in living organisms is regulated and controlled by enzymes. Without enzymes we could not breathe, digest food and the hereditary information in our cells could not be repaired and copied.

Stomach

Structure and Function

Muscles

Structure, Function, Training

When we talk about muscles, we mostly think of those we can see. These are the arm, chest, abdominal and leg muscles.

Elephants

Anatomy, Sense, Behavior

Elephants belong to the order of Proboscidea. On the one hand they are classed with the highly developed mammals, on the other hand we consider them quite primeval animals. Which is not too far out because a near relation, the mammoth, still lived during the last ice age.

Hidden Sugar

Avoid the Sweet Trap!

Sugar is ever-present in our lives. It is an important supplier of energy, but too much sugar poses a threat to our health.

Typical Boy, Typical Girl

Innate and Acquired

QUOTE girl: "Lots of girls play with Barbie dolls." QUOTE boy: "Typical boys, that’s rather ... more football and more fighting ..."

Fossils

Formation and Places of Discovery

Is it possible for a stone to tell us a story about what animals and plants used to be there in former times? And “former times” does not mean a few centuries but millions of years.

Equilibrium

Maintaining a Balance

All things have weight. Some things are heavy. Others are light. Often you would like to strike a balance. What is light should get heavier and what is heavy should get lighter. When bodies, substances or conditions are balanced, we call it equilibrium.

Human Brain

Structure and Function

Every organism, no matter whether it is an earthworm, a snail, a fish or a human being, takes in information from the environment through differently structured sensory organs.

Blackbirds

Features and Behaviour

The blackbird is one of our most common and best-known songbirds. The nice thing about the blackbird is that it cannot be confused with many other bird species.

Single-cell Organisms

Biodiversity on a Small Scale

The Earth is the only planet known to us where liquid water ─ the source of life ─ exists. Every creature has its own metabolism, which is controlled via an information carrier – the genome.

Common European Adder

Habitat and Mode of Life

The common (European) adder is extremely wide-spread across the globe. The common adder owes its German name “Kreuzotter” (“cross adder”) to the broad zigzagged band on its back, or so-called “cross” in German.

Hamsters

Characteristics, Mode of Life, Protection

Hamsters are small rodents that have four sharp incisors. They are related to mice. With their small beady eyes and the constantly sniffing nose the crepuscular and nocturnal animals look cute.

Genetics

Introduction to Genetic Theory

Genetics means something like genealogy, origin and, in contemporary terminology, also the study of inheritance.

Hygiene

Preventing Disease, Promoting Health

Epidemics such as the cholera or the plague and diseases like the Spanish flu were the causes of the deaths of many people throughout the centuries.

Hare and Rabbit

Similarities and Differences

How do we distinguish between a hare and a rabbit? At first sight, both look confusingly alike for both have long ears and a stumpy tail.

Menstrual Cycle

First Period

Sex education seminar at a girls’ school, 5th-year class. The girls here are 10, 11 years old. Topic: “menstrual cycle and first period“.

Slow Worm

Characteristics, Adjustment, Behaviour

The slow worm is a small, completely harmless lizard, which – contrary to its German name “Blindschleiche”– is perfectly able to see and is often mistaken for a snake because it has no legs and an elongated body.

Human Liver

Structure and Function

Normally you do not feel it, it does not beat like the heart, neither can we feel it like the lungs when we breathe in and out – nevertheless, it is one of our most important organs: the liver.

Ducks

Appearance, Behaviours, Species

Ducks are our best-known water birds. You can watch them on almost any large body of water. Although we come across them frequently, most of us know very little about the lives of ducks. But it is worth our while to look at them more closely.

Eye

Structure and Function

The eye is one of our most important sense organs. It provides direct access to the world. We perceive most information we are flooded with and which has an impact on us via our visual sense.

Neanderthal Man

History of Mankind

For 250,000 years the Neanderthal dominated Europe during the last glacial period until he died out about 30,000 years ago.

Pike

Underwater Predator

The pike is one of our largest native predatory fish. Its mouth is studded with razor-sharp teeth. Its elongated streamlined body makes it as fast as an arrow. The pike is the perfect underwater hunter. At the same time, however, it is prey to a lot of other animals and a popular food fish.

Human Lung

Structure and Function

Only rarely do we notice that we need them: our lungs. Mostly, we breathe unconsciously and shallowly – especially if we have a sitting job.

Chickens

Behaviour, Races and Breeding

In the story of “Max and Moritz“it says: To most people who have leisure Raising poultry gives great pleasure;

The Human Heart

Structure and Functioning

Our life is determined by our heart. In reality as well as symbolically. When we love someone, we lose our heart to that person. When we are courageous, we stand up for something with all our heart. But when we are frightened, our hearts may well be in our boots now and then.

Geese

Domestic Geese and Wild Geese

“They’re gabbling like geese”, “she’s such a stupid goose” or “silly goose”– those are commonly known sayings. But geese are neither stupid nor chatty, gabbling is their language.

Animals in the Forest

Fox, Raccoon, Deer and Others

The forest is home to many animals.

Biotechnology III

Between Progress and Responsibility

Biotechnological knowledge and applications can be divided into several subareas. For easy orientation and distinction, the respective fields have been assigned a specific colour.

Sticklebacks

Change in Males during Spawning Time

More than fifty fish species live in our lakes and rivers. The sticklebacks count among the smallest native freshwater fish.

Allergies

Development and Therapy

The flowering spring meadow, the cute cat from the neighbour’s garden or the bowl with strawberries are a source of joy to most people.

Carnivorous Plants

Carnivores

Up to the middle of the 19th century it was believed that plants exclusively served as a nutritional staple to be eaten by herbivorous primary consumers.

Snails and Their Habitats

Biodiversity and Survival Strategies

They are slow, really slow ... they are soft, they are slimy ...and greedy. Most of us look at them with disgust. But snails and their relatives are fascinating, useful animals and true survivors.

Metabolic Disorder Diabetes

Regulation of the Blood Glucose Level

Big break in the school yard of the Freiherr vom Stein school. The pupils are talking or playing. Amidst them is Felix, twelve years old. He is always with them.

The Ear

Structure, Function and Care

Large or small, narrow or broad, round or angular. Our ears may be of a variety of shapes.

Heath

Cultural Landscape in Transformation

One of the last big heathland areas in Germany is located west of the Lower Saxon town of Lüneburg – the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve.

Earthworm

Structure and Behaviour

It is slippery, soft and slimy, burrows in the moist soil and many just find it disgusting – the earthworm.

Biotechnology II

Revolution in Medicine

The results of the fundamental research in genetics and genetic engineering are the basis for the further development of biotechnology, whose basics have already been covered in part I of the biotechnology series. In conjunction with findings in microbiology, biotechnology has made significant progress.

Sharks

Characteristics and Hazards

The enormous size of the jaws and the frightening teeth of sharks have always attracted people's interest. Horrifying news of attacks on humans did the rest – "Jaws“: Steven Spielberg turned this best seller by Peter Benchley into a world-famous film.

Horses

Birth, Care and Species - appropriate

They are the epitome of power and elegance. Man domesticated them long after dog and cat, they provided meat, were strong agricultural helpers pulling ploughs and other implements.

Alexander von Humboldt

His Work and Legacy up to Our Time

The name of Alexander von Humboldt, who is considered the last polymath and is still admired as second discoverer in Latin America, is omnipresent. Schools, ships, mountains, rivers, squares are named after him; but above all animals and plants were given his name.

Mice, Small Rodents

Characteristics of Various Species

Mice are found almost everywhere. The small agile rodents live in forests, meadows and fields but also in our very midst. They have long or short tails, big or small ears. Even if they differ on the outside, all of them have one thing in common: sharp incisors with which they gnaw their way through life.

Biotope: Gravel Pit

Home to Rare Plants and Animals

The forest has been cleared, the bridge is already in place, too. Only the road surface is missing. In Germany, every day an area the size of 125 soccer fields disappears under concrete and asphalt.

Structure of the Forest

Division into Layers

Forests are more than an accumulation of trees. The individual tree is more than a valuable source of wood. From its roots to its crown, it offers habitats to a variety of the most different creatures.

Whales

Way of Life, Threats, Protection

Humans have always found them fascinating: whales, the giants of the seas. Whales can be classified either as baleen whales or toothed whales.

Habitats in Human Hands

Changing Nature

Forests, hedges, heathlands or colourful meadows are the epitome of unspoilt nature for us.

Large Herbivores

Megaherbivores

For a long time it was believed that, thousands of years ago, Central Europe was covered with almost uninterrupted primeval forests. Squirrels could cross these forests from the Alps to the North Sea without once touching ground – or so the common assumption was.

Mammals I

Vertebrates 5

When we talk about animals in everyday conversation, we mostly talk about mammals. Mammals live in water, on land and in the air

Birds

Vertebrates 4

This DVD from the Vertebrates series comprehensively introduces birds by means of various examples of indigenous, tropical and polar bird species.

Reptiles

Vertebrates 3

This DVD offers a clearly structured overview over reptiles with an emphasis on the following aspects: The origin of reptiles is proven by fossil finds from all over the world.

Amphibians

Vertebrates 2

More than 350 million years ago, the evolution of amphibians set in. Amphibians developed from fish – a first step towards life on land. Diverse reproduction strategies, manifold forms of appearance and a broad spectrum of sizes, ranging from the tiny Brazil litter frog to the giant salamander, constitute the special characteristics of the class of amphibians.

Fish

Vertebrates 1

This DVD offers a clearly structured overview of fish with an emphasis on the following aspects: The typical body build of fish and their adaptation to the water habitat are shown. The fish skeleton proves that they are vertebrates.

Vertebrates

Development and Diversity

This DVD introduces the members of vertebrates group existing today, illustrated by various examples. The phyloge- netic development, which started in the primeval oceans, is shown in detail by means of homologous skeleton structures.

Mushrooms

An Unknown Realm

This DVD offers a clearly structured survey of mushrooms with an emphasis on the following aspects: Mushrooms of different shapes and colours present their fruit bodies. The reproduction by means of spores is shown with different kinds of mushrooms.

Contraception

Love and Responsibility

In view of a considerable number of teenage pregnancies and commencement of sexual activities at an average age of 15, the topic of contraception is extremely important in lower secondary school.

The Ladybird

Insect of the Year 2006

The seven-spotted ladybird was chosen insect of the year 2006. Besides the characteristics of this and other ladybird species, the film also shows the reproduction and develop- ment of various species and their geographic ranges.

Succession

The Resettlement of a Biotope

At the Hirschkopf near Mössingen, on April 13, 1983, 700,000 truckloads of rock slid down into the valley – a “biological ground zero” was created. After more than 20 years, the slide area has developed from a hostile scree desert devoid of humus into an ecological treasure and was included in the UNESCO list of national geotopes.

Aids

A Temporary Life

AIDS is an issue that remains critical in view of the globally increasing infection rates. This DVD informs pupils on the immune deficiency disease and the ways in which the infection is passed on, it shows the scale of the pandemic and tries to make the young viewers aware of the difficult situation of those afflicted by it.

Air and Respiration

Learning Circle

The subject of air and respiration offers a variety of starting points for an interdisciplinary approach. This DVD contains essential aspects for teaching pupils in the first years of secondary school.

Bees, Bumblebees and Wasps

Observation and Protection

Our smallest domestic animals, the honey bees, belong to the insect order of hymenoptera just like bumblebees, wasps and ants.

Poison

Benefits and Risks

Throughout history, humans have always tried to understand the mysterious power of toxins. In doing so, they sometimes discovered healing medicine, and sometimes lethal mixtures.

Ecosystem Forest

Structure and Characteristics

The forest – it is not only a collection of trees but a dynamic symbiosis of many different plants and animals. Their com- plex interdependence forms the basis of the ecosystem.

The Beaver

A Returnee to Our Contryside

Natural river and lake areas are becoming increasingly rare. With expensive measures to restore them to their natural state, efforts are being made to recreate them. Here, an animal may be helpful: the beaver.

The Honey Bee

Life in the Beehive

Untiringly, the honey bees fly from flower to flower, constantly in search of pollen and sweet nectar. These busy workers live together in a complex social system an insight into which is provided by this film. In vivid pictures, it describes the life of the honey bee in the bee colony and deals with the inhabi- tants of the beehive and their strict division of labour.

Evolution

Primates

Of all mammals existing today, the primates have the oldest phylogenetic tree. This film shows on the basis of extant species of the order of primates, which we humans also belong to, the phylogenetic tendencies in evolution from the treeshrew to prosimians, monkeys and apes to the genus homo.

The Eurasian Eagle Owl

The Largest Owl of the World

With a body length of 60 to 75 cm and a wingspan of up to 170 cm, the Eurasian eagle owl is the largest owl in the world. It is also referred to as “king of the night skies”.

Spiders

Small Animals of Great Significance

Spiders evoke fear and disgust with many people. Spiders living in or near houses are often killed by humans or vacuumed away with their vacuum cleaners. But that does not need to happen! Spiders contribute to the biological balance by eating mosquitoes, flies and other pests. A world without spiders would be scary!

The White Stork

Commuter between Europe and Africa

People have always found the white stork fascinating. It is a large, conspicuous bird, which exposes itself to human curiosity by the choice of its nesting places, therefore people tend to assign meaning to its behaviour. Today, the white stork is still believed to bring good luck.

Ticks

Dangerous Pests

Already the dinosaurs, which populated the Earth some 90 million years ago, were familiar with the tiny, dangerous pests, and the Greek poet Homer attributed healing and potency-enhancing effects to them in the late 8th century BC – however, only in pulverised form.

Ecosystem Sea

Sharks and Whales

The oceans have been the largest connected ecosystem of the world since hundreds of millions of years. All life originated here, and a stable system ranging from single-cell plants and animals to huge vertebrates has been established.

Microcosm

Unimaginably Small

We perceive the world we live in with our sense organs. However, perception with our senses represents only a limited part of the cosmos we live in. There is a world eluding the perception of our eyes. It exists hidden away for its cosmos is extremely small. The world of microcosm. This world is full of fascination and surprises.

Nationalpark

Hohe Tauern

In the Hohe Tauern National Park you can experience with all your senses the peaceful coexistence of wild nature and human creativity, the diversity of nature as well as its significance as an ecosystem preserve in the heart of Europe. Pristine forests, species-rich mountain meadows and the alpine primeval landscape of the highest mountains in Austria quite naturally evoke a thirst for knowledge.

The Common Buzzard

Characteristics and Behaviour

The common buzzard is a well-known native bird of prey. You can often see it flying above fields or sitting by the roadside. But what are the typical characteristics and behaviour patterns of the common buzzard? The film covers the biological classification of the common buzzard, its characteristics and behaviour.

Worth Eating

Biodynamic Farming in Sicily

Bio/eco – words that earlier on were likely to cause smiles but today are simply part of a modern lifestyle. Taking care that textiles, cars and especially victuals are produced ecologically compatible is a trend. However, it is not only a bad conscience that induces us to buy a bio apple instead of sprayed apples.

Endangered Rainforest

Climate and Species Protection

The small proportion of about 7% of the entire surface of the earth covered by rainforest is of global significance from various perspectives. The survival of tropical rainforests has been on the agenda of all conservationist organisations for decades. But in spite of all their endeavours and the many political promises made, more hectares of rainforest are destroyed every day than ever before.

Hormones

Hidden Messengers

Hormones influence our lives. Just like our nervous system, they transmit information in our bodies. When our hormonal balance is disrupted, our behaviour changes and we may fall ill. But what are hormones? Why have they got such a big influence? Where are they produced? And how do they work? The film leads us inside the human body – into the world of hormones.

Life along the River

Floodplains and their Inhabitants

Rivers are important ecosystems and habitats for plants and animals. The biodiversity of animals and plants in and on the water is enormous. People, too, have always appreciated the river as a living space and have used it in various ways up to now.

Dragonflies

Primeval Predators

The dragonfly – a fascinating hunter with incredible skills: with its iridescent wings, which make up two per cent of its body weight, it manoeuvres artistically in the air and serves as a model for ultra-lightweight design. A survival specialist that has been dwelling on earth for 320 million years.

Biodiversity

Threatened Variety of Species

The exact numbers of plant and animal species on earth are unknown. What we do know, though, is that there is a dramatic decline in the variety of species mainly triggered by man. The "threats to biodiversity" as well as their causes are the topics of this film. It illustrates the reckless exploitation of the resources of the earth on land and in the oceans.

Bats

Night Animals

Bats are the only mammals that can fly actively. In mythology they represent the dark element and were the inspiration behind the invention of vampire stories. On account of their nocturnal way of life and their dark appearance, they are considered scary by many people. But the nocturnal hunters are by no means keen on human blood. They mainly hunt insects, thus assuming an important role as natural pest controllers

Ecosystem Lake

Freshwater Fascination

Lakes are stagnant waters that look quite peaceful to us. But the quiet is deceptive: above and below the water surface, life is anything but peaceful. Phytoplankton and zooplankton are eaten by small predators such as polyps or hydrachnidiae. Toebiters, dragonfly and beetle larvae are food for the water scorpion.

Blossoms

Structure and Pollination

In impressive pictures several interesting biological topics are conveyed by this film: knowledge of the structure of blossoms, their variety of forms as well as significance and purpose of their colours and scents.

Basics of BIOLOGY I

Plant Cells, Photosynthesis, Respiration

Basics of BIOLOGY I – Plant Cells, Photosynthesis, Respiration Basics of Biology examines general biological issues that help to expand and consolidate basic biological knowledge. The first film of this series deals with the structure of the plant cell. It centres around the structure and function of plant tissue such as the xylem, root cells and stomata as well as the functions of the chloroplasts

Basics of Biology II

Energy Cycles

In its first chapter, Basics of Biology II deals with the food chain. The producers as the basis of the food chain and the consumers, the herbivores and carnivores, are introduced /presented. Further focus points are the energy intake through food as well as the energy losses connected with it.

Mute Swan

Swans throughout the Year

Swans are an ornament to our waters. The majestic birds with their snow-white plumage are considered the very epitome of beauty and purity. Not every swan, however, is white. It is the Mute Swan that has inspired people’s imagination for ages. Seemingly an old acquaintance, it has nevertheless a great many unknown features for us to discover.

Basics of Biology III

Enzymes and Animal Cells

DVD: Basics of Biology III - Enzymes and Animal Cells What is the importance and function of enzymes? The lock-and-key principle is explained and, based on amylase and katalase, the dependence of reaction speed and intensity of effect on temperature and pH-value can be seen.

Penguins

Adaptation to Habitat

Most people know penguins only from the zoological garden. There they arouse many visitors’ interest. This is, on the one hand, because of their peculiar black-and-white colouring, which reminds you of a tail coat, on the other hand, because of their upright walk.

Parasites

Invisible Survival Strategies

Parasites are not a small group of organisms, as many believe. Parasitism is a specific mode of life in which one creature, a parasite, lives on another creature and feeds on it. Apart from well-known parasites such as ticks or bed bugs, also animals like the cuckoo or the ichneumon fly and plants, for example the mistletoe, live parasitically.

Ecosystem Bog

Endangered Habitat

Bogs are rough, sparse and inaccessible regions, neither water nor land. This applies in particular to raised bogs. One wrong step in this soaking wilderness might be fatal. How a bog is formed was unknown to people for thousands of years. After the last ice age, that is about 10,000 years ago, bog formation began. Enormous amounts of water were released as a consequence of the melting of the ice shields.

Migratory Birds

Wanderers in the Sky

Wenn Vogelarten die Jahreszeiten an unterschiedlichen Orten verbringen, werden sie als Zugvögel bezeichnet. Mehrere Milliarden von ihnen sind jährlich unterwegs. Alljährlich machen sie sich von ihren Brutplätzen auf den Weg in ihr Winterquartier und zurück. Dabei fliegen manche Arten Tausende Kilometer.

Wadden Sea

Habitat between Ebb and Flow

Wadden Seas are parts of seas or landscapes on the coast respectively. Characteristic of these landscapes is that Wadden Seas are particularly exposed to the tides. There are many Wadden Seas in the temperate zones all over the world. The sea accessible by wading is usually flooded twice a day during high tide. The areas drying out at low tide are called mudflats.

Groundwater

Treasure beneath Our Feet

When we open the tap, it gushes out: drinking water – clear and clean. It is our most important victual and can be replaced by NOTHING. On average every inhabitant of Germany consumes 125 litres every day! But where does our drinking water come from?

Cranes

Symbol of Nature Protection

They are counted among the most elegant and distinctive domestic birds. Due to their size, cranes can hardly be overlooked. Their call can be heard for miles. And: You hear them more and more often.

Blood

Our Elixir of Life

One moment of distraction and the damage is done: Tim has slipped and has scraped his knee. The wound begins to bleed. Back home, Tim is comforted by his mother and a plaster is put on the knee.

Fish Farming

Carp, Trout and Other Fish

Lakes, rivers and streams are the natural habitats of our freshwater fish. Some of them, such as carp, trout and char, are eaten as food fish.

Hunters and Hunted

Animals in Africa

The African night is not for sleeping. A lot is going on there. The hunters are lying in ambush and the preys are on alert.

Organic Farm

In Harmony with Nature

That is how we imagine an ideal farm. Free-range hens, cows are being driven from the pasture into the stable, a cat is straying across the yard, the dog is watching over everything...

New Species in our Environment

Invasive Species

More and more animal and plant species successfully spread far away from their original homes. They are organisms that with our assistance – or even alone – are disseminated further and further across the globe: they are called invasive species.

Infections

Prevention and Therapies

’Health isn’t everything but everything is nothing without health.‘ – This clever sentence comes from the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.

Biotechnology I

Basics

Biotechnology is the application of science and technology to living organisms. Today, biotechnology plays an increasingly important role in everyday life.

Vaccination

Why? For What Reason? Against What?

It is only in recent years that a vaccination has existed that is supposed to lower the risk of getting cervical cancer. This vaccination can protect against specific, sexually transmitted human papillomaviruses that are considered one of the causes for cervical cancer. Even though we consider our high health status as a matter of course in Germany today, it is not so very long ago that in Europe, too, many people died of diseases such as smallpox or typhus or had to suffer from the after-effects of diseases like poliomyelitis...