History of life on earth #1

This is the first of a series of four broadcasts on the history of life on earth. George Gaylord Simpson, AMNH paleontologist, and Norman Dennis Newell of the Department of Fossil Invertebrates discuss the history of life and man's place in it. The program begins with electron microscope views of single-celled organisms and includes a discussion of fossils and a film entitled Birth of a Baby, produced by the Association of Medical Colleges and George Washington University. The Simplest Animals, a film on invertebrates produced by Ralph Buchsbaum, is shown on this program as well. Robert Northshield, the science reporter for the Adventure series, learns how to use the huge electron microscope at the North American Philips Corporation, which made the instrument available for these broadcasts. The use of the electron microscope for the first time on television and the sight of living micro-organisms create a sense of wonder and excitement for this show.