QUEST: 2003 Episodes
 Second
Chance Wilderness
Is there such a thing as true wilderness anymore in northern
New England? And would we know it if we saw it? Not everyone
defines wilderness the same way. And a relatively new science,
conservation biology, is giving us even more options. Experience
the region’s most wild and stunning places as QUEST
seeks out wilderness, old growth forests, and ecological reserves
in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. This is the first widescreen
program ever produced by Maine Public Broadcasting Network!
More Info: federal
law regarding wilderness areas
Featured Scientist: Barbara Vickery
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Lesson Plans: middle
level | secondary
level
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 Autumn
Long before the first leaf turns red or most wild berries
are ripe for eating, the natural world is busy getting ready
for winter. So if fall starts that early for plants and animals,
how do they know the seasons are changing? Witness the incredible
communication that goes on with biochemicals that "tells"
the natural world when to start preparing for colder weather.
More Info: Bird
kills at tall communications towers
Featured Scientist: Rick Van de Poll
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Lesson Plans: middle
level | secondary level
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 Winter
For those plants and animals that don't migrate south
for winter, a lot of preparation goes into getting ready
for winter. But it takes more than that to make it through
our
long cold winters. Creating their own anti-freeze and re-directing
bloodflow are just a few of the amazing adaptations the natural
world has come up with that we’ll explore on QUEST.
What many plants and animals know that we humans don’t
when it comes to dealing with winter.
More Info: Albert's
Research
Featured Scientist: Bernd Heinrich
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Lesson Plans: middle
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 Remote
Sensing
It wasn’t until manned space missions that we learned
how seeing a bigger picture gave us a whole new appreciation
of our world. Now we routinely gather and interpret data from
a distance. See for yourself how remote sensing helped secure
emergency relief funds in the wake of the 1998 ice storm in
northern New England forests. And how satellite images of
microscopic phytoplankton in the Gulf of Maine may help solve
some global warming problems.
More Info: EOS
Featured Scientist: Tom Luther
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Lesson Plans: middle
level | secondary level
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 Managing
Wildlife
Wildlife is always surprising us - even when pushed to the
brink of extinction. Animals we once tried to get rid of are
now literally at our backdoors. Marvel at the triumphant return
of black bear, moose, fisher, and perhaps the cougar. And
see how we’re just beginning to learn about other species.
Discover how it took DNA testing to figure out that some songbird
chicks have three or more parents. QUEST explores how the
mysteries of our wildlife are being solved.
More Info: Bicknell's Thrush
Featured Scientist: Susan Morse
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Lesson Plans: middle
level | secondary level
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 Food
How is it that we’re always dieting yet still face
an epidemic of obesity and diabetes? We are what we eat, nutritionists
tell us. But there seems to be mass confusion about what we
should be eating. QUEST explores how the government's food
pyramid and many of the latest diet plans only make it more
confusing. Get the skinny on what you should know about food.
More Info: Blueberries
Featured Scientist: Jo
Ann Perreault
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