Premieres Thursday, November 19 at 10 p.m.

The Botany of Desire premieres Sunday, November 1 at 9 p.m. on WLIW21

Flowers. Trees. Plants. We’ve always thought that we controlled them. But what if, in fact, they have been shaping us? Using this provocative question as a jumping off point, The Botany of Desire takes you on an eye-opening exploration of humans’ relationship with the plant world — as seen from the plant’s point of view. Based on Michael Pollan’s best-selling book of the same name and narrated by Frances McDormand (Fargo, Almost Famous), the special premieres Sunday, November 1 at 9 p.m.

The Botany of Desire examines the unique plant-human relationship through the stories of four familiar species and relates how they evolved to satisfy humans’ most basic yearnings. Linking fundamental human desires for sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control with the plants that satisfy them – apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes — The Botany of Desire elucidates how humans are intricately woven into the web of nature and do not stand outside of it.

Watch bonus videos and learn more.

Each Healthy Minds episode page features a sidebar with resources specific to the conditions featured in that episode. Below are general resources on mental illness and psychiatry. If you have additional questions, please contact Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein.

APA: Let’s Talk Facts About What Is Mental Illness? brochure

APA: Let’s Talk Facts About Choosing a Psychiatrist brochure

APA: Mental Illness

American Psychiatric Association

American Psychiatric Foundation

National Alliance on Mental Illness

National Institute of Mental Health

National Mental Health Association

NARSAD: Disorders Glossary

SAMHSA: National Mental Health Information Center

SAMHSA: Mental Health Services Locator

NARSAD: Patients and Families guide

Healthy Minds Bonus Videos
Hosted by NARSAD

Adolescents and Antidepressants

Alzheimer’s Disease

Anxiety and Stress

Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Chemical Dependency

Depression

Insomnia

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Schizophrenia

Suicide Prevention

Visions® of the Sea turns any television into the ultimate aquarium as viewers dive deep into the wild and whirling adventure of life in the ocean. Join the swooping watery flights of manta rays and the nimble acrobatics of humpback whales. Witness camouflage techniques that disguise both prey and predator so well before your eyes, you’re not sure who to root for. Go beyond the usual vacation encounter with coral, stunning in both color and their ability to build massive reefs that function as complex underwater cities.

A soundtrack as varied as the species showcased transforms everyday life under water into a succession of showstoppers. The Spanish dancer nudibranch charms with its fluid movements set to a salsa beat. A school of fish swims to a ragtime piano tune. Classical music complements timeless habitats serenely secluded thousands of leagues beneath busy 21st century lives. Tribal percussive beats give sonic foil to single-celled organisms whose complex function belies their simple form. Narration introduces viewers to unfamiliar organisms and reacquaints them with the sharks, clownfish and other creatures they think they already know. Footage shot by legendary underwater cinematographer Al Giddings (The Abyss, Titanic), using innovative cameras, lighting and optical systems, allows access like never before.

Visions® of the Sea sets the scene for the camera’s dive beneath the surface with footage of the rain and waterfalls that would have sourced the Earth’s oceans four and a half billion years ago. Flash from those days eons ago to the present, and visit with an animal that inhabits every ocean in the world, yet remains unchanged from its earliest incarnations – the jellyfish.

What was, what is and what will be, all exist simultaneously in this world. It is clear in footage of the East Pacific Rise off the coast of Mexico in the Pacific Ocean, more than one mile-and-a-half under water, where frozen lava and sulfurous plumes at 700 degrees Fahrenheit create a seemingly inhospitable environment. Here, giant tube worms as thick as human arms and as tall as five feet thrive perilously close to the molten core of the earth along with highly specialized bacteria and archaea, among the most ancient forms of life. All over the world’s oceans the prehistoric adaptive success story of coral offers views of glowing underwater trees and dense, stone structures fortified by layers built generation upon generation. Visions® of the Sea celebrates the adaptive mastery of these and other living fossils, including the nautilus and its cousins – the octopus, squid, cuttlefish, sea slug, and sea snail – allowing equal time for predator and prey.

From the tiny arthropods that comprise the krill that swarms as living clouds in all the world’s oceans to the whales that depend on it for the staple of their diet, Visions® of the Sea offers television viewers once-in-a-lifetime encounters with an impressive variety of ocean life. In one moment, the camera experiences new life amidst thousands of hatchings of red crabs – in the next, a crinoid’s tentacle snatches an unsuspecting meal. And the ocean’s housekeepers, scavengers like the sea cucumber, clean up after it all.

Deep in the ocean, Visions® of the Sea swims with the sharks, fearsome in reputation but many without a mean bone – or any true bone, teeth being the closest thing anatomically – in their body. The program takes viewers along as they patrol the ocean, look for food and get their teeth cleaned, a life saving role for the little fish that could just as easily be dinner for a reef shark. This type of symbiotic relationship, beneficial to both parties, is also seen in the odd couplings of the Gobi fish and the shrimp, and the clown fish and the anemone. Visions® of the Sea exposes the secret lives of crustaceans, reveals the mating habits of whales and even sleeps with the fishes, exploring a world not so different from our own.

Visions® of the Sea is the 23rd program in WLIW21’s acclaimed Visions® series, and the first to bring viewers below the earth’s surface for stunning perspectives of the world. The other programs in the series feature aerial views of the world’s top travel destinations, including Italy, Greece, Puerto Rico, France, Israel, New York City, the United Kingdom, and Germany. For video previews, DVDs and more information on past Visions® programs, visit visionsof.org.

A co-production of GW Intertainment and WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG. Executive Producers: Roy A Hammond, Al Giddings and Matt White. Producer/Writer: Sam Toperoff.

Shot in high definition from a helicopter-mounted camera, VISIONS® OF SICILY showcases the unique and dramatic beauty of a place like no other. A part of Italy but very much a land unto itself, Sicily has always defied categorization ­ its geography born of powerful volcanic forces and shaped by the influence of conquering Greek, Iberian, Roman, Byzantine, North African, Arab, French and central European cultures throughout the centuries. Now seen from an aerial advantage, it exceeds expectations. VISIONS® OF SICILY is a guided tour physically impossible by any other means, informed by a narrative as richly textured as the island’s rocky crags and set to a soundtrack distinctly Sicilian in its variety. From ancient fishing ports to modern autostradas, the helicopter surveys all that Sicily was and has become.

VISIONS® OF SICILY begins as most Sicilian stories have for 3,000 years, at the ancient port of Messina on the northeast tip of the island. The awesome Aeolian archipelago requires a short detour off the coast to reveal rocky islands as unpredictable as the Greek god of the winds that was their namesake ­ Vulcano, Stromboli, and Lipari among them – before embarking back to the mainland for a seamless tour marked by blankets of lush green, terracotta rooftops, azure waters, and the seductive haze of volcanic craters.

Travelling along the Tyrannean coastline, VISIONS® OF SICILY takes in the labyrinth of winding streets in medieval Cefalù; the energy of the island’s largest city, Palermo; and in between, the panoramic view from La Rocca and the famous hotsprings of Termini Imerse. On the western part of the island, Trapani’s world famous salt flats stretch on the horizon, and then Sicily softens into gentle hills, fertile valleys, the mythic paradise of Isola della Fémmine, and the vineyards of Marsala.

To the south, VISIONS® OF SICILY offers small agricultural towns; Agrigento and the valley of the temples; and fertile central plains where the earth lies in sharp folds, not certain whether it is really land or a breaking wave. Here Enna, a tower 3,250 feet above sea level, offers one of the most striking views of the island. Inland, orange and lemon groves beg for high definition technology to include an olfactory option.

The flight continues around, through and over the navigable heights of Monti Iblie, the Ionian sea to the east along to Siracusa; then north to Catania, rebuilt after volcanic destruction into a modern city grid, its original fortress, Castella Ursino, pushed back hundreds of yards by a great lava flow; up the coast to chic Taormina, once a quiet coastal town, now tranquil only from the air; past the scenic amphitheater whose architectural heritage – built by Greeks and enlarged by Romans ­ typifies Sicilian history; and its final destination, the enigmatic majesty of Mount Etna towering in the western sky.

Locations:

• Fountain of Neptune
• Cristo Re di Messina
• Isola di Volcano
• Isola di Stromboli
• San Vincenzo
• Isola di Lipari
• Milazzo Harbor
• Cittadella
• Cefalu
• Duomo
• Termini Imerese
• Piazza del Duomo
• Villa Giulia
• Palazzo del Normanni
• Cattedrale
• Teatro Massimo
• Quattro Canti
• La Kalsa
• Castello Utveggio
• Sferracavallo Resort
• Isola delle Femmine
• Trapani
• Lazzaretto
• Torre di Ligny
• Marsala
• Marsala Harbor
• Ancient City of Selinunte
• Sciacca
• Siculiana
• Old Agrigento
• Valley of the Temples
• Pirandello Estate
• Autostrada Modica
• Lago Villarosa
• Enna
• Castello di Lombardia
• Ragusa
• Duomo di San Giorgio
• Siracusa
• Greek Theatre
• Roman Amphitheatre
• Sports Complex
• Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime
• Mount Etna
• Catania
• Castello Ursino
• Roman Ruins, Piazza Stesicoro
• Teatro Antico
• Piazza del Duomo
• Naxos
• Taormina
• Castello
• Greek Theatre

VISIONS® OF SICILY follows WLIW New York’s VISIONS® OF ITALY: Southern Style and VISIONS® OF ITALY: Northern Style aerial productions. Produced by WLIW New York. Executive Producer: Roy Hammond; Producer Editor/Writer: Sam Toperoff; Aerial Director: Roy Hammond; Camera operator: Grant Bieman. CC STEREO.

Dvds/cds of this program available when you support WLIW21.

Boyd Matson knows the world. Previously the longtime host of National Geographic Explorer, he’s traveled to exotic locations, joined thrilling expeditions, participated in high-adrenaline adventures, and witnessed amazing natural history and anthropology events. Of course, work is not always a picnic. “There’s nothing glamorous or fun about the hypothermia, altitude sickness, broken bones and animal bites that can happen in the field,” notes Matson. “But I love this job.”

In addition to his work on Wild Chronicles, Matson also hosts the radio program “National Geographic Weekend,” writes a monthly travel column for National Geographic Traveler magazine and serves as a spokesperson for the National Geographic Society.

On the road with Boyd

Survival Series: Learn critical wilderness survival skills, from building fire and shelter to using a climber’s portable-ledge, in this on-going Wild Chronicles segment.

Necedah, Wisconsin: the first journalist to take to the skies with endangered, captive bred whooping crane chicks, helping Operation Migration teach the birds a migration route.

Africa: reporting on the great wildebeest migration, endangered gorillas, lions and hyenas on the hunt, and life in the African savannah.

Antarctica: dove into the continent’s frigid waters and recorded rare footage of orcas teaching their young to hunt.

Wakulla Springs, Florida: learned underwater cave diving to explore a dangerous labyrinth of submerged caverns.

Base Camp on Mount Everest: climbed through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall and did the last known interview with Babu Chiri Sherpa, the record-breaking veteran mountaineer, hours before his untimely death.

Pilbara region of Western Australia: completed “The Walk,” an intense survival course consisting of a 10-day, more than 100-mile walk in the desert.

Off the coast of Washington: piloted the Sustainable Seas Expeditions’ experimental untethered one-person sub.

New Zealand: participated in the grueling Southern Traverse endurance race.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S BOYD MATSON HOSTS SERIES ON NATURE, SCIENCE, EXPLORATION, ADVENTURE

Filmed and broadcast in High Definition (HD) for the first time (where available), season four of the award-winning public television series Wild Chronicles premieres nationwide January 2009 on public television (check local listings). More vivid than ever, Wild Chronicles tells the story of our planet from the vantage of those who have traversed its most remote passages, solved its scientific mysteries and advocated for its protection. The stories focus on the work of researchers and explorers — many supported by National Geographic grants — and cover natural history, science, adventure, culture, conservation and the environment. Also new for season four, all episodes will follow a titled theme that will tie individual show segments together, resulting in a distinct storyline for each episode.

Presented by WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG, Wild Chronicles is made possible by National Geographic Mission Programs, the science and education arm of the National Geographic Society. The weekly, half-hour, magazine-style show is hosted by National Geographic’s Boyd Matson, also host of the “National Geographic Weekend” radio program. Matson’s compelling storytelling connects viewers to the pulse of the planet, offering rare access to and in-depth reporting on the state of the natural world while focusing on researchers and explorers in the field working to study, protect and preserve the Earth.

“Season four of Wild Chronicles will expose viewers to the wonders of the natural and scientific world in ways they’ve never seen before. New stories of adventure and exploration will make viewers feel as if they’ve been transported from their living room to the field to work alongside the researchers, scientists and explorers that Wild Chronicles covers,” said Mark Bauman, executive vice president, National Geographic Digital Studio.

Episode one, titled “Living with Us,” opens the new season with a report from the Santa Monica Mountains BioBlitz, a 24-hour dash organized by the National Geographic Society and the National Park Service to find, identify and learn about as many plant and animal species in the park as possible; an up-close view of the miniature world of harvester ants; a look at a centuries-old agricultural tradition in Spain that protects livestock from predatory wolves; and a visit to a primate sanctuary in Florida where unwanted pet monkeys get a second lease on life.

Future episodes explore a green Sahara with National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Paul Sereno; take viewers to Argentina for a special report on Magellanic penguins; examine the results of a worldwide ocean census; and report on 2008 National Geographic Emerging Explorer Tsetsegee Munkhbayar’s environmental conservation work in Mongolia. National Geographic’s Crittercam¬Æ team also will contribute, telling nature’s stories from an animal’s perspective.

Combining decades of field experience to generate a sophisticated world view that goes beyond the typical nature program, the Wild Chronicles team plans 26 episodes for season four. The series continues under the leadership and vision of executive producer Martha Conboy. Other team members are Alison Barrat, series producer; April Chabries, series producer; Gayle Young, senior writer; Jamie Pickell, senior editor; Angie Edinger, editor; Jason Orfanon, producer; Adam Enatsky, assistant editor/graphics; Laura Boyd, coordinating producer; Jennifer Shoemaker, coordinating producer; Matthew Finaylson, production coordinator; and Christie Welsh, production coordinator.

Wild Chronicles season four is broadcast in Standard Definition where HD is not available (check local listings).

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awards

2007 Parents’ Choice Award Winner: Television

30th IWFF (International Wildlife Film Festival — 2007)
Best Television Series Under $250,000 Budget
Wild Chronicles
National Geographic Television
Executive Producers: Mark Bauman & Martha Conboy

Spring 2007 CINE Golden Eagle:
Professional Telecast Non-Fiction division, Children’s Programs — Wild Chronicles

2007 CINE Special Jury Award (based on 2006 Golden Eagle)
Professional Telecast Non-Fiction division, Children’s Programs — Wild Chronicles: Children’s Segments

2007 CINE Special Jury Award (based on 2006 Golden Eagle)
Professional Telecast Non-Fiction, On-Air Promotions & Opens — Wild Chronicles: Opens

33rd Ekotopfilm (2006)
Grand Prize
Wild Chronicles – Crittercam

29th IWFF (International Wildlife Film Festival — 2006)
Merit Award
Wild Chronicles
National Geographic Television

Fall 2006 CINE Golden Eagle
Professional Telecast Non-Fiction division, Children’s Programs — Wild Chronicles: Children’s Programs

Fall 2006 CINE Golden Eagle
Professional Telecast Non-Fiction division, On-Air Promotions and Opens — Wild Chronicles: Opens

Spring 2006 CINE Golden Eagle
Professional Telecast Non-Fiction division, Children’s Programs — Wild Chronicles / Children’s Programs

Spring 2006 CINE Golden Eagle
Professional Telecast Non-Fiction division, Environment and Natural Science — Wild Chronicles / Crittercam

Spring 2006 CINE Golden Eagle
Professional Telecast Non-Fiction division, Environment and Natural Science — Wild Chronicles / Narwhal Teeth

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Produced by National Geographic Television. Presented by WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG. Made possible by National Geographic Mission Programs.