PBS NOVA Program "Jewel of the Earth"
This Tuesday NOVA is rebroadcasting "Jewel of the Earth", hosted by celebrated naturalist Sir David Attenborough. The program explores the beautiful and intriguing microcosms of ancient life trapped forever in amber. Forty-million year old samples from the Baltic region of northern Europe are examined with the help of University of Gdansk biologist Elzbieta Sontag. George and Roberta Poiner of Oregon State University show a reconstruction of an entire ecosystem from 20 million year old samples of amber from the Dominican Republic.
The program also touches on ongoing and controversial research dealing with attempts to extract ancient DNA from samples of amber.
See the PBS Website for further details about the program and supporting online materials.