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The excitement of the Gold Rush is in this show; the feverish travel across the country to find treasure, and the life of the prospectors. Bash shows the methods of mining with rocker and with gold pan, and then goes on film to visit Columbia, California, where rich strikes of gold were made. An old prospector takes her to the river and shows her how he extracts gold by rocker and pan, equipment which is as good now as it was then. Songs include “I Wish I Were Single” and “Clementine.”
Topic of discussion on this program is the actual organization of the major parties. Our lecturer considers the national characteristics of parties as opposed to the idea that each of them is a conglomeration of local political machines. He concludes with a look at the role the private citizen can and does play in party organization.
The desert plains of central Idaho bore silent witness to many events in history – the coming of the Oregon Trail, the wars between the whites and the Indians, the events of the Old West, Today they are witnessing a change that is far more important – the coming of atomic power. On the lava plains of central Idaho is the National Reactor Testing Station, famous for “firsts” in nuclear energy. Here electricity was first generated from atomic energy and atomic power first was used to light a town. Principles of nuclear submarine propulsion were worked out in “a ship on the desert” in Idaho. “Challenge” visits the National Reactor Testing Station to look at a power plant of the future, a reactor that makes more nuclear fuel than it consumes. The principle is not perpetual motion. This reactor takes the part of uranium that is not fissionable fuel (more than 99 per cent of the total) and converts it into plutonium, a man made element that is a good nuclear fuel. Because the reactor “breeds” plutonium it is called a “breeder” reactor – Experimental Breeder Reactor-II. How this breeding is accomplished, and how fuel for EBR-II is fabricated by remote control, is explained in this program.
A few years ago history was made at the United States Atomic Energy Commission’s Argonne National Laboratory where this program was filmed. This is the story of the dedicated research scientists whose search for truth ended a fallacy in chemistry which had existed for more than half a century. Although their efforts were not as exciting as the discovery that the world was round and not flat, the scientists at Argonne disproved that a group of elements called “inert gases” would not react with other elements to form compounds. This is not to imply that these elements – helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon – did not have utility. Helium is the gas used to send balloons aloft. Neon, argon, and krypton are used in light bulbs: xenon in high speed photographic cells; and radon in medical therapy to irradiate cancer cells. What the Argonne scientists investigated was the atomic structure of these elements. For years it had been falsely believed that the electrons within these elements could not combine with electrons within the atoms of other elements. Following a report of Canadian scientists, the researchers at Argonne found that, instead of picking up electrons from other atoms, some of these so-called “inert gases” actually gave up electrons when combined with other elements. Using Krypton, xenon, and radon, in separate experiments, the Argonne scientists succeeded in making compounds which previously were unheard of. In fact, they also found at least one xenon compound for which they weren’t looking. This was xenon trioxide, a powerful explosive, made from xenon and oxygen. Many new uses will doubtless be found for these new compounds, according to the scientists. One might be the use of xenon tetrafluoride to store large quantities of fluorine as an oxidizing agent in rocket fuel.
In this program, Criminologist Joseph D. Lohman charts the growth and increasing complexity of the crime problem which has accompanied the development of an urban, industrial culture in the U.S. He shows a corresponding inadequacy in the control and treatment of crime and criminals. An interviewed inmate points out these inadequacies and the need for individual treatment, which is pointed out by Harrison and Lohman, also. Harrison notes that differences in crimes and criminals indicate needs for individual treatment.
The film translates the lyrics of the Beatles' song into pictures using Lower East Side locations; pixillated sequences of images portray the nonmusical sounds.
A second-grader's experiences during a day without numbers cause him to want to study arithmetic and to realize the value of numbers in his everyday living. All the class but Bob enjoy arithmetic. When a puppet with magic powers offers Bob a day without numbers, he gladly leaves the classroom with the puppet. A series of frustrating experiences caused by the magical disappearance of numbers, such as the disruption of an exciting baseball game, results in Bob's gladly returning to the classroom and the study of arithmetic.
In this episode, Dr. Smith, Jr., explains the relationship between language and culture. He points out that there is no such thing as a “primitive” language; all languages have the same amount of history behind them. He reveals why all languages are about equally complex, and discusses language patterns and how they affect the learning of a language.
This program is a summary and conclusion of the course. Dr. Smith first briefly hits highlights of the major religions. Then he discusses some of the attitudinal changes that may have resulted from the course.