Were you as excited as we were about the PBS premiere of The Botany of Desire? Based on Michael Pollan's best-selling book of the same name, the documentary examines the relationship between people and four plants: apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes. Click through for a preview video and highlights from the accompanying Web site...
Like the book, the documentary explores the theme of coevolution. While plants have satisfied our desires for sweetness (apples), beauty (tulips), intoxication (marijauna), and control (potatoes), we humans have been "domesticated" by plants to act much like bumblebees, spreading their particular genes around the world. The documentary was engaging, thought-provoking, and beautiful as it took us to the original apple orchards of Kazakhstan and the potato fields of Peru.
We're also big nerds for PBS program Web sites, and this one doesn't disappoint. It includes bonus videos like "How The Delicious Apple Got Its Name," an interactive feature on mind-altering plants (including coffee and tea), and a map where you can track the movement of plants across time and around the globe.
"The Botany of Desire" debuted last night on PBS on Wednesday, October 28. Did you watch it?
• Check local listings
• Visit The Botany of Desire site
(Images: The Botany of Desire/PBS)
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The apple and potatoes segments were just amazing to me. Loved it.
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I saw the tulip and weed segment and was amazed (especially the tulips...they caused the Dutch financial markets to crash!).
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Have only watched part of it but so far I love it!!
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