If you always wanted to discover what the cyanobacteria is, or find out more about the hearing ability of scorpions among many other nature facts and data, Professor Brian Cox will be your personal tour guide to Wonders of Life. This app is a follow-up to the most popular book and TV series. Together with Andrew Cohen, the BBC Head of Science, Professor Cox takes you on a breathtaking tour.
Brian Cox's Wonders of Life app from HarperCollins Publishers Ltd is available from the itunes Store at £3.99. It requires iOS7.
As it contains over 2 hours of HD videos and over 1000 high-res images, I haven't had a chance to explore the app in its entirety. If anything, what I have seen so far, is only a tip of the iceberg. But what I have seen, is very impressive. The photos and videos are dazzling and vibrant.
Swipe to look around the globe and visit the continents, by tapping the labels to explore. Pick the desired location from a 3D satellite view of the globe, zooming into it.
If something catches your attention, drag the thumbnails to read or watch the video documentaries produced by the BBC. Scroll down to read the short essays on the topics.
There is a top navigation bar which allows you to jump from one geographical location to another.
The app page promises:
"From the vast networks of subterranean freshwater caverns of the Yukatan peninsula to the Great White Sharks haunting the South Neptune islands, from the Hermit Crabs of Christmas Island to the Red Kangaroo of Western Australia, this app will help you uncover the secrets of life in the most unexpected locations and in the most stunning detail. Explore the vision of the Kangaroo, the DNA of the Chameleon or the hearing of the Mohave Desert Sand Scorpion in its natural habitat in scintillating 3D detail, delving deep down variously into the detail of microbial life, the inner eye, the second law of thermodynamics and more...
Along the way you'll learn how everything on Earth, from the smallest microbe to the largest giraffe, is constructed from the same fundamental building blocks and is subject to the same laws of nature".
Apps like these make science a cool subject. I wish we had something like this, when I was at school. As it happened, I yawned at my geography lessons and hated the biology. I envy the modern generations with all their access to technology which didn't exist when I grew up.
This is a whole brave new world, open for exploring.
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| Images refer to © BBC |
If you enjoy nature shows and apps, I have a lovely surprise for you.
One of my lucky winners will win a new Brian Cox's Wonders of Life app and a book Wonders of Life, which accompanied the TV series.
If you would like to win the app + book bundle, please answer the question (leave a comment below):
Have you watched the BBC documentary series Wonders of Life and which episode did you find the most fascinating? (If you haven't had a chance to watch it, what was the last nature programme on TV you enjoyed?)
For a bonus entry please Like HarperCollins on Facebook, and leave a separate comment telling me so (including the name you Liked it as).
T&Cs:
the giveaway is open to the UK residents only.
One entry per person.
Please leave some means of contacting you: either your Twitter username or email..
Once the winner is selected, using the Raffleking, I will contact them by email or Twitter, and announce on my blog. If the winner does't respond in one week, another winner will be selected.
I will then email the winner's details to HarperCollins representative. Please keep in mind, I am not responsible for the prize dispatch.
The giveaway ends on 11 March midnight, the winner will be selected the next day.
Good luck!
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Many thanks to everyone who entered! The Raffleking has selected the winner:
it is KERI JONES. Big well done! Going to get in touch with you re your prize!
Haven't watched it yet. Last nature thing I watched was probably Springwatch.
ReplyDeletenot watched it yet
ReplyDeleteNot watched it. Can't recall name of programme, though it was about animals in Australia.
ReplyDeleteRachel Craig
We haven't watched it but I will be adding it to the list! We watch 'Walking with dinosaurs' nearly every day as my son is obsessed with Dinos at the moment :)
ReplyDeletei like HarperCollins on Facebook as Keri Jones :)
ReplyDeleteSorry, my Twitter handle is @KezzzaJones :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen this, but I would love to. My favourite was the Life on Earth series which is quite old now but covered all the ecosystems.
ReplyDeletei love all the episodes o f this serier i especially like the water life fantastic.xxx
ReplyDeleteI love the episode about size and the effects of nature on the relative size of different organisms
ReplyDeleteI've liked the Harper Collins Facebook page, as Claire Willis Nee Ryan
ReplyDeleteSuch an enjoyable series. The episode about the origin of the senses so fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI have liked the Harper Collins Facebook page as Jayne Sullivan. As you may have guessed @JaynesDen is my Twitter handle.
ReplyDeleteHaven't watched it yet. Used to enjoy watching the late Steve Irwin and Life on Earth.
ReplyDeleteI watched it and really enjoyed it. The first episode on understanding how life began was really interesting. @rhodak09
ReplyDeleteI like HarperCollins on FB too. @rhodak09
ReplyDeleteThis is a must have app for me. I love the tv series and look forward to getting more involved myself.
ReplyDeleterecorded it to watch soon
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching Life on Earth, wonderful filming, and a wonderful series.
ReplyDeletei loved the one where he was on the beach explaining the randomness of the universe. dont know what it was called
ReplyDeleteI love countryfile, very down to earth
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched it, and the latest one I watched was Winterwatch
ReplyDelete