The BBC Earth Experience: Seven Worlds, One Planet
The novelist, essayist, and poet Wendell Berry put it rightly so: "The Earth is what we all have in common."
When I came across an advert for the BBC Earth Experience on my social media timeline, I did not know what to expect. It marketed itself as a "multisensory experience" for all ages from all walks of life in a bid to raise awareness about our planet's diverse topography and ecosystems-- and how, if we are not careful enough, we can cause irreversible damage. Curiosity made me shell out £26.21 but honestly, they had me at "narrated by Sir David Attenborough".
The BBC Earth Experience at the Daikin Centre in Earls Court.
A lovely mural decorates the pathway to the Daikin Centre.
Look at that queue.
My first memory of the BBC Earth Experience was walking past a heavily soundproofed door into a beautiful meadow, lush and green dotted with yellow, purple, and pink wildflowers. I half expected to step on soft, dewy grass but instead, the hard granite floor of the Daikin Centre woke me from my trance. I picked my jaw off the floor and wandered in flanked left and right with odd geometric screens of epic proportions.
In the background were the usual noises from children running around in excitement, guests in awe, and others deep in discussion; they sounded insignificant to Sir Attenborough's baritone booming over the surround sound speakers. He sounded ever so calm and graceful-- and slightly wittingly mischievous I should say.
The show currently being projected is BBC's Seven Worlds, One Planet. The show's plaudits are no mere feat-- it has been nominated to the BAFTA, Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, and the Hollywood Professional Association Awards. Sir Attenborough won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Narrator for the show's episode on Antarctica.
It took me a while to realize it at the time but I had figured out that I had joined in when the show was on its North America episode, where lovely polar bears were being filmed frolicking in the sun and stalking their meal of the day. It was a light-hearted sight; unfortunately, Sir Attenborough's voice over belies a more morose fact about them. The devastation caused to the polar bears' habitats by climate change puts their long-term survival at risk and their numbers are predicted to decline by 30% by 2050.
Wildebeests and brown bears.
The North American salmon trade.
As the show's name implies, Seven Worlds, One Planet explores the seven continents and the animals that have made it their home/s. The show also tackles hard-to-swallow topics such as endangerment, global warming, climate change, and human interference and presents these in a practical, easy to understand way.
The good thing about the BBC Experience is that no matter what time slot you book into, you won't be missing out on anything. The entire 70-minute show loops. It describes itself as a "self-guided tour" but in reality, you will walk around and try to explore all the nooks and crannies in the Daikin Centre only at the beginning when your curiosity and excitement are at peak levels. You'll no sooner find yourself looking for that one special spot on the floor where you will settle to enjoy the rest of the show in peace. And if the floor is not something you find comfortable, they have benches and bleachers there too. No food and drink are allowed, and there are no dining facilities inside the exhibition hall. There are toilets available inside and outside the hall.
Monkeys in the Asia episode.
A little baby primate nestled in its mother's bosom.
Everyone is all ears during the Australia episode.
The sometimes harsh climates in Australia.
The beautiful aquatic life at the Great Barrier Reef.
The lush rainforests of South America.
Prairie dogs hunted by wild dogs.
The leopard seals of Antarctica.
Everyone squealed at the sight of these penguins.
The wild hamsters of Europe.
The Aurora Borealis over certain parts of Europe.
A beautiful silhouette of a giraffe against the bright orange sunset of Africa.
African elephants.
There are also themed "Breathing Rooms" inside the exhibition. The first one is called Microworld where insects, bugs, and creepy crawlies are the stars. There is also a dark room where you can challenge your fear of bugs-- keep pressing on a red button while watching through a series of videos of the little critters. Give yourself a pat on the back if you're brave enough.
The second breathing room is called the Deep Sea-- an aquarium-like room. It has some interactive elements in it where kids (and adults, of course) can chase fish away with their shadows, and an illuminated jellyfish tank.
Our planet Earth.
Before the BBC Earth Experience ends, you will be guided to the Earth room-- a little enclave where, as you look up to a hologram of a rotating planet Earth, Sir Attenborough reminds you that every little step we take, whether for the good or bad, will eventually have an effect on the planet and its inhabitants. And after everything that you've experienced inside the exhibition hall-- every magnificent creature that you saw that reared its tusks/ears/bill/snout at you, every sound that the animals/forests/meadows/tundra have made, and every colour that popped into each screen to show you how much marvel our planet beholds-- you will be touched to make a difference.
And don't forget to stop by at the BBC Earth Experience shop on your way out. Those postcard booklets are worth every penny they cost!
Kudos for making it to the end of this blogpost! As I was in Earls Court, I made sure to have lunch at Jollibee-- the home of the world-famous crispy-licious and juicy-licious Filipino-style Chickenjoy and sweet spaghetti! Cheers!
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