(2014; 36 minutes)
The JT Biohistory Research Hall studies all manner of small creatures, from butterflies to bees, frogs to spiders. Through our research we learn about origination, evolution, ecology ... and we learn about ourselves, our place in the world and how it fits together with daily life, expressing our findings with a variety of media. This documentary, prepared in commemoration of our 20th anniversary, takes us through twenty years of activities at the JT Biohistory Research Hall.
Recipient of educational development awards at the 56th Science and Technology Film/Video Festival and at the Educational Film Festival (2014).
(2014; 49 minutes)
In this biohistory adaptation of a beloved story by Japanese novelist Kenji Miyazawa, Gauche, a struggling cellist, learns the “music of life” from such diverse characters as a cat, a cuckoo bird and a field mouse. Keiko Nakamura, BRH Director, guides us through the 3.8 billion year history of living creatures to the accompaniment of Noriyuki Sawa, master puppeteer who centers his activities on the Czech Republic, and a fantastical musical score. Gauche the Cellist, the Biohistory Version was first performed in 2014 and, for its outstanding creative content, was invited for presentation at the Iida Puppet Festa (2014; Nagano Prefecture) and the Skupa's Pilsen International Festival of Puppet and Alternative Theatre (2015; Czech Republic). The performance shown here was recorded at Takatsuki in August 2014.
(1999-2002; 90 minutes)
We started to produce the computer graphics [What's DNA] in 1997 and now part 3 is completed. This video would be interesting both of biological experts and lay persons, we believe. In [What's DNA Part3], we show the recombination and repair of DNA by computer graphics and watercolor paintings.
(2000; 43 minutes)
An elderly man (Shunji Fujimura) found an old scroll in the back of a shed. On the scroll, there was an illustration of the long history of living things. Led by the mysterious power of the scroll, the elderly man entered into the world of evolution, which was interwoven with the genome. There are many genes in the genome, which determine the bodies of the living things. Changes which occur in the genome lead to changes in shape, and these changes further lead to the evolution of living things. For example, changes take this course: the horizontal gene transition >> duplication of the genome >> symbiosis with other living things. Unexpected bold changes of the genome are clearly introduced in interesting ways.
(1998; 37 minutes)
The research of the ground beetles' DNA to explore the history of evolution started in 1993 when JT BRH was established. Through the phylogenetic tree of the ground beetles gathered from all parts of the world, we found an extensive diversity and relationship with the history of the earth. This was the new type of evolutionary research which over came previous limits. We introduce everything of the project including the ecology of the ground beetles, how to collect them, and the analytical experiment of DNA.
The simulation of an experiment of biology can be carried out on the screen of a computer. With the program, we can experience evolution like a roll playing game or we can experiment how genes are working. If the door of seven rooms are opened, the unique story of a euglena, paramecium, planarian, butterfly, bird, dinosaur and human can be seen. At the end of the story, researchers give us comments for us on each subject.
