planet e.

They’re beautiful and there are many of them. They’re dangerous. Not least to humans. They spread fear on beaches around the world. Are their numbers in the world’s oceans increasing?

On air June 11., 2017

The Jellyfish Invasion

Pythons: both threatening and fascinating. Their leather is extremely sought-after. As a luxury product in the world of fashion. Behind the scenes: an industry that is almost uncontrollable. Opaque business deals to the detriment of the environment. Could a genetic fingerprint protect these snakes?

On air May 21., 2017

Snakeskins for Luxury Goods: The Python Code

Germany is a country of bombs. Every day new ordnance with deadly poison gas is discovered. More than five thousand bombs from the Second World War are recovered and dismantled in an elaborate process every year. In addition to that there are hundreds of thousands of poison-gas shells that were sunk off the German coast.

On air April 30., 2017

Unexploded Ordnance

Access to clean water and sanitation is a human right, according to the United Nations. Empty words for the people living in the slums of Dar Es Salaam. They have neither. It’s a vicious circle of poverty and disease.

On air March 19, 2017

Living with Waste Water

Untouched and wild. River landscapes – in many places they’re things of the past, but not in the Balkans. But nowadays these last habitats are endangered. Hydropower stations are threatening to destroy this natural treasure. More and more people are offering resistance.

On air Sep. 25., 2016

Hydropower Madness – The destruction of rivers in the Balkans

Our water. Quite naturally a mix, containing lots of different substances. One of them is arsenic. It’s a life-threatening element and it can be found in German groundwater too. Scientists from Germany have decided to investigate this toxin.

On air Oct. 02., 2016

Arsenic – The Creeping Killer

The Beznau Nuclear Power Station in Switzerland. The oldest nuclear power station in the world. Problems have become an everyday occurrence. Tihange in Belgium. Despite its major problems, this nuclear power station is still allowed to continue running. Europe’s largest nuclear power station: Zaporizhia in Ukraine. There’s fighting nearby, with dangerous weapons. Three examples that show: The continued use of nuclear power is a constant worry.

On air April 24., 2016

The nuclear threat – Europe’s accident-prone reactors

Humankind is heating up the planet. In nature, volcanoes can create cooling blankets. Should we copy something like that artificially and cool the climate with technology? On land, in the oceans and in the atmosphere? An emergency operation for our earth’s climate? The closer we look, the more problems we see. The earth as a big lab – an opportunity or a risk?

On air Nov. 29., 2015

planet e.: Operation Earth Climate

Climate change is disproportionately affecting the world’s poorest countries. People there tend to be completely at the mercy of the forces of nature. Particularly in Africa and Asia.

On air Oct. 18., 2015

planet e.: Refugees from Climate Change

In September 2000 the UN enunciated the Millennium Development Goals to free people around the world from extreme poverty. 15 years later planet e. checked if this mission has been accomplished.

On air Sep. 20., 2015

planet e.: Along the Poverty Line

Ethoxyquin is a feed-preservative that enters the human body by consumption of meat and fish. The impacts of the substance are not well known. But what we know is alarming.

On air May 31., 2015

planet e.: A toxic suspicion

Rats – most people don’t like them. But they can save lives. They are clever, teachable and careful. Perfect qualities for the detection of claymore and landmines.

On air Jul. 13., 2014

planet e.: Mine Detection Rats

It’s hard to believe, but though there has been a lot of research on climate change so far, the role of clouds has barely been considered. Cloud and climate scientists are attempting to change that.

On air Nov. 23., 2014

planet e.: The Cloud Hunter

Snow leopards used to live in Kyrgyzstan. But that changed during the Soviet era. State hunters caught them legally. Today conservationists are working together to protect the animals.

On air Nov. 24., 2013

planet e.:The Realm of the Snowleopard

Sardinia is well known for its beaches. But less familiar than its beauty are military activities like weapon testing. And an increasing number of lethal diseases amongst people and animals.

On air Aug. 26., 2012

planet e.:Sardinia's Deadly Secret

Bangladesh - the final destination for freighters from all over the world. They are dismantled by an army of cheap labour. Accidents are a regular occurrence. Deaths and casualties are common.

On air Oct. 6., 2014

planet e.: Toxic Tankers for Bangladesh

Everywhere in Germany, bees are dying, en masse. Intensive agriculture is suspected. Every year it releases thousands of tons of insecticides on fields. One of type is strongly under suspicion.

On air Oct. 7., 2012

planet e.: Death in the beehive

Smuggling wild reptiles is lucrative. Collectors in Europe, America and Russia want the rare creatures

On air Dec. 11., 2011

planet e.: The reptile Mafia

75 percent of the worlds seas are overfished. Up to now all efforts have failed to stop the plunder the oceans. Is there any chance to anticipate the collapse of the seas?

On air Jun. 03.,  2012

planet e.: Plunder of the sea

Tigers are under threat of extinction. The wild population has decreased by 96 per cent. About half of the tigers live in India. The decision about their future has to be made there.

On air Jul. 21, 2013

planet e.: The Tiger Experiment

Soya is one of the most important protein sources. And Brazil is one of its biggest producers. Therefor many areas in Brazil are ecologicaly devastated and indigenous people are being ruthlessly dislodged from their territory.

On air Oct. 20, 2013

planet e.: Good Soya-Bad Soya

They’re young, they're active. The facebook generation is on the move. They skype, post, tweet – and in this way they’re organising the first really global youth movement. Their goal is to save our planet.

On  air Jun. 24, 2012

planet e.: World’s Saviors 3.0

The king of the beasts is going through a difficult time. His kingdom is shrinking. There have never been so few lions as there are today. Now scientists are going down new avenues to protect the last lions together with the Maasai.

On air Jan. 31.,2016

The silent death of the lions

Up until the middle of the 19th century our forests were home to the lynx. But the big cat was hunted and virtually wiped out. Now the lynx is going to be re-introduced into the Palatinate Forest.

On air Aug. 14., 2016

On silent paws - the return of the lynx

Storms, floods, drought - climate change has many faces. What few people realize, however, is that the effects of climate change long since reached our supermarkets, too - because many foodstuffs come from far-off countries where drought and freak weather destroy entire harvests.

On air Nov. 06., 2016

Climate Change in the Supermarket

Bears have been wiped out in many parts of Europe, now they are slowly starting to appear again. The perception of brown bears still ranges from cuddly toy to monster. Can we live side by side in the future?

On air Sep. 14., 2014

planet e.: Bears on the Rise

On air on Sundays, 4:30  pm with various repeats on further public channels
Regular duration: 28’30”