A Star Search

BBC - The Search for Life: The Drake Equation (2010)
HDTV | 1280x720 | .MKV/AVC @ 3037 Kbps | 58mn 58s | Audio: English AAC 129 kbps, 2 channels | Subs: English | 1.33 GiB
Genre: Documentary

For many years our place in the universe was the subject of theologians and philosophers, not scientists, but in 1960 one man changed all that. Dr Frank Drake was one of the leading lights in the new science of radio astronomy when he did something that was not only revolutionary, but could have cost him his career. Working at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Greenback in Virginia, he pointed one of their new 25-metre radio telescopes at a star called Tau Ceti twelve light years from earth, hoping for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence. Although project Ozma resulted in silence, it did result in one of the most seminal equations in the history of science - the Drake Equation - which examined seven key elements necessary for extraterrestrial intelligence to exist, from the formation of stars to the likely length a given intelligent civilisation may survive. When Frank and his colleagues entered the figures, the equation suggested there were a staggering 50,000 civilisations capable of communicating across the galaxy.

Around the time this 1980 album came out, James Mtume and his partner, Reggie Lucas, were known for their excellent production work with singers like Phyllis Hyman and Stephanie Mills. Mtume and Lucas are also skilled musicians, as demonstrated here. Mtume contributes lead vocals and background vocals and plays keyboards and percussion, while Lucas shines in his lead and rhythm guitar playing and joins in the background vocals as well.

Lory Bianco is an Italian-American singer and actress from the United States also working under the name Bonnie Bianco. She may be best known for her role in the 1983 miniseries Cinderella 80. In 1987, two additional hours of film footage were added to the previously two-hour film and released as a TV series named Cinderella ´87. Cosso and Bianco became overnight sensations in Germany. The duet "Stay" with Pierre Cosso went straight to No. 1 on the German charts and stayed there for several weeks, while the album was in the number 2 spot for several weeks. The single became a Top 3 hit in Switzerland and Austria too. In 1997 Lory recorded the duet "Send a sign to my heart" with Chris Norman. It was released on his CD "Into The Night" and had nice reviews.