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The Mysteries of Venus - Documentary

The Mysteries of Venus - Documentary

Science in a Golden Age - Chemistry: The Search for the Philosopher's Stone

The chemical industry has reshaped the modern world - giving us new fuels, drugs and materials. But the methodology and principles of chemistry go back over a thousand years.

Between the 9th and 14th centuries, there was a Golden Age of Science when scholars from the Islamic world, like Jabir Ibn Hayyan and Al-Razi, introduced a rigorous experimental approach that laid the foundations for the modern scientific method.

In this episode of Science in a Golden Age, theoretical physicist Jim al-Khalili leads us on an exploration of just how these scientists began the process of transforming the superstition of alchemy into the science of chemistry.

He begins by unpicking the medieval obsession with alchemy - the effort to turn common, less valuable metals into gold. He looks into the work of Jabir Ibn Hayyan, a polymath who grew up in modern-day Iran and who is credited with applying an experimental-based approach to early chemistry.

Through his determined efforts to dissolve and transform metals, Ibn Hayyan learnt much about acids. Together with Professor Hal Sosabowski from the University of Brighton, Jim looks at the reaction of gold with aqua regia - a powerful combination of acids that Ibn Hayyan discovered.

Following on from Ibn Hayyan's work, chemists like Al-Kindi and Al-Razi furthered the development of scientific practice, basing their work on careful experiments and observations. Their obsession with accuracy was what qualified them as being amongst the first true scientists. Jim shows us the 'Mizan Al-Hikma', an intricate set of scales built by a scholar by the name of Al-Khazani in the 12th century. What set this piece of equipment apart was not just the beauty of the craftsmanship, but the exacting precision it delivered.

The chemical processes developed by the Islamic scientists were motivated by numerous factors - one of which was the requirements of Islam itself - for example, the washing of the hands, face and feet before prayer. This requirement for cleanliness quickly led to the development of whole industries - like the production of soap. The first solid bars of soap were manufactured in the Islamic world and Jim looks at how alkalis helped develop the soap industries of the Golden Age.

From Jabir Ibn Hayyan to Al-Kindi to Al-Razi, this episode covers the works of some of most prolific and influential chemists of the Golden Age and tells the story of how the evolution of modern chemistry began.

Science in a Golden Age - Al-Razi, Ibn Sina and the Canon of Medicine

We explore the links between medical research in the Golden Age of Science and the modern practice of medicine today.

Standing in one of the largest neo-natal units in the world at Hamad Hospital in Qatar, you would not immediately be able to draw a link between the pioneering medical research being conducted and the work of physicists from the 9th century. In this episode of Science in the Golden Age, theoretical physicist Jim al-Khalili guides us through a journey of discovery where he highlights the links between medical research in the Golden Age of Science during the 9th and 14th centuries and the modern practice of medicine today.

At Hamad Hospital, a new treatment is being trialled for babies born with a neurological disorder called neo-natal encephalopathy. Senior consultant Dr Samawal Lutfi explains how the double blind placebo control method ensures the accuracy of the study. This notion of a control group goes all the way back over a thousand years to a Persian physician by the name of Al-Razi who built the first hospitals in Baghdad. He was an early proponent of applying a rigorous scientific approach to medicine and used a control group when testing methods to treat meningitis in the 9th century.

At Harefield Hospital in the UK, we meet Professor Magdi Yacoub, a pioneering transplant surgeon and one of the world's leading heart specialists. Professor Yacoub explains how the 13th century Syrian scholar Ibn al-Nafis redefined the understanding of pulmonary circulation. He challenged the commonly accepted wisdom of the Greek scholar Galen, who had said that blood passes directly between the heart's right and left ventricle through the septum, the dividing wall that separates them.

Ibn al-Nafis put forward the idea that blood could not pass directly between the right and left chambers of the heart - and that the lungs had a role to play in this process. Ibn al-Nafis' description was not widely accepted at the time, and it wasn't until his manuscript was re-discovered in the 20th century that his work was universally recognised.

From Al-Razi, to Ibn al-Nafis, to the 10th-century philosopher and physician Ibn Sina, Jim examines the most influential medics of the Golden Age. He shows us his personal copy of Ibn Sina's Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb ('The Canon of Medicine'), a comprehensive text which was the pinnacle of medical knowledge at that time. It was widely copied and translated, becoming a standard medical reference across the world for centuries.

Jim ends his journey at the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, learning how the institute is using the latest equipment to map the human genome. The genome is the complex genetic code contained in every one of our cells and sequencing it can reveal possible diseases that are inherited.

Focusing on genetic and hereditary diseases specifically affecting the Qatari population, scientists from around the world have come together to work on this ambitious project that some-what parallels Baghdad's Bayt al-Hikma (The House of Wisdom), the renowned centre of learning that played an integral role in the Islamic world's scientific advancement.

This is Taliban Country - REWIND

Ten years ago, in November 2006, Al Jazeera English was launched. To mark that anniversary, Al Jazeera English have created REWIND, which updates some of the channel's most memorable and award-winning documentaries of the past decade. Al Jazeera English find out what happened to some of the characters in those films and ask how the stories have developed in the years since their cameras left.

In 2014 Fault Lines reported from the Taliban stronghold of Charkh District just an hour outside Kabul. Charkh had become a microcosm of Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

Though only an hour from Kabul, armed Taliban were openly patrolling the streets and had built a parallel administration in Charkh, including Sharia courts and special girls' schools.

Filmmaker Nagieb Khaja took us to a Taliban controlled town for a rare glimpse of life under Taliban rule amidst a civil war.

REWIND spoke to Nagieb about what, if anything, has changed in the past three years since the planned US drawdown has been scrapped, further deteriorating the security situation in Afghanistan.

"The situation in Afghanistan has gotten worse, the Afghan security forces are bleeding. They lose a lot of people, and it is really difficult for the Afghan National Army at the moment," Nagieb told REWIND.

"The US actually just decided that they would send 600 troops to Helmand again, and this is after they said that the war was over," he added.

Divorce in Lebanon

Beirut's recent trash woes have given light to its underlying political instability but Lebanon is often overlooked for its religious tolerance and diversity. The small country that borders the Mediterranean officially recognises 18 different religious denominations, each with the freedom to administer marriage, divorce and alimony matters to those of their faith.

Civil marriage is also a viable option for all denominations, and is increasingly popular, especially among couples from different faiths. Some might argue, however, that the increased freedoms come at a price.

According to statistics from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, between the years of 2000 and 2013, the divorce rate in Lebanon increased by 55 percent. Regardless, many maintain that the flexibility is necessary. This system legitimises various different religious courts which then coordinate and communicate with other courts, government bodies, that control disputes outside of the religious context.

I Knew Saddam

Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi president, was executed on December 30, 2006. His death, like his life, was filled with controversy.
Saddam Hussein was born into humble beginnings, but his straightforward, brutal efficiency eventually propelled him to power. By 1979 he had absolute control of Iraq, and had become a prominent figure on the world stage.

I Knew Saddam was first broadcast on Al Jazeera English in 2007.

The Crusades: An Arab Perspective - Part 3: Unification

In the third episode of 'The Crusades: An Arab Perspective', we explore how Salah Ed-Din unified the Muslim states and recaptured the holy city of Jerusalem from the crusaders.

The nation is stand in line after Notbandi of November 8

The Modi government has stepped absurd again. Ran airy arrow again which will be no results after Notbandi as stupid action according to the congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. The nation is stand in line after Notbandi of November 8. The large numbers of people deposited  the amount of Rs 2 lakh or more in their accounts after it. Now the government has an eye on those accounts after Notbandi 2 lakh or more, the amount has been deposited.

In this regard, the Reserve Bank of India has issued instructions to banks. RBI has directed to banks that 2 million or more of amounts has been deposited to which accounts after Notbandi that are not linked to the PAN card or Form 60 can not be filled until the transaction should be banned.

The government fears that some greed for money or under pressure in large numbers of other people's money deposited in their accounts have been. Therefore, to clamp down on such people RBI has issued these instructions.

Linking to PAN or filling Form 60 is not hard work who can deposite money to others' accounts. If this is true then he can neutralize the move of Modi government. Therefore, the Modi government and their Notbandi's Siphslaron must take effective steps instead of making air fort.

The big question that the government's move will make any difference or will be failure like Notbandi! What will be the Reserve Bank tighten the screws on the people? What are taxed at two lakh?

In fact, this is all exercises of Modi government to not pay cash to the people. Modi government can hide its failure a few days, but it is not long lasting on Notbandi.