Name: The hidden beauty of pollination
Uploaded: 2011-05-06T14:25:00Z
Duration: 7 min 23 s
Description: Pollination: it's vital to life on Earth, but largely unseen by the human eye. Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg shows us the intricate world of pollen and pollinators with gorgeous high-speed images from his film "Wings of Life," inspired by the vanishing of one of nature's primary pollinators, the honeybee.

Louie Schwartzberg: The hidden beauty of pollination

The hidden beauty of pollination

Pollination: it's vital to life on Earth, but largely unseen by the human eye. Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg shows us the intricate world of pollen and pollinators with gorgeous high-speed images from his film "Wings of Life," inspired by the vanishing of one of nature's primary pollinators, the honeybee.

Pollination is a hidden, vital process that sustains much of life on Earth, yet it happens mostly out of sight. Over a third of the fruits and vegetables consumed by humans depend on pollinators like bees, bats, birds, and butterflies. The mysterious dance between flowers and their pollinators has evolved over 50 million years, supporting the planet’s web of life. As bees vanish, this fragile balance reminds humanity it is deeply entwined with nature’s ongoing story.