Dr. Paul Hessemer considers the possibilities of the star of Bethlehem seen by the three Wise Men at the birth of Christ: comet, nova, meteor, or conjunction of planets. With illustrations and charts, he explains planetary orbits and demonstrates how the "star" most likely was a triple conjunction of planets on that date.

Dr. Schwentker says that prematurity is generally defined as a birth weight of less than 5.5 pounds; however, immaturity of a baby's organs is more significant than prematurity. A film documents the public procedures in place for rescuing a baby born prematurely at home. Dr. Gordon shows what staff do when a baby is admitted to the premature nursery: suction airways, supply oxygen, transfer to incubators with lesser oxygen concentration, administer moist heat, and monitor for infections. Nurse Abernathy discusses maintaining a constant temperature for the infant and feeding premature babies by polyethylene tube, gavage, or medicine dropper until bottle feeding is possible. A film shows the progress of a premature infant over a few weeks. Dr. Gordon raises the question of the cost justifying the results of caring for premature babies and concludes that both long-term development research and actual evidence, such as his teenage son and other thriving children born as small as two pounds, prove the worth.

A brief film shows the function of the human hand, wrist, and critical apposable thumb. An abstract film suggests that the reason for the shape of the human body and the economical structure of the bones is to provide the greatest results with the least energy. Dr. Borden discusses the complicated structure and rotation of the human wrists, forearms, and shoulders. A concluding film presents a child's development of hand skills.

Dr. Olsen, one of the team of scientists from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, briefly discusses the history of fire. He explains the zones and structure of a candle's flame and uses the Schlieren system of photography to detect the density gradients in the rising gas. Capt. Gayhart discusses the study of early spark-ignited flames, and he diagrams the operation of the Schlieren system. Mr. Edmondson shows three films of a flame's development in a stream of combustible gas taken at 100,000, 20 million, and 200 million frames per second.

Under supervision of physics teacher Malcolm Davies, students from the Rocket Club of the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute demonstrate the thrust of a CO2 cylinder on a student-built dynamometer. They then use the CO2 capsule to propel a rocket on a horizontal wire. Student Julian Palmore compares zinc, sulfur, and a mixture of the two as alternate rocket propellants and explains a diagram of a student-built rocket. Another student explains the laws of uniform acceleration as a rocket rises and falls. Film clips and photos document the actual launch the students' rocket project. Mr. Davies exhibits two related books on the subject: Tomorrow's Air Age by Holmes Alexander and Your Trip in Space by Lynn Poole.

This program focuses on the scientific achievements of four U. S. universities. At Indiana University, Vaclav Hlavaty solved the differential equations of unified gravitational and electromagnetic field thus providing proof for Einstein's unified field theory. Erwin Schrodinger and Karl Schwarzschild, pioneers in this research, are also discussed. From the New York University, Dr. Serge A. Korff directed a study of the effects of cosmic radiation from a high altitude observatory built on Mt. Wrangell in Alaska. His plane pilot was Dr. Terris Moore, president of the University of Alaska. University of Pittsburgh's Dr. Buchsbaum, professor of zoology, worked with colleagues to research how cells bathed in a nutrient fluid react to drugs and disease. A film shows these cell reactions under a phase-contrast microscope. Under the direction of Henry J. Gomberg, William Kerr, assistant director of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project and assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of Michigan are investigating peaceful uses of atomic energy. They have developed a beta ray microscope that uses radioactive isotopes as tracers in specimens under microscopic investigation. This allows them to see how atoms are distributed in alloys and tracing the path of carbon in plants.

Dr. Edgerton outlines the origin of plastic surgery beginning with the Hindus, who were famous for reconstruction of missing noses in what has been termed the Indian method. In the 15th century, the Branca family developed techniques for other facial reconstruction, called the Italian method, shown in diagrams. Gaspare Tagliacozzi, the true father of plastic surgery, wrote a textbook on the subject in the 16th century. Carl von Graefe was the first to use the term "plastic" in his 1818 work Rinoplastik. Johns Hopkins University's Dr. John Staige Davis published the first American textbook on plastic surgery and established the first formal training program in the specialty. In discussing modern plastic surgery, Dr. Edgerton notes that it is not necessarily centered on the face or visible external features. Common uses of plastic surgery are to correct congenital deformities, such as cleft palette; burns; disease, such as cancer; and disfigurement from war or high speed accidents.

Dr. Cuthbert C. Hurd of IBM describes how the 701 computer can solve a complex physics problem as well as translate Russian to English in a fraction of the time a person could perform these tasks. On film from General Electric Labs in New York, Ted Baum explains the development, design features, operation, and uses of the mechanical arm.

In a dramatization, a mother and daughter in their kitchen react to an assortment of food and health-related superstitions they believe while the announcer explains the basis and origin of many of them, such as eggshell color as indicator of nutrient, ailments from aluminum, hiccups remedies, sneeze superstitions, and other food misconceptions. Lynn Poole adds to the list: the beneficial properties of coffee and tea, smoking to ward off disease, night-borne illnesses, the evil eye. Superstitions surrounding medical treatment, such as treating wounds with "sympathy powder," is also addressed.

Brown University professors Montagna and Chase explain how the skin is a human organ forming a dead covering over the body and compare it to the outer covers of a live pheasant and a mouse. Skin's measurement is about 2.5 square yards and its weight 15-20 pounds. Dr. Montagna demonstrates the thickness of skin in human palms and soles by pricking a callus with a needle. The professors show a microscopic view of human skin and discuss each of skin's layers in a labelled cross-section diagram: epidermis, dermis, and adipose or fat layer. They also give the facts about hair growth and dispel the myths about it. Hairless mice of varying ages reveal how elasticity of skin changes. Lastly, the professors address the sweat and sebaceous or oil glands of the skin and show a diagram of how acne develops.