Larchmont Native Vies for PBS Science Series

by Maria Stanton

(January 10, 2007) Larchmont native Gino Del Guercio could be America’s next “idol”. While this idol won’t be singing his way into our living rooms, the public now has the chance to weigh in on a more intellectual level. PBS is inviting audiences nationwide to vote for their favorite new science program, and the ultimate choice will become a new 10-week series projected to debut in fall 2007. Here’s the experiment: PBS will premiere three pilots via streaming video on PBS Science (also available as free video podcasts for Apple’s iTunes player). The television broadcasts are available now.

Gino Del Guercio is the director and executive producer of "22nd Century", one of the three “contestants”. Airing Wednesday, January 17, at 8:00 pm, this is a new series about technological advances taking place today that within our lifetimes will significantly change the way humans live and interact. Many scientists and futurists believe we are on the verge of a technological explosion so profound that life will become unrecognizable. In the next 100 years, we may experience as much technological change as has occurred over the course of human history. After all, during the past century we went from horse-drawn buggies to supersonic aircraft, and by most estimates the pace of change is accelerating.

Gino Del Guercio in the Arctic on location for “Abandoned in the Arctic,” to be released in 2007.

This premier episode explores the concept of the “World Wide Mind”, an intriguing theory that posits that in the future miniature computer brain implants will allow our brains to be connected to other brains much the same way today’s computers are linked together via the World Wide Web. Science fantasy or futuristic nightmare? This is for the viewer to decide.

Mr. Del Guercio was born and raised in Larchmont and he attributes much of his lifelong interest in science to his education at Chatsworth, Hommocks, and Fordham Prep. He has produced and directed documentaries for PBS, the Discovery Channel and A&E including "Red Gold", "Transistorized", and "Nerds 2.0.1". He is currently finishing a documentary, Abandoned in the Arctic, about retracing the tragic polar expedition of Lt. Adolphus Greely, who lost 19 of his 24 men due to cold and starvation in the winter of 1884. Mr. Del Guercio now resides outside of Boston with his wife and two children.

The two other new pilots vying for a regular series on PBS are "Wired Science" and "Science Investigators". Log on, tune in or download the programs so you can “vote” for your favorite science “idol”.

Larchmonter Maria Stanton is Gino Del Guercio's sister.

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