6 lectures - 30 minutes each (Each DVD lists the topics for all 36 lectures.) MEMBER REVIEW: This 2006 video is part of the Great Courses series. Prof. John J. Renton is a seasoned teacher, and with the help of graphics imparts a great deal of science in a relatively short time. In 6 30-minute talks, he starts with the origin of the universe, then the solar system, then moves to continental drift, plate tectonics, the formulation of minerals and the classification of minerals. He says he is not trying to make anyone a geologist, but rather to explain why things are as they are. It may seem simple and basic, but he mixes in chemistry (lots of chemistry, but painlessly), physics, and history. It is a very good overview of geology from where the elements came from (exploding stars), and how they fit together (ionic and covalent bonding), and what minerals are about. I expect the other 5 disks are of similar caliber. Even though it is supposedly only introductory, it is well worth watching.