The Nature of Things
Latest episode
S65 E13 · The Mosquitoes Are Winning!
About The Nature of Things
The Nature of Things is a documentary TV series that premiered on CBC Television on November 6, 1960. It has 64 seasons and 664 episodes so far and is still airing new episodes. The latest episode, Season 65 Episode 13 "The Mosquitoes Are Winning!", aired on April 8, 2026.
The Nature of Things is a Canadian television series of documentary programs. It debuted on CBC Television on November 6, 1960. Many of the programs document nature and the effect that humans have on it. The program was one of the first to explore environmental issues, such as clear-cut logging. The series is named after an epic poem by Roman philosopher Lucretius: "Dē Rērum Nātūrā" — On the Nature of Things.
- Documentary
Last updated
Episodes
664 episodes · 64 seasons
Season 1
1960 · 25 episodes · Last episode: 65 years ago
- E25
- E24
24. Physics of Clouds
- E23
23. Photosynthesis
- E22
22. Laws of Conservation
- E21
21. The Mohole: Earth's Crust
- E20
20. The Chemical Senses
- E19
19. Monotony
Dr. John Zubec of the University of Manitoba explains his experiments and studies on boredom and its effects on the human mind
- E18
18. The Speed of Light
- E17
17. Animal Communication
- E16
16. Eclipse
- E15
15. Man and His Environment
- E14
14. Hibernation
- E13
13. The Face of the Moon
- E12
12. Physics and Games – Laws of Probability
- E11
11. Kept Alive
- E10
10. Man as an Environment – Human Body
- E9
9. The Aurora-Borealis
- E8
8. A special Christmas edition
- E7
7. Science Fiction
- E6
6. Man as an Environment
- E5
5. Engineering
- E4
4. Schizophrenia
- E3
3. The Future of Science
Professor Donald Ivey probes the attitudes and working habits of scientists
- E2
2. The Roar of the Crowd
Study of brain cells, how research has helped the understanding of learning and memory. Filmed at the Montreal Neurological Institute, with Dr. Wilder Penfield and Dr. Herbert Jasper
- E1
1. Why Is It So?
Finale
Season 2
1962 · 24 episodes · Last episode: 64 years ago
- E24
24. Episode 24
Examines work of Dr. William Sheldon, who has spent 30 years gathering statistics about the human physique, classifying body types, and correlating this information to medical and psychiatric studies
- E23
23. Blood in the Balance
- E22
22. Count on Me
Computers are given the once-over by Drs. Donald Ivey and Patterson Hume.
- E21
21. Out of Africa
- E20
20. A Bang-Up Job
- E19
19. Learning
- E18
18. A Science Newsreel
- E17
17. Instant Heat
Co-hosted by Drs. Patterson Hume and Donald Ivey, of the University of Toronto. They show how electricity can be produced directly from heat, and vice versa, and discuss the difficulties of transforming thermal energy into electrical energy.
- E16
16. The Plague
- E15
15. Thinking about Math
Host Lister Sinclair discusses the thinking that goes into the science of mathematics. Using animated film and studio demonstrations, he explains Mathematical logic
- E14
14. Getting the Upper Hand
- E13
13. Animals With Feathers
Dr. William Swinton, head of the Royal Ontario Museum's Life Sciences Department, and John Livingston, executive director of the National Audubon Society, trace the history of birds
- E12
12. Spermatozoa
Lord Rothschild of the University of Cambridge describes the results of his research in the field of spermatozoa
- E11
11. Monkey Curiosity
- E10
10. Hibernating Molecules
Hosts Dr. Donald Ivey and Dr. Patterson Hume talk about conditions at extremely cold temperatures, when matter 'hibernates' and molecular action slows almost to a complete stop, and how this allows physicists to study the basic structure of matter.
- E9
9. Man and the Moon
- E8
8. Survival
An appraisal of the probable effects of a large-scale nuclear blast over a North American city. Dr. Tom Stonier of the Rockefeller Institute of Government discusses what can be expected to happen to people and property as a result of such a blast.
- E7
7. The Physics of Music
- E6
6. The Upper Mantle Project
- E5
5. Gallstones
- E4
4. The Situation Is Fluid
- E3
3. To Educate a Scientist
- E2
2. Photography in Science
- E1
1. Looking Ahead
Season 3
1963 · 24 episodes · Last episode: 63 years ago
- E24
24. Hypnosis
- E23
23. Spiders
- E22
22. Mars
- E21
21. Human Overpopulation
In aftermath of industrial revolution, with scientific advances offsetting human control, human species has experienced an increase so explosive that grave doubts are now held about future food supply.
- E20
20. The Infra-Red
Detection of heatwaves by Special infra-red receptors has many industrial, military and other uses.
- E19
19. The Chemistry Of Bread
Baking bread may be a familiar process, but it is by no means a simple one. A very great number of fundamental chemical actions are demonstrated in baking of one loaf of bread
- E18
18. Code of Life
Dr Louis Siminovitch, Professor of Medical Biophysics at University of Toronto, discusses what is currently known about heredity.
- E17
17. Fact & Fiction
Hosts Dr Donald Ivey and Dr Patterson Hume of University of Toronto, contrast observation to synthesis.
- E16
16. Bird Migration
- E15
15. Car Crashes
What happens in a car crash - to car and to its occupants? What causes a crash?
- E14
14. New Atoms For Old
- E13
13. Isaac Newton
Series consultant Lister Sinclair pays tribute to Sir Isaac Newton. The program attempts to capture the spirit of the time through the words of Newton himself and those of his contemporaries
- E12
12. The Descent of Man
Recent fossil discoveries in Africa have shed new light on the ancestry and evolution of man. Guest Dr. L.S.B. Leakey, renowned British anthropologist and paleontologist, unearthed fossil remains in the Olduvai Gorge that have extended the time scale of human evolution from 500,000 to two million years or more. A deductive story in anthropology and paleontology is told as Dr. Leakey describes his finds and interprets their significance
- E11
11. Tornadoes
- E10
10. Science Museum
To commemorate the Canadian Centennial in 1967 it has been proposed that Canada build a national museum of science. The program includes filmed demonstrations of how science and technology can be made meaningful to the general public.
- E9
9. Smoking And Lung Cancer
In cooperation with National Cancer Institute and Canadian Cancer Society, today's show explores results of years of lung-cancer research in Britain and North America.
- E8
8. Lie Detectors
This program examines autonomic nervous system, how it works, and what it can reveal.
- E7
7. The Way The Ball Bounces
Professors Donald Ivey and Patterson Hume demonstrate principles behind bounce in a rubber ball.
- E6
6. Ear Operation
Film of an ear operation from BBC series YOUR LIFE IN THEIR HANDS, with commentary by Dr Hugh Barber, Toronto ear specialist.
- E5
5. Chemistry Of Salt
Dr Fred H. Knelman of Montreal, talks about sources and chemistry of salt and industrial applications of salt and its components.
- E4
4. From Water To Land
Palaeontologist Dr Alfred S. Romer of Harvard University explains evolution of lungs, legs, and a new kind of egg in aquatic creatures.
- E3
3. Tubes To Transistors
Hosts Dr Patterson Hume and Dr Donald Ivey of University of Toronto talk about electronics age brought about by vacuum tube and transistor.
- E2
2. Brainwashing
British psychaitrist Dr William Sargeant discusses and illustrates various brainwashing techniques such as weakening of mind.
- E1
1. Episode 1
Series consultant Lister Sinclair is host on season's opener on which he explains how scientists approach their work and how The Nature of Things will present scientific items.
Season 4
1964 · 11 episodes · Last episode: 62 years ago
- E11
11. Immunology
In this program Donald Crowdis, Director of Nova Scotia Museum of Science, talks about transplants and new study of immunology.
- E10
10. The World Of Water
In this program Donald Crowdis, Director of Nova Scotia Museum of Science, talks about water.
- E9
9. Cartography
Host and writer Lister Sinclair talks about map projection, and problems of taking a spherical object, earth.
- E8
8. Blood, Sea And Tears
Man still carries around in him an isolated pool of early Palaeozoic ocean that fed his plankton ancestors.
- E7
7. Lasers
Dr Patterson Hume and Dr Donald Ivey explain recent developments of laser beam since 1960, how it works, and its potential uses in medicine, war and communications.
- E6
6. Science In Sports
Host Lister Sinclair and guest Lloyd Percival, sports authority, discuss and demonstrate how various sporting activities can now be precisely measured and how they can thus be improved.
- E5
5. Surgery For Parkinson'S Disease
This program shows surgical techniques used in a new treatment for Parkinson's Disease.
- E4
4. Excursion Into Hell
Centuries ago, people in warmer parts of earth believed a dread disease was contracted from unhealthy air generated in swamps.
- E3
3. Standards For Comparison
Universal standards of measurements are explained in laymen's terms by Dr Patterson Hume and Dr Donald Ivey of University of Toronto.
- E2
2. About The Size Of It
Scientist and broadcaster William Whitehead and Dr WE Swinton, Director of Royal Ontario Museum discuss how size differences in animal kingdom are result of their environment and their habits.
- E1
1. Einstein, Man & Mathematician
An examination of personality and achievement of Albert Einstein. Dr Jacob Bronowski of Salk Institute for Advanced Biological Studies at La Jolla, California.
Season 5
1965 · 11 episodes · Last episode: 61 years ago
- E11
11. "The Pacemakers"
For the first time ever on television, part of the remarkable "pacemaker" heart operation is shown being performed at the Toronto General Hospital.
- E10
10. "Bird Strikes on Aircraft"
At one time, collisions between aircraft and birds usually hurt only the birds. Now, with aircraft flying at supersonic speeds, the impact of collisions is greater. And birds ingested into the engines have caused a number of crashes. The Nature of Things looks at what is being done to eliminate bird strikes on aircraft.
- E9
9. Photography
Dr. Walter Clark of the Eastman-Kodak Research Laboratory, and host Lester Sinclair explain what happens after you push the button of your camera.
- E8
8. "Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics"
Professors Patterson Hume and Donald Ivey dispute Mark Twain's claim that: "There are lies, damn lies and statistics"; or in other words, "you can prove anything with statistics."
- E7
7. Pain
- E6
6. "The Quaking Earth"
- E5
5. Flight
Lister Sinclair looks at the artificial flight techniques of man and some of the principles of flying used by other species.
- E4
4. Eureka
Discussion and demonstration of "accidental" scientific discoveries.[37]
- E3
3. "Survival"
The problem of survival in extreme climatic conditions is examined by Dr. William Whitehead.
- E2
2. "Viruses"
- E1
1. "Good and Evil"
Season 6
1965 · 17 episodes · Last episode: 60 years ago
- E17
17. Man And Animals
Man, animal species, as he might be described by an objective zoologist from another planet: what is he.
- E16
16. Episode 16
- E15
15. Episode 15
- E14
14. Animal Learning
How much of animal behavior is inherent, and how much is learned?
- E13
13. Episode 13
- E12
12. Animal Social Behavior
- E11
11. Animal Territory And Aggression
A look at various ways animals and man defend their homes and their young.
- E10
10. Animal Vision And Smell
Different combinations of senses are dominant in activities of different animals: vision and smell in insects, smell and hearing in most mammals, vision and touch in higher primates.
- E9
9. Animal Hands And Tools
Man is known as "toolmaker", although certain other animals do use tools.
- E8
8. Animals As Engineers
Program shows how animals modify their environments in many ways; by building nests.
- E7
7. Animals As Engineers
Animals modify their environments in many ways: by building nests, damming streams.
- E6
6. Animals And Food
How animals locate, obtain, process and eat food using "anatomical tools": beaks, claws etc.
- E5
5. Animal Adaptation
A look at process of natural selection by which animals have developed special means of coping with their environments: long neck of giraffe, coat of polar bear.
- E4
4. Animal Adaptation
A look at how animals have developed special means of coping with environments - long neck of giraffe, coat of polar bear.
- E3
3. Animals In The Water
"Animals In The Water" studies fish, crocodiles, seals and whales.
- E2
2. Animals On Land
How animals get from place to place, including burrowing, crawling, climbing trees, running,.
- E1
1. Animals And Man
A series studying animal kingdom, and man's place in it, through comparisons of anatomy, function, and behavior.
Season 7
1966 · 17 episodes · Last episode: 60 years ago
- E17
17. Galapagos: Living Laboratory
This final program in series looks at some of endangered species in Galapagos islands, and at impact of human settlement on native creatures.
- E16
16. Galapagos: Ways Of Survival
Apart from their external appearance, animals go through behavioural and physiological changes to adapt themselves to different environments: for example.
- E15
15. Galapagos: New Beings
An exploration of scientific phenomenon known as "adaptive radiation", way in which a small founding group of a plant or animal species can give rise to a number of new species
- E14
14. Galapagos: The Islands
A survey of animal and plant life of Galapagos archipelago including: a look at geological origins of islands.
- E13
13. Galapagos: Darwin
First episode of a five-part series on Galapagos islands. This looks at life and work of Charles Darwin.
- E12
12. Water On The Level
There has been great alarm recently over declining level of water in bodies of water as enormous as Great Lakes.
- E11
11. Forest And Fires
This program deals with forest succession. Scientists have recently learned a great deal about way.
- E10
10. The Value Of Our Parks
This program examines Canada's great national parks and their ecological importance in maintaining habitats vital to various plants and animals.
- E9
9. Fishing And The Splake
Science is developing new and better fish, splake for instance, a product of cross-breeding of lake.
- E8
8. Summer Storms
A look at activities of Stormy Weather Group, scientists at Montreal's McGill University and Macdonald College who study pheonomena of summer storms.
- E7
7. Epidemics
Not so many years ago, summer's warmth brought chilling fear of polio and typhus epidemics.
- E6
6. The Physics Of Sailing
The scientific study of physics of sailing, is a fairly new field. This program looks at scientific efforts to understand why sailing ships do what they do.
- E5
5. Air Conditioning - Natural And Man-Made
This program considers many aspects of controlling human environment to regulate pressure, humidity, and temperature.
- E4
4. The Battle Against Biting Insects
An examination of some of most sophisticated methods of pest control such as: unbalancing insects' nutrition.
- E3
3. Air And Water Pollution
This program explores serious problem of pollution, which results when more waste materials are poured into air and water than these elements have capacity to deal with.
- E2
2. Natural History Of The Niagara Gorge
The famous Niagara Falls had their origins at Queenston 12,000 years ago. Since then.
- E1
1. The Sun
An examination of sun from various points of view. Includes discussion with illustrative film footage of: archeological remains.
Season 8
1967 · 4 episodes · Last episode: 59 years ago
- E4
4. Canadian Wildlife: Wild Alberta
Wildlife in Alberta is the subject of tonight's episode. John Livingston narrates this final program in the special, four-part Centennial series about Canadian wildlife.
- E3
3. Canadian Wildlife: Arctic Summer
The authentic sights and sounds of wildlife activity in the Arctic during the summer. Animals seen include polar bears and seals.
- E2
2. Canadian Wildlife: A Celebration of Swans
A study of the rare and beautiful trumpeter swan, which was nearly extinct but has now returned to a reasonably healthy population of about 2,000 through efforts of federal and provincial conservation agencies.
- E1
1. Canadian Wildlife: Retreat to the Rockies
"Retreat to the Rockies" with an especial look at bighorn sheep.
Season 9
1968 · 14 episodes · Last episode: 57 years ago
- E14
14. Audubon
A study of life and work of Jean Jacques Audubon, great painter-naturalist who captured beauty of American wildlife on canvas.
- E13
13. Machine And Man: Systems Engineering
A system, according to Oxford dictionary, is a whole composed of parts in orderly arrangement, according to some scheme or plan.
- E12
12. Machines And Man: Transportation
Are problems of urban transportation insurmountable? The traffic jams which are a regular feature of city life make it appear so.
- E11
11. Portable Power
Man's first "portable power" device was part of his own body, energy from contraction of long molecules in presence of sugar: muscle power.
- E10
10. Man Aloft
This film looks, sometimes whimsically, at examples of old and modern flying machines.
- E9
9. Land And Water
This program shows how man changes his environment by shaping land he lives on, reclaiming land from sea, making new lakes and rivers.
- E8
8. Man And Machines
The Greek inventor, Alexander Hero, first defined five basic devices which make all machines possible: lever, wedge, wheel, pulley and screw.
- E7
7. Central Power
One test of civilization is ability to organize sources of energy. Central power was something new in 1876.
- E6
6. Canals And Tunnels
The great engineers of past - men like DE Lesseps of Suez fame and Panama infamy and Bradley - whose canals were arteries of industrial revolution, sacrificed health and fortune, and sometimes lives.
- E5
5. Communications
Much of this program deals with basic communications problem of getting a signal through noise.
- E4
4. Structure
Defying force of gravity, man has strewn his structures across earth. This program looks at some of them.
- E3
3. Materials
A review of history of man's oldest materials: wood, stone, iron, bronze and glass.
- E2
2. Human Engineering
- E1
1. Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison wasn't merely a lone inventful genius. He invented modern research team makes possible technology shaping our world.
Season 10
1969 · 28 episodes · Last episode: 56 years ago
- E28
28. Physical Sciences: Laser
The qualities of laser and normal light are contrasted. Final program in series.
- E27
27. Physical Sciences: Energy Conversion
The physics of energy and problem of producing large quantities of energy with little pollution form basis of this program.
- E26
26. Physical Sciences: Making Waves
Research into physics of sound and hearing has caused increasing alarm among scientists and physicians about effects of high noise levels upon people, and destructive psychological and physical effects of constant noise pollution.
- E25
25. Physical Sciences: Stellar Evolution
The latest observations of astronomers have turned up new kinds of stars; mysterious emanations from deep in space called pulsars and quasars.
- E24
24. Sense Substitution
Research on new electronics and mechanical devices to help blind and deaf realize true sensory perception.
- E23
23. Continental Drift
The theory that Earth's continents are moving is examined.
- E22
22. Oceanography
Recent advances in oceanography.
- E21
21. A Sense Of Time
A look "backstage" at Ontario Science Center, Royal Ontario Museum and Old Fort Henry.
- E20
20. A Sense Of Time
Second in a series of three programs on Canada's museums. This program presents views from adults - those who feel past has no relevance to their lives, and others who find themselves culturally enriched by past.
- E19
19. Wild Africa: Something New
Africa as it was during 18th and 19th centuries. Final program in this season's series.
- E18
18. A Sense Of Time
First in a three-part series visiting some of Canada's 700 museums in an attempt to show how people of all ages use them for self-discovery.
- E17
17. Wild Africa: As It Was
A look at luxuriant parks and reserves where various species of wild animals and birds still survive.
- E16
16. The Ages Of Man: A Definition Of Death
When is a man dead? Canadian physicians discuss medical, ethical and legal questions involved with death, organ transplants.
- E15
15. The Ages Of Man: Transplants
History and research in field of organ transplants.
- E14
14. The Ages Of Man: Heart Disease
A look at coronary thrombosis which kills three out of ten adults; heart research in Canada.
- E13
13. The Ages of Man: Decade Science Review
- E12
12. The Ages Of Man: Arthritis
One quarter of all Canadians will be affected some time in their lives by arthritis.
- E11
11. The Ages Of Man: The Cell
The theme of biology for past 20 years has been origin of biological constancy. The theme of next 20 years will be origin of biological diversity.
- E10
10. The Ages Of Man: Drugs
A study of how medical researchers are using animals to determine effect of drugs such as marijuana and LSD, and.
- E9
9. The Ages Of Man: The Attack On Cancer
This program focuses on research into effects of drugs on cancers in mice being conducted by internationally renowned cancer team at Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital.
- E8
8. The Ages Of Man: A Breath Of Life
Every year, over 12,000 Canadians are born with serious inherited defects. Maureen McChesney, 12, is one.
- E7
7. The Ages Of Man: A Day In The Life Of A G.P.
A 24-hour day in life of a young family physician, Dr Reg Perkin, covering everything from his 7 am jogging to his 10 am tonsillectomy operation.
- E6
6. Danger: Man At Work - The Global Crisis
Final program of a sub-series on pollution and conservation. This program offers statements and observations by experts on extent of pollution in world today and what can be done to improve it.
- E5
5. Danger: Man At Work - Pesticides
Fifth in a six-part series on pollution. All pesticides are poisonous in greater or lesser degrees.
- E4
4. Danger: Man At Work - Air Pollution
Fourth program in a six-part series on pollution. The program show history of air pollution from advent of coal-burning in 14th Century.
- E3
3. Danger: Man At Work - Water
The third program in a six-part series about pollution. This program shows how water is distributed.
- E2
2. Danger: Man At Work - The Urban Crisis
Part two of a six-part series on pollution. The ways man has succeeded, and failed, to duplicate in his cities checks and balances of natural environment.
- E1
1. Danger: Man At Work - In The Balance
Part a six-part series on pollution. This program shows how comparatively new science of ecology has shown fate of life on earth lies in balance.
Season 11
1970 · 15 episodes · Last episode: 55 years ago
- E15
15. Psychiatry: Human Potential
A look at Vancouver-area encounter groups.
- E14
14. Psychiatry: Street Fighting Mad
A visit to Montreal's Allan Memorial Institute, where a disturbed teenager responds to treatment.
- E13
13. Psychiatry: Heavy Night
Psychiatry: Heavy Night
- E12
12. Who Help Themselves
Dealing with McGill University Settlement Mental Health Unit project in Montreal..
- E11
11. Population Problems: Tomorrow'S Child
Featuring a national opinion poll on public attitudes in Canada towards population growth.
- E10
10. Population Problems: Everybody'S Baby
Population: Everybody's Baby" examines projected consequences of overpopulation and-controversy surrounding population control.
- E9
9. The Great Lakes
Immediate implementation of pollution control in our Great Lakes is urgently needed if we are to preserve our most vital waterway.
- E8
8. The Great Lakes
Sociologists tell us that Great Lakes are basis for civilization around them. If lakes fail.
- E7
7. A Sense Of Time: The Age Of Man
Planet Earth has supported life for some three billion years; but Man, characterized by his powers of thought and other other intelligent faculties, has shown greatest development.
- E6
6. A Sense Of Time: The Age Of The Earth
This program focuses on a new geophysical concept of our planet.
- E5
5. A Sense Of Time: The Age Of The Universe
The first in a three-part series entitled "A Sense of Time". This examines past and present ideas on questions of how old is universe.
- E4
4. The Last Stand: The Southwestern Desert
The last in a four-part series entitled The Last Stand. This program looks at Sonoran Desert in US Southwest and in Mexico.
- E3
3. The Last Stand: Point Pelee
The third in a four-part series entitled "The Last Stand." Point Pelee is a tiny peninsula in southwestern Ontario, jutting into Lake Erie, which contains a fresh water marsh full of wildlife of all kinds. It is also the last stronghold of the southern deciduous forest in Canada and contains southern species of plants and animals not found anywhere else in the country.
- E2
2. "The Last Stand: The Everglades of Florida"
The Everglades, unique in the world, are dependent entirely on water. But the beautiful birds and animals in the park are threatened by land development and a new airport, whose drainage policies are drying up the area.
- E1
1. "The Last Stand: Western Mountain Parks"
The first in a four-part series entitled The Last Stand. The series looks at a variety of areas in the world set aside as specially protected areas of wilderness and natural wildlife. The first program is about western mountain parks and the work being done by biologists and scientists to save mountain wildlife.
Season 12
1971 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 54 years ago
- E10
10. The Blue Holes of Andros
A visit to a deep network of underwater caves found offshore from the island of Andros, with Dr. George Benjamin, a Canadian research chemist and the world's foremost authority on the Bahamas' "blue holes" (underwater caves)
- E9
9. Vanishing Peoples: Yanomami
Documentary look at the Yanomami, a fast-vanishing Indian tribe inhabiting the tropical rainforest of the Upper Orinoco River in southeastern Venezuela and Northern Brazil.[
- E8
8. Lobsters and the Sea
A glimpse into the world of an unusual and amusing ocean inhabitant.
- E7
7. The Polar Bear
Pictorial life history of the Arctic animals throughout the seasons.
- E6
6. Grouse Country
The world of the colorful bird family admired by hunters and birdwatchers alike.
- E5
5. The Harp Seal
The life history of the seal, currently the object of the great spring seal hunt; the physiology and behavior of this unusual Arctic animal, plus an examination of its 8,000-mile migration from Hudson Strait to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and back. Also a look at the seal's unique adaptation for deep diving, currently under study by biologists at the University of Guelph in Ontario
- E4
4. The Fur Trade
A look at the endangered species of animals used in the fur trade, focusing on the Canadian market
- E3
3. Parkinsonism
A look at research which may bring hope to sufferers of a crippling disorder that affects those on the older side of the generation gap. Guests include Dr. Oleh Hornykiewicz, a pioneer in the discovery of the drug L-DOPA.
- E2
2. Cancer In Canada
Chances of recovery by a cancer patient in Canada are examined. Guests: Dr James Till, Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital, and Dr Robert Taylor of National Cancer Institute.
- E1
1. Banting, Best And Insulin
Season opener: The Nature of Things looks at discovery of insulin by Dr Frederick Banting and Dr Charles Best and deals with current Canadian research into diabetes.
Season 13
1972 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 53 years ago
- E10
10. Recycling: The Garbage Ouroboros
A comprehensive examination of the form of pollution fast becoming public enemy number one in North America: garbage.
- E9
9. Old Enough
This half-hour film depicts obvious absurdities, in a subjective interpretation of The Limits to Growth, a 1970 MIT computer study forecasting economic, social and political collapse by no later than 2020.
- E8
8. Migration: Animals in Cycle
A look at the migratory habits of birds and animals, with recent findings in animal studies reinforced with fascinating film footage of many species in their natural habitats.
- E7
7. Cities for People
The Nature of Things presents Cities Are For People, originally scheduled for February 19. It deals with new thinking in urban planning to make cities more livable.
- E6
6. Stockholm '72: Politics For Survival
A retrospective look at the summer 1972 World Conference on the Human Environment.
- E5
5. Think Before You Eat
A look at the eating habits of Canadians; food and nutrition, the so-called "Well-balanced diet" and problems of overeating are analyzed in this examination of the dangers of abundance
- E4
4. Acupuncture
An exploration of the traditional art of healing as practiced in China.
- E3
3. The Sexes, part 2 of 2
This program looks at hormonal changes during puberty, and the socially originated attitudes leading to differences between the sexes.
- E2
2. The Sexes, part 1 of 2
Examines male and female roles in society and presents a scientific study of the known biological facts about sex differences in humans.
- E1
1. Vanishing Peoples: Lacandons, The Mayas Of Mexico
The Lacandons, last surviving descendants of Mayas, live in rain forest of southern Mexico.
Season 14
1973 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 52 years ago
- E10
10. The Cree of Paint Hills
Documentary of the Cree inhabitants of Paint Hills, on the eastern shore of James Bay in Quebec.
- E9
9. The Joy Of Effort
How laws of physics are being applied to athletic endeavors, and coaches being taught how to use science rather than just "common sense" to help athletes get most out of their bodies.
- E8
8. Out Of The Mouths Of Babes
Little children learn languages, especially their own, with astonishing ease. Why this is so is subject of this film.
- E7
7. The Serious Business Of Play
Play is nature's method of learning about environment and about life for young. This explores our world of play and its importance for survival.
- E6
6. The First Inch
What goes on in very top layer of soil is often too small to see with naked eye. When photographed under a microscope.
- E5
5. A Comet's Tale
Czech astronomer Dr. Luboš Kohoutek, discoverer of the current heavenly phenomenon Comet Kohoutek 1973 f, is among the participants in this full-hour special. Roy Bonisteel is host of the program which examines comets from a scientific viewpoint, and heavenly signs and portents of doom from psychological and historical perspectives.
- E4
4. Anybody's Child
Documentary about emotionally disturbed children living in a family environment as an alternative to institutional treatment.
- E3
3. Ellesmere Island
On Ellesmere Island, located 600 miles from North Pole, oil has been discovered. Island inhabitants, new and old, are seen in this half-hour film.
- E2
2. The Club Of Rome
This group of thinkers, Club of Rome, thinks western society is on verge of chaos, social and political.
- E1
1. Puffins, Predators And Pirates
This, was filmed on Great Island, off east coast of Newfoundland, site of puffins' nesting grounds in North America.
Season 15
1974 · 8 episodes · Last episode: 51 years ago
- E8
8. The First Inch
What goes on in the very top layer of the Earth's soil is often too small to see with the naked eye. When photographed under a microscope, that first inch of soil reveals itself to be one of the most vital of the life cycles affecting man.
- E7
7. Discovery on Charlton Island
An archeological party discovers evidence that an old Hudson's Bay site at the foot of James Bay had been burned down by the French in the 17th century.
- E6
6. Frogs, Snakes and Turtles
Frogs, snakes and turtles play vital roles as janitors and regulators of the environment.
- E5
5. Mind And Hand
What happens when a person makes a voluntary movement? Some say human behavior is involuntary.
- E4
4. Traveller From An Antique Land
An ancient Egyptian mummy rests at Pennsylvania University Museum far from where she had been prepared to spend eternity .
- E3
3. The Heimaey Eruption: Iceland 1973
A film on volcanic eruption off south coast of Iceland in 1973.
- E2
2. Children's Hospital
Story of a child's stay in Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children.
- E1
1. And God Created Great Whales
A documentary showing the behaviour of killer whales in the wild, in the waters off Vancouver Island.[194]
Season 16
1975 · 8 episodes · Last episode: 50 years ago
- E8
8. Shelter: A Question of Control
The program shows how psychological experiments support those who believe that community and citizen control over their own environment is essential to the well being of city dwellers.
- E7
7. The Differences Are Inherited
The fruit fly is used as the focus for a discussion of mutations, current genetic research and the relationship of this research to some of the problems suffered by humans.
- E6
6. Prairie Grasslands
Documentary on prairie dogs and one colony in particular in South Dakota.
- E5
5. Water's Edge (Part 2)
Visible and microscopic life at the edge of a pond.
- E4
4. Water's Edge (Part 1)
Unique life forms in a pond.
- E3
3. Sable Island
A look at Sable Island, about 100 miles off Nova Scotia, where the wildlife has had an unusual evolution because it is separated from the mainland.
- E2
2. Ears to Hear
Severely deaf children learn to speak like normal children with the aid of powerfully sensitive hearing aids and teaching techniques being used by dedicated teachers.
- E1
1. Out of the Mouths of Babes Pt. 1
Season Debut: A two-part film about the ease in which little children learn languages.
Season 17
1976 · 8 episodes · Last episode: 49 years ago
- E8
8. Funk Island
Shows some of the species of seabirds to be found on Funk Island, situated 40 miles east of Newfoundland, which is a breeding ground of more than one million seabirds, and stresses the need for their protection against man.
- E7
7. When The Wind Blows
A look at the uses man has made of the wind, from sailboats to windmills to modern turbines for generating electricity.
- E6
6. The Gabra
The Gabra is a tribe of 24,000 people who live in the harsh terrain on both sides of the Kenya-Ethiopia border. They may be the only non-Muslim, camel raising society left in the world. Their lifestyle is cruel, filled with age-old rituals and beliefs.
- E5
5. Children of the Buffalo
A study of the Todos tribe of India, their polyandrous marriage rituals and their unusual funeral rites. The Todos spend their lives tending the buffalo and everything they do revolves around this animal.
- E4
4. The Mind's Eye
A look at the work of scientists who are exploring regions of the brain by examining its relationship to the visual system.
- E3
3. Newborn
A study of the capabilities that are innate to a newborn baby in the first week after birth.
- E2
2. The Invisible Reef
Through the use of micro-photography, viewers are afforded a look at the unique way in which a reef is formed through a complex system of natural recycling.
- E1
1. Noah's Park
The work of a group of naturalists who are attempting to create a refuge for biblical animals by restocking a park with species inhabited land in Bible times.
Season 18
1977 · 11 episodes · Last episode: 48 years ago
- E11
11. Patterns of Pain / The Gannets of Bonaventure
Two films featured: Patterns of Pain explores the perception of pain in our nervous systems; The Gannets of Bonaventure looks at the largest breeding colony of gannets in North America, on Bonaventure Island; and informs of threats to the colony from pollution and tourist traffic
- E10
10. When Men Play Gods
he creation of new organisms using a technique called recombinant DNA
- E9
9. Twins: Matching Genes
Part two of a two-part study of twins and the research being conducted. This program shows how scientists use the phenomenon of twins to discover more about mankind in general, particularly in the field of genetics.
- E8
8. Twins: And Then There Were Two
This is first of a two-part report which looks at both scientific and human side of twins.
- E7
7. Space Shuttle
A look at the next development in space research: establishing a space colony supporting 10,000 people in an Earth-like environment.
- E6
6. The Cry Of The Gull
The Cry of the Gull examines the effect of chemical pollutants on Lake Ontario wildlife
- E5
5. Radiation: Nuclear Power
A look at advantages and dangers of nuclear energy, focusing special attention on problem of waste disposal.
- E4
4. Radiation: In Sickness And In Health
- E3
3. The Geese Of Wascana
Visit to marshes of Regina where Canada Geese spend winter on open water.
- E2
2. The Evolution Of Flight
Pedestrian malls, car-free zones and multipurpose subway systems are examined in a study of urban planning and urban renewal.
- E1
1. The People You Never See
The series' 18th season starts with "The People You Never See," a report on victims of cerebral palsy.
Season 19
1978 · 12 episodes · Last episode: 47 years ago
- E12
12. The Cajuns
The descendants of Nova Scotia's Acadians and their lifestyle are profiled at their adopted home, the Bayou Lafourche in southern Louisiana.
- E11
11. The Search
The Search follows World Health Organization medical teams on their campaign to vaccinate the against smallpox in Somalia, the world's last location where the disease survives.
- E10
10. Charlie
Canadian paleontologist Charlie Sternberg and his work in cataloguing dinosaur fossils in the Albertan Badlands are profiled.
- E9
9. Dreams (part 2 of 2)
Analysis of dreams is viewed at several institutions established expressly for that purpose, and those who participate in the experiments are shown as they make notations and give recollections of what they dreamed.
- E8
8. Sleep (part 1 of 2)
Volunteers undergo an experiment at the Montefiore Sleep Lab in New York which monitors their sleeping-awakening cycles in an attempt to learn more about the body's biological time system.[264]
- E7
7. Portrait Of A Market: Sololá
The activities of the economic and social center of Sololá, located on Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, are viewed.[263]
- E6
6. Toward The Sun
The current efforts in both the United States and Canada to harness the sun as a major resource of heat and power are examined.
- E5
5. The Dogon
The cliff-dwelling Dogon farmers and their unique culture are studied in their homeland near the Niger River in Mali.[261]
- E4
4. Island of Monkeys
A study of individual development and group dynamics in a troop of rhesus monkeys in the natural observable environment of Cayo Santiago near Puerto Rico.
- E3
3. This Will Do For Today
A series of people of varying ages, professions and experiences express their innermost feelings on subjects ranging from dateless Saturday nights to fear of death.
- E2
2. Clockwork Atom
The phenomenon of man's changing concepts of the world is explored in relation to his desire to measure time more accurately.
- E1
1. Evolution Update
Season premiere: Anthropologist Richard Leakey discusses his work in Africa, and explains the latest techniques by which scientists measure time and age of subjects.
Season 20
1979 · 15 episodes · Last episode: 46 years ago
- E15
15. Seal Psychology / Chiricahuas / Violins
Seal Psychology: A study of the ability of seals to navigate and catch fish in waters where it is too dark for the seals to see. Chiricahuas: A look at the Chiricahua mountains and their wildlife in southeast Arizona. Violins: How violins are made, including an interview with a violin maker, and footage of students at the International School of Lute Making in Cremona, Italy.
- E14
14. High altitude Physiology / The Vision of Galileo / Dust Storms
Technological developments involving man's survival at high altitudes; a look at the life of Galileo, Italian astronomer, mathematician and physicist, including recreation of some of his experiments; and an examination of the global meteorological effects of Sahara dust storms
- E13
13. Crocodile City / Spanish Galleons / World's Largest Windmill / Cement
This magazine edition includes four segments: a look at Lamanai (Crocodile City), built by the Maya of Belize between 400 and 300 BC, as it was being excavated by David Pendergast of the Royal Ontario Museum, assisted by other specialists and a work-force of direct descendants of the Maya; Spanish Galleons: A look at the recent discovery and exploration of Spanish treasure ships wrecked off the coast of Texas four centuries ago, and techniques used in identifying encrusted objects; World's Largest Windmill: Students and teachers of a Danish Folk School have built a windmill 75 meters high that produces 2,000 kilowatts of electricity, and Cement: A look at the properties of cement.
- E12
12. Paul Jacobs and the Nuclear Gang
For more than twenty years a freelance American journalist named Paul Jacobs interviewed people exposed to nuclear fall-out from bomb tests in Nevada in an attempt to establish a link between such exposure and cancer. In this episode Jacobs' investigations are examined.
- E11
11. Memories From Eden
Special environments which zoo officials have created for the welfare of certain animals and the enjoyment of visitors are highlighted.
- E10
10. Insects / Oyster Culture / Science Fairs
The survival of insects over thousands of years, the cultivation of oysters in West Africa, and Canadian science fairs on the provincial and national levels are examined by Dr. David Suzuki
- E9
9. Left Brain, Right Brain
The latest techniques used in the field of neurosciences are researched to determine the functions of both halves of the human brain.
- E8
8. Clinical Trials / Folk Medicine / Magnetic Bacteria
Clinical trials, folk medicine and magnetic bacteria are discussed by Dr. David Suzuki
- E7
7. Arctic Oil
North America's last great wilderness area, Lancaster Sound in Canada's high Arctic, is now the site of oil exploration, and a unique environment rich in animal and plant life is threatened. David Suzuki and a film crew from The Nature of Things visited Lancaster Sound to find out what the future holds for this region. The material gathered from that expedition, together with interviews with several of the native peoples and with others directly concerned with what is happening in the Canadian Arctic, are presented in this program.
- E6
6. Deep Diving / Memory: Come to Think of It
David Suzuki goes deep-sea diving to demonstrate the psychological changes divers experience. David also investigates the mysteries of memory – how it is acquired, and how it is lost
- E5
5. Contact
The techniques for helping autistic children developed by Barry and Suzi Kaufman to aid their own son are examined, as are their applications in a special program being conducted by a York University graduate.
- E4
4. Puppets / One, Two, Three, Zero / New Wave Babies
In Puppets, Elizabeth Crocker at the Izaak Walton Killam Hospital for Children, Halifax, is interviewed about her use of puppets to ease children into their hospital stay. The One, Two, Three, Zero segment examines possible methods of treatment for infertile couples who wish to have children.[275] In New Wave Babies, scientists Dr. Patrick Steptoe and Dr. David Bevie are interviewed about methods used in the "test tube baby" procedure.
- E3
3. Madagascar: Island of the Moon
The island geographically separated from the rest of the African continent and populated by numerous species of plant and animal life is examined.
- E2
2. Hypnosis / India's Sacred Cows / Ultra Sound Scanne
Dr. David Suzuki reports on the use of hypnosis as a medical application and the use of ultra-sound waves for X-rays, and presents the film "Sacred Cows," dealing with the importance of domestic cattle to the Indian economy.
- E1
1. Flying Circus of Physics / Immune System / Monarch Butterfly / Contact Lenses
Dr David Suzuki visits an unusual professor who conducts a Flying Circus Of Physics, examines soft contact lenses made for extended periods of use and reports on latest immunological efforts to treat severely afflicted children.
Season 21
1980 · 17 episodes · Last episode: 45 years ago
- E17
17. The Foxes' Earth
For centuries the people of the village of Huasicancha in Peru lived under the domination of others, from the last of the Inca rulers to the Spanish conquerors and subsequent regimes. How the people finally rose up to reclaim the poor land they farmed at a subsistence level is told in this documentary.
- E16
16. Blackfly / Desalination / Memory – Come to think of it / Dr. Karl Illmensee
Blackfly: A look at the life cycle of the blackfly, and its effects in northern Canada and Africa. Desalination: A practical method of desalination using reverse osmosis is presented. Memory – Come to think of it (repeat): A look at recent research into the brain's memory capacities. Dr. Karl Illmensee: A look at the work being done by Dr. Karl Illmensee [de] at the University of Geneva to study the possibility of causing cancerous cells to revert to normal cells.
- E15
15. Sri Lanka: Island of Serendib
A documentary on Sri Lanka, its wildlife and culture and the changes taking place as technological development erodes traditional ways of life.
- E14
14. The Moving Still
A look at the history of scientific photography from its beginnings in 1837 to the present-day use of high-speed cameras
- E13
13. Poisoned Playgrounds / Charlie
The actions taken by Ontario parents when insecticide spraying at a school proved hazardous to their children's health are examined, and in a repeat showing of the film "Charlie", the work of Canadian paleontologist Charlie Sternberg is highlighted.
- E12
12. Birds' Eggs / Newfoundland Oil / John Polanyi
Birds' Eggs: A look at the many ways that egg shells protect and aid embryonic development of birds. Newfoundland Oil: The technical difficulties and possible environmental and social impact of oil drilling off the coast of Newfoundland are examined. John Polanyi: An interview with the University of Toronto molecular scientist who discusses his work, his influences, the responsibilities of a scientist and the centrality of science in the modern world.
- E11
11. AAAS Report / One of the Family / Oyster Culture
AAAS Report: Scientists gathering in Toronto for a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science are interviewed about the role of the scientific community in the nuclear arms race. One of the Family: A Toronto family whose youngest member was born with cerebral palsy is profiled, focusing on their reactions to his birth and his development with the help of doctors and therapists. Oyster Culture: A look at a Japanese oyster harvesting operation and at oyster farms in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and Sabah, Malaysia.
- E10
10. Prenatal Diagnosis / Hearing in Chinchillas
Prenatal Diagnosis: Presents new techniques to examine the fetus while still in the womb to determine its sex and detect possible defects. Hearing in Chinchillas: A look at the similarities between the human ear and the ear of a chinchilla, and a study of how noise can permanently damage hearing in both. Chinchillas are subjected to loud tones and their inner ear membranes are examined for damage in an electron microscope.
- E9
9. Freak Waves / Invisible Astronomy / Hildebrand
Freak Waves: A report on work at the Canadian National Research Council into wave formations that can engulf oil rigs or large vessels, even when weather conditions are relatively fair. Invisible Astronomy: Host David Suzuki visits the Algonquin Park Observatory and the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico as he reports on the use of radio astronomy and the search for extraterrestrial intelligent life. Hildebrand: A visit with chemist and educator Joel Hildebrand of the University of California.[
- E8
8. Success Story / Sickle Cell Anemia
A magazine edition: Success Story: a film by nature photographer John Carey about the insect world and the ability of insects to survive hostile forces of man and nature. Sickle Cell Anemia: A look at what is known about the causes of sickle cell anemia, how it affects its victims and what progress is being made to alleviate and cure the condition.
- E7
7. China Now – The Four Modernizations (Part 2 of 2)
The professional and recreational activities of the Chinese people are examined in a tour of their homes, factories and parks, as well as the palaces which were formerly the homes of emperors.
- E6
6. China Now – Its Roots in the Past (Part 1 of 2)
The lifestyle and culture of modern China are highlighted in a study of the educational system and medical techniques of the country; visits to the seaport of Qingdao and the ancient cities of Hangzhou and Yangzhou are featured.
- E5
5. Going Without Gas / Surface Tension / Science Fair
Going Without Gas: A look at recent developments in designing cars that run on fuels other than petroleum, such as methanol, ethanol, electricity, hydrocarbons and hydrogen. Surface Tension: Observing the molecular properties of surface tension and how soap uses these properties to remove grease. Science Fair: A look at the 1979 Metropolitan Toronto Science Fair, featuring the contestants (ages 12-18), the displays, the judging and the awards presentation
- E4
4. Tar Wars
The geology and relative impact of the Athabasca Tar Sands are examined, along with the problems involved in the extraction of oil from the deeper deposits
- E3
3. Skin – The Bare Necessity / Manatees / Ludhiana
Three films are featured: Skin – The Bare Necessity, dealing with the human skin; Manatees, concerning a unique vegetarian creature which lives in coastal waters, and Ludhiana, a profile of an Indian city which serves as the home base for 12,000 different business enterprises.
- E2
2. Cystic Fibrosis / Whooping Crane / Cold-Water Survival
A report on cystic fibrosis, a genetic respiratory ailment that afflicts young people; the International Crane Foundation's work to save endangered species of birds is documented; and hypothermia, which involves the impact of very cold water on the human body, is examined.
- E1
1. Volcanoes / Hovercraft / Curve Balls / Windshear / Xerography
Volcanoes: A look at the geological formation and environmental impact of volcanoes, focusing on the 1980 eruptions of Mt. St. Helens in Washington. Hovercraft: New uses for air-cushioned vehicles, including the possible future use of hovercraft over muskeg terrain. Curve Balls: A demonstration of how baseball pitchers throw curve balls, and the effects which a baseball has when it spins through the air. Windshear: Richard Malcolm, a physicist specializing in aircraft safety, discusses the problems created by different types of turbulence and the recent aircraft design changes to ameliorate the problems. Xerography: A presentation of how a photocopier works.
Season 22
1981 · 16 episodes · Last episode: 44 years ago
- E16
16. Waves / The Harp Seal / Blackfly
Waves: An update of the program "Freak Waves" originally broadcast in December 1980. A further look at research being done into wave formations that can destroy oil rigs on the open sea. The Harp Seal (repeat): The development of the harp seal is traced, from birth through nursing to its eventual migration northward. Blackfly (repeat): A look at disease and other problems caused by blackflies.
- E15
15. The Asteroid and the Dinosaur
An examination of the theory advanced by physicist Luis Alvarez and others that an asteroid impact was responsible for the sudden total extinction of the dinosaurs over sixty million years ago.
- E14
14. Mind's Eye / Tide Mill / Colour It Snake
Mind's Eye: A report on recent research into how the brain constructs vision from the information supplied by the eyes. Tide Mill: A look at a grist mill at Ealing in England which for two centuries has run on tidal power. Colour It Snake: A discussion of the ways in which the basic pigments in snake scales are arranged to produce colour patterns fitting various survival needs.
- E13
13. Jute Plastic / The Life of the Honeybee / Dr. Joel Hildebrand
Jute Plastic: The harvesting and processing of Bangladesh's jute fibre. Jute sheets coated with polyester resin and laminated together form a strong cheap material which may win an international market for jute. The Life of the Honeybee: A documentary following the life cycle of the honey bee and the social organization of the hive. Dr. Joel Hildebrand: David Suzuki travels to the University of California at Berkeley to attend the celebration of the 100th birthday of Dr. Joel Hildebrand, who is active in science after teaching chemistry for many years.[
- E12
12. Hanuman Langurs: Monkeys of India / A Helping Hand / Formation Flight
Hanuman Langurs: Monkeys of India: A look at the social organization and adaptation to human settlements of Hanuman langurs, social monkeys who are named for the monkey god Hanuman. A Helping Hand: A look at myoelectric prostheses, artificial limbs which, while being powered by batteries, are actually controlled by amplified muscle electricity. Formation Flight: Examining the reasons why large birds tend to fly in formation
- E11
11. Aspirin / Windy Bay / Fluorescent Light
Aspirin: An examination of how the common drug aspirin may have widespread application in combating heart and circulatory system diseases. This depends on its action, only recently appreciated, of inhibiting blood clotting. Windy Bay: A look at Windy Bay, on Lyell Island in the Queen Charlotte Islands, one of the last areas of virgin rainforest on the Canadian west coast. Windy Bay is now threatened by clearcut logging even though it has been suggested as a priority site for international conservation. Fluorescent Light: How fluorescent lights work and how they are manufactured.
- E10
10. An Island Shall a Monster Make / Philip Morrison on Nuclear War
A magazine edition highlights the giant lizards on the island of Mona near Puerto Rico, and physics professor Philip Morrison's work on the atomic bomb as a team member on the Manhattan Project.
- E9
9. Tipping The Scales
The various factors which influence human weight are examined through reports on eating habits, diets, and basic metabolism
- E8
8. Microscope: Making It Big / Desert Doctors / Polar Bear Pass
Microscope: Making It Big: A look at the history and present development of the microscope. Desert Doctors: A look at the mobile hospitals used to treat people inexpensively in India's Rajisthan Desert. Polar Bear Pass: A look at Polar Bear Pass, an important oasis of arctic wildlife on Canada's Bathurst Island.
- E7
7. A Natural Turn of Events / Kidney Transplant / Kelp
A Natural Turn of Events: Construction in Toronto has led to the creation of a long spit of land – the Leslie Street Spit – which is turning into a prime nesting location for many kinds of birds, and also for migrating monarch butterflies. Kidney Transplant: Kidney dialysis and transplants, with Dr. Michael Robinette of the Toronto General Hospital. Kelp: A look at kelp harvesting in China, and the products that can be made from it.
- E6
6. Twins – And Then There Were Two
This is a special edition based on two half hour programs that first aired in 1978. Producer Heather Cook has revised and updated the original programs to include the latest research data in studies that have been continuing over long periods at various medical centres and universities in North America. The program explains how cells divide to produce twins and the differences between fraternal twins and identical twins.
- E5
5. A Magic Way of Going
A study of the genetic and biological development of thoroughbred horses, tracing the history of the animal from the time that horses were small creatures to the sleek, larger size animals they are today.
- E4
4. Waterproof Frog / The Piano / In the Sub-Nuclear Kitchen / The Record
Waterproof Frog: A look at the unique frog Phyllomedusa which lives in the arid Gran Chaco region of central South America. The frog protects itself against water loss by coating its body with a waxy secretion. The Piano: A program about the history and science of the piano. In the Sub-Nuclear Kitchen: A brief look at particle physics and the huge particle accelerator at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva. The Record: A history of the phonograph record
- E3
3. Edge of the Cold (Part 1 of 2)
David Parer's Australian examination of the wildlife on Macquarie Island, narrated by Sir Edmund Hillary. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation produced four half-hour films about the Macquarie Islands. This episode of The Nature of Things compiles two of them.
- E2
2. "Rabies / Island of Coral / Microwave Ovens"
Steps being taken to combat rabies in Ontario, an Island of Coral which provides a home for some of the world's most unique creatures, and the advantages and hazards of microwave ovens
- E1
1. "Reconnective Surgery / Shark Vision / Reclaiming the Desert / The Battery"
Season Premiere: David Suzuki examines re-connective surgery and the vision capabilities of sharks, visits an irrigation project in India and explains the functions of batteries. The micro-surgery segment was taped in China and features Dr. Chen Chung Wei of the 6th People's Hospital in Shanghai. Dr. Chen is credited with pioneering the techniques now being practiced at Toronto's General hospital.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Episodes for this season haven't been announced yet.
Season 39
1998 · 5 episodes · Last episode: 27 years ago
- E5
5. Look Who's Talking...How Animals Communicate
FinaleIt is only recently that humans have become aware that animal communication is often elegant, elaborate and subtle. Understanding how other species communicate tells us a great deal about the history and evolution of our species.
- E4
4. Good Wood
- E3
3. Grasslands
- E2
2. Reefer Madness 2
There is a growing number of people who regard marijuana (cannabis) as a benign medicine, offering relief to people suffering from a variety of illnesses, including epilepsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma as well as lessening the side effects of medications and treatments given to cancer and HIV patients. CBC Television's THE NATURE OF THINGS with David Suzuki examines the medicinal uses of marijuana.
- E1
1. Up Close and Personal: The Ecology of David Suzuki
The program is about the natural history of this invisible world: the things that float in the air around us, the microbes that live in the dish cloth on the kitchen counter, the fungi under our fingernails, and the visitors in the saucer under a house plant.
Season 40
1999 · 15 episodes · Last episode: 26 years ago
- E15
15. Weather: Dragons of Chaos
FinaleThe nature of weather is so complex that it is really a system of chaos. Weather is often benign, but occasionally the chaos spawns fierce dragons. Severe weather - violent storms, floods and droughts - is largely beyond human control, and can be cruel. Few need reminding of the 1987 tornado that killed 27 people in Edmonton, the flooding of the Saguenay region in 1996 and the Red River in 1997, and the 1998 ice storm in Quebec.
- E14
14. Humans: Who Are We?, Part 2 – The Human Invasion
Paleoanthropologists, linguists, archeologists and other scientists offer the latest interpretations of fossil findings and genetic studies and posit intriguing theories on how Homo sapiens became the only existing human species. Did we kill off our cousins, interbreed and merge with them, or did they just die out? It took five million years for an upright ape to evolve into an agile, quick-thinking and inventive human being. But once our ancestors emerged in Africa, were we destined to dominate the globe?
- E13
13. Humans: Who are We, Part 1 – The Birth of The Human Mind
The Birth of The Human Mind takes viewers on an amazing journey back in time, exploring the use of language, tools and how our distant ancestors came to walk. Contrary to long-accepted belief, scientists now believe that Homo sapiens did not evolve from Neanderthals, but shared the earth with them for thousands of years. Our ancestors, the Homo sapiens, are the youngest members on the human family tree, about 150,000 years old. Homo erectus goes back 1.8 million years and Neanderthals about 200,000 years.
- E12
12. Wild Goose Chase
- E11
11. Silent Sentinels
- E10
10. Do Parents Matter?
How much are children influenced by their peers? The documentary Do Parents Matter? examines a controversial concept put forth by Judy Harris, a suburban grandmother and author of the explosive book, The Nurture Assumption.
- E9
9. The Sleep Famine
- E8
8. Race for the Future, Part 2
- E7
7. Race for the Future
- E6
6. Designing for Dignity: Engineering Body Parts
- E5
5. Lost
We've all felt the terror of being lost - even for just a few moments. We lose our way; a child unexpectedly vanishes in the aisles of a supermarket.
- E4
4. Parkinson's: Lynda's Story
- E3
3. The Hidden Killer: Portrait of an Epidemic
- E2
2. How to Live to 100
- E1
1. Phallacies
Season 41
2000 · 19 episodes · Last episode: 25 years ago
- E19
19. Worst Case Scenario
FinaleAlbertans have traditionally been proud of their mighty petroleum industry. But lately, they have begun to question how that industry works. Nowhere is this shift more apparent than along the Clearwater River in Central Alberta, near Rocky Mountain House. There, residents are opposing Shell Canada's plans to drill a sour gas well in their area. The sour gas from the well could generate $10,000 a day in gross revenue, to meet today's high energy demands.
- E18
18. Hospital at the End of the Earth
- E17
17. Toxic Legacies
- E16
16. Maisin People In Papua New Guinea
- E15
15. Surgeons of the Future
- E14
14. The Price of Salmon
Salmon are considered an excellent source of nutrition. And farmed salmon provide it inexpensively. But at what cost? The Price of Salmon explores the complex issues involved with aquaculture.
- E13
13. Coastal Forest/Salmon Forest
- E12
12. Lost Worlds: Wild South America: Great Plains
Lost Worlds - A six-part series on the breath-taking natural world of South America takes viewers on a cross-continent grand tour - from the mighty Amazon to the spectacular Andean peaks and the world's driest desert - stopping to view the strange and wonderful array of animals, birds and other wildlife along the way. Produced by the BBC. Narrated by David Suzuki.
- E11
11. Lost Worlds: Wild South America: Penguin Shores
PENGUIN SHORES is part five of the magnificent six-part BBC series Lost Worlds, covering the amazingly diverse topography of South America, and its remarkable denizens. The world's longest mountain chain stretches from the tropics to the massive Patagonian Ice Sheet of sub-Antarctica. Its icy power dominates the lives of the hardy animals that dare to call it home, making living there one of nature's greatest challenges.
- E10
10. The Secret Life of the Crash Test Dummy
- E9
9. Amanda's Choice
Amanda is an insightful 19-year-old from Timmins, Ontario. She has a three-year-old son and a dilemma: whether or not to be tested for the faulty gene that will bring on Alzheimer's Disease by her mid-30s, as happened with her mother and other generations in her family. It is a disease that always leads to early death.
- E8
8. Lost Worlds: Wild South America: The Andes
- E7
7. Lost Worlds: Wild South America: The Mighty Amazon
South America is a land of extremes. It boasts the world's longest mountain chain, the Andes; the mightiest river, the Amazon; the largest rainforest, the driest desert and the richest sea.
- E6
6. Lost Worlds: Wild South America: Amazon Jungle
- E5
5. Lost Worlds: Wild South America: Monkey Jungles
- E4
4. Lost Worlds: Wild South America
- E3
3. Spare Parts
- E2
2. Breath of Life
- E1
1. Nuclear Dynamite
Season 42
2001 · 17 episodes · Last episode: 24 years ago
- E17
17. Hot Flash on Menopause
Finale - E16
16. Beluga Speaking Across Time
- E15
15. Intuition
- E14
14. Wired for Life
- E13
13. Cyberman: Canada's Original Cyborg
- E12
12. Morphine on Trial
- E11
11. Self-Experimenters
Most major advances in medicine and science and are made by people who push the envelope. From morphine to cardiac surgery, we owe much to the risks taken by scientists of the past who have experimented on their own bodies to make new discoveries.
- E10
10. Genetically Modified Foods
In 2001 the Government of Canada approved the following genetically modified crops for food use: canola, corn, cottonseed, flax, potato, soybean, tomato, wheat, sugar beet and squash. Is enough really known about genetic engineering to ensure that genetically modified (GM) food products are safe for consumption?
- E9
9. Living Forever
Biologists have seen within our genes the possibility of extending human life spans to 300 years or more. In the 21st century, will scientists reach the Holy Grail? Will they find the secret of eternal youth? THE NATURE OF THINGS with David Suzuki presents LIVING FOREVER, a look at how far scientists have come in discovering the human potential for longevity.
- E8
8. Return of the Peregrine
Adept at diving at speeds normally reserved for fighter pilots, the peregrine falcon is the fastest and most widely dispersed creature on the planet. A one-hour documentary, RETURN OF THE PEREGRINE chronicles this majestic bird of prey's journey back from the brink of extinction.
- E7
7. Race Against Time
It's an epidemic of staggering proportions. Thirty-six million people are infected with the HIV virus worldwide, with over 25 million of them in Africa. More than 21 million people have died of AIDS, nearly 17 million in Africa alone. THE NATURE OF THINGS with David Suzuki presents RACE AGAINST TIME, a film about the greatest challenge of the 21st century and the work of Canadian Stephen Lewis, the United Nations Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa.
- E6
6. Bioterror
Since the September 11th terrorist attack on The World Trade Center, the news has been saturated with information about a new threat, bio-terrorism. But how new is it? THE NATURE OF THINGS with David Suzuki presents BIOTERROR, an exploration of the past, present and future of bio-terrorism.
- E5
5. Drug Deals: The Brave New World of Prescription Drugs
Are our regulatory agencies doing their best to ensure drug safety? Or are they buckling to corporate pressure to market lucrative new drugs before they are adequately tested? These are questions raised in DRUG DEALS: THE BRAVE NEW WORLD OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
- E4
4. Psychopaths
A documentary that looks at the understanding of this condition in the scientific community, and what hope there is for treatment, therapy or a cure.
- E3
3. Touch: The Forgotten Sense
A film about the amazing, but often overlooked sense of touch. The film takes us on an artistic and scientific journey from a woman who has completely lost her sense of touch, to a deaf-blind child that can understand speech through his fingers.
- E2
2. Warnings from the Wild
All over the planet, temperature increases are affecting wildlife. Some species are spreading to new areas. For others, climate change means extinction. THE NATURE OF THINGS with David Suzuki presents Warnings From The Wild, a documentary that draws together recent evidence of the effects of the biggest climatic upheaval in 10,000 years.
- E1
1. Me, My Brain And I Unmasking The Mystery of the Conscious Mind
Bob thinks but doesn't feel. Christina feels but has trouble thinking. Virginia can neither think or feel as she's pulled down into a spiral of darkness that zaps her very will to survive. Kent lives within a 20-minute time span, unable to remember his past or plan for his future. Each of these people has had an injury to a part of the brain called the frontal lobes and their stories, told in Me, My Brain And I, are helping neuroscientists unravel the mystery of what makes us distinctly human.
Season 43
2002 · 1 episode · Last episode: 24 years ago
- E1
1. Up Close and Toxic
Finale
Season 44
2003 · 1 episode · Last episode: 23 years ago
- E1
1. The Ghosts of Lomako
Finale
Season 45
2004 · 23 episodes · Last episode: 21 years ago
- E23
23. Five Seasons
Finale - E22
22. Origins of Human Aggression: The Other Story
- E21
21. Whale Mission: Keepers of Memory
- E20
20. Whale Mission: The Last Giants
- E19
19. Being Caribou: Part 2
- E18
18. Being Caribou: Part 1
- E17
17. Fighting Fire with Fire
- E16
16. Passion & Fury: The Emotional Brain: Happiness
- E15
15. Passion & Fury: The Emotional Brain: Fear
- E14
14. Passion & Fury: The Emotional Brain: Love
- E13
13. Passion & Fury: The Emotional Brain: Anger
- E12
12. Forbidden Forest
- E11
11. Bhopal: The Search for Justice
- E10
10. Apocalypse Cow: The Mad Cow Story (Part 2)
- E9
9. Apocalypse Cow: The Mad Cow Story (Part 1)
- E8
8. Tale of a Tiny Bird
- E7
7. Killed By Care: Making Medicine Safe
- E6
6. Clot Busters
- E5
5. Shipbreakers
- E4
4. Arktika: The Russian Dream That Failed
- E3
3. Selling Sickness
- E2
2. Terrible Lizards of Oz
- E1
1. Sex, Lies and Secrecy: Dissecting Hysterectomy
Season 46
2005 · 29 episodes · Last episode: 19 years ago
- E29
29. Geologic Journey: The Atlantic Coast
Finale - E28
28. Geologic Journey: The Appalachians
- E27
27. Geologic Journey: The Canadian Shield
- E26
26. Geologic Journey: The Rockies
- E25
25. Geologic Journey: The Great Lakes
- E24
24. Mystery of the Giant Sloths Cave
Today's sloths rank highly among the most surprising creatures of the animal kingdom: living suspended to the Amazon rainforest's trees, they move about extremely slowly, as if from a world where time flows differently.
- E23
23. Cuttlefish – The Brainy Bunch
Imagine an alien with three hearts, blue blood and a doughnut shaped brain. In an instant it could become invisible, or switch on electrifying light shows. Then imagine this bizarre creature was real, and somehow connected to us.
- E22
22. Wild Caribbean: Secret Shores
The Caribbean is not just the islands. We explore the least known Caribbean, that area beyond the Sea. A journey along the greatest Caribbean shoreline of all, that of Central America.
- E21
21. Wild Caribbean: Treasure Island
Take the island hop of your life. Discover the rich variety of islands that are the Caribbean, and what forces have shaped this violent paradise.
- E20
20. Wild Caribbean: Reefs and Wrecks
The clear blue waters that surround the Caribbean islands are home to some of the world's most stunning underwater treasures. Coral reefs form beautiful underwater gardens visited by angels, horse eye jacks, blue tangs and stingrays.
- E19
19. Build Green
In a refreshing hour, Build Green advises making the sun, the wind, and the rain – along with dirt, straw, and sewage – your friends. By building a house using innovative practices and materials, you'll be doing the earth a favour too.
- E18
18. Wild Caribbean: Hurricane Hell
Every year the Caribbean paradise is turned into a hurricane hell. From the beginning of June until the end of November its hurricane season in the islands. With winds of over 150 mph, 5 metre storm surges and torrential rain, the destruction caused by hurricanes makes them one of the most feared forces of nature.
- E17
17. Stephen Lewis: The Man Who Couldn't Sleep
- E16
16. When Less Is More
- E15
15. Cuba: The Accidental Revolution (Pt. 2)
In spite of the economic crisis and US embargo, the Cuban health system is an outstanding success story around the world.
- E14
14. Cuba: The Accidental Revolution (Pt. 1)
Examines Cuba's response to the food crisis created by the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989.
- E13
13. Beetalker: The Secret World of Bees
Examining how bees communicate.
- E12
12. Blue Buddha: Lost secrets of Tibetan Medicine
A look at the rising interest in the ancient healing arts of traditional Tibetan medicine.
- E11
11. Ghosts of Futures Past: Tom Berger in the North
- E10
10. Homo Sapiens: The Rise of Our Species (Pt. 2)
Homo Sapiens deftly employs both docu-drama and interviews with key scientists to illuminate the remarkable story of the origins and development of our species.
- E9
9. Homo Sapiens: The Rise of Our Species (Pt.1)
Homo Sapiens: The Rise of Our Species will introduce you to the ultimate family tree. This story is the story of each one of us. It's the story of the birth of humanity and civilization.
- E8
8. Everyday Einstein
Everyday Einstein provides a fast-paced and jazzy look at the extraordinary impact Einstein continues to have on our daily lives.
- E7
7. Port Hope: A Question of Power
- E6
6. Tsepong: A Clinic Called Hope
- E5
5. The Secret Life of Babies
- E4
4. Change of Heart
- E3
3. Earth Energy
- E2
2. Nature Bites Back: The Case of the Sea Otter
- E1
1. Tarantula: Australia's King of Spiders
The hair-raising journey to discover the secret lives of these ancient crawlers. They have been roaming our planet for more than 350 million years and survived to become the giants of the spider kingdom. And they have a reputation to match – their name alone provokes fear and loathing.
Season 47
2007 · 24 episodes · Last episode: 18 years ago
- E24
24. Antarctic Mission: The Last Continent
FinaleFollow mission leader Jean Lemire and his crew as they endure 17 months on the expedition to measure the threat posed by global warming in the Antarctic - a place where the Earth is particularly vulnerable.
- E23
23. Antarctic Mission: The Great Ocean of Ice
A cold and mysterious world that is home to some of the toughest and most unusual creatures on the planet: giant ribbon worms, dragon fish, and ancient sponges.
- E22
22. Antarctic Mission: Window on a Changing Climate
Antarctica's inhabitants are telling us that their world is changing in complex and subtle ways. The once successful colonies of diminutive Adelie penguins are declining because of increased snowfall - one of the unexpected consequences of a warmer climate.
- E21
21. Antarctic Mission: Islands at the Edge
The SEDNA IV sails across the Polar Front, an area where cold turbulent Antarctic waters meet warmer water from the north - one of the earth's last great refuges for wildlife.
- E20
20. Wild China: Tides of Change
China's coast is an area of huge contrast-from futuristic modern cities jostling traditional seaweed-thatched villages to ancient tea terraces and wild wetlands where rare animals still survive.
- E19
19. Wild China: Beyond the Great Wall
Warrior nomads, bizarre wildlife and extreme weather conditions are found beyond the Wall, built by China's emperors.
- E18
18. Wild China: Land of the Panda
Travel across China's heartland where its Han people are the centre of a 5,000-year-old civilization.
- E17
17. Wild China: The Tibetan Plateau
Explore the vast windswept wilderness in one of the world's most remote places - the size of Western Europe.
- E16
16. Wild China: Shangi-La
Beneath billowing clouds in China's far southwest, rich jungles nestle below towering peaks and jewel-coloured birds and ancient tribes share forested valleys where wild elephants still roam.
- E15
15. Wild China: Heart of the Dragon
Explores how China's 1.3 billion people interact with their extraordinary wildlife and landscapes.
- E14
14. The Science of the Senses: Sight
This episode takes viewers on a fascinating tour of our visual world, from the moment light enters our eyes, to the way this information is transformed into electrical impulses and decoded by our brain - the domain of "visual perception". The act of "seeing" takes an immense amount of brainpower, more than 65% of the brain's neural pathways.
- E13
13. The Science of the Senses: Smell/Taste
In this episode of The Science of the Senses, we explore how smell combines with taste, somewhere in our brain, to create the perception of flavour. Most people wrongly assume that taste dominates. But what actually allows us to differentiate one food from another beyond the basics of sweet, sour, salty, savory and bitter, is the aroma.
- E12
12. The Science of the Senses: Touch
In The Science of the Senses: Touch we will take a journey through the skin, into the subcutaneous world of our sensory receptors and up into the brain as we explore the hidden language of our most essential sense.
- E11
11. The Science of the Senses: Hearing
In Hearing, episode one of The Science of the Senses, finding the answer to that question will take us on a journey through the ear, into the brain and right into the heart of the human psyche.
- E10
10. The Edge of Eden – Living with Grizzlies
- E9
9. The Nature of Things Magazine
A look into the multi-billion dollar underworld of counterfeit drugs, the tale of the Lunokhod a self-propelled robot on the Moon that could be controlled from the Earth and an interview with Boston Bruins' defenseman, Andrew Ference.
- E8
8. Climate Change II: Hot Times in the City
Hot Times in the City takes the pulse of three major Canadian cities: Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax, as they grapple with one of the planet's greatest threats to human health: global warming.
- E7
7. Climate Change I: An Uncertain Future
Now that climate change is an accepted, if inconvenient, truth, how are we coping? David Suzuki takes a first-hand look at how climate change is affecting Canadians where it really hurts: in their ability to make a living.
- E6
6. The Nature of Things Magazine
Witness the exciting lead up to the launch of the new High Speed One service out of St. Pancras Station, in London. A look at the Large Hadron Collider, the largest and most sophisticated machine ever constructed by science. And an interview with musician and environmentalist, Sarah Harmer.
- E5
5. The Man with the Golden Cells
The emerging world market in living cells, where an individual's genes can be bought and sold as commodities.
- E4
4. Game Over: Conservation in Kenya
Explore the impact of both colonial and contemporary initiatives in Kenya and how they affect the peoples who have traditionally lived off the land.
- E3
3. Weather Report
Climate change is irrevocably altering the world as we know it, challenging our sense of the future and the fundamental values of our industrial societies.
- E2
2. Living Forever: The Longevity Revolution
Explorer the ongoing quest to extend human life, the cutting-edge research and the latest discoveries.
- E1
1. The Bear Man of Kamchatka
Canadian bear expert Charlie Russell rescues two orphaned cubs destined for death in a squalid Russian zoo and secrets them away to his home in the remote wilds of the South Kamchatka peninsula, in the former Soviet Union.
Season 48
2008 · 17 episodes · Last episode: 17 years ago
- E17
17. Arctic Meltdown: Adapting to Change
FinaleA look at two different Arctics - one that is the storybook land of ice, snow and polar bears and the other that is covered with petroleum plants and pipelines carrying fossil fuels.
- E16
16. Arctic Meltdown: The Arctic Passages
Until recently, only a few ships braved travel through these ice-strewn waters. More and more ships cross these seas each year and with more traffic come higher risks.
- E15
15. Arctic Meltdown: A Changing World
From new companies rushing to claim the Arctic's plentiful resources to the effect climate change has had on animals as well as plant life. As the Arctic meltdown continues at an ever accelerating pace, who will protect it?
- E14
14. American Savannah
Our lawns are one of our simplest pleasures. Grass is a luxury that represents relaxation, freedom, time off and of course, time away from the world of tarmac and concrete. A wild and quirky ride into the world of one of America's longest-standing obsessions, the perfect lawn.
- E13
13. Inuit Odyssey
Canadian Arctic anthropologist Niobe Thompson takes us on a visually stunning journey across the North, tracing the origins of the modern Inuit.
- E12
12. Living City: A Critical Guide
What's wrong with Canada's cities? What's right? Award-winning urban affairs columnist Christopher Hume takes a cross-country journey to explore the sustainability, viability and liveability of Canada's population centres.
- E11
11. Supercar: Building the Car of the Future
Engineering professor Brian Fleck on a quest to meet the engineers, designers and even students who are trying to build the car of the future.
- E10
10. Black Wave: The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez
A saga about what happens when ordinary people struggle for justice against a huge corporation that has destroyed both their environment and their livelihoods.
- E9
9. Gone Sideways
A light-hearted look at serendipity in science, from life-saving cancer cures to the x-ray machine and the discovery of North America.
- E8
8. The Brain that Changes Itself
Based on the best-selling book by Toronto psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Norman Doidge, a look at how we view the human mind.
- E7
7. The Adventurers: The Lost People of Baja
Canadian paleo-pathologist Eldon Molto is leading the search for clues of the mysterious Pericu people of Baja California, Mexico - a fierce, primitive tribe that disappeared over a century ago, after being exposed to European disease. They left virtually nothing behind but their bones.
- E6
6. The Suzuki Diaries: Europe
David Suzuki and his daughter Sarika head out on a road trip across Europe to see sustainability in action and meet the people who are working towards restoring the equilibrium between human needs and planetary limits.
- E5
5. The Adventurers: A Story Told in Stone
Archeologist Edmundo Edwards pulls back the vines and trees of the jungle to find huge stone cities that sprawled across the interiors of Tahiti, Raivavae and the Marquesas Islands.
- E4
4. The Adventurers: The Everlasting Oasis
University of Toronto archaeologist Tony Mills travels to the eastern desert of Egypt where he and other archaeologists have unearthed an untouched marvel: a site of over 500,000 years of uninterrupted human habitation.
- E3
3. The Adventurers: The Last Nomads
Linguist Ian Mackenzie has tracked the last true nomadic hunting and gathering people on earth - the Penan of Borneo. Their way of life is quickly disappearing as aggressive logging interests swallow up their forest habitat.
- E2
2. Rodney's Robot Revolution
Has the time come to meet an artificially intelligent robot? Engineer and inventor Rodney Brooks thinks so. Forget about all those shiny robotic home-helpers of the past-Brooks is out to design a robot that can think for itself!
- E1
1. The Hobbit Enigma
One of the greatest controversies in science today: just what did scientists really find when they uncovered the tiny, human-like skeleton of a strange creature on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003? Since the discovery was made public a bitter dispute has split the world of anthropology.
Season 49
2009 · 18 episodes · Last episode: 16 years ago
- E18
18. Masters of Space
FinaleIs space becoming a new war zone? A revealing look at the fine line between space-faring and space warfare.
- E17
17. One Ocean: The Changing Sea
Explore some of the most stunning underwater locations in the world and set sail on a scientific race to predict the fate of the global ocean.
- E16
16. One Ocean: Mysteries of the Deep
Starting in the deepest part of the ocean, take a secret and magical world of bizarre creatures and new discoveries deep beneath the surface.
- E15
15. One Ocean: Footprints in the Sand
Ancient traditional fisheries, over-development and the places of recovery that can give us hope for a healthy future ocean all intersect.
- E14
14. One Ocean: Birth of an Ocean
Explore the ocean's tumultuous history and how the ocean transformed the earth into the livable, blue planet it is today.
- E13
13. Uakari: Secrets of the Red Monkey
A journey into the rainforests of the Peruvian amazon to investigate the mysterious Red Uakari monkey, never before filmed in the wild.
- E12
12. My Nuclear Neighbour
What would you do if you discovered a nuclear plant might be built right next door? Two women from Peace River Alberta journey into Ontario's nuclear heartland, to find out for themselves about life with a nuclear neighbour.
- E11
11. Bat & Man
Bats are scientifically extraordinary creatures. Now scientists have begun unlocking the secrets of the bat and are developing potential medical therapies based on their discoveries.
- E10
10. The Downside of High
Is today's strong pot damaging young minds? That provocative question is at the heart of this new documentary on recent science discoveries about marijuana and mental illness.
- E9
9. Bugs, Bones & Botany: The Science of Crime
Meet nature's detectives; how bugs, plants, bones ... even dust can be formidable enemies of crime.
- E8
8. To Bee or Not to Bee
Could bees be an early warning sign of a larger problem with our ecology? Are they the canary in the coal mine for the health of planet earth?
- E7
7. Suzuki Diaries: Coastal Canada
A father and daughter set out with hope on a journey of discovery to Canada's three coasts determined to find solutions for a troubled ocean and look signs of a sustainable future.
- E6
6. Darwin's Brave New World: Publish and Be Damned
- E5
5. Darwin's Brave New World: Evolutions
- E4
4. Darwin's Brave New World: Origins
The extraordinary and often harrowing story of Charles Darwin's 30-year struggle to piece together the mystifying puzzle he saw in nature, and publish his theory on the evolution of life on earth.
- E3
3. Broken Tail's Last Journey
A personal quest to discover the truth behind the disappearance of a captivating tiger, one of the world's leading tiger cameramen, tracks the escape and subsequent wanderings of a male tiger, named Broken Tail, from Ranthambore National Park.
- E2
2. Mini Monsters of Amazonia
A look at the astonishing and complex relationships of the "mini monsters", insects of the Membracidae family - treehoppers that live amid one of the richest ecosystems on the planet, one so mysterious most people don't even know that it exists.
- E1
1. A Murder of Crows
A rare and intimate glimpse into the inner life of one of the most intelligent, playful and mischievous species on the planet.
Season 50
2010 · 18 episodes · Last episode: 15 years ago
- E18
18. 50 Years of the Nature of Things
FinaleA celebration of half a century of a landmark science and natural history series, and an unrivaled Canadian institution.
- E17
17. Save My Lake
Save My Lake is a TV documentary episode.
- E16
16. Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie
David Suzuki, scientist, educator, broadcaster and activist, delivers what he describes as 'a last lecture' interwoven with scenes from his life and lifetime – the major social, scientific, cultural and political events of the past 70 years.
- E15
15. The Real Avatar
In James Cameron's film, Avatar, an alien tribe on the distant planet of Pandora fights the human invaders bent on mining their forest home. Instead of Pandora, think Peru.
- E14
14. Raccoon Nation
Is your garbage can making raccoons smarter? Stunning footage shot in the deep, dark of night combines with groundbreaking research in this fascinating documentary to explore the remarkable ways that city life is changing raccoons.
- E13
13. Return of the Prairie Bandit
Revisiting the 2009 release of nearly extinct black-footed ferrets in Saskatchewan to see what happened.
- E12
12. The Last Grizzly
Filmmaker Jeff Turner documents grizzly bears in the Northern Cascades of British Columbia.
- E11
11. Tipping Point: The Age of the Oil Sands
Tipping Point: The Age of the Oil Sands is a two-hour visual tour de force, taking viewers inside the David and Goliath struggle playing out within one of the most compelling environmental issues of our time
- E10
10. Code Breakers
Who were the first peoples of North America? Anthropologist Niobe Thompson embarks on a voyage of scientific discovery, using the latest in DNA analysis techniques to unlock the secrets behind humanity's earliest appearance in the Americas.
- E9
9. When North Goes South
Learning and discussing the consequences of magnetic pole inversion.
- E8
8. Geologic Journey 2: The Collision Zone: Asia (March 17, 1998)
The fiery unpredictability of Indonesia’s volcanoes at one end, the massive Himalayas at the other and millions of years of tectonic tension in between. The collision zone of the old world is about to be the hub of the new. India, the Himalayas and the island arc of Indonesia - these lands will form the centre of the world’s next supercontinent.
- E7
7. Geologic Journey 2: The Pacific Rim: Americas (January 13, 1998)
Nick Eyles continues to explore the Pacific Rim, this time looking at the west coast of North America.
- E6
6. Geologic Journey 2: The Western Pacific Rim (November 4, 1997)
Focusing on the Asia-Pacific side of The Pacific Rim of Fire, which stands as a living testament to the beauty and danger that powerful geologic forces can deliver. The Pacific Rim is home to half of the world's active volcanoes and ninety percent of the world's earthquakes, yet nearly 800 million people continue to live within its violent edge.
- E5
5. Geologic Journey 2: Along the African Rift (September 2, 1997)
For millions of years the East African Rift has been widening at the seams, tearing the African plate in two.
- E4
4. Geologic Journey 2: Tectonic Europe (July 8 1997)
Traverse the Eurasian plate across Europe — from Iceland, where new land is formed - to the Alps, where old land is destroyed.
- E3
3. For the Love of Elephants
An intimate look at the bond that is formed between humans and baby orphaned elephants at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rehabilitation centre just outside of Nairobi, Kenya.
- E2
2. Changing Your Mind
Once thought to be incapable of fundamental change, our growing awareness of the adult brain's capacity for neuroplasticity is opening new doors to treatments for diseases and disorders once thought incurable.
- E1
1. Aliens of the Deep Sea
The octopus is a close cousin of the oyster and snail. And yet, even by human standards the multi-limbed creature is considered highly intelligent. From Spain to Vancouver Island to Capri, Italy, scientists are testing the brain-power of the mysterious and mythic octopus.
Season 51
2011 · 18 episodes · Last episode: 14 years ago
- E18
18. Polar Bears: A Summer Odyssey
FinaleShot over twelve months, this blue chip wildlife documentary tells the story a young polar bear's epic migration through the icy waters of Hudson Bay and his subsequent adventures on land, where he must spend the ice-free season. It is his first summer alone without his mother to guide and feed him. His struggle to survive is set against the biggest environmental story of our time: climate change.
- E17
17. Smarty Plants
The secrets of plant behavior.
- E16
16. The Perfect Runner
Anthropologist Niobe Thompson explores the evolutionary past of humans.
- E15
15. Journey to the Disaster Zone
David Suzuki travels to the areas most affected by the tsunami on its anniversary.
- E14
14. Suzuki Diaries: Future City
In a new installment of Suzuki Diaries, David and his daughter, Sarika, set out to discover whether some of Canada's biggest cities are ready for the challenges of the future.
- E13
13. MS Wars: Hope, Science and the Internet
Multiple sclerosis patients use social media to engage in an unprecedented battle with the Canadian medical establishment for access to a controversial treatment.
- E12
12. The American Tiger
Most tigers today are privately owned - experts estimate that the number of tigers living in the United States is nearly double of those in the wild. What's life like for the American tiger?
- E11
11. Mysteries of the Animal Mind
Scientists explore the mysteries of animal consciousness and find growing evidence of compassion, cooperation, altruism, empathy, intelligence and communication in all sorts of different species.
- E10
10. Surviving :) The Teenage Brain
A look at the science deep within the teenage brain and a celebration of evolution's masterpiece - the years that bring us judgment, adaptation and innovation. In short the years that make us human.
- E9
9. Programmed to be Fat?
New science links man-made chemicals to the global obesity epidemic. Man-made chemicals may be programming us to be fat - before we're even born.
- E8
8. Autism Enigma
A fresh perspective on autism research with the developing "Bacterial Theory" of autism. The fastest-growing developmental disorder in the industrialized world, autism has increased an astounding 600 per cent over the last 20 years. Science cannot say why. Some say it's triggered by environmental factors and point to another intriguing statistic: 70 per cent of kids with autism also have severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Could autism actually begin in the gut? The Autism Enigma looks at the progress of an international group of scientists who are studying the gut's amazingly diverse and powerful microbial ecosystem for clues to the baffling disorder.
- E7
7. Waking the Green Tiger
Examining modern China's ideas about nature and the environment.
- E6
6. Myth or Science
Scientist Jennifer Gardy turns her critical eye towards the myths, lies, misunderstandings and errors behind the headlines, putting the science of the daily news to the test both in the lab and on the streets.
- E5
5. Emperor's Lost Harbour
In Istanbul, Turkey, workers building a railway tunnel make a remarkable discovery - an ancient harbour, buried and shrouded in mystery ...until now. Will archaeologists be able to uncover the treasures of the past before it is buried again?
- E4
4. Jungle Prescription
One of the most powerful hallucinogenic drugs on the planet is in a tea made from medicinal plants: it's called ayahuasca. There are studies around the world that say that this indigenous cure may also provide answers as to how to treat Western drug addicts.
- E3
3. The Nano Revolution: Will Nano Save the Planet?
- E2
2. The Nano Revolution: More Than Human
- E1
1. The Nano Revolution: Welcome to Nano City
Season 52
2012 · 15 episodes · Last episode: 13 years ago
- E15
15. The Man Who Tweeted Earth
FinaleThrough pictures, music and poetry, Canadian Commander Chris Hadfield brings us a view of earth from space that we’ve never seen before.
- E14
14. The Beetles Are Coming
- E13
13. The Beaver Whisperers
The national symbol has a new role as an ecological superhero.
- E12
12. Billion Dollar Caribou
The conservation of the caribou and their environment is much-contested territory.
- E11
11. The Fruit Hunters: Evolution of Desire (Part 2 of 2)
- E10
10. The Fruit Hunters: Evolution of Desire (Part 1 of 2)
The exotic world of fruit and the story of nature, commerce and obsession.
- E9
9. Meet the Coywolf
There is a new hybrid species which is part wolf, part coyote.
- E8
8. Shattered Ground
- E7
7. Zapped: The Buzz About Mosquitoes
People struggle to combat a blood-sucking little insect that is both delicate and deadly.
- E6
6. David Suzuki's Andean Adventure
- E5
5. Lights Out!
Twelve hours of light. Twelve hours of dark. For our entire history we have lived and worked in rhythm with the sun. But all that changed with the invention of artificial light. Light fixtures, computer and television screens - all of these have allowed us more time to live, work, play and shorten our nights. But at what cost? Are we putting our health at risk? We explore how the type of light we are exposed to in the hours between dusk and bedtime can play tricks on our bodies and cancel the healthful benefits naturally triggered by the absence of light.
- E4
4. The Norse: An Arctic Mystery
Are we alone in the universe? We may be very close to finding out. For millennia humans studying the stars had no idea if there were any other planets in the universe, let alone ones similar enough to ours to sustain life. Now, scientists may be close to discovering Earth-like planets, using a new space telescope and a technique pioneered by two Canadian astronomers.
- E3
3. Nuts About Squirrels
There are those of us who see squirrels as cute and fascinating, but there is also a large contingent who regard them as “tree rats” - little pests that never tire of wreaking havoc in our attics, gardens, and just about anything else that catches their fleeting fancy. So who’s right? Nuts about Squirrels reveals the secret world of the ubiquitous urban grey squirrel with squirrel robots, micro-chipped acorns and an army of citizen scientists.
- E2
2. Babies: Born to be Good?
- E1
1. The Buffalo Wolves
Wolves and Buffalo follows the fortunes of one pack of wolves, the Delta Pack. Will the pups survive their first year? Will the packs alpha animals retain their pack position to breed again next year? As they try to bring down the buffalo to keep themselves and their new pups alive what will the future hold for these ancient warriors?
Season 53
2013 · 19 episodes · Last episode: 12 years ago
- E19
19. Making Wild Canada
FinaleMaking the incredible Wild Canada series. Meet Jeff Turner, the series director, and see stories from the field.
- E18
18. Wild Canada: Ice Edge
In the country's harshest climate, the wildlife survive in the tundra of ice.
- E17
17. Wild Canada: The Heartland
From the prairies to Canada's vast boreal forest that stretches almost from coast to coast, we reveal a huge wilderness of extremes that has been shaped over millennia by both humans and wildfires. Here pronghorn antelope, the fastest hoofed land animal on earth, still haunt the grasslands, the elusive wolverine thrives in the icy remote northern forests and beaver share their cozy lodges with grateful muskrats.
- E16
16. Wild Canada: The Wild West
From the Rockies to the Pacific, western Canada has astonishing wildlife and landscapes, some of which have been influenced by early humans.
- E15
15. Wild Canada: The Eternal Frontier
A remarkable journey across Canada’s natural landscapes revealing the surprising influence early humans had on the land and its wildlife.
- E14
14. The Allergy Fix
Scientists are attacking food allergies in new and inventive ways, driven by the alarming increase in the number of people, particularly children, who suffer from them – and can die from them.
- E13
13. Trek of the Titans
A rare look at the leatherback turtle as it migrates between the chilly waters off Eastern Canada and the sunny beaches of the Caribbean.
- E12
12. Secrets in the Bones - The Hunt for the Black Death Killer
The quest to solve a great mystery in history: Identify the Black Death killer and unlock secrets that could save millions of lives.
- E11
11. How to Be a Wild Elephant
Orphan elephant Sities must learn how to be a wild elephant when she leaves the safety of a Kenyan sanctuary to begin her journey back to freedom.
- E10
10. The Great Butterfly Hunt
Canadian scientist Fred Urquhart unravels the mystery of the monarch's winter home.
- E9
9. Where Am I?
- E8
8. Survival of the Fabulous
- E7
7. A Dog's Life
- E6
6. Untangling Alzheimer's
- E5
5. Invasion of the Brain Snatchers
- E4
4. Brain Magic: The Power of Placebo
What if each of us could make the symptoms of an illness disappear? Cast a spell so powerful it would actually heal our bodies, help us walk, or breathe better? For centuries placebos have been thought of as just fake medicine, but Brain Magic: The Power of Placebo explores the growing scientific evidence that placebos can have powerful—and real—effects on our minds and bodies.
- E3
3. Myth or Science 2: The Quest for Perfection
Dr. Jennifer Gardy is back. But this time, Dr. Gardy’s journey of scientific discovery will plumb our very hopes and dreams - our quest for self-improvement. Are raw vegetables really better for you? Can you be fat and fit? Should you ditch caffeine? Dr. Gardy puts her own body on the line in lively experiments and scientific investigations to discover whether many popular health claims are science fact or science fiction.
- E2
2. Ticked Off: The Mystery of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease, a mysterious tick-borne illness, has become one of the fastest-spreading diseases in North America. Tiny, dangerous and once uncommon, the population of ticks is growing at an alarming rate. The documentary explores how climate change has hastened the spread of the ticks and this devastating disease, one that is often misdiagnosed and mistreated, and is mired in medical controversy.
- E1
1. Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale
North America is under attack by a sly and wily aquatic invader. Introduced in the ‘70s for the purpose of cleaning up algae in fish ponds, the aggressive Asian carp escaped into the Mississippi river system during floods. The 50-kilogram bottom feeders have advanced north at a surprising rate, becoming a familiar sight with their frenzied and often physically threatening mass leaps into the air. Despite their fascination with this newcomer, scientists on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border agree this invader is a threat we need to take seriously.
Season 54
2014 · 6 episodes · Last episode: 11 years ago
- E6
6. Chasing Snowflakes
FinaleScientists are unraveling the delicate mysteries of the snowflake. And what they’re learning is amazing.
- E5
5. Decoding Desire
From preening peacocks to promiscuous primates, what do animals reveal about our own sexual behaviour? Explore how sexual diversity and the experience of pleasure itself may be the key to species survival.
- E4
4. The Cholesterol Question
A investigation into whether or not Cholesterol really is the cause of heart problems.
- E3
3. Dreams of the Future
Dr. Jennifer Gardy tries out new technology and looks at fresh ideas of our relationships with nature.
- E2
2. Gorilla Doctors
Dr. Mike Cranfield looks at how he managed to be working in a Canadian veterinarian surgery to end up making house calls to some of Africa's most endangered mountain gorillas.
- E1
1. Stonehenge Uncovered
The biggest archaeological survey ever conducted of the Stonehenge landscape finds new evidence of a lost civilization.
Season 55
2015 · 2 episodes · Last episode: 10 years ago
- E15
15. The Equalizer
FinaleEvery year, athletes keep going higher, farther and faster, shattering previous world records and setting new ones. But are today’s record holders really better than those of the past? Or do modern athletes get their edge from their high tech gear? Top sports scientist Steve Haake sets off on a journey to investigate.
- E1
1. Moose: A Year in the Life of a Twig Eater
Experience a calf’s first year of life as it grows up in Jasper National Park amid some of the most striking scenery on the planet.
Season 56
2016 · 2 episodes · Last episode: 10 years ago
- E5
5. Destination: Mars
FinaleThe race to get to Mars is on, seizing the imagination of the world. Every month there seems to be a new revelation.
- E1
1. Pompeii's People
Despite intense archaeological scrutiny, much of the ancient city of Pompeii still remains a mystery. Now a team of archaeologists, scientists, and historians are taking to uncover Pompeii's secrets.
Season 57
2017 · 6 episodes · Last episode: 9 years ago
- E6
6. Lost Secrets of the Pyramid
FinaleThe Great Pyramid of Egypt may be humanity’s greatest achievement. It’s a skyscraper of stone built without computers or complex machinery. Now the secrets of the pyramid could finally be exposed, thanks to a series of astonishing new findings. Egyptologists are unearthing evidence across the country to reveal a story that tells of more than just how Egypt built a pyramid – they are discovering how the pyramid itself changed Egypt and the world. David Suzuki is joining the experts and scientists on the front-line who are unraveling new clues to the world’s greatest ancient mystery.
- E5
5. Making the Wild Canadian Year
Watch the incredible feats of endurance and technical wizardry needed to capture the sequences featured in the landmark series The Wild Canadian Year.
- E4
4. The Wild Canadian Year: Winter
Lynx hunt snowshoe hares in the boreal forest and the ancient dance between wolves and caribou on Canada's vast tundra reveal the harshest time of year when landscapes are transformed by winter.
- E3
3. The Wild Canadian Year: Fall
Fall chronicles a remarkable season of change: young northern gannets leap off perilous cliffs as chipmunks race to gather winter supplies, and prairie rattlesnakes give birth to live young.
- E2
2. The Wild Canadian Year: Summer
Killer whales and blue sharks are on the hunt, while amorous fireflies light up the night forest with their dazzling display, as summer reveals Canada’s landscape at the peak of its splendour.
- E1
1. The Wild Canadian Year: Spring
The first days of spring sees Arctic fox pups take their first steps and black bear cubs learn to climb trees after the long cold days of winter.
Season 58
2018 · 11 episodes · Last episode: 7 years ago
E11
11. The Wonder of the Northern Lights
FinaleThe aurora borealis delights and amazes us, but we're just beginning to understand its beauty.
- E10
10. Food for Thought
When it comes to diet, we swallow a lot of advice. Food for Thought sorts through the latest science to create a new recipe for health.
- E9
9. Stay-at-Home Animal Dads
From emus to penguins, meet some of the most devoted stay-at-home animal dads on the planet.
- E8
8. The Genetic Revolution
Trailblazing scientists are making ground-breaking discoveries in the rapidly evolving world of genetic engineering.
- E7
7. Spying on Animals
A look at how innovations in remote unmanned cameras let us bear witness to animal behaviour 24/7 - almost anywhere on earth.
- E6
6. The Memory Mirage
Can we trust what we remember about our own lives? Memory scientists say most memories are full of distortions and errors.
- E5
5. The Real T.Rex
Join an investigative journey around the world to uncover the mysteries of the most famous dinosaur super-predator: the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
- E4
4. A Day in the Life of Earth
From volcanoes to earthquakes & dust migration to meteorites — scientists reveal how much the Earth changes in 24 hours.
- E3
3. Equus: The Story of the Horse - Chasing the Wind
How did humans save the wild horse from extinction? And how did we create over four hundred specialized breeds today?
- E2
2. Equus: The Story of the Horse - First Riders
Travel back to the moment humans tamed the horse, and learn how horsepower made history.
- E1
1. Equus: The Story of the Horse - Origins
A journey around the world and back in time to discover why horses and humans make perfect partners.
Season 59
2019 · 17 episodes · Last episode: 6 years ago
- E10
10. Pass the Salt
Air date TBA
E9
9. Dinosaur Cold Case
An excavator operator working in a pit in the oil sands discovers a perfectly preserved dinosaur corpse. It's like a crime scene and the world's paleontologists are on the case.
- E8
8. Episode 8
- E7
7. Episode 7
- E6
6. Be Afraid: The Science of Fear
- E5
5. First Animals
- E4
4. Episode 4
- E3
3. Episode 3
- E2
2. Episode 2
- E1
1. She Walks with Apes
FinaleThe epic story of three legendary women who fought to save the great apes — and inspired a generation.
Season 60
2020 · 14 episodes · Last episode: 5 years ago
E14
14. The Last Walrus
FinaleA filmmaker explores one man’s quest to save a walrus, as the debate around marine mammal captivity evolves in Canada.
E13
13. Kingdom of the Polar Bears: Episode 2
Veteran polar bear guide, Dennis Compayre watches as a mother bear teaches her young cubs to hunt and discovers how they are struggling to adapt to a rapidly warming Arctic.
E12
12. Kingdom of the Polar Bears: Episode 1
Veteran polar bear guide Dennis Compayre goes on a remarkable journey into the world of a polar bear mom and her newborn cubs as they leave the safety of their den for the first time.
E11
11. The Real Neanderthal
Neanderthals weren't brutish or dim-witted. New discoveries reveal they were more human than we ever thought!
E10
10. Making Wild Canadian Weather
Crews go to great lengths to get amazing shots of wildlife people and weather. Working with scientists is essential.
E9
9. Wild Canadian Weather - Sun
The driving force behind all weather, sunlight creates a banquet for blue whales, helps vultures soar, and is essential for training some extreme athletes.
E8
8. Wild Canadian Weather - Wind
The invisible element that shapes our lives; falcons, butterflies and spiders hitch a ride, while Canadians harness, and harvest, the wind.
E7
7. Wild Canadian Weather - Rain
Rain brings unexpected benefits for spadefoot toads, grizzlies, and whitewater kayakers - but too much can be deadly.
E6
6. Wild Canadian Weather: Cold
Canadians push the limits of cold endurance while baby harp seals brave icy water and flying squirrels cuddle.
E5
5. Searching for Cleopatra
Uncovering the truth about the richest and most powerful woman in world history.
E4
4. The Covid Cruise
3,711 passengers and crew. 14-day quarantine. 1 deadly infectious disease. Coronavirus aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
E3
3. Wild Australia: After the Fires
Signs of life and hope emerge from the scorched landscapes of the worst wildlife disaster in modern history. of life and hope emerge from the scorched landscapes of the worst wildlife disaster in modern history.
E2
2. Kids vs. Screens
How screens affect our children's development, learning abilities and mental health.
- E1
1. Rebellion
Global temperatures are rising and so are we: millions of young people rise up to demand their right to a livable planet.
Season 61
2021 · 14 episodes · Last episode: 4 years ago
E14
14. The Science of Success
Success has little to do with performance, winners and losers are chosen by society. Now, scientists have discovered the secret to predicting success.
E13
13. The Musical Animal
We know that humans are a musical species. We sing, we dance, we groove. But are we the only musical species?
E12
12. The Teenager and the Lost Maya City
A young Canadian is going on the adventure of a lifetime. He believes he knows the location of a lost Maya city, and he’s heading to Mexico to find it.
E11
11. How the Wild Things Sleep
Unraveling the secrets of the most extreme sleepers of the animal kingdom. Why and how do animals sleep? How do they deal with sleep deprivation? And do animals dream?
E10
10. Carbon: The Unauthorized Biography
The key element of life on Earth, it has the power to build and destroy.
E9
9. Why We Dance
It may surprise you to learn that you are a dancer. In fact, we are all dancers. This film takes us into the beating heart of why humans simply must dance.
E8
8. Ice and Fire: Tracking Canada's Climate Crisis
Goodbye backyard ice rinks, mountain glaciers, and forest biodiversity: what Canada might lose due to climate change.
E7
7. In Your Face
We see faces in everything. Facial recognition is an evolutionary superpower unique to humans.
E6
6. Curb Your Carbon
Narrated by Ryan Reynolds, Curb Your Carbon reveals the easy and effective ways we can all fight climate change ... and turn down the heat.
E5
5. Chef Secrets: The Science of Cooking
The secret ingredient to becoming a better cook? Science! Top chefs and culinary experts explain the chemistry, physics, and microbiology of cooking
E4
4. The New Human
Disappearing tendons? Longer legs? Artificial body parts? What will humans look like in the future?
E3
3. The Machine That Feels
Artificial intelligence is becoming more empathic, emotionally intelligent, and creative. So what does it mean to be human?
E2
2. Nature's Big Year
When humanity hits pause, nature reboots. Scientists discover the surprising ways pandemic lockdowns affected our planet.
E1
1. Inside the Great Vaccine Race
The inside story of the high-stakes race to defeat a killer virus and save millions of lives.
Season 62
2023 · 13 episodes · Last episode: 3 years ago
E13
13. Suzuki Signs Off
For 44 years, David Suzuki has taken us around the world to explore science, technology, and nature – and now for something completely different. End of series.
E12
12. Woodpeckers: The Hole Story
Inside the secret and rhythmic world of one of nature’s best lumberjacks.
E11
11. The Secrets of Friendship
Step into the world of 'friendship detectives', who are unravelling the mysteries of social behaviours in humans and other animals.
E10
10. War for the Woods
Thirty years after historic logging protests on Vancouver Island, the battle to protect old growth forests is still raging.
E9
9. Bug Sex
Broken genitals and cannibalism. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of how bugs get busy.
E8
8. Grizzly Rewild
Five orphaned grizzly bear cubs get a second chance at life in the wild, but can they survive without their mother? A groundbreaking study follows the bears to find out if rewilding works.
E7
7. True Survivors
How have humans survived extreme environmental change in the past? And what will it take to survive what’s next?
E6
6. Apocalypse Plan B
Some scientists are proposing radical ways to cool our warming planet – but others say it’s time to restore nature on a global scale.
E5
5. Walking With Ancients
New archaeological discoveries are challenging our understanding of when the first people arrived in North America, rewriting the human story.
E4
4. Secret Agents Of The Underground Railroad
How staff at a luxury hotel in Niagara Falls, NY helped ferry enslaved people to freedom.
E3
3. Science & Cannabis
Is cannabis a medical cure-all or snake oil? Scientists distinguish the medicine from the myths.
E2
2. Rat City
Remarkable superpowers make rats the evolutionary heroes of the animal kingdom.
E1
1. Last of the Right Whales
North Atlantic right whales are on the brink of extinction. Follow the fight to save them.
Season 63
2024 · 14 episodes · Last episode: 2 years ago
New hosts Sarika Cullis-Suzuki and Anthony Morgan take on The Nature of Things, the world's longest-running science documentary series.
The Nature of Things Season 63 release dates →
E103
103. Secret World of Sound: Finding a Voice
Baby animals rely on sound to survive after they’re born — and even before.
E102
102. Secret World of Sound: Love and Rivals
Sound is used in extraordinary ways to impress, find a mate and fight off rivals.
E101
101. Secret World of Sound: Hunters and Hunted
In nature, sound can mean the difference between finding a meal and becoming one.
E11
11. Lost World of the Hanging Gardens
FinaleISIS destroyed thousands of ancient artefacts and buildings in Mosul. Now, archeologists are making incredible discoveries in the wreckage.
E10
10. Secrets of the Jurassic Dinosaurs
Anthony Morgan joins the fossil dig of a lifetime as palaeontologists discover why a tiny patch of land became a giant dinosaur graveyard.
E9
9. Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary
Mae Martin explores the science of gender and sexual fluidity.
E8
8. Little Sapiens
Thanks to cutting-edge technology, experts are finally learning the story of prehistoric kids and how they helped shape humans into who we are today.
E7
7. Hairy Tales
A hair-raising journey into the salon, the lab, a remote Chinese village, a baby nursery and even a wildlife sanctuary to explore the surprising new research at the root of it all.
E6
6. Love Hurts: The Science of Heartbreak
Find out if science can ease the human conditions of loss, rejection, and unrequited love.
E5
5. I am the Magpie River
A pristine river in Quebec is granted rights through legal personhood, protecting it and those who call it home.
E4
4. Jawsome: Canada’s Great White Sharks
Shark nerds are on a mission to reveal the JAWSOME lives of Canada’s Great White Sharks.
E3
3. Butt Seriously
Anthony Morgan shines a light where the sun doesn’t usually shine. Why we have butts, how they evolved and how to keep yours healthy.
E2
2. The Mystery of the Walking Whale
Sarika Cullis-Suzuki travels back in time to solve the evolutionary mystery of the walking whale.
E1
1. A User's Guide to the Voice
The human voice is the most sophisticated communication tool, but most of us don’t know how to unlock its potential.
Season 64
2025 · 14 episodes · Last episode: 1 year ago
New hosts Sarika Cullis-Suzuki and Anthony Morgan take on The Nature of Things, the world's longest-running science documentary series.
The Nature of Things Season 64 release dates →
E14
14. Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster
A dive to the Titanic. A fatal implosion. Inside the investigation to uncover the truth about the Titan's final journey.
E13
13. Dad Bods
Science is revealing the truth about 'dad bods' and how having a child can dramatically affect the brains and bodies of men. Real dad bods are less about the pudge and more about the smarts.
E12
12. Animal Pride
This is nature's coming out story. Connel Bradwell challenges mainstream biology's blindspots and explores the true diversity of gender and sexuality in nature.
E11
11. Plastic People
Microplastics are everywhere. Sarika Cullis-Suzuki joins science journalist Ziya Tong for an investigation into our addiction to plastic and the growing threat of microplastics on human health.
E10
10. Dances with Cranes
A year in the life of whooping cranes, and the humans saving them from extinction.
E9
9. Singing Back the Buffalo
A richly visual and deeply uplifting story of humanity’s connections to buffalo how their return to the Great Plains can usher in a new era of sustainability and balance.
E8
8. The Secret Knowledge of Animals
From goats that can sense upcoming volcanic eruptions to birds that know how to avoid tsunamis and cyclones, scientists are using wearable technology to tap into the "secret knowledge" of animals.
E7
7. Shared Planet: Forests
Forests are essential for life on our planet, but humans are cutting more down every year; these inspiring people are reshaping how we live and work in Earth's forests, sharing space with wildlife.
E6
6. Shared Planet: Waters
Water provides the largest habitat on Earth, but water-dependent wildlife is declining fast. Learning to share these watery worlds can offer a brighter future for the entire planet.
E5
5. Shared Planet: Open Spaces
Grasslands account for half of the total land area on the planet and most have been converted for human use; there are some places though where people and wildlife can both prosper by sharing space.
E4
4. Shared Planet: Cities
From New York to Kolkata, there are surprising benefits to us that come from sharing space with the wildlife in our cities.
E3
3. Foodspiracy
Sarika Cullis-Suzuki and Anthony Morgan study ultra-processed foods; they examine why these foods are appealing; they investigate the health effects.
E2
2. Sweat!
As global temperatures rise, Anthony Morgan investigates the human body's natural cooling system; he examines sweat, an often underappreciated bodily function and its crucial role.
E1
1. Teenager
The science of adolescence: understanding this dramatic, mysterious and critically important phase of life, for humans and other animals.
Season 65
2025 · 13 episodes · Last episode: 7 months ago
New hosts Sarika Cullis-Suzuki and Anthony Morgan take on The Nature of Things, the world's longest-running science documentary series.
The Nature of Things Season 65 release dates →
E13
13. The Mosquitoes Are Winning!
Mosquitoes have shaped wars and empires throughout human history: they're a deadly predator; now, scientists are racing to stop the ancient threat that's being shifted into overdrive.
E12
12. Cheetah: Fast and Wild
After lions kill their mother, two cheetah cubs are raised in captivity. Now they have a chance to live wild — they just need to learn to hunt.
E11
11. Athens: Birth of Democracy
Anthony Morgan uncovers how the citizens of ancient Athens seized power from tyrants and launched the revolutionary experiment of the world's first democratic government.
E10
10. Decisions, Decisions: The Science of Choice
We make thousands of decisions every day, but how can we make better ones? Decisions, Decisions reveals how we can all improve our choices and change our lives.
E9
9. The Berg
The life of an iceberg, from its stunning birth in Greenland to its dramatic death off the shores of Newfoundland.
E8
8. Cluck! Chickens Exposed
This rollicking romp through the barnyard reveals the mysterious and often misunderstood world of chickens, including their sophisticated social order and surprising cognitive capabilities.
E7
7. Can Dogs Talk?
Dogs using buttons to communicate in our language have gone viral, inspiring intrepid owners and scientists to dive deeper: can dogs truly talk to us?
E6
6. Survival of the Slowest
Sarika Cullis-Suzuki explores how nature's slowest creatures survive and thrive. A celebration of resilience, adaptation and the quiet brilliance of taking life slowly.
E5
5. Proof: The New Science of Alcohol
A moderate drinker takes a sobering look at everyone’s favourite social lubricant, asking the question: is any amount safe?
E4
4. Frozen in Time
After a traumatic brain injury, this scientist had to relearn how to live and work in Canada’s North. Then she discovered that the ancient Arctic was a strange and surprising place.
E3
3. Wild Wild Weather
Worldwide weather systems are starting to break. How air, ocean and even lava currents are changing in unprecedented ways thanks to a hotter planet.
E2
2. Beavers from Above
Sarika journeys to the Arctic where beavers have been encroaching farther north every year. Will the Arctic ever be the same as they populate more of the northern tundra?
E1
1. Empire of Bats
Deep in the jungle amidst the ruins of an ancient empire, bat scientists meet for an all out Bat-a-thon, a blitz of research to discover more about the furry little flyers.
Cast & crew
The Nature of Things FAQ
When is the next episode of The Nature of Things?
A date for the next episode of The Nature of Things hasn't been announced yet. Follow The Nature of Things in the Streambay app and you'll be notified as soon as a new episode airs.
When did the latest episode of The Nature of Things come out?
The most recent episode of The Nature of Things, Season 65 Episode 13 "The Mosquitoes Are Winning!", aired on April 8, 2026.
How many seasons of The Nature of Things are there?
The Nature of Things has 64 seasons with 664 episodes in total.
When did The Nature of Things first air?
The Nature of Things first aired on CBC Television on November 6, 1960.
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