The Nature of Things
Season 45
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.
The series is named after an epic poem by Roman philosopher Lucretius: "Dē Rērum Nātūrā" — On the Nature of Things.
Where to Watch The Nature of Things • Season 45
19 Episodes
- Sex, Lies and Secrecy: Dissecting HysterectomyE1
Sex, Lies and Secrecy: Dissecting HysterectomyThree-quarters of a million hysterectomies are performed annually in North America. In close to 80% of these the ovaries are removed at the time of surgery, which robs women of a natural and healthy hormonal balance, and which can result in subsequent problems. This documentary looks at the choices being made and possible less-invasive alternatives. - Selling SicknessE3
Selling SicknessSelling Sickness explores the unhealthy relationships between society, medical science and the pharmaceutical industry as they promote their new miracle cures - selling not just drugs but also the latest diseases that go with them. It looks at the growing global controversy around SSRI antidepressants and follows British Psychiatrist, Dr David Healy, patients and their families as they rock the scientific establishment with accusations that aggressive drug marketing is blurring the boundaries between medical conditions and ordinary life with potentially deadly consequences. - Arktika: The Russian Dream That FailedE4
Arktika: The Russian Dream That FailedARKTIKA: The Russian Dream That Failed traces the ambitious and disasterous Soviet attempt to conquer a vast arctic region spanning half of the top of the world. A veil of secrecy that enveloped the Russian Arctic during the Soviet era has lifted. As hundreds of thousands of Russians evacuate the north, leaving behind a legacy of environmental destruction and nuclear waste, the story of the Soviet dream of conquering the Arctic-and its cost-can be told. - Killed By Care: Making Medicine SafeE7
Killed By Care: Making Medicine SafeIn Canada alone it's estimated that between 9,000 and 24,000 people die every year as a result of medical error. The Nature of Things presents Killed By Care: Making Medicine Safe a one hour documentary that explores the tragic consequences of medical error and the devastating impact it can have on patients, their families and on health care workers as well. - Tale of a Tiny BirdE8
Tale of a Tiny BirdMagic and understanding blossom when an imaginative young girl meets the King of the Songbirds. Travelling with him, to his kingdom among the dunes of Courland on the Baltic, she is granted unprecedented access to the private lives of tiny birds. She also gets a chance to observe scientists, who have devoted their lives to studying birds and their epic migratory journeys. A film rich in wonder, compassion and quiet humour. - Apocalypse Cow: The Mad Cow Story (Part 1)E9
Apocalypse Cow: The Mad Cow Story (Part 1)APOCALYPSE COW is a two-part story about Mad Cow Disease - a rare brain disorder of cattle that has the ability to jump species. The Mad Cow epidemic started in the United Kingdom and has spread to more than 20 countries around the world. It is also a story about cover-up and greed. APOCALYPSE COW examines new information on the tangled history and origins of the outbreak, exploring its potential impact on human health. - Bhopal: The Search for JusticeE11
Bhopal: The Search for JusticeBhopal: The Search for Justice looks at the 1984 chemical leak in Bhopal, India, which killed fifteen thousand people at the time and continues to have severe health effects on people who were in contact with the chemical cloud when the leak occurred. - Forbidden ForestE12
Forbidden ForestTwo men concerned about forestry policies on New Brunswick lands urge company officials and the New Brunswick government to practice responsible forestry, and they propose a new, community-based forestry policy — one that is environmentally sustainable and that produces more jobs than the highly capital-intensive, mechanized techniques being used. - Fighting Fire with FireE13
Fighting Fire with FireTwo men concerned about forestry policies on New Brunswick lands urge company officials and the New Brunswick government to practice responsible forestry, and they propose a new, community-based forestry policy — one that is environmentally sustainable and that produces more jobs than the highly capital-intensive, mechanized techniques being used. - Being Caribou: Part 1E14
Being Caribou: Part 1Hoping to raise awareness of the threat to the survival of the Porcupine caribou herd presented by the proposed exploitation of the oil and gas reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a husband-and-wife-team follow the herd of 120,000 caribou on foot across 1,500 kilometers of rugged Arctic tundra. - Origins of Human Aggression: The Other Story
E18Origins of Human Aggression: The Other StoryExamines the complex factors that affect the socialization of aggressive behavior among humans. Biological, environmental and psychological components are addressed, and guidelines for the prevention of human violence are provided. - Five SeasonsE19
Five SeasonsThe Numurindi people from Australia's South East Arnemland have developed a culture where all things past and present, including the weather, are interrelated. This relationship extends to the animal kingdom and plant life, as well as previous generations. Five Sea sons explores this delicate relationship through the eyes of the Numurindi people who enjoy the benefits of the modern world, yet are still guided by the seasons and the traditions of the past.