The Nature of Things
Season 55
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 55
19 Episodes
- The Curious Case of Vitamins and MeE2
The Curious Case of Vitamins and MeWe all think we know vitamins – and we’re told they’re essential – but why do really need them and why can’t we produce them on our own? These are a few questions on the mind of intrepid filmmaker and health-freak Bryce Sage who travels from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco to get to the bottom of the vitamin mystery. - It Takes GutsE3
It Takes GutsEat less, move more. That’s been the mantra of the weight loss movement for decades. But as those who have fought the battle of the bulge will tell you, there’s a lot more to obesity than just too much junk food or too little willpower. Even when genes are taken into account, scientists have struggled to explain why one person can eat cake and stay skinny, while another munches on carrots and can’t shed a pound. - Giraffes: The Forgotten GiantsE4
Giraffes: The Forgotten GiantsEveryone on the planet knows what a giraffe is. “G” is for Giraffe in the alphabet and “Sophie” the Giraffe teething toys can be found in the hands of practically every newborn baby. But, most people don’t know much about giraffes, or that these iconic creatures of wild Africa, with their long necks, cinnamon spotted coats, flirty lashes and loping gait are disappearing at an alarming rate. Two hundred years ago there were a million giraffes, in 2000 there were 140,000 roaming Africa’s plains and forests. Now, fifteen years later, their numbers have plummeted to less than 80,000. - Sonic Magic: The Wonder and Science of Sound
E5Sonic Magic: The Wonder and Science of SoundSound surrounds us. Whether it's sound we choose to hear, like the music we play in our headphones, or sound we'd rather do without, like the noise of the city, we live in a sonic world that we seldom think twice about. - Puffin Patrol
E6Puffin PatrolIt’s spring on the North Atlantic and millions of Atlantic Puffins are making their way home to breed. These glorious little clown-like birds are full of contradictions. They spend eight months of the year living alone at sea, but they are extremely social when they return to land, living in jam-packed colonies. On Gull Island, just south of St John’s, Newfoundland, it’s breeding season for over 300,000 pairs of North Atlantic puffins. The birds get right down to business, using their shovel-like beaks and their big feet to dig new burrows to protect their single precious egg. - Ocean Magic at NightE8
Ocean Magic at NightCameraman and marine biologist Rick Rosenthal captures for the first time on camera Earth's biggest migration — the nightly movement of billions of animals from the ocean's depths to its surface and back. Ocean Magic at Night reveals for us the habitat of the dark open ocean. It is a world without solid objects, like deep space, whose bizarre inhabitants live out their lives suspended in darkness between the surface and the abyss. Each evening they travel up towards the surface to feed, and at dawn back down again to the safety of deep, dark water. Locating this migration in the vast emptiness of the open ocean, and at night, is not easy. When he ultimately succeeds, Rick's camera exposes a world inhabited by alien species of exceptional beauty. - Myth or Science 4: In the Eye of the StormE9
Myth or Science 4: In the Eye of the StormDr. Jennifer Gardy is back. The intrepid scientist and detective who put her body on the line in Myth or Science 1, 2 and 3 returns to continue her mission to put science claims to the test and discover – once and for all -- whether they’re myth or science. - Eagles Next DoorE12
Eagles Next DoorIn possibly the world’s single greatest conservation success story, Bald Eagles have gone from the brink of extinction to numbers never before seen in just fifty years. The eagle has landed...in our backyards. Nesting on hydro towers, construction beams, in suburban parks, and urban neighbourhoods, bald eagles are an exotic reminder of the wilderness that surrounded many of our cities’ landscapes. These majestic predators epitomize survival. Their story is one of opportunism and adaptation in the face of a rapidly changing ecological landscape. We follow the unfolding story of a single breeding pair in the suburbs of Vancouver, Canada, over the course of a year. Via the social media phenomena known as ‘nestcams’ we are able to witness their amazing lifecycle, and understand the adaptations they’ve made to be successful in the city. Wildlife biologists, conservationists, rescuers, and online nestcam fans illuminate the lives of our newly arrived wild neighbours. Stunning landscape shots and intimate close-ups leave the viewer in awe of this special bird. Exclusive nestcam footage of this year’s dramatic breeding, hatching, and fledging season brings unparalleled understanding and access. - Trapped in a Human ZooE13
Trapped in a Human ZooThis is the story of the incredible journey of eight Inuit who came from Labrador in 1880, to Europe lured by promises of adventures and wealth, only to realize they had been trapped in a world that time has today forgotten; the world of human zoos. Thirty-five thousand indigenous people from around the world were recruited for these zoos. - The EqualizerE15
The EqualizerEvery 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. - Suzuki@80E18
Suzuki@80David Suzuki is celebrating his 80th birthday in March, and we’re planning a very special program. After more than 50 years in the public eye, you may think you’ve seen Suzuki in just about every way possible: almost naked, confronting industry, skateboarding down the street, and even buried up to his neck in a bog. No wonder we all think we know who he is, but in this deeply personal show you’ll meet a David you haven’t seen before.
